Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is upset these days.
His face tells it all. He must be thinking it's easy to come to power but not so easy to rule. He broke down in public within two weeks of taking charge. The death of a farmer in a police firing ended his honeymoon, and the first ever BJP government south of the Vindhyas is terribly nervous.
When I met Yeddyurappa in Delhi three days ago, he was surrounded by a dozen grim-faced cabinet ministers. Most are first timers and lack experience. It showed. Yeddyurappa spoke in a whisper. He didn't smile. I felt sad for him.
But one man was smiling brightly. He seemed unconcerned about the tragedy back home. It was G Karunakara Reddy, revenue minister and the head of the Rs.30,000 crore worth mining mafia whose money and muscle has brought the BJP to power in Karnataka.
He was in constant touch with Bellary and was talking business on his flashy mobile phone. He invited me for dinner. I declined politely.
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I will not question Yeddyurappa's intentions. I am sure he will try to do something for the state, its farmers and village folk.
He single-handledly built the BJP and struggled for 25 years on the opposition benches before he could become chief minister. But people are asking some questions now. Will he be able to keep his promises? Will his coterie allow him to function?
Karunakara Reddy's younger brother Janardhana Reddy is also a cabinet minister. A third brother, Somashekhara Reddy, is an MLA from Bellary. The Reddy family's commander-in-chief is Sriramulu, minister for tourism and infrastructure development.
Sriramulu faces serious criminal charges: dacoity, attempt to murder, and criminal intimidation. Karnataka has never had a dacoit in its cabinet. He is "principled party" BJP's gift to the state.
This gang of four is already making impossible demands on Yeddyurappa. S R Ramakrishna, editor of the Bangalore edition of Mid-Day, joked recently that Yeddyurappa would soon be known as Reddyurappa.
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Sushma Swaraj campaigned for the party in TV spots in what can only be called Marwadi-style Kannada. She believes she brought the BJP to power. For those who didn't know, she has also become the Reddys' godmother.
In fact, the brothers publicly call her their mother, and she acknowledges the honour with an expansive grin. She posed for pictures hugging these much-despised moneybags of Karnataka politics. What explains this strange bonding? God knows, but this much I can say: it has the power to break the party one day. Beware Advaniji and Yeddyurappaji!
Arun Jaitleyji, do you see what's happening? Please take a close look. The BJP is already being called Bellary Janardhana Reddy Party in Karnataka!
Infact, many in Karnataka believe that the state is being governed not by the rule of law, but on the whims and conviniences of the Bellary brothers.
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Did the BJP really win the Karnataka assembly elections? Journalists who parachuted to the state from Delhi have written dozens of articles hailing the victory. The BJP bosses in Delhi are busy congratulating themselves and slapping their own backs. But do they realise that just 4,200 votes, I repeat just 4,200 votes, brought the BJP to power in one of the most important states in India?
The BJP won 10 seats against the Congress by a total margin of 4,200 votes, and 10 more seats with just 8,000 votes. The BJP won by sheer luck. The Congress lost because of its own stupidity and bungling by its high command.
Overall, the Congress polled 35 per cent votes as against the BJP's 33 per cent. It led in 15 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP led only in 10. But it has won only 80 assembly seats against the BJP's 110! Small numbers matter in democracy, Soniaji. Please keep small people like Moily, Oscar, Alva, Poojary out, if you want to win Karnataka back in 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
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Mr. Danda Pinda,Yes. BJP also lost seats by a slender margin. It lost just 5 seats. But the Congress lost 20.A north indian party BJP and its people add ji to all. I was just trying to ridicule them. I was sarcastic. ...
ReplyMr Satish, though I agree on the Reddy bit of your article, I differ when you say BJP won quite a chunk of their seats by a margin of 4000+ votes %26 8000+ etc. Aren't there seats where they have lost by this margin as well?And also I fail to understand why have people started this new crappy trend of adding ji to the end of all names and more over you Mr Satish (ji). ...
ReplyMr Satish, though I agree on the Reddy bit of your article, I differ when you say BJP won quite a chunk of their seats by a margin of 4000+ votes %26 8000+ etc. Aren't there seats where they have lost by this margin as well?And also I fail to understand why have people started this new crappy trend of adding ji to the end of all names and more over you Mr Satish (ji). ...
ReplyCool. Good analysis Satish. People outside Karnataka (may be most of Kannadigas also) don't know this real story you have told. Keep writing about Karnataka politics ...
Replyhey satish ji blog is very much realistic... ...
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