“Political leaders can afford to ignore north Karnataka’s interests only at their own peril’’ -- when Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said this while dedicating the Beenithora irrigation project a few months ago, he was obviously speaking not for himself. 

The agitations for the establishment of a High Court bench at Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga, the stir for creation of a separate State out of the Hyderabad Karnataka region and the struggle for special status to Karnataka to empower it to take special measures to tackle backwardness of the region, have all played their role in keeping politicians reminded that the region’s aspirations cannot be trifled with.

The 19-day monsoon session of the State legislature beginning July 5 may well see certain north Karnataka issues dominating the proceedings, one of the most controversial issues being Mahadayi diversion project. With Congress president Sonia Gandhi endorsing the Goa’s objection to the scheme, the issue has embarrassed the party in the State no end.

In a damage control exercise, a KPCC team led by president Mallikarjun Kharge and legislature party leaders Dharam Singh and H K Patil recently called on Ms Gandhi to explain the State’s stand vis-a-vis Mahadayi. Though the Congress leaders claim she “didn’t mean what she said”, no clarification has come from the AICC. And one can trust the BJP to make life miserable for the Congress over this issue.

Regional imbalance
The government has taken a bold budgetary decision by earmarking Rs 1571 crore for addressing regional imbalances in the light of the D M Nanjundappa Committee report. However, the government, instead of sticking to the committee’s formula, has released funds region-wise by applying the ‘equal distribution’ method instead of equitable distribution.

This is in a way continuation of the legacy of regional discrimination, according to leaders who have already raised their voice against it. Aland MLA B R Patil has declared that he would stall Assembly proceedings if the government “doesn’t set right the injustice”. (A meeting has been convened by the CPM in Bangalore on July 10 to sensitise of Gulbarga region’s legislators on the matter.)

Other issues that may figure include failure to reorganise Gulbarga and Belgaum districts, farmer suicides, flood situation in Belgaum, Bijapur and Gulbarga districts.