Congress high command in a dharam sankat over Karnataka

Congress high command in a dharam sankat over Karnataka
The Times of India

Karnataka chief minister Dharam Singh is facing his first official performance appraisal by the Congress high command. Though such an exercise is being conducted in all the Congressruled states, it assumes significance in Karnataka as contradictory reports on the performance of the Singh government have been reaching the party headquarters.

On his part, Singh has completed his self-assessment form. It looks impressive. It says most of the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme have been implemented, despite odds. And, on the critical infrastructure front, projects like the international airport and Metro Rail have been put on the fast track, and a lot more is in the pipeline. The Centre has also been sounded about requirement of huge funds. Top IT icons like Narayana Murthy and Azim Premji, who at one time had spoken strongly against the crumbling infrastructure, are now saying that he is doing his best under the circumstances. Above all, he has kept the coalition government intact by walking the tightrope efficiently.

His detractors differ. A report card prepared by them paints a different picture. It says Singh crawls when asked to bend, and in the process allows coalition partner JD(S) to take the credit for all the good things done, with the Congress facing flak for all the ills. With Gowda throwing a spanner in the works, particularly those connected with Bangalore’s development, and Singh not able to contain him, the image of the Congress has taken a beating. To add to the woes, the IT industry is up in arms protesting against the government’s ‘hollow promises’ on providing good infrastructure, and has decided to boycott the annual prestigious Bangalore IT.in. It has sent a wrong message to the world that Bangalore is slowly losing its sheen as the IT capital of India. So, they prefer either a change of guard or mid-term elections. Party chief Mallikarjuna Kharge has warned them against dissident activity. But they are unmoved.

The Singh camp feels that in the absence of visibility of the good work done, particularly in the area of infrastructure, and negative reports getting undue publicity, his opponents are feeding the party top brass with falsehoods. Let them criticise Gowda’s style of functioning and his daily dose of pinpricks, but shouldn’t they highlight the good things done by the Singh government, so as to not harm the Congress prospects, it asks. Moreover, isn’t Singh talking tough these days and even taking on Gowda over the international airport, Metro Rail, Bangalore-Mysore expressway and other such issues? It’s too late, say the detractors. The damage has been done. By allowing Gowda to run the government de facto, Singh has helped the JD(S) strengthen its base in the state, at the cost of the Congress.

Confused, the high command is believed to have asked an independent agency to do an appraisal. This will be apart from an official one to be done by A K Antony later this month. Sonia Gandhi will study all the reports before arriving at a decision. She knows that replacing Singh will not be easy, as Gowda trusts him and no one else in the Congress. Some like Margaret Alva have been fishing in troubled waters and trying to enter the good books of Gowda, so as to get the high command’s nod. But Gandhi is treading cautiously. What if the coalition collapses? Is the Congress ready at this juncture to face the people? Won’t the BJP take advantage of the situation? If containing Gowda is the main issue, can it be achieved by just replacing Singh? Won’t it have repercussions on the other Congress-ruled states as well?

Singh’s supporters are sure that he is on a stronger wicket. Had anyone else been in his seat,the coalition government would have collapsed long ago; he is the ideal candidate to run the coalition; and things have started moving slowly but steadily. Moreover, Gowda, who faces a host of problems including Siddaramaiah’s revolt, prefers Singh to anyone else for a good working relationship. His JD(S) too is not keen on going to the polls. Like the Congress, it is vary of the BJP.

Will Singh wriggle out of this situation? He is confident. His opponents are losing patience. The high command indeed has a big dharam sankat on its hands.


Action, not promises

The public, the industry and trade bodies are fed up with what they call hollow promises of politicians. The other day when the CM went to survey a few rain-hit CMC areas, he was gheraoed by angry citizens. He was forced to get down from the bus and walk through slushy streets. They complained to him of official apathy and insensitivity. The CM immediately announced a Rs 1,000-crore package. But the citizens aren’t placated. They want action, not promises. If the government is keen on winning the confidence of the people, it must unleash some of its go-getting, hands-on, upright and efficient bureaucrats to take charge of these areas and implement development programmes on a war footing.