Something basically wrong with Karnataka?
Is there anything basically wrong with the psyche of the people, the government and the politicians of Karnataka, that it always gets a raw deal from the Centre, whichever party government may be in power at the Centre or the State.
The latest instance has been the totally raw deal that the Karnataka has got in the Railway budget. The State finds that it has been byepassed in almost all major sectors. On the paper, the state gets four new trains. But if you deep into the matter, the Karnataka connection remains limited to Bangalore being the station of origin. None of them serve the state in any way and mostly serve the states other than Karnataka.
The allocation to the ongoing projects be it the new line projects, the gauge conversion or the doubling of lines is poor. It has also been the same fate of the four railway projects, which are being executed on the cost sharing basis, with the State Government meeting part of the costs. Uncertainty dogs the Solapur Bijapur Bagalkot Gadag conversion works, which continues to be metegauge island hampering the movement of the goods traffic. There is no word as to when the work which has been lingering on for more than a decade would be completed. The continued delay has made the investment already made in providing the broadgauge link upto Bijapur also infructuous. The railways are not getting the return for the investment for the delay in the completion of the scheme, which would open a new internal corridor for the movement of the goods traffic between the north and the south.
On the other hand the Bihar and Tamilnadu have walked away with the lionshare of the projects. One can understand Bihar being favoured by the Railway Minister, who belongs to Bihar. The Tamilnadu, which has only a minister of state in the Railways, has managed to walk away with the bigger slice of the cake of railway projects. Karantaka had had more than half a dozen ministers, who held the charge as the Railway Minister. Karnataka did not benefit in anyway, except during the tenure of Mr. Jaffer Sharief as the Railway Minister. But for the initiative taken by Mr. Sharief, Karnataka would not have got its broadgauge net work completed. Had Mr. Sharief not made his exit under the shadow of a scandal, perhaps, the Solapur-Gadag broadgauging would have been complete.
This is not the first time that Karnataka has been given this treatment. The continued cavalier treatment meted out to Karnataka in meeting its legitimate development needs should make Karnataka people think as to what is wrong with us. It is clear that Karnataka’s needs are not taken seriously by the powers that be in Newdelhi, whether or not the Central government is friendly to the State are not.
As for as railway projects are concerned, the Karnataka’s raw deal has its origin in our own inability to put across the views to the Centre at the right time and do the follow-up matter. At no time any of the State Governments in Karnataka, have done the follow-up work seriously to impress on the Centre. The State writes letter only when there is local pressure. Otherwise it hardly bothers. And forgets after writing the letter. The Karnataka got the new Railway Zone not because the State Government did anything worthwhile but only because the Railways wanted to give it.
This is not happening only in the railway sector. But in other sectors as well. When Congress ruled both Centre and Karnataka, the state could not get the permanent bench of the Karnataka High Court for Northern Karnataka. Karnataka always finds that in the interstate disputes, it is at the receiving end with the opponents, including the tiny state of Goa cocking a snook as it were to the state. Andhra Pradesh had got the issue decided in favour, when a dispute about the height of the Alamatti dam had been raised during the days of Mr. Devegowda as the Prime Minister.
No state government in Karnataka has bothered to utilize the services of the MPs in any effective manner. No information is given or shared with them on the pending projects and for carrying the lobbying in Newdelhi. When Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde was the Chief Minister, he had started the practice of periodically publishing the correspondence with the Central Government with a view to keeping people posted with the efforts being made. But the practice has been subsequently stopped for reasons known to them by his successors.
Karnataka, has hardly bothered to post a Representative in Newdelhi to chase the projects. Mr. Basavaraj Rayareddy appointed as one during the Patel regime had done excellent work but the tenure was too shortlived. Krishna had appointed Jayachadra more to placate him for having dropped from the ministry than doing any lobbying.
Another basic malady which has been affecting Karnataka, is the inability on the part of the politicians to rise above the narrow partisan considerations as for as the development matters are concerned. While Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh are known to do that and always walk away with the prize, partisan approach of the politicians has always affected the state very badly.
It is high time, the politicians do some soul searching and concentrate on doing some good turn to the state.
(ends) 20:58 hrs. 25-Feb-06
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Saturday, February 25, 2006
Sunday, February 19, 2006
devegowda upto his tricks again
Devegowda upto his tricks once again
One must admire Mr. Devegowda for his perseverance and manipulative tactics.
His latest move to expel the JDS members including his son turned new Chief Minister; Mr. Kumaraswamy under suspension is an instance in point.
Now that his son his firmly in the saddle, he brandishes the sword of discipline against the prodigals, fully knowing that it hardly harms them. For all intents and purposes, this hardly affects the Kumaraswamy ministry and Mr. Gowda has absolutely no intention to pull the rug under the feet of the new government.
The only rationale which lies behind the move is only an attempt on the part of Mr. Devegowda, whose secular credentials has taken a good beating in the act of political adventurism indulged in by his son, which helped the latter to catapult as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The latest move of Mr. Gowda has too many gaping holes to carry any convictions. He appears to be protesting too much and this exposes his intentions once again.
It is now almost a common knowledge that every line of the political script which put Kumaraswamy in the driver’s seat had been scripted by Mr. Devegowda. For Mr. Kumaraswamy would not do anything without the express permission of the father. put as the Chief Minister.
The political prospects of the JDS were literally in the dumps, with the drubbing the party had got in the panchayat polls. It was practically the end of the political road for Mr. Gowda, his son and his son since any move on the part of the Congress to go in for snap election, would have sealed the political fate of the party, the aspirations of the father and son. It was now or never situation for the party, the father and the son. And the drama unfolded.
The father put in the appearance of fretting and fuming even his son went ahead with the task and succeeded. Everything was done to steer the move clear of technical and practical hurdles. And Mr. Gowda conveniently forgot to take disciplinary action, which would have helped the party to keep the flock together.
In a huff, as it were, Mr. Gowda also announced the resignation as the party president, which hardly carried any conviction. It now transpires that it was ploy. For he has now decided to relent on his move and continue as the President.
His latest move comes in the wake of the demand in the context of the subtle criticism made within the party at the national level with several leaders coming expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which party forsake its secular credentials to befriend the BJP to come to power. Mr. Gowda appears to go by the popular demand at the party level, while fully knowing that this has hardly any impact on the future of the ministry.
Mr. Gowda’s hand is also seen in keeping the senior ministers out of the ministry. Everybody except Mr. Sindhia were too eager to join the ministry. This included Mr. M P Prakash the former Deputy Chief Minister, who chose to go with Kumaraswamy at the time of the confidence vote. All of them have been left high and dry. Now Mr. Gowda has been planning to put Mr. Prakash as the state party chief, which will ensure that Mr. Prakash does not join the ministry in any capacity, so that his son has complete control over the management of the party led government.
(Ends) 08:51 hrs February 20, 2006
=========================000000000000000============
One must admire Mr. Devegowda for his perseverance and manipulative tactics.
His latest move to expel the JDS members including his son turned new Chief Minister; Mr. Kumaraswamy under suspension is an instance in point.
Now that his son his firmly in the saddle, he brandishes the sword of discipline against the prodigals, fully knowing that it hardly harms them. For all intents and purposes, this hardly affects the Kumaraswamy ministry and Mr. Gowda has absolutely no intention to pull the rug under the feet of the new government.
The only rationale which lies behind the move is only an attempt on the part of Mr. Devegowda, whose secular credentials has taken a good beating in the act of political adventurism indulged in by his son, which helped the latter to catapult as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The latest move of Mr. Gowda has too many gaping holes to carry any convictions. He appears to be protesting too much and this exposes his intentions once again.
It is now almost a common knowledge that every line of the political script which put Kumaraswamy in the driver’s seat had been scripted by Mr. Devegowda. For Mr. Kumaraswamy would not do anything without the express permission of the father. put as the Chief Minister.
The political prospects of the JDS were literally in the dumps, with the drubbing the party had got in the panchayat polls. It was practically the end of the political road for Mr. Gowda, his son and his son since any move on the part of the Congress to go in for snap election, would have sealed the political fate of the party, the aspirations of the father and son. It was now or never situation for the party, the father and the son. And the drama unfolded.
