How the lockdown has unlocked rivalries and dissent in Karnataka’s BJP govt

B.S. Yediyurappa has been struggling to keep his flock together, which seems to have lent an air of indecisiveness to Karnataka’s fight against Covid-19.

File image of Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa | Photo: PTI

Bengaluru: Karnataka ministers seem to be working at cross purposes, raising questions about the leadership of septuagenarian Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and his ability to keep his flock together in the state’s fight against Covid-19. As on Wednesday, Karnataka had 427 coronavirus cases, with 17 deaths.  

According to sources in the chief minister’s office, Yediyurappa is quite miffed with the power struggles between ministers, which have led him to recant announcements about the Covid-19 lockdown twice since last week.

Differences between ministers have stalked the state government, a patchwork of Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) rebels and BJP members, since the early days of the pandemic. While the state government denied there are any fractures, analysts say Yediyurappa, inarguably the BJP’s biggest force in Karnataka, clearly appears to be struggling. 

U-turn after u-turn

On 17 April, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, who also holds the IT-BT (information technology-business technology) portfolio, announced after a video conference with industry representatives that “up to 50 per cent of the IT-BT staff can resume work on office premises after 20 April”.

The minister clarified that the permission was subject to certain precautions, including social distancing, wearing of masks, using sanitisers, and ferrying employees by buses that have been thoroughly sanitised. 

The same evening, Yediyurappa played the announcement down, saying it was just a suggestion and a final decision was yet to be taken.

“This was mischief played by the deputy chief minister,” said a close associate of Yediyurappa. 

“In his attempt to display one-upmanship, he made the announcement. He had no business making such an announcement. Any announcement should be made by the government, that is Chief Minister Yediyurappa, not him.”

On 18 April, the Yediyurappa administration announced a set of restriction reliefs — 33 per cent of IT-BT employees could work from office, it said, and also allowed construction activities to resume and two-wheelers to ply outside Covid-19 containment zones. 

This decision was taken at a meeting held by Yediyurappa with Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Revenue Minister R. Ashok, against a backdrop of deep worries about the state’s financial situation. 

But the decision soon drew condemnation, and a few ministers communicated to the CM that easing the lockdown was not advisable at this time. 

A senior minister in the government told ThePrint that, had he been at the meeting, he would not have allowed this decision as the number of positive cases in Karnataka has still not reduced. Opening up certain industries, he added, could aggravate the Covid-19 situation in the state. 

The decision was rolled back, and an order from the CMO later in the evening said a final call on two-wheelers and the IT-BT industry would be taken on 20 April.

Late evening on 19 April, the Karnataka chief secretary issued an order that said the lockdown would be extended until 21 April. Come 20 April, the Karnataka cabinet decided to extend the lockdown until 3 May, also the deadline for the nationwide restrictions. 

On Wednesday, the government again announced an exemption in the lockdown for IT-BT employees, but clarified that only “minimal staff” should report to offices in order to ensure smooth delivery of essential supplies. Certain other activities have also been allowed outside the containment zones identified by the government.

‘Bad advice’

A senior CMO official said the state was facing a severe financial crunch, adding that Yediyurappa’s 18 April u-turn was a result of “bad advice” to the chief minister.

“There is not enough money to pay salaries after this month. The CM took the decision to increase the revenue for the state. It is severely cash-strapped,” the official added. 

However, state Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said there was “no difference of opinion within the government”.

“Concerns were expressed by the cabinet that, if we relax the lockdown, with the movement of people, it will become difficult to contain the pandemic if it spikes,” he added. “Revenue-wise, we will be able to manage until the end of this month, but we will need to do something after 1 May.” 

Explaining the urgent need to resume economic activities, the CMO official said, on average, the state earned Rs 12,000-14,000 crore/month from revenue generated via commercial activities related to transport. 

“This has fallen to Rs 400-500 crore due to the pandemic. The Yediyurappa government is facing a huge strain to manage with its coffers almost empty,” the official added.

‘CM hasn’t been able to assert himself’

An earlier manifestation of differences among ministers saw Health Minister B. Sriramulu and Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar — both of whom are on the state Covid-19 task force — pitted against each other. 

“At times, Sriramulu would use social media to announce updates, putting Dr Sudhakar, who was tasked with briefing the media, in a spot,” said a senior Karnataka minister. 

Exasperated by the “competition” between the two, Yediyurappa stepped in and appointed Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar as the Covid-19 spokesperson while assigning Covid-19-related activities to Sudhakar and the handling of state health issues to Sriramulu. 

But the problems did not end there. Government insiders say Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan was annoyed when Yediyurappa stripped him of the medical education portfolio and gave it to Sudhakar, a newly-inducted Congress rebel. 

“Sudhakar, a doctor himself, was quick to react while handling the Covid-19 situation and this impressed the CM. The Deputy CM felt sidelined and that has caused a certain strain in their relationship, “ said the CMO official. 

According to political analyst Sandeep Shastri, what the BJP and Yediyurappa’s government are dealing with today are the challenges and contradictions he created in order to manufacture a majority in the legislature. One has come to notice a sense of fatigue in Yediyurappa, he added, as he is unable to keep his flock together or hold his fort. 

“Unfortunately, the CM has not been able to assert himself with his colleagues. The way he seems to be handling his colleagues is with impatience and irritation,” he said.

“There is much more of impatience, irritation and knee-jerk reactions during this time. At a time of crisis, one expects a lot more patience, coordination and united effort and clear forethought on what you want to do or not.”