Get going Mr Yeddyurappa
Venkatesha Babu -
Sunday, June 08, 2008 3:04 PM
It has been a fortnight since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of Yedyurappa (Yeddy as he is referred to by the media) won a near simple majority of 110 seats in the 224 member Karnataka assembly. For the last six months Yeddy had relentlessly toured the state seeking a full mandate, citing the fact that in the earlier coalition government they were back stabbed by the Janata Dal (Secular) of H D Deve Gowda. Two factors helped primarily the saffron party. The first was the sympathy factor, second was that since by turns the Congress and various factions of Janata Parivar had ruled the state, there was a feeling that let's try the BJP. There were other reasons like powerful Lingayat community throwing their weight behind the party and its projection of a CM candidate early on plus astute electoral management by Arun Jaitley. What did help in the final analysis, was the sympathy and let's try BJP factors.
Inspite of a near decisive mandate, unfortunately the initial signs from BJP don't seem to be very encouraging. There was an unseemly tiff on ministerial berths with North Karnataka leader Jagadish Shettar being mollified with the Speaker's post and Anekal MLA Naryanaswamy being promised a state government owned board chairmanship (one more reason why government should get out of business), even as Mysore MLA Shankar Linge Gowda continues to sulk. Buses were stoned and public property destroyed by supporters of BJP MLA's who did not make the cut as ministers. The law should have taken action against them and made the party or its supporters pay, which it did not. While Yeddy himself, in a welcome gesture met opposition party leaders (including SP state chief Bangarappa who contested against him) and sought their co-operation to develop the state, there has not been much movement after that.
While every believer does a thanksgiving visit to his favourite deity, after a victory, Yeddy's itinerary seems to be almost choc-a-bloc with touring various temples and seeking the blessings of swamis and seers. Sundry Vaastu consultants have sprung up from woodworks and have started to hold forth on why oath taking on the steps of Vidhana Soudha would bring ill-luck and tensions in running the government.As Homer Simpson would say 'Duh!'. If running your house and juggling your job involves tensions, imagine if you are presiding over a state of 5.5 crore people, there would be naturally tensions. Paying too much attention to all these astrologers, Vaastu pandits, swami and seers is not the way to go Mr Yeddyurappa. The only people who will forecast your future accurately is the electorate based on what actions you take in solving problems facing the state. No amount of homas and havans will appease the gods, if you are not blessed by the people.
Farmers across the state are in despair because of shortage of fertilizers. With the monsoon lashing parts of Karnataka (bringing welcome relief to Bangalore also I might add), farmers are looking to sow, but traders are hoarding fertilisers and selling them at a higher rate. Passing the buck by saying that fertiliser supply comes under the centre will not cut ice, because it is the state which ensures distribution. For a man who took the CM's oath in the name of the Farmer, please ensure that he does not have to run from pillar to post to buy fertiliser, instead of focussing on tilling the land. Otherwise remember what happened to the other 'humble farmer' H D Deve Gowda ? His party was the biggest loser in the election.