H D Kumaraswamy's theatrics: Heal the rift

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s eye-popping directive to the police earlier this week to “shoot them mercilessly”, and then backtracking to say he meant “smoke them out”, has been ascribed to his inability to keep his emotions in check. But there’s more to the theatrics than meets the eye.

The Janata Dal(S) was the first scalp notched up by Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his bid to enlarge his party’s footprint after being reduced to virtual irrelevance, with the backroom deal to form a coalition with JD(S) signalling that the Congress was willing to play second fiddle in a future “mahagatbandhan”. But while the party’s fortunes got a boost when it won a triad of BJP-run states in December, if the Congress hopes to maintain its winning streak, it must heed the voice of its newfound partners. Particularly the JD(S).

The Mandya-Mysuru-Hassan belt in south Karnataka is the hotbed of Vokkaliga politics, with the Congress and JD(S) jostling for supremacy. JD(S) worker Ramesh’s murder, and of others earlier, shows the blood feud is far from over, alliance or no alliance. The recent Mandya bypoll, when Congress workers voted for the BJP candidate, even after he withdrew from the race, and Congress leader Siddaramaiah continuing to call the shots, doesn’t sit well with the JD(S). As Mr Gandhi and Mr Kumaraswamy meet, the latter may hint he was only taking a sideswipe at Congress’ deputy CM G. Parameshwar on law and order. But if the Congress hopes to retain not just its JD(S) alliance but forge a wider rainbow coalition ahead of 2019, this tussle shouldn’t be allowed to escalate.