Karnataka: Mayawati's BSP gets first minister outside UP
Mayawati, the astute BSP supremo, who was instrumental in uniting Congress and the regional JD(S) for a post-poll alliance in Karnataka, has convinced them to induct her only state MLA N Mahesh into the cabinet. Mahesh has become the first BSP MLA to hold a ministerial position outside UP. At least, someone won in this rather doomed-to-fail alliance. Here are the details.
First off, who is N Mahesh?
N Mahesh, a Dalit, is the BSP state president. Interestingly, he had lost consecutive elections in Kollegala assembly for the past 25 years, but this time he turned the tables. Mahesh secured 31,362 votes (40.62%) and defeated the candidates of Congress and BJP. Before the elections, Mahesh said his performance had improved from fourth, third to second runner-up in the past three assembly elections.
Pre-poll alliance with the JD(S)
In the run-up to Karnataka assembly elections, the JD(S) led by former PM HD Deve Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy got into a pre-poll alliance with Mayawati's BSP. The inductance of a BSP MLA into the cabinet has much to do with this alliance, that has helped the party to secure a significant political point. But, this is just a start for Mayawati.
Madhya Pradesh Election: Congress and BSP may come together
Riding on the way, Mayawati's importance is all set to grow. In May, a Congress leader hinted at an alliance between Congress and BSP for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. The leader, who was anonymously quoted, said Congress high command in MP could be in favor of joining the BSP to defeat the three-time BJP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Cabinet inducts 25 minister
Meanwhile, 25 legislators of Congress and JD(S) today took oath as ministers in Bengaluru. 14 ministers from the Congress, nine from JD(S) and one each from the BSP and KPJP were inducted. Congress MLC Jayamala was the only woman minister. As per the sharing agreement of the alliance, Congress will have 22 ministers while JDS will have 12.
