Karnataka after Siddaramaiah and rise of Cockroach Janta Party | South Central 77
In this episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss the cabinet change in Karnataka and what Siddaramaiah’s resignation will mean for the state’s politics. They are joined by professor and commentator Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi.
The panel first speaks about the resignation of Siddaramaiah and the ascension of DK Shivakumar as Karnataka Chief Minister. Pooja asks about what we should make out of Siddaramaiah’s legacy so far.
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“At first, it was more of the Bhagya strategy of welfare state, and in his second term, he focused on guarantees. Siddaramaiah has never been the kind to focus primarily on infrastructure or investment from big capital. He has been lucky that Karnataka has grown fast in terms of GDP, and the growth has been organic. His focus has been on fiscal discipline and welfare. If there is a criticism of the last three years, it is that his fiscal discipline was slightly missing,” says Professor Prithvi Datta.
Pooja recalls her visit to Siddaramaiah’s village and how his ascent to politics has been without godfathers.
“He has gotten opportunities, but what is underestimated is his political skill. He is actually one of the finest political practitioners we have had. You can look at his life in two phases. From 1983-2004, he got opportunities, and there was luck. In Mysore, he had mentors who were not his competitors. In the 90s, after he became finance minister, he became very good at controlling administrators,” Professor Prithvi adds.
The panel also discusses Siddaramaiah’s relationship with the media and his lack of ambition to get into national politics. Regarding the future of the AHINDA movement, Professor Prithvi states that new leaders must be identified.
“Siddaramaiah has clearly slowed down in the last few years. He is sharp, but he has slowed. I don’t think he will be able to provide the energy the party needs for rebuilding. About AHINDA, it remains interesting to see how the younger lot will take after him and how they will take the movement forward,” he adds.
The panel then delves into the political policies of the new Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, and his approach to development and infrastructure, and how this will impact the Karnataka Congress itself.
In the second half of the episode, the hosts discuss the Cockroach Janta Party and what this new political movement could mean. They are joined by TNM Executive Editor Sudipto Mondal and Newslaundry Editorial Director Manisha Pande.
Manisha, who interviewed the CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, said that the page started as a satire but became a political movement. “Most followers are in the ages between 27 and 29, and there are several issues like the NEET paper leak and others, which have left younger people with a lot of anger. CJP was able to walk into that political vacuum where the mainstream political leadership has abandoned conversation about the youngsters,” she says.
Dhanya points out that the TVK’s rise in Tamil Nadu and the CJP may have some parallels. “TVK was also a convenient option for people who wanted to channel their frustration against existing parties. So in CJP’s case also, if there is so much angst among youngsters, why hasn't any other political party been able to tap into it?” she asks.
Manisha says several people, including political leaders, are quite confused by what has been happening. “This is also a formula for the government to crush dissent by saying there is some nefarious activity behind it. Many who follow the CJP are students who have been told that the system will reward their effort, provided they do not make noise. When this myth is dying, they are all realising that they need to speak,” she explains.
The panel then discusses whether the CJP is a political solution or a momentary response to anger and the suppression of dissent.
Sudipto says that the rise of the CJP is a tragic commentary on people’s movements, which could not capture this rage and mobilise it. “We need to see if this revolutionary zeal will translate into political mobilisation or if it is going to become a segue for another person or faction to garner power,” he adds.
The discussion then delves into the cynicism surrounding the CJP, what happens to students who protest on the ground, and whether the Modi government’s eagerness to crush dissent has led to such an outlet.
Tune in to the discussion here.
References:
Zero revenue, growing partners: The inside story of LLPs linked to Boby Chemmanur
Trapping the psychology of aspiration: Boby Chemmanur’s Phygicart story
Malankara Society’s rise and its deepening financial ties with Boby Chemmanur’s firms
Recommendations:
Dhanya Rajendran
Cockroach Janta Party calls out ‘Godi Media’ channels, refuses to appear on them
Pooja Prasanna
Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi
Sudipto Mondal
The complex legacy of Siddaramaiah: A political and ideological profile
Manisha Pande
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