Gowda completes 100 days in office amidst political crisis

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Nov 14: Amid a political crisis in the
ruling BJP and continued allegations of corruption against
some of his ministerial colleagues, Chief Minister D V
Sadananda Gowda today completed 100 days in office.
Gowda, who assumed office on August 3 following BJP central
command forcing his predecessor B S Yeddyurappa to quit after
he faced a slew of corruption charges,had to walk a tightrope
to manage his faction ridden ministry.
After taking charge Gowda tread a cautious path, promising
people he would refurbish the government's battered image and
infuse transparency into the administraion.
The first saffron party government in South was jolted when
Yeddyurpapa was arrested and sent to judicial custody by a
local court in two corruption cases.
As if rubbing salt into the wounds, the Gowda government
faced another severe embarassment when two of his cabinet
colleagues -- Home Minister R Ashoka and Industries Minister
Muruesh Nirani faced land grabbing charges.
The jailing of Yeddyurappa escalated groupism in the party
rank and file, apart from the ministry, which came to the open
during BJP leader L K Advani's Jan Chetana Yatra against
corruption entered Bangalore.
Ministers and Legislators owing allegiance to Yeddyurappa
stayed away from the yatra, disregarding the high command
directive to attend it.
The abrupt resignation of Bellary mining magnate B
Sreeramulu from the Assembly and party membership further
precipitated the crisis in the ruling BJP.
Gowda failed in his efforts to stop him contesting as an
Independent in the November 30 Bellary Rural bypoll, resulting
in the party now fighting against him.
The Chief Minister also came under sharp criticism from the
Opposition over the power crisis,drought in 60 per cent of the
state, besides troubles on appointment of the new Lokayukta.
Govenor H R Bhardwaj expressed reservation over government
recommending as Lokayukta former Kerala High Court Chief
Justice S R Bannurmath, facing allegations of securing
allotment of a residential site in a judicial layout on land
earmarked for civic amenities.
Another controversy rocked the Gowda government when he
transferred ADGP Lokayukta Jeevankumar Gaonkar, investigating
cases against Yeddyurappa and also H D Balakrishe Gowda,
former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son.
Gowda who is not a member of either house of the state
legislature is preparing to get elected from the upper house
in the ensuing bypoll to fill up vacancy caused by resignation
of BJP MLC Shakarappa, whom the party asked to vacate.
"I am happy with the performance of my ministers and trying
to bring in more transparency in administration," Gowda said
on his completion of 100 days in office.