Karnataka’s coalition govt stares at several fault lines
ROAD AHEAD Biggest promise is JD(S)’S commitment to waive farmer loans unconditionally
BENGALURU: Even as the new Congress-jd(s) coalition government takes oath today amid much wrangling about portfolio distribution, it has to tackle several challenges to fulfil promises made by both parties to the electorate. The biggest promise, of course, is JD(S)’S commitment to waive, without any conditions, all farmer loans which are owed to nationalised banks and other ancillary banks.
The previous Siddaramiah-led government had only waived all farmer loans up to ~50,000 taken with co-operative banks. This had cost the exchequer ~8,165 crore. The JD(S) promise is likely to cost ~53,000 crore.
The JD(S) had also said that it would spend ~150,000 crore over the next five years to complete all pending irrigation projects. The Congress, on the other hand, had committed to spend ~125,000 crore for the same purpose. While in opposition, JD(S) had opposed the Congress government’s ~12,193 crore Yettinahole project to provide drinking water to several districts, alleging irregularities. The JD(S) had indicated that it might revisit or even scrap the project given that many people who lived in the coastal region were opposed to the diversion of water. Now that they are in coalition, it is not clear whether the project will be retained or scrapped and if alleged irregularities will be probed.
The previous Congress government had carried out a controversial caste census but had not released it fearing a backlash from certain sections of the electorate in an election year.
The Congress government had justified the caste census saying it provides better and more transparent data in targeting government subsidies and programmes. This census had come in for severe criticism by JD(S) and it remains to be seen whether the new coalition government will release the report.
The Siddaramaiah government had also weakened the institution of the Lok Ayukta by floating a parallel body called Anti Corruption Bureau.
Critics, including Kumaraswamy, had then said that ACB, which was under political control, was being used to suppress corruption complaints about the government and had promised to strengthen and empower the Lok Ayukta once they came to power. It remains to be seen what will happen on this front.
As a part of its social welfare measure, the JD(S) had declared it would give ~6,000 per month as pension for every person more than 65 years old. All women irrespective of age getting less than ~5,000 per month from agricultural activities are to be given ~2,000 per month as assistance. Lawyers have been promised a ~100-crore grant for their association and trainee lawyers a stipend of ~5,000 per month. Where the funding for all these schemes will come is another challenge confronting the new coalition.
What the fate of the Siddaramaiah government’s pet projects of several ‘Bhagyas’ (subsidy schemes) like Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, Shaadi Bhagya and various others initiatives like ‘Indira Canteens’ is not known. The JD(S) has been running ‘Appaji Canteens’ to honour its leader Deve Gowda and to counter Indira Canteens.
Finding funds for all these schemes as well as agreeing on what schemes to back will be a challenge for both parties.
Political analyst Mahadev Prakash said: “While both parties have spoken of arriving at a common minimum programme, finding funds and implementing their respective manifestos will not be an easy task.” It was Jnanpith award winner UR Ananthamurthy (pictured) who once pithily remarked, “Even if I want to leave caste, caste won’t leave me.” With lobbying intensifying to get ministerial berths and other perks of office, caste associations have come forward demanding a certain quota be set apart for their community.
While the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha pointed out that 18 of the 78 Congress MLAS and 2 of the 37 JD(S) MLAS are Lingayats, thus laying claim to the deputy CM post and a chunk of cabinet berths, other castes are not far behind. Kurubas, Dalits, Reddys, Muslims, Vokkaligas, Christians and Brahmins as well as numerous others are lobbying to have members of their community be made ministers.
Aspirants are cleverly using caste associations to put pressure on party high command. One forward looking, young and progressive minister in the outgoing cabinet who is lobbying for his inclusion again said: “What is wrong with it? Democracy means numbers and taking everybody along. Caste is a reality in our society, whether one likes it or not. If it helps that I belong to a numerical strong community, then why not?’ Well there goes the dream of building a casteless society. Political parties and their leaders in Karnataka have hardly taken a breather ever since the state went to polls to elect a new assembly. Even as preparations are underway to swear in a new government, parties are gearing up for polls to two seats — Jayanagar and Raja Rajeshwari Nagar — which were postponed earlier, one due to death of a candidate and another due to alleged irregularities.
In addition to these two seats, polls are likely to be held in Ramanagara which CM designate Kumaraswamy won along with Channapatna. With his decision to retain the latter, the former will see polls. And both BS Yeddyurappa (Shimoga) and B Sriramulu (Bellary) resigned from their parliamentary seats, bringing the BJP’S numbers in Lok Sabha one below the psychologically important mark of 272 seats. C S Puttaraju, the JD(S) leader who won the Melukote assembly seat, has also resigned his parliamentary seat of Mandya . That means the EC will have to hold polls to three Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The Vidhana Soudha, the upper house in Karnataka’s bicameral legislature, will also see a sixth of its 75 seats go to polls on June 11. Once the new government settles down it will have to hold taluk and zila panchayat elections, too.
And then, in mid-2019, it will be time for the general elections.