Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE ROCKING CHAIR POWER STRUGGLE IN BJP, ELECTIONS, THE ONLY ANSWER???

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE ROCKING CHAIR! 

POWER STRUGGLE IN BJP, ELECTIONS, THE ONLY ANSWER??? 

 B.S.Yeddyurappa is staking his claim to the CM post with more vigour and zeal aftermath the High Court quashed FIR against him. The Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda who represents the BJP High Command in the faction studded State BJP is unconcerned about Yedurappa and his tantrums. The State BJP President K.S.Eswarappa is resisting his attempts at getting to the CM post again, with all his might. While Yedurappa’s chances of becoming the CM are remote, there are more chances of Yedurappa, in desperation, toppling the government. As the instability factor grips the BJP government, it is high time to bring stability even if it be at the cost of elections....

 After the BJP High command forced Yedurappa to resign from the CM post on the disclosure of Mining scam report, Yedurappa has been making rigorous attempts at getting back the CM chair. 

While he had appointed Sadananda as his successor, all went well for a couple of months earlier, but gradually Sadananda started asserting authority and obtained the High Command backing. Yedurappa’s total hold on the party and the government is fast losing. Now, there are two distinct factions in the State BJP, one headed by the State BJP President Eshwarappa and Sadananda, while the other being led by Yedurappa. 

 Yedurappa, on the other hand, was making all out efforts to become the CM again. He even asked Sadananda to resign but he did not oblige and stated that he will resign the moment the High Command asks him to do. Yedurappa as usual threatened to topple the government by forming a new party. He used the lingayat lobby to arm-twist the High Command and even arranged a meeting of his loyalist MLAs, MPs and Ministers to show his strength. But nothing affected the High Command. The National President of the BJP Nitin Gadkari made it plain that those who want to walk out of BJP should do so, the earlier, the better. He also made it clear that there will be no change of the CM. 

Yedurappa, unmindful of the consequences of his dissident actions, went ahead with his plan of action. The recent HC order quashing the FIR against him in the Mining scam has come as a shot in the arm for him. With renewed vigour, he has staked his claim to the CM post with all his might. He had already decided to press his claim as he knew that if he does not make it to the CM post this time; he may never become the CM again. Moreover, the elections are a just a year away. 

And the High Command as usual, is not prepared to concede to Yedurappa’s demand. It has asked Sadananda to concentrate on the budget preparations and administration as Eshwarappa will be there to look after the party and the feud. The High Command has taken a firm stand vis-a-vis Yedurappa. There are about 10 serious cases against Yedurappa and his family. The quashing of FIR by the HC does not mean much as the issue has to be settled by the Supreme Court. There is all the possibility of the SC ordering a CBI probe into the illegal mining and Yedurappa then will be in soup again. 

 The High Command realises the damaging potentialities of Yedurappa and his cohorts. But they are not prepared to rock the boat at this juncture particularly when Sadananda is about to present the budget in a few days. Moreover, Sadananda has done his job pretty well without giving room for any controversies or scams. He is a person who suits both the BJP and the RSS and his clean image is an added advantage to the party. 

On the other hand, Yedurappa has become a big headache and embarrassment to the party. He is assertive and has already shown that he can defy the High Command if his interests are involved. 

 Arguably, the politics in the State has entered the decisive stage. There are more chances of Yedurappa charging the Sadananda government to topple it. 

 Eventually, the state administration has come to a grinding halt. The bureaucrats are afraid to take major decisions. The ministers are engaged in dissident activities either pro or anti Yedurappa. There is also the threat of few BJP loyalist MLAs resigning in case Yedurappa is reinstated as the CM! There is a complete breakdown of law and order. ‘Instability’ has crept into the vitals of the administration. 

 Therefore, the time has come to put a stop to the instability of the government. Let the BJP High command take a firm decision about Yedurappa and end the instability factor, even if it is going for fresh elections. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter LET THERE BE PEACE THE CLASH OF POLICE, ADVOCATES AND MEDIA

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

LET THERE BE PEACE!          

THE CLASH OF POLICE, ADVOCATES and MEDIA 

 The standoff between the Advocates and the media has shown no signs of receding. Both sides are sticking to their rigid stand. The media says that it was brutally attacked and asserts that freedom of press is in danger. It wants the police to arrest all those advocates who were caught on the cameras indulging in physical assaults. 

