Bourgeoisie brings BJP to power

Six months after being deprived of Chief Ministership and leadership of a coalition government by the manouvers of Shri HD Kumaraswami of the Janata Dal (S), the BJP has come to power on its own after buying the support of five  “independents” and making all of them ministers in the new dispensation.

Since the 2004 elections to the state assembly, Karnataka has been run by two different coalitions. The defeated parties in the 2004 elections, the Congress and the JD(S) ran a coalition government for 20 months, before they broke apart. Following this, the JD(S) and the BJP struck a deal to run a coalition government for the remaining 40 months. Under the terms of the deal, JD(S) would hold the Chief Minister's post for 20 months, followed by the BJP for the next 20 months. When it came to BJP’s term, the JD(S) reneged from the agreement. The main reason was over the division of spoils of ministries, especially lucrative portfolios like mining and infrastructure. The assembly was dissolved, and mid term elections organised.

A PUCL report on candidates' returns in these elections reveals that there were a large number of candidates who openly declared that they had assets of tens of crores of rupees. They belonged to all the three main parties in Karnataka — BJP, Congress, and JD(S). When these returns were compared with their assets four years ago, it becomes clear that many of them have amassed enormous wealth in just four years after becoming MLAs.

The bourgeoisie has not been particularly happy with the developments in Karnataka in these four years. With frequent changes of ministers, and governments, its plans to exploit land, labour and resources to the maximum were affected. It was very keen on establishing a "stable" government, and a government committed to "development". That is, a government which would prepare the way for maximum exploitation of land and resources of people by the bourgeoisie, a government that would not hesitate to attack the workers and peasants and working people and their rights.

The elections process was organised in such a manner as to manufacture a "stable" government. It was carried out in three phases, spread over a month. As in the 2004 General Elections, the separating into phases was used to push through one party with a majority, in this case the BJP. 

The workers and peasants and working people of Karnataka are facing many problems. They have voiced their concerns time and again. However, whether it is the BJP, Congress or JD(S) none of these parties were even bothered with addressing the concerns.  In a totally shameless fashion, they used their ill-gotten wealth to buy votes and win elections. As in other elections, people were reduced to mere vote banks for this or that party.

One of the key campaign planks of the BJP was the "war against terrorism". Under the guise of being fighters against terrorism, the BJP carried out covert propaganda against people of the Muslim faith. Already, it has contributed to communalising the atmosphere over the years over the Baba Buden Dutta Peetha shrine in the Baba Budangiri hills in Chikmagalur, and the Idgah maidan in Hubli. The Chief Minister designate declared many times during the campaign that Karnataka would follow the "Gujarat model".

The elections in Karnataka should be seen as part of run up to the general elections next year. Following the election victories in Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Gujarat, the Karnataka results are being seen by the BJP as a sign that the big bourgeoisie is willing to back it for the next general elections.

With the deep agrarian crisis, with price increases of essential commodities driving people into starvation and ruin, and with crisis of economy showing no signs of abating, workers and peasants are looking for a way out of the situation. The way out is for the workers and peasants to unite around one program and fight for a workers and peasants government which will take immediate measures in favour of the toiling masses.

The bourgeoisie has other plans. These plans have to do with derailing the struggle for workers and peasants government and lining up the workers and peasnts behind a government led by BJP, Congress, or some other third front. For this purpose, the bourgeoisie will certainly resort to its favourite cards, state terrorism and terrorism, the inciting of communal passions, the inciting of sectarian strife, etc..

The working class and peasantry must not fall prey to the thesis of "lesser evil" according to which sometimes workers are asked to vote for a "less corrupt" BJP as opposed to a "more corrupt" Congress, or for a "secular" Congress as opposed to a communal BJP. Both these parties are anti worker and anti peasant, and both are communal. Both use state terrorism, communalisation of polity, and sectarian violence to advance their aims.

Karnataka results show the neccessity for forging the united front of the working class and peasantry, around their own program. They show the neccessity for reform of the political system and process so that marginalisation of the toiling people in the political system and process can be ended and their agenda becomes the mainstream agenda. Let us take the struggle on these two issues forward in the coming months, all across the country.