The Janata Dal (S) in Karnataka has been in the eye of the storm ever the BJP-led government fell last week. Several JD(S), too, were unhappy with the decision of their high command. There were talks that the party was heading for a split.
M P Prakash, senior JD(S) leader has been most vocal about the manner in which some of the leaders handled the entire issue. The question is: Can Prakash split the party? In a recent interview with rediff.com, he said that apart from Kumaraswamy, only he had the capability to split the JD (S). He also mentioned that Gowda did not enjoy the support of all the party MLAs.
On Monday, there were reports that Prakash would come out of the party as he felt that there was no freedom of expression and the party was being run by the father-son-duo, Gowda and Kumaraswamy.
However, there was a slight change in the stance of M P Prakash, who on Tuesday said that there were no cracks within the JD(S). There is only a difference of opinion, which needed to be sorted out, he said. But sources say nothing can be ruled out.
If Prakash walks out of the JD(S), what impact does it have? Prakash has at least eight loyalists within the party, who will blindly follow him, sources say.
JD(S) bigwigs such as Meerajuddin Patel feel that this will not make too much of a difference to the party. However, both Gowda and Kumaraswamy do not think this way. They cannot afford to lose more people in the party. Siddaramaiah, M C Nanaiah, P G R Scindia, just to name a few. All these persons were considered to be excellent administrators and had quit the party, thanks to Gowda's diktats.
These leaders like Prakash were good orators and seasoned politicians. Now if Prakash quits, the party will lose another senior leader as a result of which the JD(S) will have a young and inexperienced team. Though Prakash's exit from the party may not have any bearing on the numbers, an impression of growing dissent within the party will be created which would prove fatal to the election prospects of the JD(S).
Even as rumours were floating about Prakash making an exit, the Janata Dal (U) and the Congress are already trying to woo him on their side.
Prakash's game plan will become clear on November 29, the day the JD(S) will have an executive committee meeting in which 70,000 party workers are expected to take part. Prakash will meet some party workers to take a final call on whether to attend the executive committee meeting or not on November 28.