Challenges before the new government
The JD(S)-Cong coalition government has come into existence with the swearing in of H D Kumaraswamy as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka. Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Communist Party leader Sitaram Yechury, Chief Ministers of Andhra, Kerala and West Bengal Chandrababu Naidu, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Mamata Banerjee (respectively) had taken part in the coveted event. BJP observed a ‘dark day’ opposing this oath taking ceremony, but didn’t seem to have received much support.
Kumaraswamy who is becoming the Chief Minister for second time over has a sea of challenges before him. Some of the problems that have existed since ages have suddenly turned more complicated in the recent past. The cauvery imbroglio, the Mahadayi challenge, Ettina Hole project, law and order – all these have to be approached with a new perspective. Along with this, he also needs to focus on giving good administration to the people of the state. Some of the popular schemes launched by Siddaramaiah government have to be continued. His every step has to be counted and calculated since he has to balance the coalition of two major parties in the state.
Prime Minister Modi had indirectly said that he wouldn’t allow a chance for any government other than BJP to come into power in Karnataka. Hence, this can be a huge challenge too. The central government may try to intervene or curtail the state government’s functioning owing to their power. There could be non-cooperation too from the central government, and they may even use the governor to create challenging situations for the state. Not only this, the BJP might try to drive a wedge between the members of coalition. Kumaraswamy has to balance all the factors in order to keep the government going. During the run up to the elections, Kumaraswamy had assured the farmers that he’d waive off the loans completely if his party got people’s mandate.
Now the new CM has execute this after discussing with members of the cabinet and allies. While he took oath to the office of the CM, major opposition parties in the country have come together to create a platform to counter the ruling BJP at the centre. Narendra Modi government is hoping to turn the country into an opposition-less nation, which is quite a threat for democracy. Now, this coming together of all leaders of opposition parties presents a new challenge.
The formation of cabinet is still a challenge for the new government and this has to be resolved amicably. People have placed a lot of hope on not only the new CM, but also on the conduct of Congress and JD(S) members.
The oath taking ceremony of Kumaraswamy has gained national importance for many reasons. All the other parties such as Trinamool Congress, RJD, Telugu Desam, Rashtravadi Congress and two communist parties have come together to counter the Modi govt in 2019 elections. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has played a crucial role in bringing them together. All of them will face the Modi govt in solidarity in the 2019 polls.
Earlier, an attempt was made to keep Congress out of this equation and form a third front. But in the changed scenario, Congress is crucial for this effort. The leaders may have come to realize this. Mayawati of BSP, Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam will play a very crucial role in this. T R Chandrashekar of Telangana will also join hands with them. This third front will be officially announced in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Looks like the leaders had decided to come together at a common platform without much ado. This has happened with Kumaraswamy’s oath taking ceremony. 2019 elections are very crucial as far as the nation’s future is concerned. Narendra Modi has not fulfilled any assurances he had made prior to elections. His major decisions such as demonetization and GST have further pushed people into dismay. Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi have run away from the country after duping our banks of thousands of crores. Banking sector has suffered a huge set back. The government wasn’t able to check this. Hence, the opposition parties would counter the current dispensation in the coming elections. A clear indication of this has been issued with opposition parties coming together in Benagluru when the state got a new CM.
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Inappropriate for MLAs seeking free IPL tickets, says D.K. Suresh
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Milk Union Ltd President D.K. Suresh on Monday said it is inappropriate for MLAs to seek free IPL tickets, adding that those interested in watching matches should pay for them personally.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, he said, “IPL is a commercial tournament and does not represent the country. It is not right for public representatives to focus too much on such matters.”
Referring to the recent controversy during the RCB celebrations, he said, “let us find out who benefited the most from the statements made during the incident.” He also pointed out that BJP MLAs had received IPL tickets as well.
Responding to discussions about relocating the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Suresh said the government has already approved the construction of a new stadium at a location he had proposed.
“I had suggested building a stadium in Surya City and submitted a proposal for it. Bengaluru needs four stadiums in four directions to cater to its growing population and encourage youth participation in sports,” he said.
He noted that apart from Kanteerava Stadium, KSCA, and the Football Stadium, there are limited facilities in the city.
“When I was a Lok Sabha member, I had proposed allocating 100 acres in my constituency at Surya City. The land was later earmarked and the plan approved,” he added.
Suresh said he has discussed the project with Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Chairman Shivalingegowda, and Anekal MLA Shivanna.
“The Cabinet has now approved the project, and a stadium will be developed on around 50–60 acres,” he said.
He further added that he has requested the Deputy Chief Minister to build another stadium at Shivarama Karanth Layout through the BDA, where 40 acres have been allocated. Plans are also being discussed to develop a well-equipped stadium in Bidadi.
Commending state government's recent bilingual policy move, Suresh said forcing children to learn three languages could affect their comprehension.
“It is a good decision to make two languages compulsory. Learning a third language should be left to the choice of students and parents,” he said.
Responding to criticism from BJP leaders, he said their tendency is to oppose every decision of the government.
“To please their central leadership, they take a pro-Hindi stance. Instead, they should advocate for the adoption of Kannada in all states,” he said.
When asked about the earlier three-language policy under Congress, he said, “the situation is different now. Today, the focus should be on quality learning. Kannada should remain the primary language, while students and parents can choose an additional language.”
