If RSS functionaries have their way, Karnataka could face mid-term polls to the Assembly by the end of the year or early next year.
Reason: The RSS functionaries are certain that the BJP will be able to ride another sympathy wave — this time on how the Opposition constantly tried to destabilise the state government and posed hurdles in implementation of developmental schemes. Second, the Congress leaders and the JD(S) have launched protests against a decision or the other at regular intervals, diverting the attention of people from laudable feats of the state government.
Sources in the BJP told this newspaper that such sweeping suggestions for early polls were conveyed by RSS functionaries to senior party leaders and ministers during a three-day meeting held in the farmhouse of a prominent leader on the outskirts of the city. Chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, however, skipped the meeting as his presence would have attracted the media to the venue.
Sources said such a proposal broached though the original agenda was to evolve a succession plan as Mr Yeddyurappa was likely to face more problems soon with submission of final report on illegal mining by the Lokayukta, Justice N. Santosh Hegde. The meeting side-stepped the succession issue as a bid to nominate energy minister Shobha Karandlaje met with stiff resistance.
“Recently, a confidential report on investigation by the Lokayukta was procured by the government, which indicated that the final report on mining will nail the chief minister too. Since then, the question of an alternative leader has cropped up,” the sources added.