Most politicians believe that former chief minister and JD(S) chief H.D. Kumaraswamy was the brains behind the move to bring down the B.S. Yeddyurappa government. But sources within the JD(S) are now giving the Machiavellian former PM, H.D. Deve Gowda, the credit for the toppling game, aimed at shedding his party of the anti-
secular tag it has carried for the last two years, after his son joined hands with the BJP in 2006 and brought down the Congress government led by Dharam Singh.
Plans to bring down the BJP government were reportedly masterminded by Mr Gowda and systematically executed by his son and former chief minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Speaking to this newspaper, a source close to the Gowda camp, maintained, “Mr Gowda seethed with anger on the day when his second son, who is also JDLP leader, H.D. Revanna was attacked by Mr Yeddyurappa on the floor of the house. This was not the first time Mr Yeddyurappa has insulted Revanna by calling him a ‘hit and run case’, a reference to Revanna’s habit of making wild allegations without providing any evidence.”
Mr Gowda also wanted to clear his son Kumaraswamy’s name. HDK was instrumental in forming coalition government with the BJP in 2006 after breaking away from the coalition arrangement with the Congress.
His new arrangement with the BJP lasted only 20 months. “After our party failed to hand over the CM post to Mr Yeddyurappa, the sympathy factor worked in favour of the latter and the BJP romped to victory by winning 110 seats in 2008 elections,” the source said.