The father put in the appearance of fretting and fuming even his son went ahead with the task and succeeded. Everything was done to steer the move clear of technical and practical hurdles. And Mr. Gowda conveniently forgot to take disciplinary action, which would have helped the party to keep the flock together.
In a huff, as it were, Mr. Gowda also announced the resignation as the party president, which hardly carried any conviction. It now transpires that it was ploy. For he has now decided to relent on his move and continue as the President.
His latest move comes in the wake of the demand in the context of the subtle criticism made within the party at the national level with several leaders coming expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which party forsake its secular credentials to befriend the BJP to come to power. Mr. Gowda appears to go by the popular demand at the party level, while fully knowing that this has hardly any impact on the future of the ministry.
Mr. Gowda’s hand is also seen in keeping the senior ministers out of the ministry. Everybody except Mr. Sindhia were too eager to join the ministry. This included Mr. M P Prakash the former Deputy Chief Minister, who chose to go with Kumaraswamy at the time of the confidence vote. All of them have been left high and dry. Now Mr. Gowda has been planning to put Mr. Prakash as the state party chief, which will ensure that Mr. Prakash does not join the ministry in any capacity, so that his son has complete control over the management of the party led government.
(Ends) 08:51 hrs February 20, 2006
=========================000000000000000============
Devegowda upto his tricks once again
One must admire Mr. Devegowda for his perseverance and manipulative tactics.
His latest move to expel the JDS members including his son turned new Chief Minister; Mr. Kumaraswamy under suspension is an instance in point.
Now that his son his firmly in the saddle, he brandishes the sword of discipline against the prodigals, fully knowing that it hardly harms them. For all intents and purposes, this hardly affects the Kumaraswamy ministry and Mr. Gowda has absolutely no intention to pull the rug under the feet of the new government.
The only rationale which lies behind the move is only an attempt on the part of Mr. Devegowda, whose secular credentials has taken a good beating in the act of political adventurism indulged in by his son, which helped the latter to catapult as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The latest move of Mr. Gowda has too many gaping holes to carry any convictions. He appears to be protesting too much and this exposes his intentions once again.
It is now almost a common knowledge that every line of the political script which put Kumaraswamy in the driver’s seat had been scripted by Mr. Devegowda. For Mr. Kumaraswamy would not do anything without the express permission of the father. put as the Chief Minister.
The political prospects of the JDS were literally in the dumps, with the drubbing the party had got in the panchayat polls. It was practically the end of the political road for Mr. Gowda, his son and his son since any move on the part of the Congress to go in for snap election, would have sealed the political fate of the party, the aspirations of the father and son. It was now or never situation for the party, the father and the son. And the drama unfolded.
The father put in the appearance of fretting and fuming even his son went ahead with the task and succeeded. Everything was done to steer the move clear of technical and practical hurdles. And Mr. Gowda conveniently forgot to take disciplinary action, which would have helped the party to keep the flock together.
In a huff, as it were, Mr. Gowda also announced the resignation as the party president, which hardly carried any conviction. It now transpires that it was ploy. For he has now decided to relent on his move and continue as the President.
His latest move comes in the wake of the demand in the context of the subtle criticism made within the party at the national level with several leaders coming expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which party forsake its secular credentials to befriend the BJP to come to power. Mr. Gowda appears to go by the popular demand at the party level, while fully knowing that this has hardly any impact on the future of the ministry.
Mr. Gowda’s hand is also seen in keeping the senior ministers out of the ministry. Everybody except Mr. Sindhia were too eager to join the ministry. This included Mr. M P Prakash the former Deputy Chief Minister, who chose to go with Kumaraswamy at the time of the confidence vote. All of them have been left high and dry. Now Mr. Gowda has been planning to put Mr. Prakash as the state party chief, which will ensure that Mr. Prakash does not join the ministry in any capacity, so that his son has complete control over the management of the party led government.
(Ends) 08:51 hrs February 20, 2006
=========================000000000000000============
One must admire Mr. Devegowda for his perseverance and manipulative tactics.
His latest move to expel the JDS members including his son turned new Chief Minister; Mr. Kumaraswamy under suspension is an instance in point.
Now that his son his firmly in the saddle, he brandishes the sword of discipline against the prodigals, fully knowing that it hardly harms them. For all intents and purposes, this hardly affects the Kumaraswamy ministry and Mr. Gowda has absolutely no intention to pull the rug under the feet of the new government.
The only rationale which lies behind the move is only an attempt on the part of Mr. Devegowda, whose secular credentials has taken a good beating in the act of political adventurism indulged in by his son, which helped the latter to catapult as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The latest move of Mr. Gowda has too many gaping holes to carry any convictions. He appears to be protesting too much and this exposes his intentions once again.
It is now almost a common knowledge that every line of the political script which put Kumaraswamy in the driver’s seat had been scripted by Mr. Devegowda. For Mr. Kumaraswamy would not do anything without the express permission of the father. put as the Chief Minister.
The political prospects of the JDS were literally in the dumps, with the drubbing the party had got in the panchayat polls. It was practically the end of the political road for Mr. Gowda, his son and his son since any move on the part of the Congress to go in for snap election, would have sealed the political fate of the party, the aspirations of the father and son. It was now or never situation for the party, the father and the son. And the drama unfolded.
The father put in the appearance of fretting and fuming even his son went ahead with the task and succeeded. Everything was done to steer the move clear of technical and practical hurdles. And Mr. Gowda conveniently forgot to take disciplinary action, which would have helped the party to keep the flock together.
In a huff, as it were, Mr. Gowda also announced the resignation as the party president, which hardly carried any conviction. It now transpires that it was ploy. For he has now decided to relent on his move and continue as the President.
His latest move comes in the wake of the demand in the context of the subtle criticism made within the party at the national level with several leaders coming expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which party forsake its secular credentials to befriend the BJP to come to power. Mr. Gowda appears to go by the popular demand at the party level, while fully knowing that this has hardly any impact on the future of the ministry.
Mr. Gowda’s hand is also seen in keeping the senior ministers out of the ministry. Everybody except Mr. Sindhia were too eager to join the ministry. This included Mr. M P Prakash the former Deputy Chief Minister, who chose to go with Kumaraswamy at the time of the confidence vote. All of them have been left high and dry. Now Mr. Gowda has been planning to put Mr. Prakash as the state party chief, which will ensure that Mr. Prakash does not join the ministry in any capacity, so that his son has complete control over the management of the party led government.
(Ends) 08:51 hrs February 20, 2006
=========================000000000000000============
Raw deal to Northern Karnataka
As expected the present government has proved to be in no way different from the predecessor government as for as giving the proverbial raw deal to the Northern Karnataka.
The Northern Karnataka finds itself literally cheated very subtlety by the new rulers, the most guilty party being the BJP, with the JDS being comparatively liberal. Of the twelve nominees of the BJP including the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Yediyurappa, only four belong to the Northern Karnataka This is the reward that the BJP has chose to pay to the Northern Karnataka region, which has helped the party to become the single largest political party in the 224 member Legislative Assembly. The bulk of the support for the party has come from the Bombay Karnataka sub region. The BJP has proved to be too ungrateful to the Northern Karnataka, which has given the party the political clout that it needed in the present reckoning. It has sought to accommodate the nominees of the southern Karnataka region in general and the nominees from the Karnataka Legislative Council in particular at the cost of the Northern Karnataka.
On the other hand the JDS has been able to give a good deal to the Northern region. Of the ten nominees from the JDS quota, as many as six come from Northern Karnataka. This is notwithstanding the poor patronage it got in the hustings from the region...
But the story of discrimination becomes more palpable when it comes to the distribution of the portfolios. Both the parties, have kept major portfolios have been kept away from the purview of the nominees from the Northern Karnataka.
Consider the portfolios which have been allocated to the Northern Karnataka from the region, namely Primary and Secondary Education (Mr. Basavaraj Horatti), Revenue (Mr. Jagadish Shettar), Labour and Minority Affairs (Mr. Iqbal Ansari), Agricultural Marketing (Mr. Sharanabasappa Darshnapur), Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (Mr. C M Udashi), Youth Services and Sports (Mr. Alkod Hanumanthappa), Food and Civil Supplies (Govind Karjol), Agriculture (Bandeppa Kashempur), Social Welfare (Balachandra Jarakiholi), Tourism and Textiles (Sriramulu).