 The advocates on their part too are sticking to their stand. They blame the media and the police for assault on the advocates. They have demanded the media to telecast the clippings on the brutalities of the police on the advocates and an unconditional apology by the media which had called them Goondas, Black Coat Talibans, Rowdies et al. They are boycotting the courts and also demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ashoka and transfer of Police Commissioner Jothi Prakash Mirji and DGP Shankar Bidari. 

 It is another matter that some saner elements have tried to work out a compromise but in vain. In a compromise, there should be an element of give and take, but here, there seems to be no meeting point as both sides have stuck to their stands. Despite the reprimand by the Chief Justice, the Advocates are continuing with their boycott. The advocates are demanding CBI enquiry while the government is bent upon judicial enquiry. The media which too demanded CBI enquiry has lost much steam in the process. 

 On the day of the incident, the advocates were at the receiving end as news channels abused the advocates by every possible defamatory word. A few hotheads abused the media which in turn abused the entire advocate fraternity with the choicest words. Nobody can condone or support the attack on the media, but the hard fact is that journalism has become a very dangerous profession these days. Over the last one year, more than 100 journalists have laid their life in pursuit of their duties in the world over. 

 With regard to the standoff between media and the advocates, nobody can deny that there was a resentment after the January 17th incident when the media showed the advocates in a poor light when they held up the traffic in SBM circle for over six hours. The advocates were protesting against the assault of an advocate by two police constables demanding the suspension of the police constables. It was a snap strike and had the police acted diplomatically, the situation would not have precipitated. But the police took their own time and finally the protest was called off after the constables were suspended. 

 The media carried the road block live for hours together making sarcastic comments on the behaviour of the advocates. They treated the incident as a black mark on the civil society. They condemned the advocates also through ‘callers’ for having held the city to ransom. This negative coverage and publicity made the advocates resent the attitude of the media. 

 As far as the Friday’s ‘black’ incident is concerned, nobody knows who started it all. Janardhana Reddy was to be produced before the court on that day before CBI court. The police were in full strength anticipating trouble and had they managed the things well, there would not have been any trouble. As the CBI court is located on the ground floor, the police had blocked the entrance and brought Janardhana Reddy directly to the entrance of the court. There were some heated exchanges between media and the advocates in the court when the Judge asked media to go out of the court hall. And at the ground level where the media was in full strength behind the barricade, the trouble started and for some time, there was a free for all situations. Arguably, the Friday incident was the culmination of the ‘distrust’ between media and the advocates. The small incident where the advocates tried to prevent the media men to enter the court premises ignited the clash. The stone pelting, burning of vehicles, assaulting people went on for some time. The media was not prepared to take it lying down and started telecasting the clippings of media men getting assaulted by the advocates. In fact, the policemen also beat the advocates and even general public black and blue, but, such clippings never featured on television. 

 In protest, the advocates hit back by boycotting the courts. The police acting under the media pressure, booked several cases against advocates and arrested few including the General Secretary of the Advocates Association. Even to this day, the media is demanding the arrest of all those who were on the video clips. 

 The advocates are demanding the unconditional apology from the media for all the defamation words used by the media. They are demanding action against police personnel who have beaten the advocates black and blue. More than anything, the advocates are demanding the media to telecast the police assault on the advocates inside and outside the court and also the damage caused by the police to their vehicles. In fact, the advocates have in their possession clips of police highhandedness and brutality and want the media to telecast them. The advocates have released CDs containing such scenes. 

 Whatsoever, the incident of Advocates versus Media Versus police should not occur again, in the interest of sanity in public life. All the three organs are vital to the survival of democracy and a fair and just introspection must be conducted to discover the truth in the incident. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE POLITICAL ASYLUM CP YOGESHWAR CONTINUES AS MINISTER DESPITE MULTIPLE CASES AGAINST HIM

BY Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE POLITICAL ASYLUM 

CP YOGESHWAR CONTINUES AS MINISTER DESPITE MULTIPLE CASES AGAINST HIM 

 The Forest Minister C.P.Yogeshwar still continues to be a Minister despite several cases of cheating and fraud filed against him by different agencies. His Mega City Fraud has become a sort of folklore. The CID has filed cases of cheating. The serious Fraud Investigating agency under Company Affairs has filed several cases. The Income Tax too has filed a case against him. And in spite of these multi dimensional cases, Yogeshwar is allowed to function as a Cabinet Minister. 

