As the conflict between Siddaramaiah and Thaawarchand Gehlot over MUDA scam rages on, a look at the history of Governor-CM conflicts in Karnataka.
Published Oct 02, 2024 | 2:18 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2024 | 2:18 PM
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and CM Siddaramaiah
The ongoing clash between Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is only the latest in a series of confrontations between the state’s Governors and its chief ministers.
Over the decades, Karnataka has witnessed multiple instances where Governors, wielding their constitutional authority, have altered the state’s political trajectory.
From the dismissal of SR Bommai’s government in 1989 that led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling to the forced exit of Veerendra Patil and favouring BS Yediyurappa to form the government in later years, these power struggles have repeatedly reshaped the political landscape, demonstrating the Governor’s pivotal yet often controversial role in state politics.
Governor Gehlot’s approval to prosecute the chief minister over alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment has triggered strong opposition from the Siddaramaiah government, which calls it a misuse of the Governor’s office. This has set the stage for yet another clash between a Karnataka Governor and chief minister.
The first instance of a stand-off between Governor and chief minister in the history of Karnataka’s politics was reported when Janata Dal’s SR Bommai was at the helm of affairs in April 1989. The then Governor P Venkatasubbaiah had dismissed the Bommai government exercising his power under Article 356 of the Constitution of India.
Talking about it to South First, senior journalist Gautham Machaiah pointed out: “The conflict was not exactly between the Governor and chief minister in this episode. Governor was reportedly used to dismiss the incumbent government because of politics within the Janata Party itself, where Deve Gowda played a key role.”
“Gowda apparently took signatures from few MLAs and wrongly represented to the Governor that they had withdrawn support. Governor colluded with Deve Gowda and the centre to dismiss the Bommai government,” recalled Machaiah.
Former MLC MP Nadagouda told South First: “I was one of the MLCs of the ruling party when this drama unfolded in the state. Around six to eight MLAs went to the Governor and said that they are not supporting the incumbent Bommai government.”
“Governor dismissed the government. Bommai took all the MLAs and MLCs to the Governor to show the strength of the government. However, the Governor had already dissolved the government. With no option left, Bommai approached the Supreme Court challenging the Governor’s decision,” added the former MLC.
Stating that it was a historic verdict by the Supreme Court, he pointed out: “The apex court delivered a verdict that the ‘strength of the MLAs should be proved on the floor of the house not on the lawn of the Governor’s office’ in 1994.”
“The court also restricted the arbitrary dismissal of state governments under Article 356. This was a ‘historical judgement’. Whenever there are such incidents before the apex court, this case will be referred without fail. However, the judgement was too late to reinstate Bommai as the Chief Minister,” pointed out Nadagouda.
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A year after the first instance of a stand-off between the Governor and Chief Minister, yet another similar event occurred in Karnataka’s politics when Congress’ Veerendra Patil was at the helm of affairs for the second term in October, 1990.
In October 1990, several parts of Karnataka were marred with communal riots. Amid Sadbhavana Yatra, the then Lok Sabha’s opposition leader Rajiv Gandhi, who was spearheading this yatra, cut short and made a surprise visit to the state to take stock of the situation. In the meantime, Chief Minister Veerendra Patil, who was one of the prominent leaders of Lingayat, was ailing with a minor stroke.
The statement issued by Rajiv Gandhi to the media while returning from Bengaluru sent shock waves across the state.
Senior journalist Gautam Machaiah recalled talking to South First: “When journalists at the airport asked about Patil’s ill-health and riots in Karnataka, Gandhi replied that ‘we will soon have a new chief minister’. However, Patil refused to resign.”
“The Governor, stating that law and order have broken in the state, dismissed the incumbent government. On the advice of the Governor, the then President of India R Venkataraman declared president rule in Karnataka,” added Machaiah.
S Bangarappa eventually succeeded Patil to become the 12th Chief Minister of Karnataka and the president’s rule was revoked on 17 October.
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In another instance of a stand-off between the Governor and Chief Minister, Governor Hansraj Bharadwaj sanctioned prosecution against the then chief minister BS Yediyurappa in connection with the illegal mining ore in August 2011.
In its prosecution order issued in August, 2011, the Governor’s office stated: “The Governor of Karnataka, in his capacity as the Competent Authority under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, has thoroughly reviewed the Report of the Lokayukta, along with its annexures, in accordance with the provisions of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1994, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. After careful consideration, the Governor has accepted the findings and recommendations in Chapter 22 of the Lokayukta Report, which calls for initiating criminal proceedings against CM BS Yediyurappa.”