The portfolios which are considered as weighty namely, the Home, Urban Development, Public Works, Energy, Large and Medium Industries, Infrastructure Development, Water Resources, Housing, Transport, Small Scale industries to name a few, have been kept out of the purview of the Northern Karnataka. The most glaring have been the manner in which the portfolio of Major Irrigation, has been allotted.
The major irrigation covers the plans for irrigation from the two of the major basins, the Krishna and Cauvery. In the case of Cauvery basin development, there is hardly anything new needs to be done. The Karnataka, has its hand and foot tied by the Cauvery Tribunal as for as the expansion of the irrigation facilities are concerned. One is only waiting for the long awaited verdict from the Tribunal, which is expected to formalise the restrictions already placed on Karnataka.
Under the circumstances, all the hopes of any major breakthrough in the harnessing of the irrigation portfolios now rest with the Krishna basin alone, which lies mainly in the Northern Karnataka region. But this portfolio, has been given to Mr. Eswarappa of the BJP, who belongs to the BJP.
Krishna dispute also stands at a crucial stage. The Karnataka, which has failed to utilize the full share of the allocation of water given under the Scheme A of the Bachawat Tribunal, faces the crucial task of saving the unutilized share of water before the Second Tribunal headed by Mr. Brajesh Mishra. And also make out a case for equitable share in the share of the surplus water, which is to be adjudicated. Karnataka needs to tread more carefully before advocating its case before the Tribunal and quicken the pace of the work on the existing ongoing projects.
It may be incidentally mentioned here, that the BJP as an opposition party for years in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Its understanding of the crucial issues pertaining to the Krishna and Cauvery, has been shockingly poor. At no stage, the party had had any clear concept of the issues involved and the interests of the states involved. The party has been cool when ever the state government had got in trouble with the NDA government in matter of clearance for the irrigation projects. How is it expected to handle the crucial sector this times remains to be seen. The new minister has already given expression to his ignorance by making some inappropriate observations on the Cauvery basin projects at Mysore.
The utmost need of the hour for the region is the infrastructural development and the PWD and Infrastructure Development have been kept away from the region.
The only saving grace has been the allocation of the portfolio of the rural development, and both portfolios pertaining to this have come to the two nominees of the Northern Karnataka namely the Udashi and Govind Karjol. But the tragedy here is that the BJP’s commitment to the concept of democratic development, has been only skin deep.
(ends) 07:01 hrs. February 20, 2006
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The Northern Karnataka finds itself literally cheated very subtlety by the new rulers, the most guilty party being the BJP, with the JDS being comparatively liberal. Of the twelve nominees of the BJP including the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Yediyurappa, only four belong to the Northern Karnataka This is the reward that the BJP has chose to pay to the Northern Karnataka region, which has helped the party to become the single largest political party in the 224 member Legislative Assembly. The bulk of the support for the party has come from the Bombay Karnataka sub region. The BJP has proved to be too ungrateful to the Northern Karnataka, which has given the party the political clout that it needed in the present reckoning. It has sought to accommodate the nominees of the southern Karnataka region in general and the nominees from the Karnataka Legislative Council in particular at the cost of the Northern Karnataka.
On the other hand the JDS has been able to give a good deal to the Northern region. Of the ten nominees from the JDS quota, as many as six come from Northern Karnataka. This is notwithstanding the poor patronage it got in the hustings from the region...
But the story of discrimination becomes more palpable when it comes to the distribution of the portfolios. Both the parties, have kept major portfolios have been kept away from the purview of the nominees from the Northern Karnataka.
Consider the portfolios which have been allocated to the Northern Karnataka from the region, namely Primary and Secondary Education (Mr. Basavaraj Horatti), Revenue (Mr. Jagadish Shettar), Labour and Minority Affairs (Mr. Iqbal Ansari), Agricultural Marketing (Mr. Sharanabasappa Darshnapur), Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (Mr. C M Udashi), Youth Services and Sports (Mr. Alkod Hanumanthappa), Food and Civil Supplies (Govind Karjol), Agriculture (Bandeppa Kashempur), Social Welfare (Balachandra Jarakiholi), Tourism and Textiles (Sriramulu).
The portfolios which are considered as weighty namely, the Home, Urban Development, Public Works, Energy, Large and Medium Industries, Infrastructure Development, Water Resources, Housing, Transport, Small Scale industries to name a few, have been kept out of the purview of the Northern Karnataka. The most glaring have been the manner in which the portfolio of Major Irrigation, has been allotted.
The major irrigation covers the plans for irrigation from the two of the major basins, the Krishna and Cauvery. In the case of Cauvery basin development, there is hardly anything new needs to be done. The Karnataka, has its hand and foot tied by the Cauvery Tribunal as for as the expansion of the irrigation facilities are concerned. One is only waiting for the long awaited verdict from the Tribunal, which is expected to formalise the restrictions already placed on Karnataka.
Under the circumstances, all the hopes of any major breakthrough in the harnessing of the irrigation portfolios now rest with the Krishna basin alone, which lies mainly in the Northern Karnataka region. But this portfolio, has been given to Mr. Eswarappa of the BJP, who belongs to the BJP.
Krishna dispute also stands at a crucial stage. The Karnataka, which has failed to utilize the full share of the allocation of water given under the Scheme A of the Bachawat Tribunal, faces the crucial task of saving the unutilized share of water before the Second Tribunal headed by Mr. Brajesh Mishra. And also make out a case for equitable share in the share of the surplus water, which is to be adjudicated. Karnataka needs to tread more carefully before advocating its case before the Tribunal and quicken the pace of the work on the existing ongoing projects.
It may be incidentally mentioned here, that the BJP as an opposition party for years in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Its understanding of the crucial issues pertaining to the Krishna and Cauvery, has been shockingly poor. At no stage, the party had had any clear concept of the issues involved and the interests of the states involved. The party has been cool when ever the state government had got in trouble with the NDA government in matter of clearance for the irrigation projects. How is it expected to handle the crucial sector this times remains to be seen. The new minister has already given expression to his ignorance by making some inappropriate observations on the Cauvery basin projects at Mysore.
The utmost need of the hour for the region is the infrastructural development and the PWD and Infrastructure Development have been kept away from the region.
The only saving grace has been the allocation of the portfolio of the rural development, and both portfolios pertaining to this have come to the two nominees of the Northern Karnataka namely the Udashi and Govind Karjol. But the tragedy here is that the BJP’s commitment to the concept of democratic development, has been only skin deep.
(ends) 07:01 hrs. February 20, 2006
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Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Hard time for new Karnataka team
If the outcome of the maiden visit of the new duo the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, Messrs Kumaraswamy and Mr. B S Yediyurappa to Newdelhi is any indication, the state government has a hard task on hand in making its voice felt in Newdelhi.
Apart from being new to the corridors of power and the art of governanance, the new government apparently lacks the communication skill. Both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister appear to be unfamiliar with English and Hindi, the twin language vehicles which are required for survival in the nation’s capital. As it is hardly any body cares for Karnataka, which is known as one of the supine states in the country, which hardly fights any case. Added to this has been the lack of the communication skills of the new team.
From all accounts and purposes, the visit was a disaster to put it mildly. The duo was hardly able to make the presentation before the Union Minister for Power Mr. Sushi Kumar Shindhe. The two member team from Karnataka, who are known to have oratorical skills in their mother tongue Kannada, were seen fumbling for words while trying to converse with the Union Minister Mr. Shindhe. To their misfortune was that the visit was widely covered by the one of the prominent electronic channels and the pitiable plight of the two member team was only seen to be believed. The entire national audience had a glimpse of how ill-equipped the two were in conducting business in Newdelhi. Their image has taken a serious beating. It will certainly take a long time to repair the beating the image has taken in the process.
It is not that none who does not know English or Hindi has been able to do business in Newdelhi. The late Kamaraj always talked in Tamil and Karunanidhi speaks only in Tamil even in Newdelhi so have been some of the representatives from other linguistic states as well. But Karunanidhi by his stature has always commanded respect and he is listened to carefully. There is an array of supporters who could do the spade work for him in Newdelhi.
