Only time will tell if the JD(S) will hand power to the BJP in Karnataka. Some JD(S) legislators say they want HD Kumaraswamy in the government as deputy chief minister even if they hand over the power.
As per the agreement between the two parties, the JD(S) is to hand over power to the BJP on October 3 after which Kumaraswamy will have to step down as chief minister. The JD(S) as per the agreement will have the option to appoint a deputy chief minister of its choice from the party.
The question that is now being asked in political circles is: will it be right for a person who enjoyed power as the CM to come down in the ranks? Some JD(S) leaders feel there is nothing wrong. They say that Kumaraswamy, who is in early 40s, has age on his side.
Sources close to the CM, however, say he would not be too interested in such an offer as it would look as though he is desperate to cling on to power.
Instead, Kumaraswamy would be interested in becoming the working president of the JD(S) or become the chairman of the Karnataka Development Front so that he could have a say in the government.
The two parties formed the government under the banner of the Karnataka Development Front.
If Kumaraswamy becomes the deputy chief minister, it will not be the first such instance. Narayan Rane, who was the chief minister in Maharashtra, became a minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government. Rajinder Bhattal became the deputy CM in the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab while Paneerselvam who was CM became a minister in the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu.