Coffee-table book on B S Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka (Year 2020) by vyas sivanand

WHO SAW TOMORROW

A LEADER

A LEADER WHO SAW TOMORROW

THE MAN WHO CHALLENGED LIFE AND WON

BSY: A LE ADER WHO SAW TOMORROW

A LEADER

WHO SAW TOMORROW THE MAN WHO CHALLENGED

LIFE OF A

WINNER 8

n February 27, 1943, Bookanakere village of Mandya district signed a pact with the future. To safeguard and revivify the legacy left behind by the greats....Karnataka looks back in reverence at figures from another cusp of time, figures like Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, who took the world as they found it and worked on it like a potter at his clay. It falls upon the leaders of today to navigate the complexities of modern politics, while staying true to its essential purpose: of dedicating their lives to moulding the present and building a future. Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa was born into an epoch that was changing around him. Five years before his birth, one of Visvesvaraya's signature projects â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Krishnarajasagara dam â&#x20AC;&#x201D; had changed the face of Mandya, and its

agriculture. This is the zeitgeist the young BSY breathed in, the ethos he dedicated his life to pursuing...striving hard, failing, but always rising again to meet the challenge of time. To dedicate power to its real mission of building lives, building futures. Ploughing and watering the world, like a farmer at his field. This coffee-table book is an attempt to showcase his life, how its beginnings moulded his situated worldview, the plough-marks he seeks to leave on Karnataka's rich soil. The New Indian Express has sought to cover the ground comprehensively, with articles, biographical insights, photographs, viewpoints gleaned from interactions with him, his family members and close associates. It is our tribute to one of India's uniquely grassroots leaders.

I have a vision â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to change lives, and I do not believe that talk matters. I have seen Karnataka from the ground and from the top. I know its problems and its challenges. My whole life has been a preparation to bring change. It is a vision, not a dream

Grit & Triumph Mahadev Prakash, political analyst and Media Adviser to Chief Minister, writes about his journey with BSY

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CHAPTER ONE

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The Grassroots Man A peek into BSY's life from his early years with notes from his family

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BSY's strong belief is to bring change in the life of the common people

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The Chief As Chief Minister, BSY took decisions which were ahead of times. His budget presentations signalled a new era for Karnataka

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The Persona

CHAPTER THREE

Drive & Determination

In BSY, there is the capacity to create a compelling vision and translate it into action. Some perspectives on his ideology, politics and policies

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A New Dawn

CHAPTER FIVE

There are two domains of action — separate but related — where the idea of a ‘leader’ can be applied. One can be a mass leader. Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa has been that for almost all his political career

C H A P T E R T WO

A GREAT LEADER

CHAPTER FOUR

WHAT MAKES

CHAPTER SIX

F O R E WO R D

During his first 100 days, BSY was confronted with unprecedented natural calamity. While he handled the crisis as an ideal leader, he also ensured that other areas of governance were not neglected

118

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164

Frames of Time Precious moments captured from BSY's life. From childhood to his growth as one of the most charismatic leaders of the state

176

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THE VISIONARY

Every great accomplishment begins with a dream. B S Yediyurappa dared to dream, and dream big to change the lives of the poor. Also translate that dream into reality. He knew that passion, patience, perseverance and strong ideals would win in the end. He never gave up on what he really wanted to do. He worked towards his goals. His political career graph is a testimony to this. Yediyurappa has shown how dreams can come true if one realises that dreams are the seedlings of the future â&#x20AC;&#x201D; of a vision.

THE ACHIEVER

When BSY took oath as the Chief Minister on May 30, 2008, a dream became reality. Thus began a journey of taking the state on the path to progress.

FOREWORD

WHAT MAKES

A GREAT LEADER 18

here are two domains of action— separate but related — where the idea of a ‘leader’ can be applied. One can be a mass leader. Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa has been that for almost all his political career. That is already a rare gift. It calls for a two-way connect with the people who accept you as a leader. One has to be intimately aware of, and connected with, their lives, their concerns, their trials and dreams. One also needs to be able to harness that in the public sphere; to craft a language that speaks to them, to articulate their expectations in novel and creative ways, to be their voice, to be able to employ powerful symbols to which they respond.

It is a mark of BSY’s success in that sphere we see him expand the social base that accepts him as a leader. Originally a Lingayat leader, with unflinching loyalty from his constituency that has stood the test of time, we now see his footprint expanding way beyond his native Shivamogga district — the gateway to Malnad, tending to the north — to all across Karnataka and its social/caste geography. He now straddles political space as much as he does time: one who spans generations of BJP stalwarts, from Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to A.B. Vajpayee, to the Narendra Modi era now. But there is another domain where a leader is tested. That is when he is invested with formal power, placed in high office — in a place where one has the capacity to make policies that touch lives. The qualities that takes may seem simple enough: a sincerity of intent, a commitment to a social-political-economic programme. But the difficulty is in managing to blend the two sets of qualities after having attained power. To be able to use power for the public good, a capacity to turn high office into an instrument to realise a definite plan for growth and socio-economic well-being. If one scans the political life of BSY, it

can be said that he has managed to do exactly that — investing high office with a rare humility and purpose that can only come from being true to one’s roots. A son of Indian democracy, who started humble and was associated with farmers’ struggles but now governs a state that’s a global IT hub and is at ease in both Davanagere and Davos. His political journey, from his early days, is charted in one of the following essays — the association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the imprisonment during Emergency, the fight for freeing bonded labour, the padayatras, the hands-on flood relief, the many electoral victories. But the true mettle of a leader is not shown in reaching the top, or in exercising one’s political craft to stay at the top — it is shown in what one does while having the power to make policies that touch people’s lives. Another piece here surveys BSY’s tenures as Chief Minister in terms of actual policymaking. And even the briefest scan of his work as CM shows a commitment to both the common weal and to his political ideology. That is what qualifies him to be called a great leader, an enduring as well as endearing one.

I believe in integrity. Intelligence and patience follow. If these three elements are embraced and worked towards, there is real success. And in that success, we can evolve as a society which believes that change is definitely possible

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP national leaders L K Advani, Rajnath Singh, H N Ananth Kumar greeting the crowd after the swearing-in ceremony at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru

2008

B S Yediyurappa taking oath as Chief Minister at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru

PROMISE TO Chief Minister BSY salutes NCC cadets as they take part in march past

SERVE

BSY and party leaders meet Governor Vajubhai Vala to stake claim to form the government in Bengaluru

2019

BS Yediyurappa with his party MLAs shows victory sign after HD Kumaraswamy lost the vote of confidence during Assembly session at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru

PROMISE TO

ELEVATE

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah

GRIT & TRIUMPH 28 BY MAHADEV PRAKASH, MEDIA ADVISER TO CHIEF MINISTER & POLITICAL ANALYST

Our existence survives... In our memories, for as long as I can remember... Me within you, you within me... Me and you, all of this shall exist. Beyond this, neither you nor me survive. Every person’s memories retain their world... Everyone harbours a fetish to frame as many memories as possible.This is why art-literature-sculpture amaze us... They make us pine for that elusive grasp

hese lines from the poem “On Memories” (Nenapugalannu Kurithu) by Dr G S Shivarudrappa -the poet laureate who hails from Shikaripura, the same place where Yediyurappa hails from -- hold great significance. Our existence is in our memory. Each event, each experience shapes our persona and endlessly perfects our personality. We are a sum of our past. When we glance over the life of one such as BS Yediyurappa, who has led a long public life, we encounter a whole rich archive: a few grim incidents that were crucially formative, and also any number of good people who fashioned his life. Mandya’s soil is known for inherent virtues such as innocence, sincerity and a deep conviction to the credo of never forsaking those who believe in you. Krishnaraja Pete, from that very same

Mandya, is the place Yediyurappa’s parents hail from. Yediyurappa was born as a fond son of this family on February 27, 1943. When he was just four years old, a young mind embodying all the innocence who should have been rejoicing in the love of his parents, Yediyurappa had to face a deep loss. His mother, Puttathayamma, passed away -- he was too young to remember the trauma, and Yediyurappa retained only a faint memory of her. Unaware of the deep separation that had marked his life, he grew up as a kid who believed whoever embraced him was his mother. His father Siddalingappa’s love, and all the affectionate supervision by grandfather Sangappa Shetti’s younger sister Girijamma, helped him tide over his childhood without feeling the loss. It was only as time passed that he became aware of the harsher aspects of life. The blessings of his family’s idol, Yediyur Siddalingeshwara, ensured that Yediyurappa’s life journey carried on this initial phase without any further trauma, and with enough familial affection to not make him feel the vacuum. It was this cultured environment at home which saw to it that values and goodwill became integral parts of Yediyurappa’s personality right from the earliest stages of his journey, when he was just making his strides towards a broader spectrum. Spotting his strong kindred feelings towards others, Yediyurappa’s father remarked, “You have a bright future. I have a strong feeling that you are going to become a popular man, a leader.”

One would think fathers are prone to making such evaluations of sons out of affection, but this was more than that: all those who saw Yediyurappa during his childhood could clearly perceive that the boy had a naturally outgoing, community-oriented spirit, and had everything in him to be cut out for something great. Yediyurappa, who studied up to fifth grade at Bookanakere, had to move to Mandya to continue his education after a rift between Yediyurappa’s father, Siddalingappa, and Girijamma. He started a new life in his grandfather’s home. Yediyurappa studied there until intermediate. In his spare time, he would sit at his grandfather Sangappa Shetti’s shop and sell lemons. In

order to make more profit, he used to go to Mysuru, buy lemons at wholesale price and sell them at retail back in Mandya. During festivals, they would go to their hometown of Bookanakere to get banana boles and sell them on Mandya’s main roads. It was in these formative years that a momentous encounter happened: he came in contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the organisation committed to protecting Hinduism, patriotism and a united India. During his teenage days, Yediyurappa came across teachers and mentors who had devoted their lives to the principles of the RSS. Yediyurappa’s inborn ideals of achieving something great

and meaningful in life found a perfect enabling tool in this ideology. He was fascinated by the principles of RSS, founded by Dr Keshava Baliram Hedgewar. Another great leader of the association, Golwalkar, had built up the organisation from the grassroots, an idea that fascinated Yediyurappa because of how it connected to his circumstances. His mind had started leaning towards this path that held the vision of idealism, a lifelong commitment, a community-oriented ethos and discipline. Eventually, he joined the RSS. Volunteering with the organisation brought about deep-going changes in Yediyurappa’s personality. Every day, he would get actively involved in Sangh activities. He started to understand its principles and ideologies. Under the guidance of respected RSS elders, his strong and aggressive personality began to shine like refined gold. The relationship between Yediyurappa and the RSS, which bloomed in Mandya, started taking stronger roots in Bengaluru. When Yediyurappa was in Mandya, he had developed close ties with a Special DC, Basappa, who was now transferred to the post of director, department of social welfare. Basappa got Yediyurappa a job as a typist in the department. During this period, Yediyurappa was housed in a car shed at Sheshadripuram. Meanwhile, he continued his studies in an evening college. By this time, Yediyurappa was a full-time activist of the RSS. Some seniors of the Sangh Parivar told him: “Why do you need to live in a car shed while being

a full-time activist of the Sangh? The RSS office is located in Sheshadripuram itself. We live there and carry out our activities. Why don’t you shift there too? You can carry out the organisation’s work and attend to your personal work as well. Your personality will evolve and you will be able to understand the organisation closely.” Meanwhile, Yediyurappa got a job at the Addison Company. Leaders of the Sangh Parivar such as Mai Cha Jayadev, Yadav Rao Joshi and Ajit Kumar Ji were closely guiding him. In later days, the headquarters of the Sangh became a huge support system to Yediyurappa. Here, he learnt qualities such as discipline and time-consciousness. These qualities are still a big

part of Yediyurappa’s public life. Thus, his thought processes underwent qualitative changes, thanks to the companionship of peers devoted to the ideology of the Sangh. He regularly participated in training camps of the RSS. On many occasions, he would conduct RSS camps as a Mukhya Shikshak. He adhered to the code of conduct of the organisation. Such was the nature of the guided conduct of Yediyurappa’s life that it became an example of veteran philosopher-poet DV Gundappa’s famed lines: “Life is a horse-drawn carriage owned by fate”. Yet, fate had more plans for him. Yediyurappa had hoped that Bengaluru would eventually become the centre of his career. However, the fast-paced events unfolding in his life ensured he had to resign from his job in Bengaluru and move to Shikaripura, a prosperous countryside in the Malnad area. In the following years, Shikaripura transformed into the epicentre of Yediyurappa’s life, political as well as personal. It was here that he married Mythradevi, in 1967. His mother-in-law, Gangamma, and father-in-law, Veerabhadra Shastri, never expressed any reluctance over a complete stranger taking over the responsibility of their family. They welcomed Yediyurappa with affection and trust. He soon had to shoulder huge responsibilities: running a large house, managing land, hundreds of oxen and cattle, rice mills in Shikaripura and Honnali, as well as a tiles factory. Mythradevi and Yediyurappa had five children: three

daughters — Padmavathi, Arunadevi and Umadevi — and two sons — Raghavendra and Vijayendra. The political part of his life flowered as well, though not without challenges. Yediyurappa soon established the RSS in Shikaripura in accordance with his ideologies. This irked several locals, and many tried to foil his attempts. However, he dismissed all negativity and went on to build a strong branch of the RSS. Many open-minded youngsters lent their support to his endeavours. Day by day, the Sangh grew more and more powerful. A Ganesha festival was organised to further strengthen the association. It garnered great response. The sequence of events in this new habitat gave Yediyurappa a new, strong base he had himself created — and led the path on to higher realms. Yediyurappa was eventually appointed as the executive of the Shikaripura unit of the RSS. And, in 1972, he finally was to enter active politics as the president of Shikaripura Jan Sangh. And eventful time it was — 1974-1976, he served in the cooperative field as director of the Veerashaiva Society and was elected to the municipality as a candidate for the Jan Sangh in 1975 (he was to be finally elected Shikaripura municipal president two years later). It was also a fateful time for a political baptism. It was the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the Emergency was soon to be declared in the country. Yediyurappa was jailed for defying the Emergency along with other leaders of