Even Devegowda had his own share of problems during his less than one year stint as the Prime Minister of the United Front Government in Newdelhi. His Achilles heel was Hindi, and Mr. Gowda did show signs of learning Hindi. He had got a person appointed to give him Hindi lessons. English was no problem for him at all. .
In the case of the Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, it was apparent that they had slipped up badly in making adequate preparations to their maiden visit. They went all alone, without any help and had not even prepared a written memorandum about the demands from Karnataka. They relied mainly on the oral presentation and one could see from the TV channel that Mr. Shindhe was finding difficult to grasp whatever the Karnataka team was trying to say. Should they not have taken one person with necessary communication skills to assist them in their errand? This was not done and the TV channel hardly missed taking note of the embarrassing movements for the Karnataka team and had lot of advice to offer as to its preparations.
Another interesting question was whatever prompted the electronic channel to take note of the maiden visit of the duo. Did somebody tip them off on the unfamiliarity of the language terrain of Mr. Kumaraswamy only to portray the new team in a bad light? It may be true or may not be true. But this cannot condone the cardinal slip of inadequate preparations made by the duo.
Tongues have started wagging over their failure to meet the BJP national leaders, as had been originally planned. Was it called off at the eleventh hour only because of the communication problem? This had happened to Mr Yediyurappa in the past, when he had been named as one of the national secretaries of the BJP but he hardly went to Newdelhi because of his lack of knowledge of Hindi and English. ‘
As a matter of fact the story going round the BJP circles is that the main reason, why the national leadership does not evince much interest in Karnataka is of the diffidence on the part of the state leaders to talk to their leaders. Barring Anant Kumar, the former Union Minister and currently the All India General Secretary, hardly anybody has top level contacts in the party. Of course, Mr. Ananth Kumar is in dog house politically as such in BJP, with the national leadership having given a virtual carte blanche to Yediyurappa to manage the show in Karnataka.
Unless Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa take adequate action to overcome their shortcomings, it is going to be very difficult for them to deal with the Central Ministers.
(Ends)12:09:33 AM February 15, 2006
====================000000000000000================
Apart from being new to the corridors of power and the art of governanance, the new government apparently lacks the communication skill. Both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister appear to be unfamiliar with English and Hindi, the twin language vehicles which are required for survival in the nation’s capital. As it is hardly any body cares for Karnataka, which is known as one of the supine states in the country, which hardly fights any case. Added to this has been the lack of the communication skills of the new team.
From all accounts and purposes, the visit was a disaster to put it mildly. The duo was hardly able to make the presentation before the Union Minister for Power Mr. Sushi Kumar Shindhe. The two member team from Karnataka, who are known to have oratorical skills in their mother tongue Kannada, were seen fumbling for words while trying to converse with the Union Minister Mr. Shindhe. To their misfortune was that the visit was widely covered by the one of the prominent electronic channels and the pitiable plight of the two member team was only seen to be believed. The entire national audience had a glimpse of how ill-equipped the two were in conducting business in Newdelhi. Their image has taken a serious beating. It will certainly take a long time to repair the beating the image has taken in the process.
It is not that none who does not know English or Hindi has been able to do business in Newdelhi. The late Kamaraj always talked in Tamil and Karunanidhi speaks only in Tamil even in Newdelhi so have been some of the representatives from other linguistic states as well. But Karunanidhi by his stature has always commanded respect and he is listened to carefully. There is an array of supporters who could do the spade work for him in Newdelhi.
Even Devegowda had his own share of problems during his less than one year stint as the Prime Minister of the United Front Government in Newdelhi. His Achilles heel was Hindi, and Mr. Gowda did show signs of learning Hindi. He had got a person appointed to give him Hindi lessons. English was no problem for him at all. .
In the case of the Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, it was apparent that they had slipped up badly in making adequate preparations to their maiden visit. They went all alone, without any help and had not even prepared a written memorandum about the demands from Karnataka. They relied mainly on the oral presentation and one could see from the TV channel that Mr. Shindhe was finding difficult to grasp whatever the Karnataka team was trying to say. Should they not have taken one person with necessary communication skills to assist them in their errand? This was not done and the TV channel hardly missed taking note of the embarrassing movements for the Karnataka team and had lot of advice to offer as to its preparations.
Another interesting question was whatever prompted the electronic channel to take note of the maiden visit of the duo. Did somebody tip them off on the unfamiliarity of the language terrain of Mr. Kumaraswamy only to portray the new team in a bad light? It may be true or may not be true. But this cannot condone the cardinal slip of inadequate preparations made by the duo.
Tongues have started wagging over their failure to meet the BJP national leaders, as had been originally planned. Was it called off at the eleventh hour only because of the communication problem? This had happened to Mr Yediyurappa in the past, when he had been named as one of the national secretaries of the BJP but he hardly went to Newdelhi because of his lack of knowledge of Hindi and English. ‘
As a matter of fact the story going round the BJP circles is that the main reason, why the national leadership does not evince much interest in Karnataka is of the diffidence on the part of the state leaders to talk to their leaders. Barring Anant Kumar, the former Union Minister and currently the All India General Secretary, hardly anybody has top level contacts in the party. Of course, Mr. Ananth Kumar is in dog house politically as such in BJP, with the national leadership having given a virtual carte blanche to Yediyurappa to manage the show in Karnataka.
Unless Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa take adequate action to overcome their shortcomings, it is going to be very difficult for them to deal with the Central Ministers.
(Ends)12:09:33 AM February 15, 2006
====================000000000000000================
Friday, February 10, 2006
Expectations of Northern Karnataka
Expectations in Northern Karnataka
Every time a change of guard occurs in Bangalore, the one topic which is invariably discussed is whether the change in government augurs for the Northern Region getting its legitimate share in the development pie. And invariably every government ends its tenure by promising the moon to the people and letting them down badly at the end in the bargain.
This time also, the change in the stewardship has triggered off the discussions and had given to rise lot of expectations that some tangible good may happen to the region. This is based on two essential premises. Firstly the majority partner of the coalition government – the BJP draws its major sustenance from the Northern Karnataka region in general and that of Bombay Karnataka sub region in particular. It is expected to consolidate its position by taking up the programmes, which are dear to the heart of the people of the region.
And the Janata Dal (S) under Mr. Kumaraswamy appears to have realized the heavy political price it has paid for ignoring Northern Karnataka all these days and pooh-poohing its aspirations. The JDS has hardly been able to carve out any tangible base in the region, mainly because of the pronounced anti Northern Karnataka bias of the leadership in general and of Mr. Devegowda in particular. Mr. Devegowda set in motion the firefighting operations as it were on the eve of the zilla and taluk panchayat elections, by roping in as many lingayat leaders into the party as possible but this has hardly impressed the people of the region. If the JDS wants to continue as a credible political force in the state in the days to come, it has to develop political moorings in Karnataka. Unless the party woos Northern Karnataka, it can’t realize the ambition of coming to power on its own in the days to come. Nobody knows it better than Mr. Kumaraswamy, the new Chief Minister, who appears to be political pragmatists and free from the dogmas and prejudices which were the hall marks of the attitude of his illustrious father.
There is however a fly in the ointment- namely the weak leadership in the region in both the camps. As it is both the top posts in the government, have gone to the people who do not belong to the region and not expected to inspire the confidence in the bonafides of the government. And those from the two parties, who are expected to get into the government, are definitely not people with sufficient political clout. For the JDS, the top most leader is going to be Mr. Basavaraj Horatti, MLC representing teachers constituency, who despite all his involvement in the teachers movement is yet to emerge as a politician of merit and standing. For the BJP its top most candidate who may find berth is Mr. Jagadish Shettar, the present president of the state party. The opportunities, that have come to Shettar, of being the Leader of the Opposition, then the President of the unit and now as a possible minister, have brought him personal luck but he is yet to establish himself as the leader of standing, credibility and guts. He has always proved to be an understudy of Mr. Yediyurappa. And has not been able to come out of the shadow all these days.
Ultimately, if something good has to come to region, it must from the combination of Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa and not because of any calculated political clout and standing of the politicians from the region. Will the due have the energy and time to follow the Northern Karnataka agenda, remains as a million dollar question?
