Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 6: Dakshina Kannada district, where the Sangh Parivar and the BJP have always worked in tandem, seems set for a confrontation between the RSS-based leaders and others who indulge in politics from a different perspective. The fissures, which became apparent with the appointment to the post of the registrar of Mangalore University, appear to be widening with each passing day.

At the fag end of August this year, K Chinnappa Gowda, professor in the Kannada department, was made the registrar (administration) of the university. Several leaders feel that this appointment was made at the behest of the state BJP president and MP, D V Sadanand Gowda and that this decision was driven by caste politics. It is gathered, that the RSS leaders are irked that the appointment was made, in spite of their clear opposition to the choice of the candidate.

The state government had taken a decision this time, to appoint the university professors to the post of the registrar, instead of the past practice of giving the post to IFS officers. The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat and the Sangh Parivar reportedly finalized the name of the head of the library and information science department for the post. The BJP leaders had given their nod to this appointment. However, D V Sadanand Gowda spelt out his leaning for the appointment of a person on the basis of his caste, it is said.

The district leaders of the Sangh Parivar had met the higher education minister and told him that the candidate selected for the registrar's post had always been directly and indirectly opposing the stand of the RSS Leaders. They had also shown to the minister, a newspaper report on the reservations expressed by the candidate against the government's decision to set up Sanskrit University. However, Sadanand Gowda stuck to his stand and ensured that the man he chose was posted to the vacancy.  Efforts were made later, to pacify the aggrieved persons, by giving the post of the registrar (evaluation) to the head of the information science department.

There have also been criticisms against Sadanand Gowda within the BJP, for indulging in casteism, while making appointment of the chairman of Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation. The BJP leaders were incensed at the fact that Kuntikan Lakshman Gowda, who was extremely critical of the BJP when in the JD (S), was given this coveted post, as soon he crossed over to the BJP. The Sangh Parivar reportedly had shown preference towards BJP district president, Monappa Bhandary, for this post.  The party loyalists have been saying that the party does not need to lure people from other parties in the district by offering plum posts, as it is on a sound footing here.

Dissatisfaction is also brewing about the post of the chairmanship of the Minorities Development Corporation having been given to Abubakker. The workers feel that he is not well-known within the party and that there were better candidates within the party.