Notes from the field

Different tunes
Last week, two ministers from the Siddaramaiah government were singing completely different tunes on the proposed “Green Cess.” Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre floated the idea of imposing an additional cess on water bills in urban and town areas, with the funds dedicated to conserving the Western Ghats. However, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar quickly shot it down, claiming there’s no such proposal on the table. Khandre first introduced the idea on Wednesday and doubled down on it the next day, speaking to the media at Vidhana Soudha. He suggested that a Rs 2 to 3 cess could be added to monthly water charges. But Shivakumar wasn’t having it, declaring, “There’s no proposal for a Green Cess on the water bill.”

Support for men
During a recent interaction with students on Children’s Day at Vidhana Soudha, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar responded to a question regarding extending the Power Scheme to men. He stated, “We will discuss and make a decision about expanding the Power Scheme for men based on age criteria.” The question was raised by Charan, a student from Neelasandra’s Municipal Primary School, during a student dialogue session. Charan asked why the state government’s free bus service, part of its five guarantees, was only available for women and not for male students. In response, Shivakumar explained, “We are providing Rs 2,000 to your mother, free bus travel, and 10 kg of rice. These benefits are being offered to women. We will discuss and take steps to extend similar benefits to men.”

Credit war

As bypolls wrapped up, political heavyweights turned up the heat, sparking a fiery exchange of words and credit-claims drawn from the past. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda recently stirred the pot by asserting that he was responsible for making Siddaramaiah the Deputy CM Siddaramaiah didn’t hold back, firing back with, “Is he not ashamed to say that? Without my and Jalappa’s support, Gowda wouldn’t have become CM in 1994.” Taking the stage at a rally in Channapatna, Deve Gowda shot back at Congress, reminding the crowd that he appointed Siddaramaiah as Finance Minister, and warning, “DK Shivakumar’s ambitions will be his undoing.”

Dance moves
One of CM Siddaramaiah’s hidden talents? Dancing! Over the years, he’s proven he’s more than willing to show off his moves—from lighthearted dance sessions in his village with friends and family to making headlines with his energetic steps during the Ballari padayatra alongside Congress leaders. Most recently, during a tribal promotion event in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah couldn’t resist the beat. Captivated by the tribal dancers, he enthusiastically jumped in, adding his own flair and drawing cheers from the crowd. It’s clear that when it comes to rhythm, the CM is always ready to join the celebration.

Controversial comments

Controversial remarks by Zameer Ahmed Khan recently ignited a political storm. Khan attempted to brush it off, claiming it was just friendly banter between him and HD Kumaraswamy, where he called HDK “Kaaliya” while being called “Kulla” (dwarf) in return. But JD(S) leaders weren’t amused. Former Malavalli MLA K Annadani shared that, in his experience, Kumaraswamy has never engaged in such name-calling or joked about any fellow leaders. Arkalgud MLA A Manju added his voice, publicly disapproving of Khan’s comments and dismissing them as inappropriate.

Why opted out?
During the recent Channapatna bypolls, Chamundeshwari MLA GT Deve Gowda was conspicuously absent, fuelling rumours that he was distancing himself from the JD(S) and possibly upset with the party. Previously, Gowda had considered switching to Congress, only to be persuaded by a last-minute visit from HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy, who urged him to stay with JD(S). Yet tensions have simmered since the Dasara inauguration, where GT Deve Gowda openly praised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, sparking an alleged “cold war” with the HDK family. When asked by journalists about his absence from the campaign, GT Deve Gowda explained, “The JD(S) released a list of 40 star campaigners, and my name wasn’t on it, so I opted out.”