JANATA DAL-In a Shambles

candidates, all vokkaligas. At that point of time, with Hegde obviously miffed at Gowda being chosen as the United Front's candidate for the prime ministership, it was necessary to appease him to keep any turbulence in the state Janata Dal in check. And with Hegdes exit from the party it became even more important that any rumblings within the party be quietened and no new tensions be allowed to be articulated. Patel used these developments skilfully to keep control over party affairs in the state, despite provocative interference by the prime minister. In the last month, however, the political equation in Karnataka has changed somewhat, making Patel more vulnerable to Deve Gowda's manipulations.