Bengaluru: Dynastic politics could well trigger a major crisis for Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda and his son and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy sooner than later as more than a dozen party legislators are reportedly keen to defect to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as they are disgusted with the leaders for sharing key posts only among their kin.
While three rebels, including former state unit president A H Vishwanath, deserted the party ahead of the trust vote faced by Mr Kumaraswamy, a former minister and senior JD (S) leader revealed to Deccan Chronicle about how these disgruntled legislators are not only ready to jump ship but are reaching out to other party legislators to take the number past the magic figure of 23 (of the total 37 legislators) to duck action under the Anti-defection Act and also to avoid bypolls.
All of them nurse a grouse against Mr Gowda and his son for distributing key positions within the family, thus hampering the political career of other legislators.
These legislators were ignored when Mr Kumaraswamy expanded his ministry last year while his son Nikhil and nephew Prajwal were given tickets to contest Lok Sabha polls from Mandya and Hassan earlier this year.
The former minister pointed out that with Congress losing in all states, every one was now inching towards the BJP, a move which be a god send for BJP leaders who are keen to increase the party's strength in Assembly at a time when uncertainty looms over 17 disqualified rebel legislators. The leaders are of the opinion that the government could encounter trouble if the Congress bounces back in bypolls to the Assembly, winning a majority of the 17 seats.
Besides, many of those keen to defect to BJP hail from Old Mysore region where the party has been struggling to secure a toe hold. The upshot: these dozen-odd legislators have held hush-hush meetings with BJP leaders are expressing their willing to support the BJP during a meeting of JD (S) legislature party, the leader added.
