Mandya politics taking heating up
Even before the Lok Sabha elections are announced, the politics in Mandya region is already gaining volume. Caste and cinema is ruling people’s minds these days. Now Mandya is witnessing the culmination of these two. In the backdrop of actor and politician Ambarish’s demise, his wife Sumalatha is trying to gain entry into politics by riding the sympathy wave. But Congress is hesitant to offer ticket to Sumalatha owing to the fact that the party has already submitted Mandya constituency to JD(S).
Ambarish wasn’t too loyal to Congress towards the end of his days. He had given open statements against Siddaramaiah during the Vidhan Sabha election time. There are also allegations that he worked against Congress. Hence even Congress wasn’t too keen on staging Sumalatha from here. There is a plan to stop Sumalatha’s foray into politics by way of handing over Mandya to JD(S). But Sumalatha is highly bent upon contesting from Mandya. One wonders whether she’d be doing so on Congress ticket or independently, if Congress does not offer her the ticket. The final decision is awaited.
Ambarish was not just an actor, but someone who was in touch with the people at grassroots level too. Hence his entry into politics was easy and natural. But Sumalatha does not possess such qualities. The only identity she has is that of being Ambarish’s wife. It has been ages since she left cinema industry. She hasn’t ever identified herself with Ambarish’s politics or his choices, publicly. She is unaware of the undercurrents of politics as well. At the same time, Devegowda family has had deeper roots in Mandya politics. Just as Sumalatha’s cinema background, Gowda’s family too done it’s time in cinema related fields. Gowda’s grandsons Nikhil and Prajwal have identified themselves in Mandya politics. Sumalatha is yet to begin to create a base for herself among people in Mandya. But Nikhil is already actively involved in creating a base of party activists and workers. Hence it would be difficult for Sumalatha to face all this alone without any help or guidance.
This is a tailor made situation for BJP to make its mark. It is now inevitable that she joins BJP to contest elections as she wishes. State minister and CM’s brother Revanna has issued some irresponsible statements about actor Sumalatha. “It hasn’t even been a few months since Ambarish passed away. Sumalatha already wants to join politics. Why is she in such a hurry?” This statement cannot be dismissed as a callous one. Because he hasn’t only defended it, but also refused to apologise. There is no law that prohibits a woman from coming out of the house and participate in any public event after her husband dies.
This is an unconstitutional and anti-democratic anti-women statement. This is a blatant show of privileged patriarchal mindset. Revanna has indirectly told Sumalatha that she has lost her husband and she must limit herself to her house. Widespread criticism has flown against this statement by Revanna. His arrogance and loose talk may be well used by Sumalatha to her benefit. Sympathy may turn into votes for sure. Revanna has criticized Sumalatha’s cinema stint as well. He has conveniently forgotten that his family members are in cinema too. If one is political acting, one can say the same thing about Gowda’s grandsons too!
This Lok Sabha elections, the entire Deve Gowda clan is planning to contest the elections. And yet Devegowda is saying he hasn’t indulged in “family politics”. He says all the members are coming into politics on their own strengths and have worked hard enough. Devegowda is a statesman. He rose to the level of a PM from village level grassroots and farmer leader. His sons do not have that background as he does. Everyone is aware of route Kumaraswamy took to be the CM first time. If conniving and opportunism were ‘political qualities’, even HDK is talented then. One thing is for sure. If not for Devegowda’s background, the children wouldn’t have grown to this level. His grandsons do not have even that advantage of their fathers do. Hence Devegowda needn’t have explained that he wasn’t engaging in family politics.
Because every politician today is engaged in family politics. People feel this is better than the politics a man without family is doing as the PM of the country. The road to success is not any easy for Nikhil in Mandya. Voters may take the memory of Ambarish till the voting booth. And the coalition parties would have presented an opportunity to make foray into Mandya to BJP on a platter.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
