Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE DIVIDING DREAM! UMESH KATTI DAY DREAMING OF DIVIDING THE STATE TO BECOME CM!

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

THE DIVIDING DREAM!  

UMESH KATTI DAY DREAMING OF DIVIDING THE STATE TO BECOME CM! 

Umesh Katti a Minister has demanded creation of “Kalyana Karnataka” consisting of North Karnataka regions, Goa, and Sholapur in Maharashtra. His demand has invited the wrath of people who are demanding his resignation. The Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has tried to play down the Katti episode by explaining that it was a just a slip of the tongue. And Katti has reiterated his demand of creation of Kalyana Karnataka. By doing so, Katti in one go, has tried to negate the sacrifices of lakhs of people who fought for the unification of the state. 

 he Suvarna Vidhana Soudha was inaugurated in Belgaum by the President of India few days back. The government will hold the winter session of the Assembly in Belgaum. In a way, Belgaum has become a sort of second capital and a symbol of emotional integration of Northern and Southern Karnataka regions of the State. Also, the North Karnataka region has Circuit Benches of the High Court. All these and many more steps result in providing equal development of all regions in the state. 

But, before the people could rejoice aftermath of the inauguration of the Suvarna Soudha, Umesh Katti, the Agriculture Minister and Belgaum in charge minister has created a big controversy by demanding a separate state for North Karnataka region and merging with it the Goa and Sholapur in Maharashtra. This obnoxious demand has shocked the people of the state who are strongly protesting Katti's statement. 

On the contrary, there are many votaries of a separate state for “Hyderabad Karnataka” consisting of Bidar, Gulbarga, Bellary, Raichur, Bijapur, Bagalkote and Koppal. Vyjanath Patil, a prominent political leader is very vocal for a separate statehood for Hyederabad Karnataka area. But there are no takers to his demand. Every year, as a ritual, Vyjanath Patil hoists a HK flag on Rajyotsava day for demanding separate state and there ends that year's demand. Vyjanath Patil has however fought for the development of the HK region which undoubtedly is very backward in all respects. Arguably, over the years, thousands of crores have been spent towards the all round development of the HK region. And needless to say that corruption has eaten away the benefits which have to reach the region. 

But Belgaum is not associated with HK region and has prospered a lot. It has three rivers flowing in the district and there are a lot of Industries, sugar factories, educational institutions etc. And Katti wants the HK areas including Belgaum be merged into forming a separate State “Kalyana Karnataka”. Maharashtra is also claiming Belgaum district and wants it to be merged with it. 

When Sharad Pawar was the CM of Maharashtra, he offered to the then CM Ramakrishna Hegde to hand over Belagaum to Maharashtra against a compensation of about 600 crores to the state! But the fierce opposition foiled his attempts at snatching Belgaum. When HD Kumaraswamy was the CM, he held a special session of the Assembly in Belgaum to give a fitting reply to the Marathi trouble makers. He had announced building of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on the lines of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. He had also decided to declare Belgaum as the second capital of the state, but, before he could do so, he lost power. And Katti wants Belgaum to be capital of the Kalyana Karnataka consisting of districts of HK area along with Goa which is a separate state and Sholapur district in Maharashtra. However, he will be content only with HK area and Belgaum also. Interestingly he has not addressed any valid reasons for a separate state. It is merely on the pretext that by 2020 the central government will form another 50 small states supposedly for equal development of all the regions. 

Katti has his own agenda. He is also a businessman owning Sugar factories, Industries etc worth hundreds of crores. Till 2008, he was in JD(S) and it’s Vice President. When B.S.Yeddyurappa became the CM, he was procured by him under operation Kamala and made a Minister. Katti has business connections in Goa and Maharashtra also. Allegedly, to make his business empire prospers and to become a business tycoon, Katti has his own designs. He is now one of the leading loyalists of Yedurappa and got himself appointed as the Belgaum district in charge minister on demand. It is no secret that the entire bureaucracy in the district are all handpicked by Katti and one may say Katti is ruling Belgaum as Republic of Belgaum on the lines of Republic of Bellary! 

But he is not satisfied and wants absolute power. He knows well that Yedurappa may not become the CM again even though he may join his Karnataka Janata party. As Katti is a highly ambitious businessman, he will not be happy with becoming a mere minister, but, wants to be the CM of the state. However, he cannot dream of becoming the CM either in Congress or JD(S) dispensation. In BJP, even if he remains in the party, he cannot aspire to become the CM as he is one among many district level leaders of the party. As far as Yedurappa’s Karnataka Janata party is concerned, Yedurappa remains the boss there. Moreover, there are already two heavy weight competent in KJP that is Yedurappa’s son B.Y.Raghavendra and his woman Friday Shobha Karandlaje. Further, Yedurappa does not allow any lingayath leader to grow bigger than his boot. By any stretch of imagination, Katti cannot aspire to be the CM of Karnataka in the near future. 

That is why Katti wants separate state for North Karnataka region and dreams to be its CM. Arguably, Katti cannot claim his monopoly even there as Congress, JDS, BJP and even Sriramulu's party too have their bases in the region. But still, Katti hopes against hope that he can split the state by making a new state for North Karnataka region and could one day become the CM. There is the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum and the state is giving huge fund allocation to the development of the region. Besides, the Central Government is amending Art 371 to give a special status to the region which also implies thousands of crores of funds from the Central government. 

Umesh Katti a businessman who is in politics, wants to lord over the 'Kalyana Karnataka' by becoming its CM and thereby becoming a very big business tycoon. Well, there is no bar or ban in the country over day dreaming! And Katti is doing just that. 

That is all!