Jan Sangh. He was initially kept in the Shivamogga jail but was later shifted to Ballari. During this period, Mythradevi was supposed to be arrested as well but was pardoned as she was pregnant. Even at such a critical juncture, Yediyurappa did not shy away from fighting. In the aftermath of the Emergency, Yediyurappa started strengthening the party in Shikaripura. Displeased over this, a few supporters of Shikaripura’s MLA K Yenkatappa physically assaulted Yediyurappa brutally -- it was a battle for life and death, but the indomitable man was to survive. While building the RSS in Shikaripura, Yediyurappa understood one fact very clearly – that the Bharatiya Janata Party cannot thrive as a mere urban-centric, upper-class party. For the party to grow vigorously, it had to take root in rural areas. He understood the reality that the BJP could aim for power only if it responded to the hardships of the peasantry on the one hand and the Dalits as well as backward classes on the other. This became the basis of the political trajectory he then followed, forming a work index for Shikaripura and Shivamogga. In 1981-82, he initiated a massive struggle to rehabilitate the Jeethamuktha labourers of Shikaripura. He conducted a month-long, day-and-night protest and marched along with 1,700 labourers, which ended in front of the DC’s office. Eventually, Yediyurappa’s fight was rewarded. During the same period, he also exposed the irregularities in a government scheme

wherein labourers were hired for government projects in exchange for food grains. In 1983, the government decided to take over the Bagair Hukum land cultivated by the poor, backward and Harijans. In the same year, Yediyurappa fought hard to get these lands regularised. In the same year, he was elected as an MLA. He picketed for the backward classes in the assembly. He insisted that he would not stop protesting until the bill was withdrawn. As he recounted how millions of backward and Dalit families would come to streets if the Forest Act was amended to acquire the Bagair Hukum lands, he was in tears. Finally, the then forest minister, B. Rachaiah, withdrew the Forest Amendment Act. This prevented millions of families from becoming destitute. Next, he conducted a march from Shivamogga to Bengaluru spanning over 25 days demanding that panchayat elections be held immediately. The event was inaugu-

rated by Lal Krishna Advani, an eminent leader of the BJP. In 1988, he successfully organised farmers’ marches from Basavana Bagewadi, Basavakalyana and Banavasi to Bengaluru, demanding the waiver of farmers’ loans. After being elected as the BJP’s president for the second time, he organised a massive women’s convention in Shivamogga. He also conducted a rally in front of the Shivamogga MPMC with thousands of farmers, demanding a sustainable supply of electricity to the farmers, a protest which continued through to an all-night rally in Bengaluru. He also organised the ‘Save Kaveri’ jatha of farmers, from Kannambadi to Kaveri. He was the strength behind the farmers’ Sankalpa Yatra from Nanjangud to Hubballi. He also unearthed a fake Chhapa paper scam, saving the state government a loss of thousands of crores of rupees. Through these numerous struggles, Yediyurappa set the stage to build the BJP up

from Karnataka’s very soil. In addition, he also eliminated the notion that the BJP was partisan to upper class and urban areas. His work in Shikaripura was a huge success. From 1983 to 2018, nine assembly elections have been conducted. All these nine elections, except for 1999, were won by Yediyurappa representing the BJP. After becoming the president of Shivamogga BJP, Yediyurappa went on to apply the same model throughout the district, achieving more success. In Shivamogga, where the socialist movement was strong, the BJP, which had a divergent ideology, grew in strength. In 1986, Yediyurappa organised a massive convention for farmers in Shivamogga. The event was inaugurated by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the then chief minister of Rajasthan. He openly praised Yediyurappa’s organising abilities and predicted that he would one day become the chief minister of Karnataka. After being appointed as the BJP’s state-level president in 1988, Yediyurappa went on to apply the Shikaripura model across the state. The BJP, no longer confined to the upper classes and urban areas, started to spread its roots in Karnataka from election to election under Yediyurappa’s leadership. In 1985, the party had won in only two assembly constituencies, with a voting percentage of a mere 3.88. Under the leadership of Veerendra Patil, the Congress won the 1989 election. In this election, BJP won four seats, with voting percentage of 4.14. It was the effect of Yediyurappa’s unquestionable organ-

