Karnataka Politics - The Road Taken the Journey Ahead

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Politics has that queer characteristic of attracting and repelling people simultaneously. Nevertheless, it is a hallmark of democracy and cannot be denied its legitimate place in the greater scheme of things. Karnataka, as one of the prominent Indian states has witnessed its own share of political triumphs and turmoil.

Dr Sandeep Shastri (b.1960) is a Social Scientist who is the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Jain University and heads the Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education (CERSSE) of the University. He was earlier on the Faculty of the Department of Post Graduate and Research Studies in Political Science, Bangalore University where he taught from 1984 to 2002 and Dean - Research and Social Science at the International Academy for Creative Teaching the training arm of the Jain Group of Institutions, from 2002 to 2005 and Director of the International Academy for Creative Teaching from 2005 to 2009.

Political issues in the South have two important facets. First, it is witness to an exceptionally sensitized and violent politicization (like self immolations for political causes in Tamil Nadu) and the second is the crafty indulgence in the play of the number games (with MLAs resorting to resorts). An added dimension is that social politicization (based on caste, and sub-groups) remained as the core element of south Indian politics for long. The situation is changing since the 1990s. Development politicization (focus on development issues) has now entered stealthily in the south Indian setting. Political processes in Karnataka are no exceptions to this trend. One can recall that the political scenario in Karnataka entered a different phase with the advent of Devaraj Urs on the scene. That dampened the long held supremacy of the two dominant caste groups in Karnataka's politics, namely the Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Political events also indicated the initial footsteps of the weakening of the second line of leadership in the Congress party and emergence of new parties.

Every passing day adds a new excitement and intrigue to politics in the state of Karnataka. The last four decades have witnessed momentous political changes in the state. Till 1983, the state was considered a strong political fortress of the Congress Party. The party enjoyed a near monopoly over power in the state. The 1983 Assembly elections blew in the first winds of change with the state witnessing a major political transition. For the first time in the electoral history of the State, no party secured a majority in the Legislative Assembly. This election heralded the end of one party domination with the Janata Party forming a government with the outside support of the BJP. The very next year (1984), the Lok Sabha polls saw the Congress once again doing well in the state. In another few months (1985) the same voters now gave a mandate to the Janata Party to form a government in the state by giving it a clear majority, Later in 1989, when simultaneous polls were held, the Congress secured a landslide victory in the Assembly polls and did well in the Lok Sabha poll from the state.

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