The sudden eruption of dissidence with Governor H R Bharadwaj asking Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove his majority by October 12 and the factional politics in the Mysore BJP are casting their shadow over the Dasara celebrations to commence two days from now on.
Dasara has been a state-sponsored celebration over the years, with the chief minister and local legislators showing keen interest in making it a grand show. But, the sudden rise of dissidence by disgruntled ministers and legislators, 21 of them withdrawing support to the two-year-old Yeddyurappa-led government, followed by the governor’s direction to the chief minister today to prove his majority, has raised doubts whether the celebrations, including the inauguration, in which generally the chief minister takes part would retain its sheen.
The open show of his consternation over denial of Cabinet berth to him by the four-time legislator H S Shankaralinge Gowda has become another hitch in the ongoing preparations. He is boycotting the government-sponsored programmes.
In the recent reshuffle of the Cabinet, Mysore got two cabinet berths. chief minister’s political secretary S A Ramadas, who was keeping a low-profile in his post for not giving him a ministerial berth last time, and former MP and sitting MLC C H Vijayashankar were given cabinet posts. But, the four-time undefeated legislator of Chamaraja was left to nurse his wounds again, when bluntly told he would not become a minister this time too.
When minister Ramadas, also incharge of the celebrations as district in-charge minister, went to Gowda’s residence to seek his support for the success of Dasara soon after swearing in, he had to face an angry colleague. The Chamaraja MLA went out and stood in front of his house openly accusing the Chief Minister of favouring his own men drawing attention of the ongoers and the reporters.
Surprisingly, other minister Vijayashankar too is not associated in the preparations. Ramadas is carrying out his task single handedly.
The Dasara committees, comprising of officials for Dasara preparations, were set up after the delay. As the announcement of the sub-committees of non-officials was further delayed, the official committees had more or less finalised all programmes by then, leaving very little job for the sub-committees.
The sub-committee chiefs now are sore over inadequate funds for programmes they are entrusted with. As the government grant of Rs 9 crore for the celebrations is yet to reach in full, the sub-committee chiefs complain the funds they are getting is inadequate. The strict enforcement of financial discipline by the deputy commissioner has added to their grouse and likely to leave a mark on the ensuing programmes.
Keeping up its tradition of last minute preparations, the Mysore City Corporation is carrying on road repairs and other works at its own speed ignoring the deadline of October 4 set by Ramadas. The hurried efforts to complete the works have put quality in the backseat.
The 2010 Dasara preparations are not again on smooth grounds.
