Basavaraj Bommai usually speaks in the past at public events. The engineer in him has an eye on technical subtleties. Last week, for example, at the Karnataka Power Corporation’s anniversary celebrations in Bengaluru, he recalled, in some detail, how the process of laying the state’s tallest dam on the Kali River four decades ago was a particularly difficult task. . Bommai had clearly witnessed the construction of the dam as an engineering student. Then, he cut into the present with an unabashed quip that made the audience laugh: topics such as electricity, the power grid and electricity distribution interested him because they were somewhat related to political power. The Karnataka chief minister said, “Political power is also generated… it is generated only at certain places, then it is distributed.” “And it cannot be stored … Political goodwill cannot be stored, it has to be replenished.”
In an election year, power management is certainly a challenge for Bommai as well. The 62-year-old, who completed one year in office on July 28, faces the daunting task of ensuring that the BJP’s supply of goodwill in Karnataka is protected from any extreme demand fluctuations. It has a historical basis—since the mid-1980s, a ruling party in Karnataka has been able to come back to power through coalitions twice, on only three occasions. Even in its current avatar, the BJP had to play a game of defection to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) alliance to capture power in 2019, a year after the assembly elections.
Bommai took over as chief minister last July in a surprisingly smooth transition from BJP veteran Karnataka leader BS Yediyurappa, just as the second Covid wave was looming. As they say, he hit the ground running on the first day by announcing scholarships for the children of farmers, increasing monthly pensions under social security schemes, and working to strengthen the administration. He also focused on implementing a string of welfare measures for the farmers, women and youth initiated by him. On the economic front, the post-Covid rebound driven by Karnataka’s strong IT services sector helped the state clock 9.5 per cent growth till March 2022. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the state were high – Karnataka topped the chart. Equity inflow of Rs 1.63 lakh crore in the last financial year. In an exclusive interview to India Today, Bommai says, “I am putting all my strength, my time and energy into the upliftment of those who are at the bottom of the pyramid. I believe it will make a difference.”
But for most of Bommai’s years the dominant socio-political narrative has been a different story altogether, with communal issues being given priority. When he was elected chief minister, the personality most people judged Bommai was a balanced, non-controversial politician with few remnants of the early Janata Party. This image changed somewhat dramatically as right-wing groups infused a distinct saffron flavour, which Karnataka has not used so far, or which until now was confined to parts of the state. Last December, the government came up with an anti-conversion bill, which was passed through an ordinance this year. Soon a controversy erupted over wearing hijab in a women’s college in Udupi which turned into a fiery controversy. There was a campaign in quick succession by the right-wing fringe to boycott Muslim street vendors at temple fairs and then to abstain from halal meat. Bommai says he only followed the rule of law and alleged that he was doing so to prove his Hindutva credentials – he joined the BJP in 2008 after splitting from the JD(U) – He says, “If the rule of law to be followed is Hindutva, it doesn’t matter to me.”
In May, as the combined effect of these acrimonious campaigns reached a climax – and the prominent voices of concerned citizens and industry jeopardizing Karnataka’s image as a top performing state – the CM held review meetings and welfare Doubled the implementation of the schemes. He had announced to change the flow in the state budget. Karnataka – surpassing other states vying for electronic chip manufacturing investments – signed a memorandum of understanding with the Semiconductor Consortium, ISMC, for a proposed $3 billion investment in a chip manufacturing unit near Mysore.
Bommai then headed to Davos and, upon his return, announced investment commitments of around Rs 65,000 crore from 25 companies in new sectors such as renewable energy and data centers, besides announcing ongoing expansion plans. “Karnataka is very progressive from the industry point of view and the government is very accessible,” says KR Sekar, president of Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC). Recent liberal policies in land acquisition for industry have improved the investment climate. However, on the infrastructure side, especially on logistics, challenges remain, he says.
Meanwhile, allegations of corruption have given opposition parties enough ammunition to attack the Bommai government – with the Karnataka State Contractors Association complaining late last year that the commissions being sought for work orders amounted to 40 per cent. Were. Congress MLA and spokesperson Priyank Kharge says, “The major issues in Karnataka right now are corruption, price rise, unemployment and lack of development.” A scam in the borewell and recruitment of 545 police sub-inspectors – the latter led to a large number of arrests, including a local BJP worker and a high-ranking police officer. Describing the contractors’ allegations as politically motivated, Bommai said that it was the Home Ministry that ordered a fair investigation into police sub-inspector recruitments.
“The major issues that are prevailing in Karnataka right now are: Corruption, inflation, unemployment and lack of development
, Priyank Kharge, Congress MLA and Spokesperson
An amiable politician, Bommai is seen to be on the receiving end of the people and, as one party functionary puts it, “he is not one to rush to oppose the people.” Party leaders like to point to his ‘aam aadmi’ persona. The CM makes it a point to meet citizens and accept petitions outside his RT Nagar home in Bengaluru – which was made by his father, the late Janata leader SR Bommai. Bommai is his party’s main link in the assembly, which has cleverly taken it forward in some difficult times. But he doesn’t fall into the mass leader’s mold like his predecessor Yeddyurappa, though both of them belong to the same Lingayat community. Nor did he, as critics point out, deal with communal issues as tactfully as his Yeddyurappa. “He has to maintain the stronghold. So whatever Hindutva brings, he cannot afford to protest,” says a party leader.
Nevertheless, Bommai’s journey was not so smooth when he beat other contenders for the top seat. Till some time back it was discussed that his position as CM was unstable, with party people trying to guess the views of the central leadership on changing the leadership of the state. However, the clear argument against such a move was that the party would not risk a dramatic turnaround with elections in less than 10 months. Furthermore, under Bommai, the leadership in Delhi has greater control over Karnataka’s operations. With elections due in May 2023, Bommai will have to come up with a “high-octane performance”, as he says, if the BJP is to retain power in this crucial southern state.