The annual routine of budget presentation has become a scene of political intrigue and skulduggery in Karnataka. With two days to go for the state budget 2012-13 , a profit-and loss account and policy document of the government has become an occasion for the BJP faction to go for each other's jugular.
But why is former CM B S Yeddyurappa determined to unseat his successor , Sadananda Gowda, so that he and only he can present this year's budget ? The reasons are many. First and foremost, Yeddyurappa has presented six consecutive budgets since 2006. He was on the verge of creating two new records, till he was given the boot that is.
With his last budget's size at Rs 85,000 crore, it was matter of time before the outlay would have crossed Rs 1 lakh crore. Yeddyurappa spoke several times about presenting a budget of that dream size this year. Yeddyurappa was also on the verge of equalling Siddaramaiah's record of presenting the maximum number of budgets. No wonder Yeddyurappa sees Gowda as an interloper, though he is his chosen man.
Budgets are as much about grandstanding as they are about handing out huge doles to buy support. A populist budget gives Gowda a perfect launchpad to emerge as a leader of independent reckoning. As finance minister , Gowda also holds the key to the state exchequer. Once Gowda appears to be in command, MLAs/MLCs will only queue up before him to get approval for even small projects. From here it is matter of time before Gowda can buy their support.
Besides, this could be the last budget of the first-ever BJP government in the South as assembly elections to Karnataka is expected to be announced in February 2013. Yeddyurappa has earned the goodwill of mutts, religious institutions and castes by doling out goodies to them in his budgets. He may be worried that Gowda, too, may allocate more funds and gain some larger endorsement in the process.
No comments:
Post a Comment