The problems and unkept promises of Northern Karnataka are in a legion. Typical of the unresolved dilemma has been dithering on the implementation of Nanjundappa Committee report on the removal of the regional imbalance. The Krishna government, which constituted the committee, chose to dither on it and hardly anything was done during the regime of Mr. Dharam Singh, barring the lip sympathy given.
There has been a concerted attempt to misrepresent the implications of the Nanjundappa Committee recommendations. What the Committee had recommended was an additional investment of Rs. 16,000 crores over a seven year period to bridge the gap in the development, not only in the Northern Karnataka region, but also in the entire backward tracks of the state. Per year it comes to an investment of Rs. 2000 crores spread over all the twentyseven districts,. For an economically buoyant state of Karnataka, it should not be a major problem to find this much of money. For want of necessary commitment, the governments of the day have not been able to implement the same.
Can the new government break the voodoo or end up like the predecessors offering excuses for not doing the things rather than take the bull by the horn.
(ends) 23:28 hrs. February 10, 2006
================00000000000=======
Every time a change of guard occurs in Bangalore, the one topic which is invariably discussed is whether the change in government augurs for the Northern Region getting its legitimate share in the development pie. And invariably every government ends its tenure by promising the moon to the people and letting them down badly at the end in the bargain.
This time also, the change in the stewardship has triggered off the discussions and had given to rise lot of expectations that some tangible good may happen to the region. This is based on two essential premises. Firstly the majority partner of the coalition government – the BJP draws its major sustenance from the Northern Karnataka region in general and that of Bombay Karnataka sub region in particular. It is expected to consolidate its position by taking up the programmes, which are dear to the heart of the people of the region.
And the Janata Dal (S) under Mr. Kumaraswamy appears to have realized the heavy political price it has paid for ignoring Northern Karnataka all these days and pooh-poohing its aspirations. The JDS has hardly been able to carve out any tangible base in the region, mainly because of the pronounced anti Northern Karnataka bias of the leadership in general and of Mr. Devegowda in particular. Mr. Devegowda set in motion the firefighting operations as it were on the eve of the zilla and taluk panchayat elections, by roping in as many lingayat leaders into the party as possible but this has hardly impressed the people of the region. If the JDS wants to continue as a credible political force in the state in the days to come, it has to develop political moorings in Karnataka. Unless the party woos Northern Karnataka, it can’t realize the ambition of coming to power on its own in the days to come. Nobody knows it better than Mr. Kumaraswamy, the new Chief Minister, who appears to be political pragmatists and free from the dogmas and prejudices which were the hall marks of the attitude of his illustrious father.
There is however a fly in the ointment- namely the weak leadership in the region in both the camps. As it is both the top posts in the government, have gone to the people who do not belong to the region and not expected to inspire the confidence in the bonafides of the government. And those from the two parties, who are expected to get into the government, are definitely not people with sufficient political clout. For the JDS, the top most leader is going to be Mr. Basavaraj Horatti, MLC representing teachers constituency, who despite all his involvement in the teachers movement is yet to emerge as a politician of merit and standing. For the BJP its top most candidate who may find berth is Mr. Jagadish Shettar, the present president of the state party. The opportunities, that have come to Shettar, of being the Leader of the Opposition, then the President of the unit and now as a possible minister, have brought him personal luck but he is yet to establish himself as the leader of standing, credibility and guts. He has always proved to be an understudy of Mr. Yediyurappa. And has not been able to come out of the shadow all these days.
Ultimately, if something good has to come to region, it must from the combination of Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa and not because of any calculated political clout and standing of the politicians from the region. Will the due have the energy and time to follow the Northern Karnataka agenda, remains as a million dollar question?
The problems and unkept promises of Northern Karnataka are in a legion. Typical of the unresolved dilemma has been dithering on the implementation of Nanjundappa Committee report on the removal of the regional imbalance. The Krishna government, which constituted the committee, chose to dither on it and hardly anything was done during the regime of Mr. Dharam Singh, barring the lip sympathy given.
There has been a concerted attempt to misrepresent the implications of the Nanjundappa Committee recommendations. What the Committee had recommended was an additional investment of Rs. 16,000 crores over a seven year period to bridge the gap in the development, not only in the Northern Karnataka region, but also in the entire backward tracks of the state. Per year it comes to an investment of Rs. 2000 crores spread over all the twentyseven districts,. For an economically buoyant state of Karnataka, it should not be a major problem to find this much of money. For want of necessary commitment, the governments of the day have not been able to implement the same.
Can the new government break the voodoo or end up like the predecessors offering excuses for not doing the things rather than take the bull by the horn.
(ends) 23:28 hrs. February 10, 2006
================00000000000=======
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Kudos to Kumaraswamy
Kudos to Kumaraswamy
One must hand over kudos to Kumaraswamy, the young chief minister of Karnataka, who has upstaged many veterans to occupy the coveted gaddi. His performanance in the assembly during the motion of confidence on 8th was to say simply superb for the political green horn, who has the distinction of becoming the Chief Minister during his first tenure as the member of the assembly. He was cool as a cucumber, while his Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Yediyurappa lost his cool soon. He took the criticism in his strides, made no bones about his being young and inexperienced and how he needed cooperation from all to carry on further. His reference to his father Devegowda was quite reverential. While talking about the difference in his and his fathers perception, Mr. Kumaraswamy skirted off the issue of Mr. Devegowda’s complicity in the whole happening deftly.
Mr. Kumaraswamy was candid enough to say that the alliance with Congress hardly worked. The trouble started from the day one of the allocation of portfolios and continued since then unfailingly. There was not even one joint meeting of the two legislature parties to iron out differences and perceptions between the two parties.
Secondly, he has also gone on record to say his contact with the BJP are not of recent origin but dates back to the days when the 2004 election results were announced and with the BJP leaders making overtures to them. It was the Congress attitude which was responsible for the parting of the ways rather than any overtures made by the BJP.
This should put a nail on the canard floated by the Congress against the new coalition which has assumed office.
As a matter of fact it was the Congress which was shown in poor light. Their party leaders including Mr. Dharam Singh could not till the last accept with grace that they had lost the race. This had happened on the day Mr. Dharam Singh was asked by the Governor but could not move the motion of confidence. And yesterday also, when the Congress insisted on the division, when the Speaker had put the motion to the voice vote and it was evident to everybody that the number game had turned in favor of the new combination.
While pouring out the venom on JDS for their loss of power, the Congress leaders hardly had any gratitude to express for the pivotal role played by the JDS which helped in renewing the lease for power despite the defeat in the 2004 election. As a matter of fact, the JDS went out of the way to resurrect the political fortunes of the Congress, which were in the dumps, and party, which had got the benefit of the Anti Congress votes, befriended the Congress, which had been voted out of power, which was against the reining sentiments of the electorate.
The least Congress could have done was to express its gratitude to the JDS for all the help it had given in the past and wish it well in its new innings, giving due expression to whatever reservations they had about the new alliance. This was nothing surprising, since Congressmen are known to be bad losers.
(ends) 10:22 hrs. February 9, 2006
==================00000000000000===========
One must hand over kudos to Kumaraswamy, the young chief minister of Karnataka, who has upstaged many veterans to occupy the coveted gaddi. His performanance in the assembly during the motion of confidence on 8th was to say simply superb for the political green horn, who has the distinction of becoming the Chief Minister during his first tenure as the member of the assembly. He was cool as a cucumber, while his Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Yediyurappa lost his cool soon. He took the criticism in his strides, made no bones about his being young and inexperienced and how he needed cooperation from all to carry on further. His reference to his father Devegowda was quite reverential. While talking about the difference in his and his fathers perception, Mr. Kumaraswamy skirted off the issue of Mr. Devegowda’s complicity in the whole happening deftly.
Mr. Kumaraswamy was candid enough to say that the alliance with Congress hardly worked. The trouble started from the day one of the allocation of portfolios and continued since then unfailingly. There was not even one joint meeting of the two legislature parties to iron out differences and perceptions between the two parties.
Secondly, he has also gone on record to say his contact with the BJP are not of recent origin but dates back to the days when the 2004 election results were announced and with the BJP leaders making overtures to them. It was the Congress attitude which was responsible for the parting of the ways rather than any overtures made by the BJP.
This should put a nail on the canard floated by the Congress against the new coalition which has assumed office.
