The ‘full term’ decision of the coalition government
We all are well aware of the fact that state has a coalition government. It would be partial truth to say this government came to this agreement because they wanted to keep BJP out of power. Some people wanted to keep Siddaramaiah out of the power circles too. The results were conducive for that. If this coalition didn’t happen, would the JD(S) still maintain a distance from BJP? This question has no easy answer. Though Devegowda had said they would stay far from BJP, Kumaraswamy hadn’t bolstered it with his statement. He followed the wait and watch method. Even if JD(S) maintained a distance, the party feared that BJP would split their party and come to power. Congress stretched the hand of coalition having realized BJP would take the same route to form the government.
The desperation on this was so much that when Cong accepted HD Kumaraswamy as CM of the coalition government, the party didn’t have clarity on the aspect of whether he’d be the full term CM or for some particular time frame in the five years tenure they have. It has just been days since the coalition government has come into existence, the discussion on whether HDK is a full term CM is coming to the forefront. If this question has not been dealt with right now, this would definitely end the coalition government rather unceremoniously.
Was it imperative for Cong to join hands with JD(S) is the primary question. Even if JD(S) and BJP had formed the government, they would have never offered CM’s seat to HDK is the biggest truth. While accepting the ‘terms and conditions’; Cong should have negotiated clarity on whether it would be partial time by both parties in the CM’s chair. Both parties should have known keeping BJP out of power is important for both. But the results pushed DK Shivakumar and Parameshwar to be inevitable candidates. Siddu’s grip loosened on Cong and DKS held the reins. If JD(S) stretches hand of coalition with BJP, DKS and Parameshwar would have lost the opportunity. Hence, it was important to form the government immediately. And the ‘term’ discussion is in the forefront only now. While Parameshwar has said no decision has been taken on ‘full term CM’, HDK has been stating he would be the CM for the entire term. Siddu also reiterated Parameshwar’s words after discussion with high command of his party and said full term CM is something that wasn’t discussed earlier. That may mean HDK would have to vacate the seat after half a term. But Kumaraswamy has gone silent over the matter now. The silence is rather strategic too.
In less than 3 days of being in power, HDK has already spoken about ‘resignation’ because he feels he is at the beck and call of Cong High command and not that of the people of the state. ‘Loan waiver cannot be done in 24 hours. Farmers need to give me more time. If not, I’d waive off the loans,’ he says. Indirectly, he has indicated Cong is against loan waiver decision. ‘Beck and call’ words are against the spirit of democracy. Hence CM HDK has taken the voters and put them in the witness box. He says he does not need to be indebted to them because they didn’t give him majority seats. That he cannot waive off the loans in 24 hours is a fact.
HDK must have known he’d never get the majority to waive off loans, hence this promise was probably made in overconfidence. Today HDK sits in the CM’s chair owing to his own reputation, and not as a Cong man. If people wished for it, they could have given a massive blow to HDK by rejecting him and giving majority to BJP too. Hence HDK should know he is to be accountable to people of the state, and not Cong high command. To seek time to execute loan waiver is what a seasoned politician would do. The new CM has also threatened them with ‘resignation’ demon. Should the coalition government collapse tomorrow, HDK has already prepared his own pitch. This is an indirect warning to Cong too.
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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.
