The Hindu : Krishna sitting pretty despite dissidence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Krishna sitting pretty despite dissidence

By S.K. Ramoo

BANGALORE JULY 9 . For the first time, the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, has been challenged by a group of disgruntled Ministers and party legislators led by the Water Resource Minister, H.K. Patil, in the wake of the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

What has come as a surprise to Mr. Krishna's supporters is that the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, granted audience to Mr. Patil and reportedly heard his complaints — a backtracking of the Central leadership's stand that it would not entertain any complaint or representation on the reshuffle. Mr. Patil, is reported to have aired his grievances on the dropping of Ministers from the North Karnataka region (who are close to him) and the induction of some who are politically inimical to him. One of them even worked against him in the recent Legislative Council elections, he is said to have pointed out. He also met the AICC general secretaries, Vyalar Ravi and Oscar Fernandes.

The Krishna loyalists, however, claim that the high command will not interfere as the Chief Minister was given a "free hand." Besides, the reshuffle was done with its explicit consent. Mr. Patil has publicly refrained from criticising Mr. Krishna, but targeted D.K. Shivakumar, Minister, who is perceived to be close to the Chief Minister. Mr. Patil, however, will find it difficult to exonerate himself from the criticism that he is promoting groupism within the Congress Legislature Party. He has not got the post of Deputy Chief Minister (which has not been created so far) as political rumour mills have been speculating as there are Ministers from the region who are senior to him.

The disappointment and frustration of those dropped from the Ministry and those who have been left out has not so far snowballed into a major challenge to Mr. Krishna's leadership. Several Ministers, who were seen with the Patil group, later publicly retracted saying that they were not associated with any dissident activity. Sagir Ahamed, who was shifted from Transport to Housing was initially unhappy but later reconciled himself to the change, following his meeting with Mr. Krishna, who is said to have explained to him that Housing was a priority sector and that he wanted somebody who could deliver.

Observers point out that Mr. Krishna cannot be blamed for taking action against persons whom he perceives as nurturing groups politically inimical to him. It is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to drop or induct anyone he desires. Mr. Patil's argument that North Karnataka was not given adequate representation in the reconstituted Ministry is untenable, they say. His complaint against the restructured Ministry would have credibility if only he could prove that less dynamic and corrupt have been drafted into the Ministry.

The so-called dissident activity has turned out to be a storm in a teacup. For now, the Krishna Government is firmly in the saddle. The Central party leadership does not seem to be in any mood to encourage dissident activity.

The AICC leader and former Union Minister, Jaffer Sharief, joining hands with Mr. Patil, it is pointed out, has its own reasons. He eyed the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly elections, although he was elected to the Lok Sabha. He is also allegedly upset over the non-induction of his son-in-law, Yasin, MLA from Raichur district, into the Ministry.

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