As a matter of fact it was the Congress which was shown in poor light. Their party leaders including Mr. Dharam Singh could not till the last accept with grace that they had lost the race. This had happened on the day Mr. Dharam Singh was asked by the Governor but could not move the motion of confidence. And yesterday also, when the Congress insisted on the division, when the Speaker had put the motion to the voice vote and it was evident to everybody that the number game had turned in favor of the new combination.
While pouring out the venom on JDS for their loss of power, the Congress leaders hardly had any gratitude to express for the pivotal role played by the JDS which helped in renewing the lease for power despite the defeat in the 2004 election. As a matter of fact, the JDS went out of the way to resurrect the political fortunes of the Congress, which were in the dumps, and party, which had got the benefit of the Anti Congress votes, befriended the Congress, which had been voted out of power, which was against the reining sentiments of the electorate.
The least Congress could have done was to express its gratitude to the JDS for all the help it had given in the past and wish it well in its new innings, giving due expression to whatever reservations they had about the new alliance. This was nothing surprising, since Congressmen are known to be bad losers.
(ends) 10:22 hrs. February 9, 2006
==================00000000000000===========
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
panchayat raj in for bad time
Panchayat raj in for a bad time
The new JDS/BJP government does not well for the Panchayatraj system in vogue in Karnataka. At a time, when the newly elected members of the taluk and zilla panchayats are poised to open a new era of local self government thanks to the empowerment made already, the regime in Karnataka appears to be conceptually alien to the entire concept.
This was evident from the initial observations made by the Chief Minister Mr. Kumaraswamy and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. B S Yediyurappa in a TV programme anchored by the Media Academy Chairman Mr. Subbarao on Doordarshan on February 7.
From the observations made, it was evident that both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were in the dark as for as the whole philosophy of the panchayat raj system, which is in vogue in Karnataka since more than two decades. They confined themselves to make some casual remarks mouthing the usual objections raised by the detractors of the system that the system had resulted in the decentralization of corruption, as if the corruption is a monopoly of the legislators and that the members of the local self government should keep themselves off.
This is nothing surprising. Because this has been attitude of the most of the legislators in Karnataka in the two decade old history of the movement. They have always viewed the system as something of an interloper, which has come to take away the powers and privileges enjoyed by the legislators. Comparatively the Congress had a better understanding, in the sense that the present panchayat raj enactment is a Congress creation and that it is the Congress, which has gone for bringing far reaching amendments to make the system more effective. This has been incidentally done by the Congress regime, mainly because of the commitment to the concept at the national party level than because of any new found love for the system by the run of the mill party legislators. Next to that comes the undivided Janata Dal, which was the author of the first enactment made in 1983 and subsequently introduced number of amendments. BJP has the poorest of the poor concept of the panchayat raj both at the state and the national level.
It was against this background that one noticed during the recently conducted zilla and taluk panchayat elections that the political parties studiously avoided making any references to the problems and programmes of the panchayat raj and ran the campaign as the one aimed at gaining power than the one designed to govern the panchayat raj institutions. Both the Congress and JDS chose to skirt the issue completely while the BJP made some exception by talking about the need for reforms in the system in its manifesto.
Now the JDS faction led by Kumaraswamy which has been catapulted to power, has hardly any idea of the system, the problems which are to be tackled and hurdles which require to be cleared. So has been the case with the BJP.
The unfamiliarity and the ignorance assumes importance in the context of the fact that the previous government had transferred lot of powers and finances to the panchayat raj institutions and the budget presented by Siddaramaiah, had created the panchayat head for the first time and transferred schemes and funds to the tune of Rest. 2880 crores to the panchayat sector. An activity mapping has been issued to delineate the functions of the each of the three tier system and avoid the overlapping of functions and confusion. Accordingly, more than Rs,. 100 crores have been kept at the disposal of the panchayat raj institutions in each of the district for the current year. And the performanance of the panchayat raj institutions is going to be dismal in the very first year, because of the delay in holding polls in the first instance, and because of the change in the government. No zilla and taluk panchayats have started effectively working as yet because of the delay in the election of the adhyakshas and upadhyakshas. And the financial year is coming to an end in about seven weeks time from now.
(ends) 23:38 hrs. February 7, 2006
-----------------------------------0000000000000000------------------------
.
The new JDS/BJP government does not well for the Panchayatraj system in vogue in Karnataka. At a time, when the newly elected members of the taluk and zilla panchayats are poised to open a new era of local self government thanks to the empowerment made already, the regime in Karnataka appears to be conceptually alien to the entire concept.
This was evident from the initial observations made by the Chief Minister Mr. Kumaraswamy and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. B S Yediyurappa in a TV programme anchored by the Media Academy Chairman Mr. Subbarao on Doordarshan on February 7.
From the observations made, it was evident that both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were in the dark as for as the whole philosophy of the panchayat raj system, which is in vogue in Karnataka since more than two decades. They confined themselves to make some casual remarks mouthing the usual objections raised by the detractors of the system that the system had resulted in the decentralization of corruption, as if the corruption is a monopoly of the legislators and that the members of the local self government should keep themselves off.
This is nothing surprising. Because this has been attitude of the most of the legislators in Karnataka in the two decade old history of the movement. They have always viewed the system as something of an interloper, which has come to take away the powers and privileges enjoyed by the legislators. Comparatively the Congress had a better understanding, in the sense that the present panchayat raj enactment is a Congress creation and that it is the Congress, which has gone for bringing far reaching amendments to make the system more effective. This has been incidentally done by the Congress regime, mainly because of the commitment to the concept at the national party level than because of any new found love for the system by the run of the mill party legislators. Next to that comes the undivided Janata Dal, which was the author of the first enactment made in 1983 and subsequently introduced number of amendments. BJP has the poorest of the poor concept of the panchayat raj both at the state and the national level.
It was against this background that one noticed during the recently conducted zilla and taluk panchayat elections that the political parties studiously avoided making any references to the problems and programmes of the panchayat raj and ran the campaign as the one aimed at gaining power than the one designed to govern the panchayat raj institutions. Both the Congress and JDS chose to skirt the issue completely while the BJP made some exception by talking about the need for reforms in the system in its manifesto.
Now the JDS faction led by Kumaraswamy which has been catapulted to power, has hardly any idea of the system, the problems which are to be tackled and hurdles which require to be cleared. So has been the case with the BJP.
The unfamiliarity and the ignorance assumes importance in the context of the fact that the previous government had transferred lot of powers and finances to the panchayat raj institutions and the budget presented by Siddaramaiah, had created the panchayat head for the first time and transferred schemes and funds to the tune of Rest. 2880 crores to the panchayat sector. An activity mapping has been issued to delineate the functions of the each of the three tier system and avoid the overlapping of functions and confusion. Accordingly, more than Rs,. 100 crores have been kept at the disposal of the panchayat raj institutions in each of the district for the current year. And the performanance of the panchayat raj institutions is going to be dismal in the very first year, because of the delay in holding polls in the first instance, and because of the change in the government. No zilla and taluk panchayats have started effectively working as yet because of the delay in the election of the adhyakshas and upadhyakshas. And the financial year is coming to an end in about seven weeks time from now.
(ends) 23:38 hrs. February 7, 2006
-----------------------------------0000000000000000------------------------
.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Complicity becoming clearer
Complicity of Mr. Devegowda is becoming clear
The complicity of Mr. Devegowda in scripting the developments that led to his son occupying the coveted office of the Chief Minister is becoming more and more pronounced.
Mr. Devegowda it may be noted here has been dithering on the issue of taking disciplinary action against his son and his cohorts for violating the party principle of keeping the distance with the BJP away. But this has not prevented him from taking a public posture that he had been hurt by the “rebellion” of his son. This however does not wash well, with the antics of Mr. Devegowda becoming clearer and clearer in the national arena as well as the political circles within Karnataka.
Any president of any party, would have kept quiet and held off the disciplinary action like Mr. Devegowda has done as for as Kumaraswamy’s actions are concerned. One action from his part, of suspending Mr. Kumaraswamy or expelling him from the party, would have put spokes in the plans of the JDS/BJP government being formed in Karnataka. Technically all the JDS members who have aligned with Mr. Kumaraswamy are under Mr. Devegowda even today and are amenable to the discipline. Even as late an hour as this, Mr. Devegowda if he minds can strike back at the rebel son, by issuing a whip to the party legislators to vote against the confidence vote sought as and when by Mr. Devegowda. In all probability it would not be issued. And if issued, sufficient care would be taken to ensure that the guilty members get off the hook under one or the other pretext.
