THE KARNATAKA COMEDY

By KUMAR SAMBHAV SHRIVASTAVA

Who is more corrupt – B S Yeddyurappa or Suresh Kalmadi? Raja of Spectrum-fame or Ashok Chawan of Kargil-fame? Dayanidhi Maran or Kanimozhi of family-repute? Corruption knows no caste, colour or creed, or even ideology, and is universal. Where there is lack of transparency and where there is power unchecked, there will be corruption. When the economy shifts from one end of the spectrum to the other end –

From socialism where the Big Brother controls everything to free market where the state activities are scrutinized and held accountable, it leaves a trail of corruption unnoticed in the previous dispensation.

The Karnataka comedy is one without a script because the actors enacted their own drama, ignoring the original script written in Delhi. Till the last minute, each read out his own dialogue, played his own role, adding to the suspense. The TV channels enjoyed it to the hilt, and it looked for a couple of days as if the capital of the country has been shifted to Bengaluru! Just as it did when Jayalalithaa was blowing hot and cold from Chennai during the short tenure of Vajpayee.

Yeddu had the power and BJP top brass the saddle that cannot balance the power of the horse. He was the architect of BJP’s victory in the South and he is the only one who can reduce the party into a pitiable minority. Even now he can play a Kumaraswamy and cling to power by proxy, bringing K’swamy, Reddy brothers and even the Congress tacitly to his side to teach his party bosses a lesson. But Yeddu knows the damage it can do to his image, and got the best bargain for his professed loyalty.

The beleaguered moguls of Delhi had a comic relief, not realizing for whom the bells toll!

Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava

Down to Earth

(Mobile No. 9911998304)