The BJP government in the state has become a bundle of contradictions. It has allowed a few scam studded Ministers to enjoy power, while it has shown the door for some. The BJP has failed to apply the same yardstick to all and has become a laughing stock for participating double standard. 

 Krishnaiah Shetty, Sudhakar, Hartal Halappa, Ramchandra Gowda, Laxman Savadi, C.C.Patil, Krishna Palemar are all BJP Ministers, dismissed from the cabinet on one or the other scam. To crown them all, Chief Minister Yedurappa himself was forced to resign from the CM post after the Lokayukta named him in its report on the mining scam. 

 But, the Forest Minister C.P.Yogeshwar seems to be the luckiest of all. Yogeshwar, who defected to BJP from Congress is synonymous with Mega City fraud. It is to be recalled that Yogeshwar had floated Mega City Housing Project to provide thousands of sites in Bidadi about 15 years back. Thousands of people queued up to pay the sital money. Yogeshwar had proclaimed that he had purchased 500 acres of land to form the Mega city and collected more than 50 crores from the public on the promise of providing sites. It is this project that made him a MLA then and that too, an independent one. 

 Very soon, people realised that Yogeshwar would not give them the promised sites and they began agitating to get their hard earned money back. Yogeshwar joined Congress and won the elections. When the BJP came to power, he defected to BJP to save his skin. He was made the Chairman of the KSIC after he lost the election. Later, the JD(S) MLA defected to BJP and in the Channapatna by-election, Yogeshwar won the seat and later he was made the Minister for Forests. 

 While Yogeshwar was defecting from one party to another in pursuit to whitewash his frauds, there were desperate people who were fighting him. Some of the victims have formed an association and started petitioning the authorities against him and his scams. Having failed to get law of the land applicable to Yogeshwar, they then approached the High Court which ordered COD probe. The COD have filed cases against him for cheating, fraud, and forgery et al. The victims have also approached the Serious Fraud Investigating Office under the Company Affairs Ministry. The SFIO too conducted enquiry and detected some more frauds of Yogeshwar. It had directed filing of cases against him under Companies Act. In the meanwhile, the IT department has also filed cases against him. 

 As such Yogeshwar has created a record for being the politician in power facing almost 50 criminal cases. This is a record perhaps in the entire country. But the BJP is not in a mood to ask him to resign from the cabinet. Apparently, the COD, SFIO, IT etc. have all filed many cases against Yogeshwar and that too in recent days after he became the Minister. 

 Further, the courts have also issued summons to Yogeshwar and family members to appear before it. Now what if the court refuses bail and packs him to jail? Why go far? Any of the investigating agencies can also easily arrest Yogeshwar in any of the cases. Charge sheets have been filed in some cases and FIRs in some more cases. Interestingly, every case filed against him carries a minimum of six months and maximum of seven years imprisonment. In addition to this, there are private, complaints against him which are in various stages. 

 Despite all these ‘undesirable’ background, it is simply unimaginable how Yogeshwar is being allowed to continue as a Minister and that too bossing over the heavy, fertile and sensitive Forest Ministry? It is time the BJP removes him from the cabinet before the law takes its course to nab him. Even now, if the BJP removes him, it can still avoid serious embarrassment! But, it seems that the BJP is following different yardsticks to different players and Yogeshwar stands as a shining example for this phenomenon in BJP. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE JUDICIAL ACQUITTAL HC SQUASHES FIR AGAINST YEDURAPPA

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE JUDICIAL ACQUITTAL! 

HC SQUASHES FIR AGAINST YEDURAPPA 

 The High Court has quashed the FIR against B.S.Yeddyurappa in the Mining scam. From henceforth, the CM, Ministers, legislators and even bureaucrats may indulge in open corruption by directing the favour seekers to deposit/donate the ‘demand’ money in the name of the Trusts-firms owned by their kith and kin. 