The former Chief Minister, Mr. Dharam Singh is right when he said on the last day of his office that the show put up by the Congress in the just concluded Taluk and Zilla panchayat elections had become a curse to the continuation of his government. The panchayat elections, had called the bluff of Devegowda’s party. His party had performed miserably and had paid a heavy price for the action it had taken against Mr. Siddaramaiah. It had put the Congress on top and had given a handle for the Devegowda baiters within the Congress to needle Devegowda further.
For Mr. Gowda could ill afford to go to assembly polls in the light of the miserably performanance. He would have lost badly. And this would have put paid to his desire of anointing his son as the Chief Minister. It was against this background that a political diabolical plan was worked out to destabilize the Congress led Ministry and forms another ministry with the support of the BJP. The BJP was too willing to play the ball, since that would mean the BJP opening its political account in the south, as it had done now. There is also no question of the BJP pulling down the new ministry, since the BJP wants a longer reins of power and would not do anything to upset the applecart. This would be at least for the 20 months period the first of the two phase of sharing of power arrangement worked out with the BJP.
The drama was carefully scripted giving the impression that it was done without the knowledge of and against the wishes of Mr. Devegowda. But as it is, it is often said that even the clever criminals for the care they have taken do leave some of the clues. And in this political drama, Mr. Devegowda had left clear clues which eloquently bear testimony to the plans of Mr. Devegowda to make his son a Chief Minister. This was now or never opportunity for Mr. Devegowda to realize the dream. And Gowda took the calculated gamble and succeeded. He should never better stop his protestations of innocence and come and publicly acknowledge the political fete achieved. But knowing the nature of Mr. Devegowda, he would not do it.
(ends) 19:05 hrs. February 6, 2006 =================000000000000000=========
. .
The complicity of Mr. Devegowda in scripting the developments that led to his son occupying the coveted office of the Chief Minister is becoming more and more pronounced.
Mr. Devegowda it may be noted here has been dithering on the issue of taking disciplinary action against his son and his cohorts for violating the party principle of keeping the distance with the BJP away. But this has not prevented him from taking a public posture that he had been hurt by the “rebellion” of his son. This however does not wash well, with the antics of Mr. Devegowda becoming clearer and clearer in the national arena as well as the political circles within Karnataka.
Any president of any party, would have kept quiet and held off the disciplinary action like Mr. Devegowda has done as for as Kumaraswamy’s actions are concerned. One action from his part, of suspending Mr. Kumaraswamy or expelling him from the party, would have put spokes in the plans of the JDS/BJP government being formed in Karnataka. Technically all the JDS members who have aligned with Mr. Kumaraswamy are under Mr. Devegowda even today and are amenable to the discipline. Even as late an hour as this, Mr. Devegowda if he minds can strike back at the rebel son, by issuing a whip to the party legislators to vote against the confidence vote sought as and when by Mr. Devegowda. In all probability it would not be issued. And if issued, sufficient care would be taken to ensure that the guilty members get off the hook under one or the other pretext.
The former Chief Minister, Mr. Dharam Singh is right when he said on the last day of his office that the show put up by the Congress in the just concluded Taluk and Zilla panchayat elections had become a curse to the continuation of his government. The panchayat elections, had called the bluff of Devegowda’s party. His party had performed miserably and had paid a heavy price for the action it had taken against Mr. Siddaramaiah. It had put the Congress on top and had given a handle for the Devegowda baiters within the Congress to needle Devegowda further.
For Mr. Gowda could ill afford to go to assembly polls in the light of the miserably performanance. He would have lost badly. And this would have put paid to his desire of anointing his son as the Chief Minister. It was against this background that a political diabolical plan was worked out to destabilize the Congress led Ministry and forms another ministry with the support of the BJP. The BJP was too willing to play the ball, since that would mean the BJP opening its political account in the south, as it had done now. There is also no question of the BJP pulling down the new ministry, since the BJP wants a longer reins of power and would not do anything to upset the applecart. This would be at least for the 20 months period the first of the two phase of sharing of power arrangement worked out with the BJP.
The drama was carefully scripted giving the impression that it was done without the knowledge of and against the wishes of Mr. Devegowda. But as it is, it is often said that even the clever criminals for the care they have taken do leave some of the clues. And in this political drama, Mr. Devegowda had left clear clues which eloquently bear testimony to the plans of Mr. Devegowda to make his son a Chief Minister. This was now or never opportunity for Mr. Devegowda to realize the dream. And Gowda took the calculated gamble and succeeded. He should never better stop his protestations of innocence and come and publicly acknowledge the political fete achieved. But knowing the nature of Mr. Devegowda, he would not do it.
(ends) 19:05 hrs. February 6, 2006 =================000000000000000=========
. .
Friday, February 03, 2006
Reflection of anti Congress sentiments
Reflection of the anti Congress mood in Karnataka.
HUBLI, 3 February 2006 The assumption of office today by the two member JDS/BJP
Ministry in Karnataka, is no tribute to the growing clout of the two Congress parties, but a reiteration of the present anti Congress sentiments among the people. As a matter today’s development has undone the aberration of Congress/JDS coalition government, which was a hybrid political phenomenon of a Congress and anti Congress forces coming together to rule the state ignoring the sentiments of the people.
This is not the first time that the anti Congress government has assumed office in Karnataka. The first anti Congress government headed by Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde of Janata Dal which was supported by the BJP assumed office in 1983 and Janata Dal ruled on its own stream when it went to the people to seek fresh mandate in 1985 and held office four years, before the Devegowda led rebellion resulted in the dismissal of the government in 1989. In 1994, the Janata Dal again came back to power and held power for the full term, with Mr. Devegowda and Mr. J H Patel acting as the Chief Ministers only to lose power in 1999.
And the BJP had also been a major beneficiary of the anti Congress mood, and had emerged as the number two party in the parliament elections at all which was also reflected later on the 1999 and 2004 assembly elections.
The victory of the non Congress parties, cannot be attributed to the individual parties taking the roots in the people. They have been the main beneficiaries of the anti Congress mood. The JD won in 1983, 1994 and 1999 assembly elections since it was considered the credible anti Congress front. In 2004, the anti Congress votes were divided region wise. The electorate in Northern Karnataka area preferred the BJP as the anti Congress front and extended their patronage to them. The JDS could put up a better show in the southern region, mainly because of the weakness of the BJP. The electorate in the southern region perceived the JDS to be a better Congress alternative than BJP and voted for it. It is because of this that the JDS put up a better show by proxy as it were, which came as a surprise to Mr. Devegowda himself.
The Karnataka’s electoral history has been marked by a strange phenomenon of the Congress emerging victorious only when the anti Congress votes get divided. And the Congress has faced the electoral disaster whenever the anti Congress votes consolidated.
In the 2004 assembly elections, the Congress polled only 35% of the polled votes (88.61 lakhs), while the two thirds of the votes remained anti Congress in character and spirit, with BJP garnering 28.33% of the valid votes (71.18 lakhs) and the JDS accounting for 20.77% (52.22 lakh votes). The anti Congress mood prevailed because of the reduction in the division of the anti Congress votes with the JDU facing totally elimination and the new votes expressing themselves clearly in favour of the anti Congress parties. It is erroneous to believe that the Congress had suffered heavy erosion in the election. The Congress had polled 90.77 lakh votes when it won 134 seats to come to power under Mr. Krishna in 1999. Five years later, its voting tally had suffered marginal erosion to the extent of around two lakhs only. But the consolidation of the anti Congress votes as explained about resulting in Congress tally of seats taking a heavy beating.
(ends)==============00====================
HUBLI, 3 February 2006 The assumption of office today by the two member JDS/BJP
Ministry in Karnataka, is no tribute to the growing clout of the two Congress parties, but a reiteration of the present anti Congress sentiments among the people. As a matter today’s development has undone the aberration of Congress/JDS coalition government, which was a hybrid political phenomenon of a Congress and anti Congress forces coming together to rule the state ignoring the sentiments of the people.
