Even as the BJP officially withdrew support to the JD(S) in Karnataka, and sought dismissal of the H D Kumaraswamy-led Government on Sunday, the first signs of the caste worries of the JD(S)-BJP break up surfaced.Lingayat community leader and JD(S) MLA Mahima Patel resigned as parliamentary secretary in the party and threatened to quit from the primary membership of the party as well for the failure to transfer power to the BJP as scheduled on October 3. He is the son of former Chief Minister J H Patel. The Lingayats have traditionally supported the BJP. With BJP leader B S Yediyurappa denied the opportunity to become CM, the community is expected to strongly back the saffron party in case of mid-term polls. This is in reprisal to the JD(S) that is seen as the party of the other dominant community in the state, the Vokkaligas.Patel, while quitting the post of parliamentary secretary, said his party colleagues were not listening to him. Sources in the party said the MLA had informed Chief Minister Kumaraswamy that he would have to quit to protect his electoral interests in the Lingayat-dominated Channagiri constituency in the north of the state.Another senior Lingayat leader and businessman Vijaya Sankeshwar, a former BJP MP who moved to the JD(S), also announced his resignation from the party’s primary membership in protest against the JD(S) betrayal.Meanwhile on Sunday, the BJP marched to the Raj Bhavan and handed over a letter withdrawing support to the JD(S)-led Government. The letter to Governor Rameshwar Thakur stated that “the BJP hereby withdraws its support which had been extended to the council of ministers headed by Kumaraswamy”.“In this situation, the continuance of Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister has become unconstitutional. In these circumstances we pray that the Governor dismiss Kumaraswamy from the Chief Ministership or in the alternative ask, without loss of time, Kumaraswamy, who is keen on seeking a vote of confidence in the legislature, to convene a session within three days,” the letter said.Soon after handing over the letter the BJP launched an attack on the Chief Minister and the JD(S) for their refusal to hand over power. Yediyurappa, who was CM designate, appealed to JD(S) MLAs who are unhappy with their party’s stance to support the BJP. The future of a young leader like Kumaraswamy had been spoilt by the stance taken by party chief H D Deve Gowda, BJP state president D V Sadananda Gowda stated.Responding to a charge made by the Chief Minister that divisions within the BJP itself lead to the downfall of Yediyurappa, the BJP leader said the CM was attempting to create divisions within the BJP for his own interests. Both parties have promised to carry out a campaign throughout the state to highlight the wrongdoings of the other. In a related development, a Congress delegation led by former Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar met the Governor soon after the BJP withdrawal of support. They have asked the Governor to take the Congress into confidence in the process of formation of an alternative government.Earlier, following a meeting with JD(S) legislators Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy appealed to the Governor to “be given a chance to prove majority”. The JDLP decided against allying with the Congress to stay in power, sources said.
