Ban the politicians who jump parties!

Tickets to contest for election in their constituencies, tickets to those who are leaders favourites, post in the Cabinet or Boards or removal from the ministry, the list of reasons to jump parties is vast. Of course, the ideology and principles do not have any place in the list.

 

The leader who has been vehemently opposing communalism can jump to a party which breaths communalism within no time. And they will have a strong reason to tell the public why they have joined this party. Most of the time, their reason is this party has given me a chance to serve people. Then, what about the ideology they have been professing for years?

 

 

In a recent development, politicians are said to be even using ‘I will quit the party to join the competitor’ threat is on the rise. The politicians who are not happy with their position in the party, they are said to be floating a rumour about joining the ‘other’ political party.

 

Karnataka politician V Somanna, who was previously in Congress had joined the rival party BJP in 2009 after his stint in the Congress for at least two decades. The person who was criticising every move of BJP, suddenly found it lucrative. "I left the Congress as there was a stifling atmosphere there. Some Congress leaders tried to contain my growing stature. I was hurt", he said while joining BJP, seven years ago.

 

However, the leader was recently rumoured to be joining the Congress again. Though there was no confirmation, Somanna did not deny the rumours either. This stint was a result of developments in the BJP where Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa had fallout. As a result, Bengaluru Mayor Venkatesha Murthy was removed from the post because of his closeness to Eshwarappa’s Rayanna Brigade.

 

Also Read: This is why Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa will never come together

 

Somanna grew insecure as Murthy was removed despite his closeness to top leaders in Karnataka BJP. This was when Somanna wanted to test if he is in trouble too. After which, the rumour of Somanna joining Congress started gaining momentum. However, once he got assurance from BJP top leader and Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers that the party needs him, Somanna put a full stop to the rumour.

 

Recently, another Congress leader Srinivas Prasad too quit Congress to join BJP. He was in the Congress for more than 30 years. The decision of quitting Congress came when he was asked to resign from his post as the Revenue and Muzrai Minister, last year.

 

 

The BJP had offered Somanna a ticket to contest from Vijayanagar constituency. It has also offered a ticket to Srinivasa Prasad to contest from Nanjanagud Assembly. This makes it clear that the leaders quit parties they have been associated with for decades just for a ticket to contest from their favourite constituency.

 

In the national arena too, Navjoth Singh Sidhu from BJP quit the party last year as BJP refused to field him from Amritsar. This is what Sidhu said following the party’s refusal: "Amritsar is the place where my work and action speaks for itself. Since I started contesting elections from this holy place, I have promised myself never to abandon this place. Either, I will contest from Amritsar, or else I won’t contest elections."

 

 

By the end of 2016, Sidhu had announced his new party Awaz-E-Punjab. The leader who was always vocal in criticising Congress joined the party on January 15, just 15 days before the Punjab Assembly elections. Sure Congress is said to be projecting him as the CM face the party for Punjab.

 

It looks like; political leaders do not really care about the ideology of the party. After sometimes post and being in the news is what matters to them. The leaders who can abandon the party which moulded them can abandon the people of his constituency too at any time. Thus it is high time people ban the party jumpers and teach them a lesson.