isational abilities that expanded the support base for BJP by 1994. In this election, BJP won in 40 constituencies with voting of 16.99 per cent. After this, BJP never looked back. In the 1999 assembly elections, it won 44 seats, with a 20.69 voting percentage. By the 2004 election, the BJP had further strengthened its power — bagging 28.83 per cent of the votes and 79 constituencies. For the first 20 months after this election, the BJP was in the opposition, with Yediyurappa as its leader. N Dharam Singh, of the JDS-Congress alliance, was the chief minister. That government collapsed in just 20 months when the JDS-BJP alliance came into being. According to an agreement between the two parties, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy would be the chief minister for the first 20 months and, for the next 20 months, BJP’s Yediyurappa would take over. However, Kumaraswamy, after having completed term as the chief minister for the first 20 months, did not vacate the chair for Yediyurappa. Deve Gowda and his sons retracted their support within seven days after completion of their term. As a result, the 2008 assembly elections became inevitable. This election generated a wave of sympathy for Yediyurappa. The BJP, led by him, won 110 seats in the assembly and secured 33.86 per cent votes. With the support of non-partisans, it succeeded in steering itself to power. For the very first time, the saffron flag became victorious in Southern India. Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurap-

pa, who was the pioneer of the BJP’s momentous victory in the state, took oath as the chief minister of Karnataka. During his tenure as the deputy chief minister, Yediyurappa, who held the finance portfolio, had implemented several pro-people programmes, including bicycle distribution to school children, Sandhya Suraksha, Bhagyalakshmi Bond, loans to farmers at low interest rates, increasing funding for Ashraya houses from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh, establishment of separate departments for the backward classes, establishment of Ambedkar and Valmiki Bhavans in each district, reserving about 26 per cent funding for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in accordance with their numbers, encouragement for Kannada literature and culture initiatives, grants for development of temples, mosques and churches, state holiday on Valmiki and Kanaka Jayanti, establishment of the Kaginale Development Authority, development of several temples including Male Mahadeshwara and Yediyur Siddalingeshwara temples, and ban on illegal ore shipping. He planned to take Karnataka to the peak of development. However, as a result of political conspiracy, Yediyurappa was sent to jail on petty charges, all of which he was eventually acquitted from. Dejected, Yediyurappa left the Bharatiya Janata Party and founded the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). The BJP lost the Karnataka assembly elections held in 2013. This election was a clear demonstration of Yediyurappa’s colossal power.

Eventually, he returned to the BJP, where he was welcomed with open arms. He was made the party’s state president again and declared the chief ministerial candidate. In the 2018 assembly elections, under his leadership, the BJP won a whopping 104 seats. Although that was nine short of a full majority, the BJP was decidedly back in the game. Yediyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third time as BJP had the most number of seats. However, he resigned after being unable to pass the floor test. Nevertheless, through this churn, the BJP had also expanded its support base by winning 36.6 per cent of the vote. This is what bore fruit when the BJP won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in 24 constituencies under Yediyurappa (and a BJP-backed candidate won in one more.) The mood of positivity was to flow back to state-level politics. Yediyurappa managed to win the support of seventeen MLAs who were tired of the bad, anti-people regime of the Congress-JDS alliance. Yediyurappa then became the Chief Minister for the fourth time. In the by-election held for fifteen constituencies, twelve seats were won by BJP candidates, once again proving Yediyurappa’s insurmountable strength. This is the story of the political journey of an ordinary young man who sold lemons in Mandya in the 1960s. Yediyurappa is a shining example and proof that a person born into a regular family can rise to great heights with hard work, dedication, perseverance and extraordinary resilience.

BSY

AS FINANCE MINISTER HAS PRESENTED

6 BUDGETS

Improving farmers' economy, irrigation, Bengaluru infrastructure, tourism, housing sector and industries is my government's focus area

Budget outlay and date of presentation are as follows;

March, 20 2006-2007

F35,875 cr

March, 16 2007-2008

F40,762 cr 37

July, 17

2008-2009

F47,240 cr

Feb, 20 2009-2010

F48,389 cr

March, 5 2010-2011

F53,639 cr

February, 24 2011-2012 GENERAL BUDGET

AGRICULTURAL BUDGET

F66,313 cr F 17,857 cr

Every victory of mine has had a share of joy and sorrow. It took many miles to win but fewer to be disappointed. But that is how victory has to be treated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you live it bittersweet

THE GRASSROOTS MAN

erseverance, patience, a clear focus and a dogged pursuit of one’s goals….these are the hallmarks of every good leader. But it is when that is combined with a capacity to link politics to people’s concerns that you cross a higher threshold. In BS Yediyurappa’s case, this capacity can be seen to flow from his early, humble beginnings. A firm grounding in the soil of Karnataka, which he has never forgotten. From his life, we can see how his connect with the grassroots is not some political artifice or slogan, but an umbilical link.

