A G Kodgi retires from politics after 55 year-stint in public life

Veteran politician A G Kodgi on Tuesday has announced his retirement from politics after been up for over five decades in public life.

Speaking to media persons, the 85-year-old politician said that he is frustrated with the present day political scenario. Corruption, hatredness and contemptible criticism have made politics highly deplorable. It is hard to find ethics among politicians these days irrespective of party affiliation. It is totally uncontrolled and crammed with all unethical principles, Kodgi added.

He said he has no grievances against BJP and the party leaders never sidelined him. In fact, BJP leaders always contacted him for valuable guidance and advices.
The veteran politician says that he has no plans to support or get affiliated with any other political party.

The political retirement was decided and planned much before the assembly polls. However, the decision was withheld following the rumours that the decision might affect the poll scenario. He added he did not want any false rumours to spread across, so he called off his decision to quit politics for time being. He said he is retiring with the contentment of working without compromising with his political ideologies.

Expressing his displeasure against the previous and present governments for ignoring huge part of the recommendations made by the 3rd Finance Commission Implementation Task Force headed by him, Kodgi said that government has not implemented most of the recommendations. He lamented that the Panchayat Raj system is not effectively implemented across the state. There are many loopholes, which supports the absence of faith, facts, figures and freedom, he said.

There are funds and ironically the system functions. However, not in terms of responding towards public grievances.

A single Gram Panchayat Secretary is in-charge of two to three Gram Panchayats. There is no regular sittings of Gram sabhas and ward sabhas. Government has also not paid any attention to introduce District Planning Committees in all the districts. The State Parishat is not working properly, he alleged. There is no effective mobilisation of resources. The basic infrastructural facilities are ignored despite the availability of ample feasible opportunities. He reiterated that there is no shortage of funds or resources, however there is lack of will to execute the programmes and policies. The roads are repaired using low quality materials. He stressed that government should introduce agriculture commission and try to set right the system.

Kodgi said he would be available to all, irrespective of political parties to lend his knowledge and understanding of politics as useful guidance. The veteran politician joined BJP in 1993 after quitting Congress. He also plans to pen down his experiences in politics.