Former Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa was often asserting that he will come clean on the mining charges through High Court on 5th January. That is why he wanted the BJP High Command to reinstate him as the CM again, immediately after January 5th and preferably before 14th January, the Sankranti. Yedurappa’s asserting that the HC will clear him of the FIR in the Mining scam had baffled everybody. The confidence of Yedurappa getting favourable judgement stemmed out from the fact that Ram Jathmalani was to appear for him. 

 Now, the HC delivered the judgement quashing the FIR filed against Yedurappa in the mining scam. It may be recalled that the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde had submitted a copy of his Mining scam report to the governor and the report indicted the then CM Yedurappa in the scam. The report states that Yedurappa in total received 30 crores in a novel way in the name of the Prerana Education Trust owned by his sons and son-in-law, from a mining firm which got a favour. 

 The governor who received the report directed the then Lokayukta (Justice Shivaraj Patil) to take suitable action against Yedurappa as regard to this donation/purchase issues. The Lokayukta police filed an FIR against Yedurappa in this regard. 

 As usual, Yedurappa challenged the FIR and even the sanction given by the governor for filing a case against him over the Lokayukta report. However, the HC dismissed his petitions and as such Yedurappa is facing more than a dozen cases against him. 

 And now, the HC has quashed the FIR against Yedurappa in the mining case. The HC has given him a clean chit in the Prerana Trust and Land sale case and refused to link the payments of the company to the corruption. The judgement by the Division Bench has shocked the people to no end. At the same time, Yedurappa is again staking his claim to the Chief Ministership on the plea that the Mining report has no bearing on him with the HC judgement. Already his loyalist MLAs and ministers are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister D.V.Sadananda Gowda so as to enable him to occupy the CM Chair again. 

 With regard to the judgement, the government advocate interestingly was absent throughout the hearing. Only the Lokayukta was represented by an inexperienced advocate who by keeping quite helped Yedurappa’s case and the HC had no other go except to quash the FIR. Further, the government headed by Sadananda was not prepared to put up an effective fight over the case. Moreover the Lokayukta institution is headless since six months after the exit of Santosh Hegde and the advocate who represented the Lokayukta cases in the courts all these years, has been removed for no reasons at all. 

 Lokayukta was paying a pittance as advocate fee to him and when the advocate demanded more considering the increasing number of high profile cases, the Lokayukta refused and the advocate was left with no other alternative but to resign from the post. In comparison, this advocate fought with the best legal brains in the country who appeared for Yedurappa and Company before the Lokayukta court but received a meager remuneration. 

 Whatsoever, with the quashing of the FIR, the case under PC Act against Yedurappa for having received the ‘bribe’ of 30 crores in dubious means stands quashed. In the present case, a mining company donated 10 crores to Prerana Trust owned by Yedurappa’s family members who are doing education business. It is not a charity business. Interestingly, the company’s application was before Yedurappa for renewal of their mining lease as Yedurappa held the Mining portfolio also. At the same time, the company bought one acre of land in Bangalore belonging to Yedurappa’s sons for a whopping 20 crores, while the market rate was only one crore per acre! Why should the company pay almost twenty times more? After the, donation and purchase of the land, the company was given the renewal of mining lease. Interestingly, the company was in red and had to borrow money from one of its associate companies! Can anybody in his senses, imagine a loss making company donating 10 crores, and that too by borrowing, to the Trust floated by the Chief Minister’s family? And one does not even imagine the same company paying twenty times more than the market price to purchase one acre of land from Yedurappa’s family members! 

 Now, one may see the politicians in power or outside, officials etc. floating trusts, for whatever reasons, and lodge their money in such fronts openly. They can also take their bribe through cheques in the name of the Trusts/Companies. And one can be sure of them getting immunity under PC Act! Eventually, only those officials /politicians who are caught red handed while taking bribe and that too personally, can be booked under the PC Act. 

 It is time the government should appeal against this judgement in the Supreme Court. As things stands as on today, it is highly not possible for the government to do so. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE ELECTION OF SCANDALS UDUPI- CHICKMAGLUR BY-ELECTIONS, A PRELUDE TO MEGA FINAL

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE ELECTION OF SCANDALS!

