The politics of Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

is dominated by three major parties, the Indian National Congress

Indian National Congress

The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...

, the Janata Dal (Secular)

Janata Dal (Secular)

The Janata Dal is a Centre-left ಕನ್ನಡ: ಜನತಾ ದಳIndian political party led by former Prime Minister of India H.D. Deve Gowda.The party recognized as state party in the states of Karnataka and Kerala . It was formed in July 1999 by the split of Janata Dal party. It has political presence mainly in...

 and the Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party

The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...

. The Government is formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party

The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...

. The Chief Minister is D. V. Sadananda Gowda

D. V. Sadananda Gowda

Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda is the Chief Minister of the state of Karnataka, India. He was representing the Udupi Chikmagalur constituency in Karnataka in the 15th Lok Sabha. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on 4 August 2011 after being selected as legislative party...

 of Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party

The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...

.

In national politics

At the national level, Karnataka consists of 28 parliamentary constituencies from which 28 members of parliament get elected to the Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...

. Several politicians and bureaucrats from Karnataka have served at the center at various times in different capacities. Deve Gowda, who hails from Hassan

Hassan (Lok Sabha constituency)

Hassan Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka state in southern India. This constituency covers the entire Hassan district and part of Chikmagalur district.-Assembly segments:...

 served as the prime minister. C.K. Jaffer Sharief from Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 is a veteran Congressman and 9-time MP and former Minister of Railways

Minister of Railways

The Cabinet portfolio Minister of Railways exists or has existed in many Commonwealth states:*Minister of Railways *Minister of Railways *Minister of Railways *Japanese Railway Minister...

 of Government of India

Government of India

The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

.B. D. Jatti from Bijapur

Bijapur, Karnataka

Bijapur Urdu:بیجاپور city is the district headquarters of Bijapur District of Karnataka state. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of Adil Shahi dynasty...

 served as the Vice President

Vice president

A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...

 and also as acting President

President of India

The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...

 in the past. S.Nigalingappa was Congress I president.

2004 state election

The last elections in Karnataka held in 2004 led to extremely unusual results. For one, no party had enough seats to form a government on its own. Out of a total of 224 seats, the BJP won 79, the Congres 65 and the JD (Secular) 58. The only possibility was a coalition government and the two largest parties were politically not inclined to form a coalition. JD(S) President and former prime minister Deve Gowda decided to partner with the Congress to form a government just to keep the BJP out of the government. The coalition headed by chief minister N Dharam Singh (Congress) and Deputy chief minister Siddharamiah (of JDS) lasted till 2006. Deve Gowda's son HD Kumaraswamy, also of the JDS, brought in a new twist when he garnered support of 46 other ministers and withdrew support from the Congress. Kumaraswamy struck a deal with the opposition party, the right wing BJP, to form an alternate government. The new coalition had HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister and B. S. Yeddyurappa of the BJP as deputy chief minister. Before forming the government, the two parties had entered into an informal power sharing agreement. They would enjoy chief ministership for a period of 20 months each (which would cover the time left for the next elections). This has created a unique situation where a government has been headed by three different political parties with no elections between them.
[www.hddevelowda.in Father of our state Karnataka]click here

2008 state election

In 2007, a sudden dispute occurred between HD Kumaraswamy and Yeddyurappa over the abdication of powers which threw the state into emergency and hence under direct Presidential rule. During the elections on 10, 16 and 22 May, the BJP defeated both the local party as well as the Congress making Yeddyurappa the undisputed chief minister of the state. The BJP nearly achieved a majority, and will be leading a state government by itself for the first time in South India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

n political history. Analysts claim that the main reason for the defeat of the Congress was that its promises of development have been severely foiled under the current Indian crises like inflation which has jacked up food prices hence severely affecting drought hit regions of the state. Besides, the Congress also had internal rivalries leading to uncertainty of a particular Congress chief minister, in contrary to BJP's Yeddyurappa who has once been an extremely efficient finance minister.