The knives are out as the Karnataka JDS unit has ended up as a house divided. Former prime minister and JDS honcho H.D. Deve Gowda and his one-time protege and Karnataka deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah are all set to part ways with the Congress having the last laugh.

Tension between Siddaramaiah and Gowda began after Gowda allowed his two sons -- PWD and power minister H.D. Revanna and state JDS working president H.D. Kumaraswamy -- to have a major say in the running of the party in the state. The deputy chief minister, who maintained that no one could prevent him from speaking his mind or from fighting for social justice, was a man who thought and did things on his own.

Although a nominee of Gowda when the state's first coalition was formed one-and-a-half years ago, Siddaramaiah and Gowda have not been on the best of terms for almost a year. For Gowda, the last straw came when Siddaramaiah and his supporters in the JDS attended a convention of backward class and minorities in Hubli last month despite Gowda's opposition to the participation. Gowda did not want him to attend the meet because of the presence of a few Congress and JDS leaders who were his rivals.

Gowda says that Siddaramaiah should have heeded his advice and stayed put. On August 1 52 JDS legislators met in a Gowda loyalist's house and resolved to dethrone Siddaramaiah. A letter to this effect was submitted to the Karnataka chief minister two days later. Unfazed, Siddaramaiah says that he continues to be the Janata Dal Legislature Party leader and deputy chief minister and adds that the meeting to dethrone him was invalid and unconstitutional. "That was a secret meeting organised in a hush-hush manner without issuing notices to any MLA. No
decision on party affairs can be made at such dinner meetings," he maintains.

Continuing his argument, Siddaramaiah claims that the meeting convened by him on August 4 was genuine as a call was given to "all MLAs who believe in social justice" to attend the meeting. He filed a caveat before Speaker Krishna alleging that the Gowda camp's meeting was invalid and that he was still the JDLP leader as well as the deputy chief minister. "According to the party constitution, permission has to be obtained from the party parliamentary committee for moving a no confidence motion against the JDLP leader," he points out. ". Following this, the JDLP leader has to convene a special meeting in which the motion can be moved. But none of these procedures were followed."

State unit chief N. Thippanna, a confidante of Gowda, however, has a different point of view. "When I have called a meeting, it is official. Not all members were given a notice to attend. Those members who have damaged our party have not been invited."

While Siddaramaiah says he was in touch with central leaders of the party, his supporters maintain they would petition central leaders against the Gowda resolution as soon as they get a written communication. "They (Gowda camp) are the complainants, they are the prosecutors and they are the judges too. If that is the way they want to deal with us, let them declare that they do not believe in democracy," says Siddaramaiah.

MLA and a Siddaramaiah supporter B.R. Patil says Gowda was running the party like a private company. "There is no battle between the two personalities, now the battle is between two ideologies. Those who are in favour of social justice and those who
are against social justice."

For Chief Minister Dharam Singh the tussle within the JDS is a blessing in disguise. So too for Mallikarjuna Kharge whose name for chief ministership was opposed by Gowda. Siddaramaiah may just turn out to be a big help for the Congress.

Thippanna, on behalf of Gowda, is asking the chief ministrer to drop Siddharamaiah and his lieutenants - Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jharkiholi - within three days. The party has asked Revenue Minister M.P. Prakash, a well known Lingayat leader, to fill in for Siddaramaiah. Industries Minister P.G.R. Sindhia is expected to don the additional portfolio of finance, held by Siddaramaiah. Says Kharge, "Our first priority is to build the Congress in the state and win the polls on our own." Breaking the JDS is perhaps the first move in this direction.

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