 

UDUPI- CHICKMAGLUR BY-ELECTIONS, A PRELUDE TO MEGA FINAL 

 The Udupi - Chickmagalur Loksabha Constituency is witnessing the by-election which, the political pundits describe as the semi-final to the elections in 2013. The BJP has fielded Sunil Kumar and Congress, Jayaprakash Hegde. The JD(S) is also trying to play spoilt sport by fielding its candidate. The interesting aspect of the contest is that while Congress is going hammers and tongs over BJP’s scandal ridden rule, the BJP is knocking the doors with the unlimited scams of UPA government at the centre. In a way it is a contest between state politics and central politics…. 

 The by-election to the Udupi-Chikmagalur Loksabha seat is to be held on 18th March, necessitated by Sadananda Gowda resigning his seat after he became the Chief Minister. The BJP candidate is Sunil Kumar, a former MLA of Karkala and State Yuva Morcha President and Congress has nominated Jayaprakash Hegde who contested against Sadananda Gowda in 2009 and lost by a slender margin. JD(S) will field Bhoje Gowda as its candidate. 

 In fact, the poll has become a prestige issue for BJP as the seat was held by Sadananda, the present CM. On the face of it, the BJP holds six out of the eight Assembly seats in this Loksabha constituency. And as the prestige of the Chief Minister is at stake, one can expect the BJP leaving no stone unturned to win this seat. 

 Similarly, the Congress too has a high stake in this election. The Congress has not won a single seat in the by-elections held since 2008. The Congress High Command has made many permutations and combinations to revive the fortunes of the Congress in the state. But nothing has changed. In the 2009 Loksabha elections, the Congress could win only six seats. 

 Thus, the by-election has become a prestige issue for the Congress also. In addition, the candidature of Jayaprakash Hegde also counts much. Despite BJP’s money and muscle power, Hegde was able to give neck-deep fight to Sadananda Gowda in 2009 elections, who finally won the seat by a margin of around 26000 votes. Further, the death of V.S.Acharya is also a minus point to BJP. Thus, if Hegde wins, it will mark the beginning of Congress’s revival in the state and therefore, the by-election is a ‘now or never’ opportunity for the Congress. 

 And there is the JD(S), which wants to play spoil sport. Had the Congress leaders impressed upon the JD(S) not to field its candidate, the Congress could have won the seat. But with JD(S) fielding its candidate, there is the real danger of anti-BJP votes getting split to the advantage of BJP. 

 The most interesting aspect of this by-election is the fight to seek the votes harping on the scams. The Congress candidate is confident of romping home by educating the people about the multifaceted and multi dimensional scams of the state BJP government, especially of the former CM Yedurappa, in addition to the Rave party at Udupi and the porn gate scam. The BJP candidate is harping on the scams of the UPA like 2-G Spectrum, CWG etc. Not to be left alone, the JD(S) will expose the scams at state and central government level. 

 Arguably, the by-election will witness a ‘scam studded’ campaign. The hindutva plank of BJP has lost its relevance and so is the Congress’s slogan of ‘aam admi’. It is the ‘scams’ that decide the outcome. As on now people get easily influenced by the scams at the local level. If Congress harps on BJP government scams, it will have an impact more than BJP’s exposure of UPA scams. More than anything, it is the ‘Rave Party’ in Udupi that occupies the centre stage in the campaign. 

 It is to be recalled that few days ago, the Udupi district administration on the pretext of promotion of tourism, organized a cultural program in the St. Mary Island. Hundreds of foreigners, who attended, converted it into an open air theatre for their dirty activities. Booze, drugs etc. and open sex were highlights of the fest and it became a raging controversy. The local MLA Raghupathi Bhat was the force behind organising this event. The other issue where the BJP will feel the heat is the ‘porn Gate’ involving three ministers (now ex) including Krishna Palemar who hails from the region. It is these two issues that will play a decisive role in the outcome of the elections. 

 The BJP’s attempts to rake up the scams in the UPA government at national level, may not cut much ice with the people. By anyway one looks at it, the by-election has become an indication of things to come and also a testing ground for getting votes by trumpeting scams both at the local, state and national level. It is a sort of semifinal to the fast approaching Mega Final that is the general elections in 2013. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE POINT OF NO RETURN…. DESPITE OPPOSITION, RECALL OF UPA LOKAYUKTA DIFFICULT

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE POINT OF NO RETURN…. 

