Gowda's conditions to save Karnataka Govt

    Bangalore: Twists and turns seem to be continuing in the ongoing Karnataka crisis. In a latest turn of events, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has shot off a letter stating nine points - or conditions - to the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, asking her to meet them if she is "serious enough to douse off the Karnataka crisis." The nine conditions that Deve Gowda has put forward in the letter includes adoption of the Maharashtra model and coming out clear on the issue of Congress relations with Gowda's arch rival, Siddaramiah. The Maharashtra model that the letter envisages includes the post of Chief-Ministership to the bigger partner of the coalition and important portfolios, like Home, Finance, Rural Development, Higher Education to be given to the junior coalition partner, Janata Dal in this case, besides the post of Deputy Chief Minister. The debate over Maharashtra model is not new to the Karnataka coalition as earlier too there were demands from JD (S). But Congress rejected it saying that Maharashtra model is only limited to the post of Chief Minister and Deputy CM.

   The other conditions put forward in the letter to Sonia Gandhi include, withdrawal of the all the cases filed against his party's workers during the recent Panchayat elections and immediate appointment of chairpersons to various Boards and Corporations. The JD(S) president has also asked Sonia Gandhi to directly intervene in resolving the political turmoil plaguing the state and take personal interest in running the coalition smoothly in future. Coming heavily on some State Congress leaders for criticising the JD(S) leaders he made it clear that in future the Congress leaders should not make statements that show disrespect to its coalition partner. In the letter, Gowda senior has also stated that to pacify his son Kumaraswamy, who has 'split' the JD (S), will be a Herculean task and will require a great effort to bring him back in the coalition ties with Congress. Meanwhile, pamphlets hailing Kumaraswamy as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka has flooded Bangalore and the close associates of Deve Gowda are also singing the tune of Kumaraswamy, making it very imminent that his son's elevation to the CM post will be also welcomed by his father albeit on the support of BJP. Kumaraswamy who is currently in Bangalore with his 45 party legislators has reiterated his stand that the "talks with Congress are now over." While the rebel JD (S) members are made to reside in Goa its newfound ally BJP is now shifting its members from Chennai to Pondicherry. The BJP legislators will make a two-day stopover in Kodikanal en route their journey to Pondicherry. Nearly 70 MLAs belonging to the BJP were brought to Chennai from Bangalore on Friday night by a private aircraft and were lodged in two city hotels.

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