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- Gowda twists and turns
This story is from October 6, 2007
Gowda twists and turns
H D Deve Gowda's strategies for survival and one-upmanship are unique.
Way back in 1974, designer Andrew McNeil created a board game called Kingmaker, based on the English Wars of the Roses (1455-1487), which involves outwitting factions of nobles through strategy and conflict.
It is a rather complex and quirky game, so much so a strong player can be defeated by one or two weaker ones and a losing player might suddenly find himself blessed with power.
It's random, but there simply isn't any question of a stalemate. Some Bangalore geek might now choose to devise Kingmaker 2.0 inspired by the recent goings-on in Karnataka politics. The man who plays king-maker here is no spoiler. He is the biggest gainer.
H D Deve Gowda's strategies for survival and one-upmanship are unique. In public perception, this 74-year-old patriarch who is nowhere near his politi-cal autumn, is unabashed about putting himself and his interests at the forefront.
It is the BJP and the Congress -- which he ditched 20 months ago -- that are left with all the anxiety.
Many are inclined to believe that BJP didn't see this coming. But that's been the nature of Gowda's politics -- keep everybody guessing.
The design is to never give an inch but get the best of any bargain.
Rarely has Deve Gowda shown subtlety or finesse in his manoeuvres. Yet his transparency is quite unlike the folksy charm of a Lalu Prasad.
Amiability seems the last of his priorities. He would least care about coming out of a situation smelling of roses.
If he lets his expressions speak, it is only when he snaps at his critics or the media.
Another perceptible trait is his strong sense of retribution. His famous spats with Ramakrishna Hegde, S M Krishna and Siddaramaiah showed an obsessive spirit of getting even with opponents.
Or, when he snubbed software icon N R Narayana Murthy, accusing Infosys of land-grabbing. When fate transported him into the prime minister's chair in 1996, he pushed Hegde to the wall -- an act which proved destructive not only to him but also to the Janata Dal.
Gowda didn't get over his premature exit from prime ministership. He took on Sitaram Kesri, I K Gujral and Lalu and at a later stage, pundits believe, even entertained the idea of dissolution of the Lok Sabha to head a caretaker government.
In 2002, the son of the soil rose from the dust with an emphatic victory in the Kanakapura byelections. He got back to his wily ways. After the death of Hegde in 2004, he was the undisputed czar of the Janata parivar and took complete control.
His stint as PM was an additional qualification in his political CV; he could square up to national leaders with a new confidence.
At the party-level, he expected none other than dyed-in-the-wool supporters. Now, he could bargain better and without reservations.
When Kumaraswamy staged a surprise coup and forged an alliance with the BJP, Gowda had another ace up his sleeve.
Although he sulked over the idea of aligning with the saffron group for a few months, he decided to take the mastermind's throne, arming himself with a remote. The last 40 months -- arguably the most unstable period in Karnataka politics -- gave him the best chance to be a sovereign kingmaker.
Gowda speaks the language of the masses but rarely offers rosy promises. His rhetoric may be leftist or secular but he could be attending the World Economic Forum at Davos to attract investment and if exigencies demand, could walk along with the BJP.
As he puts it, circumstances chart the course of politics and nothing can be inflexible. And so, his style is about gamesmanship, even sledging. Just when everybody is fumbling, he could draw another arrow from his quiver. Gowda reacts to circumstances, but he creates those circumstances as well.
It is a rather complex and quirky game, so much so a strong player can be defeated by one or two weaker ones and a losing player might suddenly find himself blessed with power.
It's random, but there simply isn't any question of a stalemate. Some Bangalore geek might now choose to devise Kingmaker 2.0 inspired by the recent goings-on in Karnataka politics. The man who plays king-maker here is no spoiler. He is the biggest gainer.
H D Deve Gowda's strategies for survival and one-upmanship are unique. In public perception, this 74-year-old patriarch who is nowhere near his politi-cal autumn, is unabashed about putting himself and his interests at the forefront.
His latest scheme of breaking the power-sharing agreement with the BJP in Karnataka to have his son H D Kumaraswamy continue as CM might be seen as one of fostering family betterment, but the larger message is that he calls the shots.
It is the BJP and the Congress -- which he ditched 20 months ago -- that are left with all the anxiety.
Many are inclined to believe that BJP didn't see this coming. But that's been the nature of Gowda's politics -- keep everybody guessing.
The design is to never give an inch but get the best of any bargain.
Rarely has Deve Gowda shown subtlety or finesse in his manoeuvres. Yet his transparency is quite unlike the folksy charm of a Lalu Prasad.
Amiability seems the last of his priorities. He would least care about coming out of a situation smelling of roses.
If he lets his expressions speak, it is only when he snaps at his critics or the media.
Another perceptible trait is his strong sense of retribution. His famous spats with Ramakrishna Hegde, S M Krishna and Siddaramaiah showed an obsessive spirit of getting even with opponents.
Or, when he snubbed software icon N R Narayana Murthy, accusing Infosys of land-grabbing. When fate transported him into the prime minister's chair in 1996, he pushed Hegde to the wall -- an act which proved destructive not only to him but also to the Janata Dal.
Gowda didn't get over his premature exit from prime ministership. He took on Sitaram Kesri, I K Gujral and Lalu and at a later stage, pundits believe, even entertained the idea of dissolution of the Lok Sabha to head a caretaker government.
In 2002, the son of the soil rose from the dust with an emphatic victory in the Kanakapura byelections. He got back to his wily ways. After the death of Hegde in 2004, he was the undisputed czar of the Janata parivar and took complete control.
His stint as PM was an additional qualification in his political CV; he could square up to national leaders with a new confidence.
At the party-level, he expected none other than dyed-in-the-wool supporters. Now, he could bargain better and without reservations.
When Kumaraswamy staged a surprise coup and forged an alliance with the BJP, Gowda had another ace up his sleeve.
Although he sulked over the idea of aligning with the saffron group for a few months, he decided to take the mastermind's throne, arming himself with a remote. The last 40 months -- arguably the most unstable period in Karnataka politics -- gave him the best chance to be a sovereign kingmaker.
Gowda speaks the language of the masses but rarely offers rosy promises. His rhetoric may be leftist or secular but he could be attending the World Economic Forum at Davos to attract investment and if exigencies demand, could walk along with the BJP.
As he puts it, circumstances chart the course of politics and nothing can be inflexible. And so, his style is about gamesmanship, even sledging. Just when everybody is fumbling, he could draw another arrow from his quiver. Gowda reacts to circumstances, but he creates those circumstances as well.
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