THE BIRTH OF CHANGE 42

Yediyurappa spent his early days in Bookanakere village, where he studied at a government school. After he completed his pre-university education from Mandya Government Intermediate College, all the landmarks of his long political journey are a testament to the fact that he was never bound by the horizons of his own community (the Banajiga sub-sect of Lingayats) but forged a wider comity, shot through with a concern for universal welfare.

A portrait of BSY's family

Filing nomination for Assembly elections accompanied by his wife Mythradevi

I have always believed that memories are windows of wisdom. They might be closed for a long time, but when you finally brush off the dust and peep back into your past, you learn a lot more than from walking out of the door which you see always open

Snaps from early political undertakings in Shikaripura

With younger sister Prema Leela

BOOKANAKERE

THE PLAYGROUND

“I, Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa”…these are the first few words BSY utters every time he takes oath at Raj Bhavan. He started his political career from Shivamogga — and that has over the years become his political turf — but Yediyurappa’s love towards his native Mandya

BSY during his school days (second from right)

has never ebbed. After taking oath, Bookanakere is the place BSY visits first to offer pooja. Yediyurappa also offers pooja at Siddalingeshwara temple. During his schools days, Yediyurappa was involved a lot in sports, mainly volleyball and football. Many of his classmates, who are still at Bookanakere, remember him as a dynamic boy who showed signs of being a born leader right at that early age. “We both studied together till Class 7. He had leadership qualities, and knew how to translate his promises into reality even then. We knew he would reach heights, we are proud to say we studied together,” says Thirumala Gowda, 79. BSY remembers most of their names, another marker of the kind of man he is.

BSY's children â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Padmavathi, Arunadevi, Umadevi, Raghavendra, and Vijayendra â&#x20AC;&#x201D; share a close relationship with their father and mother, Mythradevi. They reminisce on the loving, inspiring and guiding role they played to build their individual personalities.

FAMILY

O 50

OUR ROLE

MODEL RAGHAVENDRA & VIJAYENDRA — SONS OF BSY

ur father is our hero. When we open the basket of memories from our childhood, one of the many unforgettable incidents is the Ganapati festival in Shikaripura. To instil a sense of unity, equality and brotherhood in the locality, our father was the first man to install the Ganapati idol in a shamiana. He would spend days and nights there and organise many programmes. For around 15 days, people from all castes and religions would come together and participate actively in the festivities. He has influenced us through his daily actions — right from the way he would do pooja sincerely to his style of dressing to even the way he neatly combed his hair. All this subconsciously had an impact on us. We learnt the meaning of discipline from him. He has a strong work ethic. For instance, we observed how he would list the tasks in his day planner and complete all of them on priority. This is one of the things we have always admired. People who know us say that we have the same grooming routine, sense of style and way of handling things as our father -- something that we have learnt over four decades of observing him. He loves reading. His room at our hometown was a mini library, and had the best collection of books. "If I (Vijayendra) recall the way he used to read books during free time, I can tell you this: even for exams, I haven’t done as much reading as he would do normally." “I was born in 1975, the year Emergency was declared in India. My father was jailed. My mother who was pregnant with me then

What I admire about my father, among many other things, is his handwriting -- very neat and legible. He would write impeccably even while travelling on a bus. Irrespective of how far he travelled, he would always carry a pen and a small notepad with him Vijayendra, Son had been to jail to meet my father. My elder brother was born with the blessings of Sri Raghavendra Swami of Mantralaya, of whom my father is a great devotee. Hence, he was named Raghavendra. With the blessings of Sri Raghavendra Swami’s guru, Vijayendra Sarasvati, I was named Vijayendra." “During summer vacations, when I (Raghavendra) would come to Shikaripura from Bengaluru, father and I would cycle to our paddy fields. He had taught me the A, B, C of farming — from tilling the land and planting seeds to large-scale management of the farm. We used to mainly cultivate betel nut, coconut and banana — and I learnt a great

deal about these crops. I also learnt to respect the soil and the farmer’s toil because of him. Although father was away managing the state, he would always remember the crops we grew on our land at Shikaripura, the approximate yield and their market price." His dream was to 'serve through politics'. For that, he was committed through his words and deed and he would put his mind, body and soul into it. There have been instances earlier where our entire year’s crop yield had been used for political causes. Similarly, once he had taken our mother’s gold jewellery to Bengaluru to sell and he used that money for organising political rallies. This did not mean that he did not care for us. He gave all his children the best education. He ensured that we were admitted to a hostel in Bengaluru so that we would get greater exposure. "My (Raghavendra) interest in politics and social work stemmed from watching dad. Shivamogga’s political realm is different from other regions. I have learnt to tackle Shivamogga’s issues and understand its intricacies under my father’s guidance. Being elected as an MP thrice was due to the skills I acquired from observing and following in his footsteps throughout my career." Our father is a man of few words, but his words have immense weight. If we ever approach him for advice, he gives us his opinion and leaves it to us to decide. He does not prod us or interfere in anything. There have been times when we have been in difficult situations and he has always given us sound advice. He is also a man of strict discipline. Even those around him do

