Red-faced Congress may force Dharam’s hand

Red-faced Congress may force Dharam’s hand
The Times of India


This is IT! Janata Dal(S) president H D Deve Gowda’s taunts and barbs forced an anguished N R Narayana Murthy to resign as Bangalore International Airport Ltd chairman. And Deve Gowda’s reaction: ‘Ayyo Shivane’. However, the industry, experts and the celebrities say Narayana Murthy’s resignation is a setback to all such future projects. While some feel this will affect public-private partnership, some say the development is an indication of the things to come. Team TOI finds out.


Bangalore: Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy’s resignation as chairman of Bangalore International Airport Limited can spell trouble for chief minister N Dharam Singh, as the issue is expected to be taken to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by some partymen in Karnataka.

It is no secret that Murthy enjoys good equations with Congress bosses in New Delhi. Even though the IT czar may want the issue to die down with his resignation, his one observation in the resignation letter expressing disappointment over Singh not making efforts to come to his rescue will be snapped up by Congressmen.

Time and again the Congress high command has expressed concern over Karnataka’s poor infrastructure — CWC member Karnataka in charge A K Antony echoed it in his performance appraisal of ministers. On the Bangalore international airport, Murthy had reportedly kept Sonia posted on the progress.

Former minister D K Shiva Kumar said: “We will be seeking Sonia and PM’s intervention on Murthy’s resignation. The issue has embarrassed the Congress party. Heads of 30 countries across the world were not visiting to see Gowda but Bangalore. Instead of going to New Delhi, they used to fly directly to Bangalore.’’

Kumar said the entire cabinet should have rallied around Murthy when Gowda made the disparaging remarks against him. “The Congress-JDS came together to keep the BJP out. Now it is time we thought about the larger interest of Congress,’’ he added.

However, sources said Singh should have intervened and tried to pacify Murthy when he was targeted by Gowda. “Ugly exchanges are taking place between some Congress leaders and Gowda over the last couple of days, but the CM has not intervened. Singh is the only person to whom Gowda lends an ear,’’ they maintained.

Citing the example of the World Bank report which went into the investment climate in Karnataka and corruption in the regulatories, sources said lot of mudslinging was taking place. Reason: None had gone into the report leading to a lot of misunderstanding.

Murthy’s resignation is the flashpoint for some Congressmen to take their complaints to the high command again on JD-S dominance. The KPCC executive committee meeting on Wednesday witnessed some of it when members complained about lack of visibility by their party ministers.

Singh, who has survived all brickbats in the past, will score a victory over his detractors, if he succeeds in convincing Murthy to withdraw the resignation. In this he has tough options to choose from: mollify partymen if Murthy reconsiders, but end up incurring Gowda’s wrath.