DESPITE OPPOSITION, RECALL OF UPA LOKAYUKTA DIFFICULT 

 There is a demand for withdrawal of Justice (Rtd) Chandrashekaraiah's appointment as Upa Lokayukta. The ball was set in motion by the Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen who had taken exception to the appointment of Chandrashekaraiah on the plea that he had not recommended his name. The Governor HR Bharadwaj who cleared the name within minutes and administered the oath within hours, has also changed. Besides, many political leaders are also demanding the recall of Chandrashekaraiah. While the Chief Minister D.V.Sadananda Gowda defends his appointment, the Law Minister Suresh Kumar has stated that he will leave the matter to the legislature to decide. 

 In spite of Justice (Rtd) Chandrashekaraiah's appointment as Upa Lokayukta being controversial, it is difficult for the government to recall or withdraw his appointment. It is not a simple matter. His appointment can be revoked or recalled only by the Assembly through impeachment which is next to impossible, given the present political scenario. The Sadananda government has to defend it, the opposition Congress too will not oppose it because of political compulsion and the JD(S) too will not oppose it because of Chandrashekaraiah's links with HD Devegowda family. 

 What more, Chandrashekaraiah is not keeping quite either. He had made it amply clear that he has come to stay and questioned the detractors to show the reasons for his recall. He clarified that the Lokayukta Act does not give power to the government to withdraw the appointment of Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta once the oath of office is administered. The only way to remove him, he asserts, is through impeachment by the legislature and he says that he will abide by the decision of the legislature. 

 Well, forget about passing, in fact, moving an impeachment motion itself is a complex issue. First, charges have to be made out and a preliminary enquiry has to be held. The accused has to be given sufficient opportunity to defend. Only after the probe committee comes to the conclusion that there is substance in the charges, the impeachment motion can be moved in the Assembly. Here too, the accused has to be given sufficient opportunity to defend his actions in the Assembly itself. And only after the motion is passed by three fourth majorities, impeachment can be done and the accused will be removed. This is the set rules for the removal of Lokayukta / Upa Lokayukta. 

 On the face of it, he cannot be removed and his judicial orders or adventures during his long years as the judge of the High Court do not matter now. One cannot question such actions after he became the Upa Lokayukta. His tenure as a Judge has ended long back that was in 2004. He was the Chairman of the State Consumer Forum from 2004 to 2009. And here too, his actions cannot be questioned now. As such, there are no grounds, as on now, to remove Chandrashekaraiah through impeachment. In fact, impeachment is the ultimate weapon which has to be used in extreme situations and Chandrashekaraiah's case is no way near to 'extreme' situation. 

 It is another matter that judge M.F.Saldhana has addressed a strong letter to the Government making serious charges against Chandrashekaraiah and demanding his appointment to be revoked. He has cited few cases including the Mysore Resort case to oppose Chandrashekaraiah’s appointment as Upa Lokayukta. And as usual, there is the charge that Chandrashekaraiah too had procured a big site in the judicial employees Housing Society layout, the same issue that saw the resignation of previous Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil. 

 However, in the case of Chandrashekaraiah, it is more a legal issue than moral. If the 'site' issue has to be the deciding factor, then the first Upa Lokayukta Majage too has to resign as he too has procured a site from the Judicial Society. Interestingly, nobody has raised Majage's site issue since the moment he assumed the charge as the Upa Lokayukta. But, definitely Chandrashekaraiah will question the 'silence' of critics over this issue. 

 Besides, Chandrashekaraiah’s appointment is also opposed by few on Caste lines. But, whatsoever, Chandrashekaraiah has already made it clear that he is a hard nut to crack. One can be sure of Chandrashekaraiah not resigning on his own and one does not foresee his removal by the government through impeachment, either. Then, let the Upa Lokayukta come into action and fight the graft now. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE UGLY FACE OF A BEAUTY SALOON BODY N SOUL DOWNS THE SHUTTERS IN JP NAGAR

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE UGLY FACE OF A BEAUTY SALOON! 

BODY N SOUL DOWNS THE SHUTTERS IN JP NAGAR 

 In our past issue, we had exposed about the functioning of BODY AND SOUL agency which offers health and beauty care in various locations of Bangalore. One of the outlets had not refunded the money to a customer who had paid the full amount towards a beauty package in spite of not using its services. The case is however registered in Consumer court. 