Dad taught us the value of food. During meals, if we ever spilled even a grain of rice, he would get angry and teach us about the value of each grain and the price the farmer pays to grow it Raghavendra, Son not indulge in habits he frowns upon. We have never seen his friends, party workers or MLAs chew pan or smoke cigarettes around him. "Even Viji and I (Raghavendra), whenever we were up to mischief in school, we were more concerned about being reported to our father than being caught by the teachers." He has taught us to treat all people with respect and welcome guests with a smile. There used to be bags full of puffed rice and mixture at home. Mother would chop some onions, add it to the mixture and make tasty snacks. She was a pillar of support for our dad. She worked tirelessly for us and we all love and respect her deeply. There was no compromise on food offered to guests, which we all five siblings still follow. Even the grandchildren have grown up enjoying being amidst a constant stream of

people at our house. Our father has had equal share of wins and defeats. From the municipal council member to being the CM, if you reflect on his journey and his contribution to the people of this state and its development, you can say that he is the embodiment of the saying, ‘No barriers can stop a person with a fixed noble goal’. He has dedicated his entire life to bringing a smile on people’s faces. He is our role model. We have learnt so much from him and continue to do so today. His resilience and uncompromising nature are something we try to emulate in our personal and political lives. It is impossible for anyone to fill his shoes, but we will try very hard to come anywhere close to it. He is a true leader and a visionary and we are immensely proud to have him in our lives.

53 Our house used to be a hub of political and social gatherings in Shikaripura. We don’t remember a time when there were no people around us. It is this early exposure that has made us what we are today Raghavendra and Vijayendra

IDOL WITHIN THE FAMILY

With Arunadevi, Padmavathi, Prema Vijayendra, Umadevi and Tejaswini Raghavendra

PADMAVATHI, ARUNADEVI, UMADEVI — DAUGHTERS OF BSY

henever one thinks of the idea of a ‘role model’, what may come to mind is a famous personality we may have once possibly heard of, or seen on television or read of in a book, a historic figure or even a superhero. For us, however, this was never a remote idea. All we had to do was look within the family. BS Yediyurappa is celebrated as a prominent political leader of this country. Having held salient positions for over half-a-century in the field of politics, the titles he has made his own through his struggle and vision -- municipal president, MLA, MLC, MP, Leader of Opposition, Dy CM, CM -- are well-nigh inexhaustible. But to us, he is our father. Growing up, we were never coddled by him. He always taught us to start our day early and be disciplined with our routine; something that our mother was keen on as well. Education was of foremost importance and we were always given the freedom to do what we wanted academically. He is the one who got us into the habit of reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Even to this day, irrespective of who he is meeting and what he is doing, he always insists on carrying a pen and a short notepad with him -- something that we all have picked up as a habit as well. He encouraged us to work and, today, expects us to be constantly engaged and advancing further in our fields of expertise. All of us children used to buy groceries from a shop owned by father’s good friend, Ramanna. Many people came home looking for dad, asking for solutions to their prob-

During my schooling, he was often the chief guest for programmes and annual days. My young self was tasked with delivering the welcome speeches or vote of thanks during these occasions and I remember feeling quite strange and conflicted to describe him -- a person who was, to me, just my father -- as a popular MLA of Shikaripura Umadevi, Daughter lems and my mother used to take notes of the people’s names and the problems they came with. She was soft-spoken and loving whilst being organised and headstrong. As for father, he always wanted our mother to join him abroad on his official visits and they loved to travel together. And for us, even with his toiling schedule, he always managed to make time. He often made it a point to visit each of the five children’s hostels. “One memory that

stands out for me, Umadevi, is of a time when he came to visit when I was hospitalised in Mysuru, just before leaving for Srinagar for a historic event of flag-hoisting. It was also mine and Aruna’s job each morning to physically run up to dad’s fellow MLA and friends’ houses and call them to our home on behalf of him.” Telephones were rare and connectivity was poor those days. So we daughters were our father’s messengers. One thing father loved and still does is to buy us children small trinkets and clothing whenever he goes on tours. He always

bought us the most fashionable clothing and the prettiest accessories. His taste and knack for picking out things has been impeccable. He always wore black trousers and a white shirt. When he went to meet the famous industrialist, Shri Khoday, he decided on a specific dress code and only from then on, he began wearing safari suits. “He has always been a foodie and loves to eat rava dosa, masala rotti, nippattu and ice cream prepared by me (Arunadevi).” A devout agriculturist, there were a myriad of instances when he slept in the fields during harvest season. We would carry

