Karnataka Assembly elections 2023: Turncoats & fading line of ideologies

Karnataka elections 2023: Karnataka is infamous for negative politics. Politicians in the state are attached by a flimsy‍ string of political ideologies. They often switch sides for the sake of power, especially during the election. Even they don't hesitate to betray their party which causes the collapse of the government. Karnataka's history book of politics is full of such betrayal stories. If you take a trip down memory lane of 2019, you will find how HD Kumaraswamy's government collapsed in a hostile atmosphere in the assembly. In July 2019, as many as 20 MLAs-- Congress-JD(S) (17), BSP (1), Independents (2)-- skipped the proceedings of the Floor Test in the assembly resulting toppling of the Congress-JD(S) government. The incident was allegedly termed 'Operation Lotus' by Congress and JD(S) leadership.

Kumaraswamy betrays Yediyurappa 
In 2006, BJP leader Yediyurappa reportedly helped HD Kumaraswamy to topple the coalition government headed by Dharam Singh. Yediyurappa and Kumaraswamy reached an agreement that for the first 20 months the latter will be CM and after that the post will be passed to the former. But after 20 months, Kumaraswamy refused to leave the CM post. However, Somehow Congress and JD-S made a truce and Yediyurappa was sworn in as the CM on 12 November 2007. But, two days later JD-S withdrew support compelling him to resign.

Yediyurappa Saga
Yediyurappa holds influence over Lingayat community which makes him indispensable in Karnataka politics, that's the reason, he is still the kingpin of the BJP in the state. Even today, without holding a formal post of CM or party state president, he remains at the helm. Yediyurappa too showed his fragile love for the party ideology. He once left BJP and formed his own party. Then BJP charged him with the betrayal of the party. He left BJP alleging being ill-treated by the BJP leadership in 2012 and formed own party- Karnataka Janata Paksha. However, he again returned to the saffron fold and merged his party with the BJP in 2014.

Siddaramaiah's swing
The former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah political's career has been full of twists and turns. He started his career with Bharatiya Lok Dal by winning Chamundeshwari constituency in 1983. Later he joined the ruling Janata Party. In 1992, Siddaramaiah got the post of Secretary General of Janata Dal. After the split in the Janata Dal, he joined the JD-S faction of Deve Gowda. He was appointed as state unit president of JD-S. In 2005, he was expelled from the party for having differences with Deve Gowda. Later he joined Congress in 2006. His four-decade-long journey across several parties shows that he has never been loyal to one particular ideology.

CM BS Bommai
Cheif Minister BS Bommai is also a turncoat. He quit the Janata Dal (Secular) in February 2008 and joined BJP in the same year. Now, he leads the party in Karnataka.

2023 election & turncoats

As the voting date in Karnataka is approaching, all three prime contenders- Bharatiya Janta Party, Congress and Janta Dal (Secular) intensified their manoeuvre to weaken rivals. Former Karnataka chief minister, and senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Monday joined Congress at the grand old party office in Bengaluru. He joined the Opposition party in Karnataka in the presence of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and DK Shivakumar. Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader, was the 15th chief minister of Karnataka from July 2012 to May 2013. Shettar, a former State BJP President and a six-time MLA had on Saturday said he would resign as an MLA and also part ways with the saffron party after a three-decade-long association.

Mudigere MLA MP Kumaraswamy on April 15 joined JD(S). This comes a day after he had resigned from the BJP after being denied the party ticket. 

Former deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who resigned from the primary membership of the BJP after being denied a ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections, joined the Congress on April 14. 

Kudligi BJP MLA NY Gopalakrishna joined Congress on April 3. Speaking on the occasion, DK Shvakumar said several BJP and JD(S) leaders joining the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka is an evidence to prove that public sentiment is in favour of the party and it will come to power. 

If we see in totality, the neverending stories of politicians switching sides give a clear message that leaders in the state hardly bother about ideologies, in fact, they only prefer to be on the side of power. They often compromise with their political ideologies for the sake of power and position.

Also read- Karnataka elections 2023: Big jolt to BJP as Ex-CM Jagadish Shettar joins Congress