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Kannada, Kannadigas, Karnataka.
Land, language, water, resources, jobs.
Those were the buzzwords on the street before the election process began. How come all those issues disappeared along with those who raised them?
No Politician would like to lose votes ( even i he Assumes that the three K would fetch some votes )
Secondly none of the kannada organisations are involved in this elections seriously as NO POLITICIAN would pay RANSOM money to a few blackmailers and Extotionists who will in any case not be able to deliver VOTES.
In the past 3-4 years, through the agitations & protests that Kannada organizations have raised regarding the issues that have concerned K-K-K, they have created awareness in the voters about these issues. Because of this awareness, we now have a segment of the electorate who are voting for those candidates / parties who will have the interests of K-K-K at heart. This is a major development not seen in earlier elections in Karnataka.
Just look at how the political parties have been responding differently in this election regarding K-K-K:
1. BJP has a separate section in their manifesto regarding Kannada language & culture (http://vijayeekarnataka.com/election_manifesto.html).
Could you ever imagine this earlier from a Hindi-centric party like BJP?
2. You have Kumaraswamy & Devegowda going around positioning themselves as a regional party in order to get votes this time. It is only because they have recognized the increased awareness in the people of Karnataka regarding the K-K-K issues & not that they have suddenly developed great love for K-K-K. Kumaraswamy has denied tickets to Maarimuthu and “Bomb” Nagaraj (2 aspirants who regularly wear their Tamil identity on their sleeve) fearing the repercussion this decision may have on JDS’s other candidates across Karnataka.
3. Siddaramiah from Congress talks about preference in jobs for local Kannadigas in a CNN-IBN interview. (http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/64488/05_2008/battle4_ktaka0305_1/karnataka-polls-its-bangalore-vs-karnataka.html; http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/64488/05_2008/battle4_ktaka0305_1a/karnataka-polls-its-bangalore-vs-karnataka.html ).
Could you imagine this from a party like Congress which openly indulges in minority appeasement, whether it is religious or linguistic?
All this has happened only because of the increased awareness in the voters regarding K-K-K issues. In the past couple of years, Kannada organizations (primarily KRV) have created a sense of Kannada identity in the Kannadigas and this identity is getting converted into votes this time. Therefore K-K-K issues are a very significant part of the campaign this time.
And as to what has happened to those who raised these issues, please find the following links that provide information on what they are doing:
http://www.karnatakarakshanavedike.org/modes/view/68/chunavaneyalli-kannadigara-apekshe.html
http://karave.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_10.html
http://karave.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html
http://karave.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_30.html
http://karave.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_28.html
Woah! Very well said Vijay!
I think that is a very good summary of how things are faring in “and around” Karnataka during this election season. Leaves no reason for doubt anymore! These are real facts and I guess they are very much indicative of the situation in hand.
If churumuri has a doubt about silence in this season after all the K-K-K buzzwords until before elections started off, then I’d say, better take a serious look at how things are taking shape around us. The selling thing in this time’s election is clearly language, and Kannada to be precise.
If Congress/JDS/BJP have been coming up with new plans on a competitive basis every day of the run-up to elections, it is because they all have started visualizing an imminent loss if they neglect the language of the land in their game-plan. Although things might not have changed deep inside the brains of those contesting elections this time, it is but true that every political party is “coming back” to the Kannada camp so as to not miss out on this “happening wave” during elections ’08.
We need not worry about 3 K’s. We have land developers who are possessing the precious land in Karnataka as such they are the true Mannina Makkalu. They mostly fom neighbouring Andhra speak Telugish Kannada which means they are also Kannadigas who some times talks better than the true Kannadigas.
BJP is talking about getting classical status to kannada.
Devegowda is talking about 30% reservationto kannadigas in IT sector.
sushma sawaraj is talking in kannada
KKK issues have actually opened eyes of not just Kannada politicians but even those of MES leaders !!
MES was routed in Belagavi corporation Elections not because of any great work done by Govt, but bcoz of relentless work done by KRV to get our people united under a Kannadiga identity. See the changes now,,
Sambhaji Patil, once a strong advocate of MES, is now contesting from a JDS ticket..
In Belagavi, there was nobody to take MES tickets this time as everybody was sure of a defeat. Isn’t this a radical change??
KKK is an up and running issue in this election, although not on front pages of Media..
Also, check out the ad given by JDS in today’s Vijay Karnataka..
It says in bold letter, “Dehaliyindalla namma aaDaLita ” , saying loud and clear that it wants to project itself as a regional Kannada party and it’s high command is in bengaluru.
Devegouda is a shrewed politician and will never do anything unless he is sure that it gets to votes !
Dear Author,
KKK is a relevant factor now than in the past. It is all because the organisations like KRV. As you see all the parties are talking about kannada-kannadiga-karnataka. Please look at the following link for JDs change of stance in the recent years.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/jds-promises-quota-for-kannadigas-in-it—your-say/64647-3.html
Also national parties like congress and bjp are also talking about KKK.
KRV has done a significant change in the state..Even the political parties are scared to cast non-kannadiga candidates in the elections..
TS–
I want Sushma to be our chief minister. Besides saying a few words in Kannada, she also performs Lakshmi pooje and Sathyanarayana pooje. Lakshmi and Sathya are both in blistering abundance in Ballari. The rest of the state needs a break too.