It's been just one week. CM Yeddyurappa has already become past tense.
With a restive Deve Gowda around, the 'Karnataka politics' headline was expected to change in no time, but don't the people of the state deserve a break from this non-stop drama? Even we news channel foot soldiers deserve a break from Gowda's machinations.
A BJP in a desperate hurry for the symbolic value of a Chief Minister down south. But even if you are itching to bat (after bowling and fielding for a while, as Yashwant Sinha said), it's a better idea to ensure an even-paced wicket to bat on rather than an underprepared minefield. Especially if Deve Gowda is turning the ball square with his wrong 'uns. It's impossible to tackle a former Prime Minister (we are talking of India, not Karnataka) whose motto is 'either my son or I am a secular humble farmer.' The party's been forced to realise that a hurried 'Twenty20' approach could also mean 'do and die'.
As for Yeddyurappa, the man in a hurry to be CM, it's difficult to feel any sympathy, though he's been betrayed by the JD(S) or rather the Gowda parivar. He could take some scholarly advice from Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose first government (1996) lasted just 13 days. And it wouldn't be bad idea to get back to his astrologer's drawing board, and chart out a new spelling.
Yeddyurappa (formerly Yediyurappa) may just ride on sympathy. And the Congress would do well to fight an election without help from the humble farmer and son.
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BJP's POWERFUL DEEPAVALI
GOWDA BENDS, BJP RISES
Showing posts with label Regional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regional. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
WAITING FOR THE DEPUTY
We are familiar with tales of intrigue and breathless suspense when it comes to deciding on a Chief Minister. But how about prolonged suspense over a Deputy Chief Minister, with the CM decided and all set to be sworn in? Even though the choice is almost a foregone conclusion.
Janata Dal(Secular) or Deve Gowda and Sons Ltd has refused to announce its Deputy CM in Karnataka just yet, preferring to wait till the vote of confidence on November 15. Till then, we also won't get to know who their ministers will be. Pragmatic, considering Deve Gowda and Sons Ltd has a restless bunch of legislators who are willing to swing from one perch to the other at the first hint of trouble.
In corporate lingo, by staying in power all of them might have got confirmed in their job. But then if only some get a bonus (ministerial berths) before the vote of confidence, the others might get too restive a bit too soon. The solution - announce the bonus only after weathering the first big hurricane.
In a world of no permanent friends or enemies, it was no surprise that the latest JD(S) headline package was announced by M P Prakash, the very person who was so near to splitting the party and allying with the Congress.
This mixture of caution and farce should come to an end by the end of the week, with H D Kumaraswamy being the odds-on favourite to be Deputy CM. But then Deve Gowda has a problem of plenty - two equally ambitious sons. H D Revanna wouldn't mind the chair himself and the 'humble farmer' has the unenviable task of meeting both aspirations. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu's DMK strongman Karunanidhi can vouch for the fact that it's a tall order keeping both Stalin and Azhagiri happy.
As each day passes and tidbits of information sneak out, the headlines will keep rolling. Fodder for news channels but frustration for the people. The hapless denizens of Karnataka who have ended up seeing as many as three CMs from three different parties in three years. (without any election after 2004).
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BJP's POWERFUL DEEPAVALI
Janata Dal(Secular) or Deve Gowda and Sons Ltd has refused to announce its Deputy CM in Karnataka just yet, preferring to wait till the vote of confidence on November 15. Till then, we also won't get to know who their ministers will be. Pragmatic, considering Deve Gowda and Sons Ltd has a restless bunch of legislators who are willing to swing from one perch to the other at the first hint of trouble.
In corporate lingo, by staying in power all of them might have got confirmed in their job. But then if only some get a bonus (ministerial berths) before the vote of confidence, the others might get too restive a bit too soon. The solution - announce the bonus only after weathering the first big hurricane.
In a world of no permanent friends or enemies, it was no surprise that the latest JD(S) headline package was announced by M P Prakash, the very person who was so near to splitting the party and allying with the Congress.
This mixture of caution and farce should come to an end by the end of the week, with H D Kumaraswamy being the odds-on favourite to be Deputy CM. But then Deve Gowda has a problem of plenty - two equally ambitious sons. H D Revanna wouldn't mind the chair himself and the 'humble farmer' has the unenviable task of meeting both aspirations. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu's DMK strongman Karunanidhi can vouch for the fact that it's a tall order keeping both Stalin and Azhagiri happy.
As each day passes and tidbits of information sneak out, the headlines will keep rolling. Fodder for news channels but frustration for the people. The hapless denizens of Karnataka who have ended up seeing as many as three CMs from three different parties in three years. (without any election after 2004).
Related Posts
BJP's POWERFUL DEEPAVALI
Sunday, October 28, 2007
GOWDA BENDS, BJP RISES
This was one development I didn't bargain for, that too so soon. After treating the BJP with utter disdain and making grandiose statements about their commitment to secularism, Deve Gowda and son have handed over the Karnataka Chief Minister's chair on a platter to the BJP. And the BJP is all set to have their first-ever CM in a southern state.
Gowda and son Kumaraswamy may have made successful even if cosmetic overtures to the semi-urban and rural electorate, but they forgot the basics when dealing with impatient and insecure legislators looking for a way out of President's rule. Faced with the prospect of a split in the JD(S), it was all about clinging on to scraps of power, with arrogance thrown out of the window. But then, at the end of the day, there's still power to wield.
Meanwhile, the man all set to be CM has gone the Jayalalithaa way. He's now Yeddyurappa, an 'i' short of Yediyurappa. Eyeing power without the i.
So no more 'Karnataka Crisis' headlines till Gowda allows the pride he's swallowed to slip out. And the opposition Congress knows that whenever elections come, they can only do better.
Gowda and son Kumaraswamy may have made successful even if cosmetic overtures to the semi-urban and rural electorate, but they forgot the basics when dealing with impatient and insecure legislators looking for a way out of President's rule. Faced with the prospect of a split in the JD(S), it was all about clinging on to scraps of power, with arrogance thrown out of the window. But then, at the end of the day, there's still power to wield.
Meanwhile, the man all set to be CM has gone the Jayalalithaa way. He's now Yeddyurappa, an 'i' short of Yediyurappa. Eyeing power without the i.
So no more 'Karnataka Crisis' headlines till Gowda allows the pride he's swallowed to slip out. And the opposition Congress knows that whenever elections come, they can only do better.
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