‘Rain has evaluated entire cabinet’

READERS APPRAISE MINISTERS
‘Rain has evaluated entire cabinet’

The Times of India


Bangalore: It was an outpouring of appraisals of the Congress-JD(S) ministers’ performance. Akin to the rain which pounded Bangalore and other districts, people’s ire was equal in measure. ]

On the report card asked by the Sunday Times of India for 28 ministers in chief minister N Dharam Singh’s cabinet (34 is the stipulated strength — the Congress has to fill three vacancies while JD(S) sacked three), on parameters ranging from proactivity to performance, only a handful met the requirements. A common thread in some responses was that Congressmen were justified in complaining that their party ministers are not assertive, visible or active. The JD(S) ministers win hands down on this count for the right or wrong reasons.

An irate Aniruddha Sudhir of Palm Spring Layout on Kanakapura Road felt there was no need for CWC member A K Antony or JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda to appraise ministers of their respective parties. “The rain god has evaluated the cabinet’s performance in just three days. If one takes a look at the overflowing drains, mounting uncleared garbage and people dying, no further exercise in appraisals is needed. Singh is known for his aerial surveys. He spends more time appeasing his boss Gowda,’’ he wrote.

Perhaps, Gowda’s larger-than-life presence over the government prompted Ravi of Bangalore to make the former PM a minister in the cabinet. “Gowda is the most visible of all. Ministers of both parties are inert... I think the Election Commission should add one more choice on the ballot paper — ‘none of these candidates’.’’

Regarding the five-best performing ministers in both parties put together, none got a ranking. But the highest votes were polled by ministers Mallikarjun M Kharge, H K Patil and R Ramalinga Reddy of the Congress and Dy CM M P Prakash and senior minister P G R Sindhia from JD(S) as “passable’’ ones. There were stray mentions of Congress’ R V Deshpande and Tanveer Sait too. With Kharge holding dual responsibilities of minister and KPCC chief, readers felt he was visible more in the latter role. His colleague Patil’s work in the law department was appreciated while Reddy was given the tag of being a “proactive minister’’.

In sum, the readers’ report card did not recommend promotion for any minister. As Hema Patil put it: “Despite compulsions they keep making efforts to do something or the other. At least people know they are ministers.’’

‘None of the ministers is working’


Bangalore: Here are excerpts of some our readers’ comments:

* Water resources minister Mallikarjun M Kharge speaks sense, but public works minister H D Revanna makes statements like ‘I will make Bangalore roads similar to Detroit’. What has he done? The best example of his incapability is the Bannerghatta Road, which is no road now. Being the son of farmer, he has not done anything for this community. He should stop other activities and concentrate on his ministry. — Kishan, Bangalore.

* All ministers are visible for the wrong reasons and Revanna tops the list. They are visible at the opening of tea or jewellery shops. It’s meaningless to name the best ministers as nobody can be rated thus. — H R Raghavan, Bangalore

* Deputy CM M P Prakash, P G R Sindhia, Revanna, Kharge, R Ramalinga Reddy top the list in being visible by issuing political statements. Congress members are justified in c o m p l a i n i n g against their ministers. Sindhia, as FM, has not been able to get finance even for basic infrastructure. Prakash toes the line of Gowda. — H S Ranganath, Bangalore.

* The most invisible minister is agricultural marketing minister Prakash B Hukkeri. During the past 18 months, he has hardly visited any of the agricultural markets. If at all, it has been for merchants’ association meetings and functions. — Deepak S Londe, Hubli * Patil, Sindhia, Prakash and Basavaraj Horatti are the best ministers. Patil can be credited for getting two circuit Benches, bringing down pendency of files. — B S Patil chairman, Karnataka Khadi Gramod yog Samyukta Sangh

* JD(S) ministers are keen on doing some work. But they have a leader who makes them dance to his tunes. There is an element of truth in Congress members’ complaints that their cabinet colleagues are inactive. — Jagadish Kalmath, Yelahanka

* None of the ministers, including the CM, is working. There is no progress in any field. Perhaps if Deve Gowda retires from politics, things may improve to a certain extent. — Gurumurthy D, Bangalore * The complaints of Congress workers cannot be justified as it is a coalition government. Patil is visible on his files clearance, and Kharge as Pradesh Congress Committee president. — V Vijayakumar, registrar and professor of law, National Law School of India, University

APPRAISAL PARAMETERS

n Name the ministers, who are visible. If so, have they been in news by issuing political statements or discharging responsibilities of their respective portfolios?
n Between the Congress and JD(S) ministers, which party’s cabinet members are active?
n Are Congress members justified in complaining that their party ministers are not active?
n In a performance appraisal of the ministers, assign ranks for the entire cabinet going by the work they have done so far.

READERS’ RATING

FIVE MINISTERS WHO READERS FEEL ARE PASSABLE

n Mallikarjun M Kharge - Water resources and transport
n H K Patil - Law and parliamentary affairs.
n R Ramalinga Reddy - Primary and secondary education
(All Congress)
n M P Prakash - Deputy CM
n P G R Sindhia - Finance
(Both JDS)

MINISTERS WHO GOT A MENTION


n R V Deshpande - Cooperation.
n Tanveer Sait - Labour and Haj. (Both Congress)
n Basavaraj S Horatti - Small savings, lotteries, science and technology. (JDS)

MINISTERS VISIBLE BY ISSUING POLITICAL STATEMENTS


n H D Revanna-Public works and power
n C Channigappa - Excise and serviculture. (Both Janata Dal - Secular)

MINISTERS WHOSE EXISTENCE READERS DO NOT KNOW

CONGRESS

n S R Morey - Municipal administration and KUIDFC
n K Srinivasa Gowda - Agriculture.
n Prakash B Hukkeri - Agricultural marketing.
n Gurupadappa Nagmarapalli - Forest, ecology and environment.
n Y Nagappa - Social welfare,
n Anjanamurthy - Housing.
n B Shivaram - Information.
n Jabbar Khan Honnali - Minority welfare, youth services and sports.
n T Bhagirathi Marulasiddanagouda - Women and child welfare.

JANATA DAL (SECULAR)

n D Manjunath - Higher education.
n Merajuddin N Patel - Animal husbandry.
n D T Jayakumar - Tourism.
n H S Mahadeva Prasad - Food and civil supplies.
n Amaregouda Patil L Byyapur - Sugar and textiles.
n N Cheluvarayaswamy - Health and family welfare.
n Alangur Srinivas - Horticulture.
n Iqbal Ansari - Medical Education.
n B Satyanarayana - Rural water supply and sanitation.