DVS decision to attend KDP meet raises eyebrows

BANGALORE: Following its humbling in the November 30 byelection held to Bellary Rural Assembly constituency, where its candidate even lost the deposit, the BJP has decided to improve its image in the district by roping in none other than the CM.Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has decided to preside over the Karnataka Development Meeting (KDP) of Bellary district, which will be held on December 29.Bellary District in-charge Minister Balachandra Jharakiholi told Express that this will be for the first time that a chief minister will preside over a KDP meeting. Developmental works sanctioned to the district would be reviewed at the meet.Understandably, the decision has been met with surprise within the state BJP. The saffron party seeks to make its presence felt in the district which is the bastion of the Reddy brothers, reinforced by Sriramulu’s resounding victory margin in the recent byelection.The BJP government had received flak from the opposition parties during campaign for the byelection for the poor state of infrastructure in district, not to mention the near non-existential law and order situation.Gowda, while addressing a party meeting prior to the byelection, had admitted that despite releasing huge grants, people in the district are being deprived of basic civic amenities. He had also expressed regret at leaving the party and government affairs in the hands of a few individuals, while promising to reverse the trend. The poor infrastructure in the district did not escape the attention of the Congress.  All taluks in Bellary district have been declared as drought-hit.  The chief minister’s presence at the KDP meeting is likely to give impetus to drought relief works here.  Usually, the KDP’s monthly meetings at the district level are presided over by the zilla panchayat president; at the taluk level it would be headed by the respective legislators.