“... Some ministers do not even know that the distance between Belagavi and Kalaburagi is 450 km. With such ministers, how is development even possible? Ministers must have a comprehensive view of the state and make efforts for overall development, only then is development possible...” —- BR Patil, Congress MLA and Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission.
“... Problems cannot be solved by just having idlis and vadas (breakfast meetings between the CM and DyCM). If there is such a formula, please share it with everyone across the country… Every day, they (Congress leaders) are talking about the leadership issue on the streets. It is doing an injustice to the state. They should first settle it and come…” — R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Assembly.
The truce brokered by the Congress high command, which brought Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to breakfast meetings over idlis and vadas and ‘nati koli saaru’, failed to hold for long.
The gloves were off as soon as the Congress leaders landed in Belagavi for the winter session of the state legislature. Congress MLC Dr Yathindra’s remarks that his father, Siddaramaiah, would continue as CM for the full five-year term landed the ruling party in an embarrassing situation, with the leadership tussle continuing to dominate the political discourse. Alongside, the government also faced a scathing attack from ruling and opposition members alike over regional imbalance and lack of development in the North Karnataka region.
Before heading to the border district to attend the winter session, many in the party hoped that the breakfast meetings would keep the contentious issue at bay at least for now, although it is bound to resurface after the 10-day session ends on December 19.
While Yathindra’s statements are seen as off-the-cuff remarks, they are also viewed as a sign of uneasiness in the CM’s camp and an attempt to provoke the DyCM into a sparring match. If the situation becomes muddy, it may go against Shivakumar as the high command would not be in a position to make any major changes under such a situation. However, the state Congress chief, who is banking heavily on the party high command to make him the CM, appears to be playing his cards cautiously.
Those privy to the developments in the party feel that the balance of power is slowly tilting in favour of Shivakumar. The high command’s silence seems to be an indication of its strategy for Karnataka. If the central leadership was clear on Siddaramaiah’s continuation for a full five-year tenure, it would have by now put the issue to rest, instead of letting the government – which enjoys a solid majority in the assembly – face discomfiture on a daily basis.
But having a strategy and executing it are entirely two different things. For now, the high command seems to be caught in that bind, even as public exchanges in Congress provide ammunition to opposition BJP and JDS.
As expected, the opposition is driving home a point that the leadership tussle is no longer Congress’ internal issue and it’s impacting governance. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka tore into the Congress government’s poor handling of North Karnataka issues, citing the leadership tussle.
The Siddaramaiah government came under fire from the lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. In fact, the harshest criticism was from the Congress MLAs from Kittur Karnataka and Kalyan Karnataka regions. Congress MLA Raju Kage, who had earlier written to the President, Prime Minister, and Chief Minister, demanding separate statehood for the North Karnataka region, reiterated his demand on the floor of the Assembly.
His demand has not found any takers, especially among the legislators, and justifiably so, to not encourage divisive tendencies. However, it would be injudicious for the government not to feel his anguish or that of other members.
Senior Congress legislator and Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission, BR Patil, expressed his discontent while explaining the ministers’ apathy, the poor state of roads in the region, and unkept promises. “How many ministers have visited Khanapur, Aurad, Nippani, Basavakalyan, or Gurumitkal,” Patil asked and stated that some of them do not know that such places even exist. Patil and other legislators from the region were reflecting the sentiments of the people, who feel that the government must do a lot more to accelerate development in the region and bring it on par with the rest of the state.
While the debate on North Karnataka’s development – or the lack of it – continues in the legislature next week, the practice of ensuring that issues from the region are taken up for debates at the very beginning of the session is a commendable initiative. This is unlike previous sessions, where it was taken up only towards the end.
Now, all eyes are on the CM’s response early next week to the debate on North Karnataka issues. Legislators and people from the region expect him to provide an Action Taken Report on promises made earlier and also lay out a clear action plan for new initiatives.
Many would also be curious to know how the CM responds to the contentious leadership issue, although, as usual, he may not answer the question in black and white.