Karnataka: What’s Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa up to exactly?

Shivamogga: Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa is in the news again. This time he has spoken in favour of former chief minister and Shivamogga MP B.S.Yeddyurappa! It remains to be seen if this statement of Kagodu may become a boon for the BJP. Even Congress leaders in the district are clueless about what made the Speaker speak in favour of the former chief minister. Though the Congress have not taken the statement of Mr Thimmappa too seriously, it may create problems in future.

At a programme organised by the Veerashaiva Vidyabhivruddhi Samsthe in Sagar town on June 11. Mr Thimmappa, had said Mr Yeddyurappa should lead the state again. He further praised Mr Yeddyurappa saying he was a rare Chief Minister in the state who had a vision of development. Ironically, Mr Thimmappa used to criticize Mr Yeddyurappa on the scams he was allegeldy involved when he was CM.

Again on June 12 the Speaker said a leader who had come into politics through popular movements should lead the state. This side has irked many in the Congress camp and no doubt created sensation within the BJP camp.

According to a reliable source in the Congress who refused to disclose his identity, “It is quite natural for Mr Thimmappa to express his view on a senior leader of another party on an apolitical platform. But going by the statement of the Speaker in Sagar recently favouring Mr.Yeddyurappa, the octogenarian leader might be upset over the performance of the Siddaramaiah government which had not risen to his expectations with regard to developmental issues. Both inside Vidhana Soudha or outside he had expressed displeasure over the state government’s performance and also the coordination between ministers and MLAs.

Another source told this correspondent till now the Speaker used to take ministers and officers to task for their inability to implement developmental works in time. This time he had gone a step ahead praising Mr Yeddyurappa. Mr Thimmappa who is in the last leg of his career knows he might face problems after completing the tenure as Speaker and might be looking for better avenues thereafter, the source added.

Nadahalli plans rally on neglect of NK

Devara Hippargi MLA A.S. Patil Nadahalli, who has been suspended from the Congress for anti-party activity, plans to take out a jaatha from Vijayapura to Raichur from June 24 to 28. The jaatha would highlight the neglect shown in implementing Article 371(J), delay in giving approval for setting up the IIT at Raichur, denial of adequate power to Raichur and insufficient allocation of funds for irrigation projects.

“I will seek an explanation for the neglect of the Hyderabad Karnataka region on the first day of the legislature beginning from June 29. I will wage a fight both inside as well as outside the House till the government takes a clear stand on the development of the north Karnataka region”, Mr Nadahalli asserted.