‘Camp politics’ in city beat BJP in Karnataka
■ Tight security saved Congress MLAs from poaching
The defeat of the BJP government in the Karnataka Assembly is being attributed to the successful ‘camp politics’ in Hyderabad, which played a key role in keeping all MLAs of the Congress and JD(S) intact.
After considering all options, the Congress and JD(S) had shifted their MLAs to star hotels in Hyderabad to save them from poaching by the BJP. The TRS government too provided tight security to the MLAs. None of the MLAs could be poached from the camps though they stayed in the city from 8 am to 11 pm on Friday due to the tight security measures.
The cordial relationship between Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and JD(S) leaders is cited as the reason for the TRS government extending full security to the MLAs. The TRS sees the JD(S) taking over the reins in Karnataka as advantageous for Mr Rao in taking forward his proposal of a Federal Front comprising regional parties.
The government posted intelligence officials at star hotels and key locations to track political developments by the minute on who was trying to contact the MLAs. They updated their seniors which helped the Karnataka Congress and JDS leaders take precautionary measures to keep their flock intact.
Jammers were installed to block mobile phone signals. All modes of communication were deactivated at the camps to prevent outsiders from communicating with the MLAs.
Interestingly, the TD government in AP also played its bit to help JD(S) and Congress. Congress-JD(S) chief ministerial candidate H.D. Kumaraswamy used cars belonging to TD Rajya Sabha member C.M. Ramesh to travel in the city from the airport to the star hotels to meet the MLAs.
Congress treasurer Guduru Narayan Reddy arranged a special copter within an hour to fly former chief minister Siddaramaiah to Bengaluru from Shamshabad airport.
Mr Reddy also arranged for accommodation for all JDS and Congress MLAs at one place after the original venues identified did not have adequate rooms to house all at a single place.