This is not the first time that the anti Congress government has assumed office in Karnataka. The first anti Congress government headed by Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde of Janata Dal which was supported by the BJP assumed office in 1983 and Janata Dal ruled on its own stream when it went to the people to seek fresh mandate in 1985 and held office four years, before the Devegowda led rebellion resulted in the dismissal of the government in 1989. In 1994, the Janata Dal again came back to power and held power for the full term, with Mr. Devegowda and Mr. J H Patel acting as the Chief Ministers only to lose power in 1999.
And the BJP had also been a major beneficiary of the anti Congress mood, and had emerged as the number two party in the parliament elections at all which was also reflected later on the 1999 and 2004 assembly elections.
The victory of the non Congress parties, cannot be attributed to the individual parties taking the roots in the people. They have been the main beneficiaries of the anti Congress mood. The JD won in 1983, 1994 and 1999 assembly elections since it was considered the credible anti Congress front. In 2004, the anti Congress votes were divided region wise. The electorate in Northern Karnataka area preferred the BJP as the anti Congress front and extended their patronage to them. The JDS could put up a better show in the southern region, mainly because of the weakness of the BJP. The electorate in the southern region perceived the JDS to be a better Congress alternative than BJP and voted for it. It is because of this that the JDS put up a better show by proxy as it were, which came as a surprise to Mr. Devegowda himself.
The Karnataka’s electoral history has been marked by a strange phenomenon of the Congress emerging victorious only when the anti Congress votes get divided. And the Congress has faced the electoral disaster whenever the anti Congress votes consolidated.
In the 2004 assembly elections, the Congress polled only 35% of the polled votes (88.61 lakhs), while the two thirds of the votes remained anti Congress in character and spirit, with BJP garnering 28.33% of the valid votes (71.18 lakhs) and the JDS accounting for 20.77% (52.22 lakh votes). The anti Congress mood prevailed because of the reduction in the division of the anti Congress votes with the JDU facing totally elimination and the new votes expressing themselves clearly in favour of the anti Congress parties. It is erroneous to believe that the Congress had suffered heavy erosion in the election. The Congress had polled 90.77 lakh votes when it won 134 seats to come to power under Mr. Krishna in 1999. Five years later, its voting tally had suffered marginal erosion to the extent of around two lakhs only. But the consolidation of the anti Congress votes as explained about resulting in Congress tally of seats taking a heavy beating.
(ends)==============00====================
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Penchant for theatricals
Devegowda’s penchant for theatricals
HUBLI, Feb 01, 2006
Another facet of Devegowda’s persona now on display is his penchant for theatricals.
It is clear even to naiveté that Devegowda carefully scripted the plot to pave way for downfall of the Dharam Singh government and for setting the stage for his son Kumaraswamy wearing the mantle of the Chief Ministership.
But what went wrong in the whole drama was that it failed to disguise the real intentions. Nobody has taken Devegowda’s tantrums of his being shocked by the perfidy of the partymen joining hands with the BJP.
His oftrepeated protestations of standing in favour of the secular credentials might have mislead the Congress leaders and Mr. Dharam Singh, who were all along led on the garden path only to be ditched at a point of no return. But the careful watchers of the political drama have taken the bait and have not failed to discern the straws in the wind that pointed to the collusion of the indulgent father.
As a result while his son is getting ready to take over as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Devegowda’s national image and his secular credentials have taken a serious beating. And this is what is worrying Mr. Devegowda to the core now.
Even at this eleventh hour also, Mr. Devegowda is not sitting quiet and is burning the midnight oil to salvage his reputation. A planted story has been in circulation that he wants to take disciplinary action against those who are going with Mr. Kumaraswamy his son to form the ministry. Mr. Kumaraswamy like a true son of a crafty father, has also been mouthing similar sentiments, and giving expression of his dilemma of becoming the Chief Minister while his father continues to sulk. He also talks about the dent in the image of Mr. Devegowda at the national level.
Nobody is prepared to believe the story again. For, had Mr. Gouda been such a disciplinarian, he would have used the instrument at the first sign of rebellion. Kumaraswamy has conceded that he had always favored the alliance with the BJP since the 2004 elections. Devegowda had opportunities to discipline the his flock many times when they were having powwow with the BJP leaders; later when they crowd gave a letter to the Governor or when they assembled in the assembly to debate the confidence motion.
As a seasoned parliamentarian, Gouda ought to have written to the Speaker not to take Kumaraswamy’s version seriously. But he chose to write instead to the Governor, who has nothing to do with it. The crossing over of the president, Mr. Thippanna to the Kumaraswamy’s side is not a coincidence but a deliberate plan on the part of Mr. Devegowda to give legitimacy to whatever action taken by Mr. Kumaraswamy.
Holding out a threat of disciplinary action at this stage hardly cuts any ice. It is open for the members to join the JDU, if it comes to that to escape the legal consequences of their change of heart. Nothing is going to happen to Mr. Kumaraswamy. He is all set to begin his reign as the Chief Minister. On paper Mr. Gowda would like to go down as the one who tried till last to prevent the JDSBJP ministry being formed. It may satisfy his conscience. But cannot fool the people, who have now begun to see Mr. Gowda in his real political colours.
=========000===========23:48 hrs. 1-Feb-06
HUBLI, Feb 01, 2006
Another facet of Devegowda’s persona now on display is his penchant for theatricals.
It is clear even to naiveté that Devegowda carefully scripted the plot to pave way for downfall of the Dharam Singh government and for setting the stage for his son Kumaraswamy wearing the mantle of the Chief Ministership.
But what went wrong in the whole drama was that it failed to disguise the real intentions. Nobody has taken Devegowda’s tantrums of his being shocked by the perfidy of the partymen joining hands with the BJP.
His oftrepeated protestations of standing in favour of the secular credentials might have mislead the Congress leaders and Mr. Dharam Singh, who were all along led on the garden path only to be ditched at a point of no return. But the careful watchers of the political drama have taken the bait and have not failed to discern the straws in the wind that pointed to the collusion of the indulgent father.
As a result while his son is getting ready to take over as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Devegowda’s national image and his secular credentials have taken a serious beating. And this is what is worrying Mr. Devegowda to the core now.
Even at this eleventh hour also, Mr. Devegowda is not sitting quiet and is burning the midnight oil to salvage his reputation. A planted story has been in circulation that he wants to take disciplinary action against those who are going with Mr. Kumaraswamy his son to form the ministry. Mr. Kumaraswamy like a true son of a crafty father, has also been mouthing similar sentiments, and giving expression of his dilemma of becoming the Chief Minister while his father continues to sulk. He also talks about the dent in the image of Mr. Devegowda at the national level.
Nobody is prepared to believe the story again. For, had Mr. Gouda been such a disciplinarian, he would have used the instrument at the first sign of rebellion. Kumaraswamy has conceded that he had always favored the alliance with the BJP since the 2004 elections. Devegowda had opportunities to discipline the his flock many times when they were having powwow with the BJP leaders; later when they crowd gave a letter to the Governor or when they assembled in the assembly to debate the confidence motion.
As a seasoned parliamentarian, Gouda ought to have written to the Speaker not to take Kumaraswamy’s version seriously. But he chose to write instead to the Governor, who has nothing to do with it. The crossing over of the president, Mr. Thippanna to the Kumaraswamy’s side is not a coincidence but a deliberate plan on the part of Mr. Devegowda to give legitimacy to whatever action taken by Mr. Kumaraswamy.
Holding out a threat of disciplinary action at this stage hardly cuts any ice. It is open for the members to join the JDU, if it comes to that to escape the legal consequences of their change of heart. Nothing is going to happen to Mr. Kumaraswamy. He is all set to begin his reign as the Chief Minister. On paper Mr. Gowda would like to go down as the one who tried till last to prevent the JDSBJP ministry being formed. It may satisfy his conscience. But cannot fool the people, who have now begun to see Mr. Gowda in his real political colours.
=========000===========23:48 hrs. 1-Feb-06
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About Me
- Mathihalli Madan Mohan
- Journalist with standing of more than fifty years in the profession. Retired as the Special Correspondent of The HINDU and has become a columnist on current affairs, the panchayats and other allied subjects