Siddaramaiah Challenges JD(S) on Declining Influence

Fast Summary

• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah: Criticized JD(S) in the Legislative Assembly, stating its strength has reduced to 18 seats and predicted it may fall further to two or three seats in future elections. He declared the Congress would not form any alliance with JD(S), calling it a “political untouchable” after aligning with BJP.
• Congress criticism on BJP: Siddaramaiah accused BJP of using “unethical practices,” such as operation kamala (inducing defections), highlighting that the party never received full electoral mandate in Karnataka despite forming governments twice.
• Leader of Opposition R. Ashok remarks: Responded by referencing Congress leader K.N. Rajanna’s comment about a potential “November revolution” within Congress, stating the Opposition is awaiting its growth.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The statements made during Karnataka’s Legislative Assembly highlight ongoing political tensions among major parties-Congress, JD(S), and BJP. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s sharp criticism underscores a intentional distancing from JD(S) while potentially signaling Congress’s preparation for upcoming elections without coalition dependence. This rejection appears linked to ideological differences following JD(S)’s strategic alignment with BJP.

On another front, Siddaramaiah’s critique of BJP points toward allegations about governance ethics under both parties’ rule over Karnataka-a recurring theme in Indian politics where accusations of defections are criticized but common across states.R. Ashok’s mention of an internal “November revolution” could point towards intra-party dynamics within Congress-an issue that opponents may leverage politically if considerable enough to affect stability ahead of state or national polls.

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