Now, it is learnt from the sources that Body N Soul is permanently closing down their outlet of JP Nagar area. There are hundreds of customers who have paid money for various services to the agency but are not refunded. It is also learnt that though illegal, some have lifted the equipments from the outlet and conditioned them to return it on payment of their money. Allegedly, some customers are also diverted to Jayanagar Branch, but there too, the agency has not paid the rent of the premises for many months. Even their Indiranagar outlet is under the same condition. They have already closed down their 2 outlets in Pune recently. Further, they are claiming that their Kormangala Branch is under renovation, but it appears to be eyewash. It is said that, that too is closed down and the same fate will be that of Jayanagar branch in the near future. 

 The staff of Body N Soul also has approached JP Nagar Police Station and complaint of having not received salary for more than two months. The agency has taken loans of more than Rs. 50 lacs for the purchase of equipments from the Madiwala branch of Bank of India and it is said that there are private financiers too who are in line to collect their dues. 

Eventually, the employees working in Body N Soul and the innocent people who paid towards the packages have once again been cheated.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE EXPANSION BLUES CABINET EXPANSION A CUMBERSOME TASK FOR CM

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE EXPANSION BLUES!                         

CABINET EXPANSION A CUMBERSOME TASK FOR CM 

 Finally, the Chief Minister D.V.Sadananda Gowda has talked of a cabinet expansion in a few days. It is six months since Sadananda became the CM and he was not able to expand the cabinet for political reasons. Now that the CM is talking of cabinet expansion, there is going to be more trouble for him, mainly from former CM B.S.Yeddyurappa whose attempts at reclaiming the CM post has not borne fruits yet. Yedurappa may demand more berths to his loyalists and anti-Yedurappa lobby will not lag behind with similar demand with elections just about a year ahead, Sadananda or BJP cannot afford any more trouble. But the hard fact is that it cannot wish it away … 

 The Chief Minister D.V.Sadananda Gowda, the other day stated that he is not in a position to do justice to the 16 portfolios he holds and that he will soon expand the cabinet to lessen the burden on him. It is almost certain that Sadananda will expand the cabinet soon as the budget session has to begin in March. Sadananda has to present the budget and the unexpected death of V.S.Acharya who was instrumental in preparing the budgets in the last three years has taken its toll on him. 

The moment Sadananda announced the expansion of the cabinet; aspirants for berth have started their lobby in a big way. They know that it is now or never for them as the state will go to polls next year and there are remote chances of BJP coming back to power. The aspirants are therefore making desperate attempts to get to the cabinet and this is creating serious problems to Sadananda and BJP. 

 Of course, there were only six vacancies for the last six months not filled due to political reasons. In the present cabinet there are equal numbers of pro-Yedurappa and Anti-Yedurappa groups. And the porn gate has created three more vacancies of which the two 'resigned' ministers are Yedurappa loyalists. The death of V.S.Acharya has created one more vacancy taking the number of vacancies to ten. Sadananda has to fill the vacancies and there are more than 30 aspirants. 

 Surely, Yedurappa will demand the lion's share of the vacancies and at the same time the anti-Yedurappa group will also demand more share. Yedurappa, who is making no-holds barred attempts to reclaim the CM post, is waiting for more than six months and the High Command is only promising him a suitable post. 

 In the recent past Yedurappa is getting snubs at the hands of the High Command and leaders especially L.K.Advani who is not prepared to talk to him. Yedurappa knows that his rehabilitation is a remote possibility and must plan a strategy accordingly. 

 By all indications, Yedurappa may demand at least six berths to his loyalists and one can be sure of the party high command rejecting the demand. It can at best offer three berths and this will be enough for Yedurappa to prepare the ground. Then, it will be the real test for Sadananda and BJP. It is another matter that Yedurappa will oppose more berths for his detractors. 

 As on now, the cabinet expansion is a risky one and Sadananda has to take the risk if he wants to provide good administration to the state particularly so when the elections are hardly a year from now. At the same time, Sadananda cannot afford to lose the government while Yedurappa is bent of getting his pound of flesh and in default, would not mind pulling down the government. Sadananda has to tread carefully. 

 Of course, the cabinet expansion instead of solving the problems will confound the same. It all depends on the collective wisdom of the BJP leaders in neutralising Yedurappa factor; otherwise, it is more troubles for Sadananda. 

That is all.