'Victory has added responsibility'

Despite the setback suffered by NDA at the national level, the mood in the BJP camp in North Karnataka is upbeat as the party has done well in the Lok Sabha elections in the state in general and in North Karnataka in particular. But along with jubilation the BJP leaders and especially the ministers representing the region have major tasks to accomplish as the aspirations of the people who supported the party are high.

There are several serious issues to be addressed by the administrative machinery and now that the UPA is back in power at the Centre, the state government needs to tread carefully and deal with the Centre tactfully to avoid being discriminated against. With monsoon showing the signs of setting in earlier than scheduled, the government needs to be ready to supply agriculture inputs to farmers timely and in adequate quantity.

It may be recalled here that shortage of chemical fertiliser last year resulted in farmers raising hue and cry and it also resulted in unpleasant incidents like police firing in Haveri. The incident had affected the image of the BJP led government though the state government blamed the Centre for not providing adequate quantities of chemical fertiliser.

There is need for the administration to be ready to face eventualities like flash floods due to excessive rainfall. The experience of last year should have taught the government machinery a lesson or two as several villages in Dharwad and Gadag were inundated and military personnel had to be summoned to rescue villagers.

Several projects like repair and widening of roads announced by the government and scheduled to have been completed before the onset of monsoon are yet to be completed in both urban and rural areas. With mercury rising, already several villages in Dharwad and other districts are facing shortage of drinking water and there is an urgent need to tackle the problem. There are also other long term projects crying for attention.

Water resources minister Basavaraj Bommai who was in charge of the campaigning in Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency said the people by electing 19 BJP candidates had declared that they want the BJP government in the state to complete its term successfully. “We will strive hard to fulfill the aspirations of the people and make Karnataka a model state,” Bommai asserted.

MP elect Prahlad Joshi and MLC Mohan Limbikai also echoed the same views and said the voters were mature enough not to be influenced by trivial issues like caste and creed. “It is the vote for performance. We should take it that way and strive hard to fulfill the aspirations of the people” they said.