Incorrigible Deve Gowda

Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda, the versatile political player Karnataka has ever seen, is famous for his unpredictable moves.

He may sacrifice a pawn (Kumaraswamy’s resignation) to keep his reputation intact. Some times, he will sign peace treaties with staunch rivals to enjoy the upper hand (JD(S)-BJP coalition).

At times, the incorrigible Gowda will resign to his own fate for a political sabbatical (Relinquishing the JD (S) national president post).

He has got an uncanny knack of forging political alliances too. Thus he managed to keep his faction-ridden Janata Dal (Secular), which secured only 54 seats in the 2004 Assembly elections, afloat in the Karnataka politics.

Soon after the last Assembly polls, he struck an alliance with the Congress. In return, his party got key positions in the Dharam Singh ministry.

But the marriage did not last long. JD (S) pulled the plug and ousted the Congress Government after nine months.

When an uncertainty loomed over political landscape of Karnataka, Gowda used his proxy (read son) H D Kumaraswamy to play the cards.

He struck a deal with 'communal' BJP and formed the government in the "larger interests of Karnataka'.

As the news about the unexpected deal broke, Gowda feared a backlash from within his own party and from the minorities. Suddenly he began the fire-fighting mission. He denounced his son; expressed 'shock' over the pact; he even exhorted HDK to break the alliance and return to secular ways.

The father-son spat too, as expected, did not last long. They buried the hatchet in no time, much to the chagrin of card-carrying secularists in the Janata Dal (S).

"It is all for the greater common good of Karnataka and its people," the incorrigible Gowda substantiated the alliance with Sangh Parivar.

The 'humble farmer' thus once again started calling the shots.

Communal Riots

BJP's ascendancy to power only helped in worsening the situations in communally sensitive areas like Baba Budangiri, Mangalore, and several parts of Bangalore City.

Communal clashes erupted at regular intervals. The JD (S)-led government did nothing to stop the marauding rioters, though it was very clear that BJP is instigating the riots.

People's Democratic Forum, a 40-member fact-finding team which visited Mangalore soon after the 2006 riots, squarely blamed the Sangh Parivar and the local police for the communal riots.

" Sangh Parivar forces had gained strength after B. Nagaraja Shetty of the Bharatiya Janata Party took over as the district-in-charge Minister," observed the independent panel.

But Deve Gowda and his Home Minister (M P Prakash) took a soft line on the crucial issues.

Reason: they did not want to annoy their coalition partner.

Fall from Grace

Those who have heard (read) Gowda chanting the secular mantra again two weeks back might have laughed aloud.

"The Sangh Parivar will make Karnataka another Hindutva laboratory if we (JD (S) transfer power to the BJP," he told the mediapersons.

It is hard to believe that a senior leader like Deve Gowda had failed to understand the perils of forming a coalition with BJP.

He talked as if he came to know about the evil designs of Sangh Parivar very recently (on the eve of the power transfer to BJP. As per the 20:20 deal, the JD (S) had to transfer power on October 2, 2007).

The ‘power transfer’ drama exposed the ‘secular’ Gowda.

He was hailed (even very recently) as a tallest secular leader in India. But his actions made people believe that he is the most power hungry politician.

Deve Gowda’s fall from grace, indeed, is one of the saddest political tales in contemporary India.