Bangalore: Eshwarappa Sticks to Stand Against BJP’s ``Dynasty Politics’’
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 5: Dashing hopes of BJP national leadership in dousing the flames of revolt ignited by Karnataka’s energy minister K S Eshwarappa against chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and the state’s ruling party leaders for promoting ``dynastic politics,’’ the former reiterated that there was ``no going back’’ on his stand.
``We had steadfastly opposed the dynastic politics practised by Congress party as also that of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and other parties. How can we show our face and defend our party now?,’’ he asked while talking to reporters after returning from Delhi, where he had discussed the issue with BJP national president Rajnath Singh and the newly appointed opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitely.
Fielding chief minister’s son B Y Raghavendra as the BJP candidate in Shimoga, public works minister C M Udasi’s son Shivakumar from Haveri and health minister B Sriramulu’s sister J Shantha in Bellary have robbed the party of the moral right to criticise the Congress orthe father-son duo of Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy and claim to be a party with a difference, he said making it clear that he was voicing not only his personal feelings but that of the lakhs of dedicated and committed BJP workers.
Eshwarappa, however, declared that he had no personal agenda of settling political scores with Yeddyurappa or any ulterior motives of grabbing power. ``Yeddyurappa is and continues to be our undisputed leader. This, naturally, casts greater responsibility on him to be a role model for all partymen,’’ he said stressing the need for the party to set its house in order.
``If an ordinary party worker like Nalin Kumar Kateel could win against a former union minister like B Janardhana Poojary in Mangalore, we could have surely fielded partymen like Ayanur Manjunath, a former MLA and MP, or Shimoga district unit president Bhanuprakash or even Siddaramanna,’’ he said pointing out that it was the organisational strength and commitment of party workers that is the cornerstone of BJP.
He regretted Yeddyurappa’s stubborn stand that only his son could defeat former chief minister S Bangarappa from Shimoga and nobody else. ``Obviously, I and many others like me were unable to convince the chief minister. But I firmly believe that we failed to adhere to BJP’s avowed policies and principles,’’ he said demanding urgent measures to set things right.
``My concern is for strengthening the party and building its organisational machinery. I do not have any personal battle against the chief minister nor am I aspiring for his position of power,’’ he said pointing out that he voiced the views and feelings of the lac of BJP workers in the state.
Eshwarappa, however, strongly denied that he had not made any allegations that BJP had resorted to free flow of money and liquor to win the elections. ``I will resign my ministership, if the allegation attributed to me is proved,’’ he said.
He claimed that he had spoken about the role of caste, liquor and money power, which was debated at length in the election campaign. But the real issues affecting the people and the state were given the go by. ``Unfortunately, a section of the media misquoted the remarks giving an impression that he was at loggerheads with the chief minister. The opposition parties latched on to it without verifying facts,’’ he said maintaining that no single person can be blamed for election malpractices.
Karnataka's Dilemma Over Tadri Project
Eshwarappa, who called on the Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde during his visit to Delhi, disclosed that the latter had urged him to go ahead with the proposal for setting up the 4,000 mw ultra mega thermal power project at Tadri in Kumta taluk of coastal Uttara Kannada district even as the state’s environmentalists were dead against it.
In response to the state’s request to the Centre to help in tiding over the chronic shortfall in the demand and supply position severely affecting industries, Shinde had suggested that the government should persuade the local people on the benefits of going ahead with the Rs 20,000 crore project as a most cost-effective and viable proposition.
``We are trying our best to convince the local people and environmentalists on the benefits and allay their apprehensions,’’ he said promising to convene another round of consultations to break the deadlock. ``The government will also enlist the help of local Swamijis and other religious leaders as they wield a considerable influence over the people,’’ he said.
While environmentalists and locals fear that the project would pollute the Aghanashini valley and adversely affect the eco-tourism in Uttara Kannada region besides displacing thousands of fishermen from their livelihood, Eshwarappa said the Centre was keen on taking up the UMPP at Tadri as it was near the sea-coast and therefore had assured water in addition to the convenience of transporting coal through sea at a cheap cost.
The state Government had earmarked about 3,000 acre for the project near Tadri . The Union power ministry had invited global tenders on March 10, 2006 for the project. Coastal Karnataka Power Ltd, a separate company, was also floated for the purpose. But the project was in limbo following protests by locals and environmentalists. Efforts are being made to convince the local people that adoption of modern technology would prevent harming of ecology and the effluent water discharge into the sea could be done after proper cooling operations to eliminate any possible dangers to marine life, he explained.
However, the Western Ghat Task Force Chairman and environmentalist Ananth Hegde Ashisar said the elected representatives and locals of the region had unanimously opposed the project during the H D Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)- BJP Kumaraswamy regime. ``We would not allow the project as it would destroy the sensitive ecology and even marine and wildlife of the region,‘’ he said.
An environmentalists’ forum supported by Hindu religious mutts, Uttara Kannada Zilla Parisara Samrakshana Samithi, has also been opposing the project. The flue gases such as carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide, fly ash and heat would create devastating impact on environment, The district has already been overloaded with many mega projects, including dams and permitting Tadri UMPP would be an ecological disaster, he warned.