D. Devaraj Urs: Difference between revisions

Urs had practically retired from politics when the first Congress split took place in 1969, and the Syndicate formed the [[Congress (O)]] ('O'for "Organization") while Indira Gandhi formed the [[Congress (R)]]. The [[Congress (O)]], under [[S. Nijalingappa]], [[Veerendra Patil]], [[Ramakrishna Hegde]] and [[Deve Gowda]] dominated Karnataka electorally and had a majority in the state assembly, but Urs declined an invitation to join it. Instead, he agreed to lead the [[Congress (R)]] in the state and helped win all the 27 seats at the [[1971 Indian general election|1971 Lok Sabha elections]] and majority in the [[1972 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|1972 legislative assembly elections]].<ref name="SIP">{{cite book|last1=Mathew|first1=George|title=Shift in Indian Politics: 1983 Elections in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka|date=1984|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|pages=8|isbn=9788170221302|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GM6OAAAAMAAJ|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref> Under his leadership Congress(R) won 165/216 seats, thus garnering more than 75% of the seats. Congress(O) came a distant second with 24 seats. Independents won 20 seats. [[Communist Party of India|CPI]] won 3 while [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh|BJS]], the earlier avatar of [[BJP]] stood second in 16 seats, winning none.<ref>{{cite news |title=Karnataka Assembly Election Results in 1972 |url=https://www.elections.in/karnataka/assembly-constituencies/1972-election-results.html |access-date=19 May 2020 |publisher=elections.in |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116103606/https://www.elections.in/karnataka/assembly-constituencies/1972-election-results.html |archive-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> He was chief minister of Karnataka for the full term of the assembly from 1972 to December 1977. In January 1978, he joined [[Congress (I)]] as Mrs Gandhi split the party yet again. The new party won the assembly elections in February 1978 and Urs was appointed Chief Minister. But in 1979, he left Congress(I) following differences with Indira Gandhi, and joined the other Congress faction, [[Congress (S)]]. He continued to be CM as many MLAs joined him.<ref name="thehindu.com">https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/of-a-political-landmark-in-bengaluru/article6625410.ece {{Bare URL inline|date=June 2021}}</ref> The other Congress faction was even known as [[Congress (Urs)]] briefly when he became its president. But in the [[1980 Indian general election|1980 Lok Sabha elections]], his party won just one seat in Karnataka. Most MLAs in his camp deserted him to re-join Congress(I) and [[R. Gundu Rao|Gundu Rao]] became Chief Minister in January 1980. Urs then formed the [[Karnataka Kranti Ranga]] in 1982, a few months before his death.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Chengappa|first1=Raj|title=Karnataka: Desperate moves|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/former-karnataka-cm-devraj-urs-quits-congresss-forms-karnataka-kranti-ranga-party/1/391719.html|work=India Today|access-date=13 March 2017|date=May 1982}}</ref>

During the Fifth Assembly of Karnataka State, D. Devaraj Urs was the [[Chief Minister]] from 20-03-1972 to 31-12-1977. President's Rule was imposed from 31-12-1977 to 28-02-1978 in the run-up to 1978 election. The Sixth Assembly lasted its five-year term, from 17 March 1978 to 8 June 1983. Devraj Urs was Chief Minister from 28-02-1978 to 07-01-1980, first with [[Congress(I)]] up to 24-June-1979, and then [[Congress (S)]] when he was expelled from Congress(I) following differences with Indira Gandhi.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/forty-years-ago-june-25-1979-congress-expels-urs-5797855/ {{Bare URL inline|date=June 2021}}</ref> When Mrs Gandhi swept to power in Delhi in January 1980, most of the MLAs backing him re-joined Congress(I). Devaraj Urs was ousted and succeeded by [[R. Gundu Rao]] as CM in January 1980.<ref name="thehindu.com"/>