Bhardwaj had also rejected Yediyurappa Cabinet’s resolution appealing him not to accord prosecution against the chief minister in January 2011.
Gautam Machaiah pointed out: “Governor Bhardwaj did not technically cooperate like the current governor. He had made a lot of public statements against the then CM. He was the first Governor to openly criticise the Chief Minister. He had also made some allegations against the Chief Minister openly and sanctioned prosecution against him. In this case, there was already an enquiry report (from Lokayutka) unlike now.”
Yediyurappa was eventually made to resign from the chief minister post said the journalist, who added, “We genuinely cannot say that Bhardwaj acted against the Constitution because lokayukta report was in front of him.”
Following the prosecution nod from the Governor, the then ruling party’s ministers protested against the Governor and the then opposition party — Congress, alleging that the party was colluding with Bhardwaj and misusing the Governor’s office.
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In 2018, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala hit national headlines when he allowed BS Yediyurappa to form the government, with directions to establish the majority on the floor of the state assembly in a fortnight.
Vala allowed the BJP leader to swear in as the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka on 17 May, 2018. However, the government collapsed within a week of forming the government as it failed to gain a necessary majority in the Assembly. In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly polls, BJP had emerged as the single largest party, winning 104 seats, while Congress managed to win 80 seats and JD(S) settled for 37 seats.
In the meantime, Vala’s decision to allow Yediyurappa to form the government had attracted sharp criticism, especially from Congress and JD(S) leaders.
Senior Journalist Machaiah told South First: “Governor Vala played a mischief in this case. After the 2018 Assembly polls, Yediyurappa staked a claim, that the then Governor Vala allowed him to form the government despite not having enough majority.”
“There is a Supreme Court order that the Governor should invite the single-largest party to form the government but if there is another group claiming that that they are forming an alliance and have sufficient numbers to form the government then they should be given a chance,” added Machaiah.
Elaborating further, the journalist said, “In this case, Vala gave a chance to Yediyurappa to indulge in horse trading. It is easy for a CM to horse trade. But he failed and the government fell within a week. Yediyurappa had asked for one week but the Governor had given him two weeks. However, the Supreme Court directed to prove a majority in two days.”
Following the collapse of the Yediyurappa government, the Congress-JD(S) struck an alliance and formed the government with HD Kumaraswamy as chief minister in 2018.
The ongoing stand-off between the Governor and the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka marks the latest chapter in a long history of political confrontations between the state’s Chief Ministers and Governors.
In the past year, the Governor’s office was approached by private complainants seeking prosecution not just against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but also his Cabinet ministers including Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology Priyank Kharge, Minister for Commerce and Industries, and Infrastructure MB Patil and Minister for Cooperation KN Rajanna.
Acting on the complaints, the Governor sought a report from the state’s Chief Secretary in all the cases, where two of them pertaining to land allotments and one about irregularities of funds in the cooperative banks.
On 17 August, 2024, Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot sanctioned the prosecution of Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA case under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. Following the Governor’s sanction, Siddaramaiah approached the high court challenging Gehlot’s order.
However, the high court dismissed the chief minister’s petition and upheld the Governor’s order. The special court for elected representatives directed state Lokayukta to probe and submit a detailed report in three months. Following the court orders, Mysuru’s Lokayukta registered an FIR against Siddaramaiah and his family and launched a probe on the matter.
Based on the complaints, the Governor also sought an explanation from the Chief Secretary (Shalini Rajneesh) — on the land allotment to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Minister Priyank Kharge run Siddhartha Vihar Trust in Kalaburagi and Bengaluru.
Minister MB Patil had sanctioned five acres of land for the said trust in 2024 at the Hi-tech Aerospace Defence Park near Bengaluru. The private complainants had alleged that the government was throwing norms into the air while allotting land to the Kharge family owned trust.
Likewise, the Governor has also sought a detailed report from the Chief Secretary over the allegations against Minister KN Rajanna for illegally sanctioning loans to the tune of ₹2,000 crore when he was the chairman of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd in September 2023. The allegations were also made against apex bank Managing Director CN Devaraj.
The private complaints have sought prosecution of the aforementioned Cabinet ministers in the alleged irregularities. The Governor is said to be waiting for a reply from the government on the aforementioned matters.
