We have a new strategy'

Interview with K.S. Eshwarappa, Karnataka State BJP president.

MUCH of the credit for keeping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators together during the first half of October as political shenanigans were going on in Karnataka should go to the party's State president, K.S. Eshwarappa. In the May 2008 Assembly elections, no single party got a simple majority. In the House with 224 elected members, the BJP won 110 seats, the Congress 80, the Janata Dal (Secular) 28 and independents six. Speaking to Frontline on the present political situation in the State, Eshwarappa justified the action of the BJP in persuading Congress and Janata Dal (S) legislators to switch loyalties. Excerpts:

What brought on the present political crisis in the B.S. Yeddyurappa government?

The independents and rebels, the majority of whom have come from other parties and on whom the Yeddyurappa government was dependent for survival, came together and demanded something more than what the party had given them.

But some of them were made Ministers.

But all of them wanted to become Ministers. This group's political unhappiness was utilised by H.D. Kumaraswamy [State president of the Janata Dal-Secular)] and Siddaramaiah, the Leader of the Opposition, for their own benefit.

The BJP had come to power promising a government with a difference. But the Yeddyurappa government has become known for land scams and corruption. Quite a few Cabinet Ministers are under investigation.

No judgment has so far come against any of the Ministers. Yes, inquiries are going on. If corruption is proved we will take action. I fully understand the criticism of the opposition parties. It is their duty to criticise the government. We did the same when we were in the opposition.

Would you agree that the BJP's Operation Lotus after the Assembly elections sparked off defections and horse-trading?

What else could we have done to obtain a majority. No political party received a majority. The BJP was the largest single party. Should we have allowed the Janata Dal (Secular), which had won the least number of seats, to dictate terms, hold the State to ransom as they did when they formed coalition governments, first with the Congress and then with us? If the largest single party had been kept out [of power] it would have made a mockery of the people's verdict.

So Operation Lotus and the poaching of legislators who had no inkling of the BJP's ideology were justified?

We had no alternative.

The Yeddyurappa government may have survived the October 14 vote of confidence, but do you think it will last its full term?

Yes. We have formulated a new strategy. At the same time, as could be seen during the run-up to the trust vote when there were serious differences of opinion in the Congress leadership, that party appears to be broken. The Janata Dal (S) has lost its touch with the people.

Even if one accepts your assessment, you will have to agree that there are huge differences with the BJP as well.

Many views yes, not differences. In the BJP we have discussions, not groupism.

But surely the rebellion by the Reddy brothers of Bellary and their confidants in 2009 was groupism?

The Reddy brothers are basically businessmen. When the problems you speak about happened they were not fully acquainted with the political mechanism. Now they are hundred per cent BJP people. We have all learnt our lessons. I do not anticipate that sort of trouble.

Even if the Yeddyurappa government survives after the High Court gives its verdict, it will still only have a wafer-thin majority. How do you hope to keep it afloat?

We are hoping that the High Court will uphold the Speaker's decision in disqualifying the 11 BJP dissidents and five independent legislators. If that happens, these seats will have to go in for byelection within the next six months. We are confident that we will win 10-12 of these 16 seats and secure a majority in the House.