BJP politically bankrupt, may pick Kumaraswamy as LoP, says K’taka CM

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday attacked the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka for not being able to choose the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), though two months have passed since the announcement of the election results, adding that the party must have decided to go with former chief minister and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy for the position.

“You claim that the BJP is a party of discipline and still you could not appoint a Leader of Opposition. I didn’t know BJP would be so politically bankrupt. I think you have decided to make HD Kumaraswamy as the Leader of the Opposition,” Siddaramaiah said in the Legislative Council on Friday.

The chief minister made the remarks after BJP leaders objected to his allegations against the Centre for failing to provide rice for the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme.

While some of the BJP leaders walked out of the Assembly in protest against Siddaramaiah’s remarks, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, said that the high command would take a decision at the appropriate time.

“The Central leaders will take a decision regarding the appointment of the LoP at the right time after watching the developments carefully. All the 66 MLAs are eligible for the position,” Kateel said.

This is not the first time that Kumaraswamy’s name has come up for the post of LoP. Earlier this week, amid heated discussions in the Assembly on Wednesday, Chamundeshwari Janata Dal (Secular) MLA GT Devegowda had raked the issue, while taking the name of former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, who quit the BJP to join the Congress ahead of the recently held Assembly elections. “If he [Savadi] knows why there is no LoP, he should tell,” the JD(S) leader said.

Savadi said that he has many friends in the BJP in Delhi and asked Devegowda to wait and watch. “Who knows, they might appoint HD Kumaraswamy as the Leader of the Opposition. He will be LoP on deputation to BJP. The LoP seat is vacant and he may be moved there,” Savadi quipped.

Former Member of Parliament and JD(S) leader Ayanur Manjunath had also said on July 11 that Kumaraswamy should become the leader of the joint Opposition. Manjunath had said Kumaraswamy had been acting as the true leader of Opposition. “He raised the issue of corruption against the Congress government, and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa of the BJP also extended his support to his [Kumaraswamy’s] allegations.”

There have been murmurs of the JD(S) possibly joining hands with the BJP for the next year’s Lok Sabha election. Earlier this month, Kumaraswamy dropped another hint about his party’s plans for 2024 elections.

“I don’t want to particularly name anyone. Anything may happen. It will not take too much time, most probably it will happen this year-end or after the Parliament election. For that, we will have to wait”, the former chief minister had said.

Kumaraswamy’s statement came in response to former chief minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa’s claim recently hinting at a future tie-up with the JD(S). “Whatever HD Kumaraswamy is saying is absolutely true and I want to support his statement. Kumaraswamy and we will fight together in future.”

Despite this being the second week since the legislature session began, the BJP, which is the principal opposition party in the state, is yet to appoint the Leader of Opposition.

On Thursday, Congress MLA Laxman Savadi targeted the BJP leaders for repeatedly intervening during the discussion in the Assembly, and said that the party leaders are competing to get more marks from the high command for the post of LoP.

Earlier this month, the party had deputed Central observers to choose the LoP in Karnataka. However, the issue is still unresolved and is drawing criticism from the ruling Congress.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai still remains one of the main contenders, as the BJP deliberates to decide whether it should stick to the old guard or put faith in a new leader, while balancing the caste equation in the state. The other contenders are former ministers Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, S Sunil Kumar and R Ashoka.