lunch for him since he was adamant on staying and guarding the farm vigilantly! He was always there for us when we needed him. His strong personality and ability to stand up to anyone made us feel secure. Having come from a background of agriculture, he taught us the value of money. Our lifestyle was far from grandiose. We lived modestly but when it came to finances for critical issues, our parents always had us covered -- even if it meant sacrificing their necessities. Possessing resilience and a strong personality is a necessity in political life. Be-

cause it is not a bed of roses as people often imagine…real danger lurks in the life that many others do not have to face. But he is lion-hearted -- resilience and determination have been his key strengths. He has never feared for his life. There have been various instances where he was put in physical danger, but he has braved them all. There were even times when our family received anonymous death threats. Mom used to send each of her children into hiding in different houses until the threat had passed. We remember numerous instances when we were sent away to sleep over, con-

BSY with family members

fused, in neighbours’ and relatives’ houses. We were told the reason only after we grew up. Father is devotional and his faith runs deep. He always wanted the lamp in the pooja room to remain lit. As a pastime on those rare occasions when he did find time, he enjoyed watching movies. He used to take our mother and us to the cinema whenever he could. He is an avid fan of authentic Kannada films and his favourite movie of all time is Bellimoda. Bhaavageethe, a form of poetic song rendition, is our father’s favourite type of music to listen to. Our mother was a good singer. Whenever he got free time, dad used to record mother’s renditions. As a person, he is truly unique -- extremely dynamic in the sense that his mind can tie up and understand multiple concepts at once. He can compartmentalise and process information faster than most people, and so he is genuinely always a step ahead of anyone else in the room. And he never turned that faculty into something negative -- he doesn’t like to hear people talk behind each other’s back. He never judges people, not just prematurely but also after knowing them. He also believes people easily (some might perhaps argue, a bit too easily) and is always positive about people’s capacities. He never dwells on the negative side of a person and is not one to hold grudges. He does not make political rivalries something personal. Also, he is indefatigable -- the amount of travelling he still does would faze a

There were times when father would start early in the morning from Bengaluru to reach Shikaripura and every time, he entered the house calling out mother’s name: ‘Mythraa….’ I always thought mother’s name sounded beautiful when it was uttered by him. Sometimes, with father absent for over two weeks, mother used to make sure that the household ran without any hitches. And every Saturday, my mother herself saw to it that the farm and field workers’ wages were paid without fail Arunadevi, Daughter

young man! Even at the age of 76, he refuses to forego even the most mundane of events scheduled across the state and insists on participating in them all. By the time we average Joes head back from work, or spend a day watching a movie at the mall, he would have started his day in Shivamogga, flown up to Bidar for an event, driven to Kalaburagi for a quick inspection and flown back to Bengaluru by nightfall -- all whilst planning the next day’s agenda. His travels are quick and sometimes haphazard. Meeting deadlines means racing against time and high road speeds. Indeed, he has always been a bit ‘hypocritical’ on this matter, in a selfless way! He warns his family against night travel by road and expects us to use the safety of public transport whenever possible. He was and always has been physically fit. He used to cycle avidly, irrespective of the distance or terrain he had to cover. Cycling was his preferred mode of transport to and from villages, even for election campaigning. He used to come home late, around 2 or 3 am, catch a couple hours of sleep and be out by 5 am whenever there was an election around. Even today, his time schedules are borderline ridiculous and inhuman! In spite of all his work, he stays fit with brisk walking every day. He even prefers to hold meetings and catch up with us or his schedule with his assistants whilst walking whenever he can! “I (Padmavathi) am reminded of my sister Aruna’s wedding in 1988…it was

In 1979, during the municipality elections, dad was headed out in the wee hours when he was beaten up brutally with a metal rod by enemies. He was bleeding profusely when neighbours rushed him to the hospital. He told my mom while on the hospital bed, ‘If I ever recover and get out of this alive, it is only for the purpose of serving people’. He was admitted for three months. I was in 7th grade then and remember our family being shaken up completely. It took us a while to walk around without anticipating the worst Padmavathi, Daughter

coinciding with an election where DH Shankaramurthy was contesting. Along with Aruna’s wedding invitation, our father gave out a letter to all party workers and colleagues saying he preferred them to work for the election first and that they need not necessarily be physically present

at the wedding to bless his daughter, that he understood if they couldn’t make it to the event. Such was his consideration for others’ work ethic.” His capacity of analysing and predicting political situations is unprecedented. We have seen him handle the most com-

plex and sticky situations with grace and charm. We have witnessed him prepare his first budget as the Finance Minister and the innovation that it entailed had us all in awe. His speed of working surprises us to this day. He wants tasks to be completed yesterday!

Having him as our father, we have had the privilege of knowing him from the intimate inside. He is truly a unique person. It is a feeling of utmost happiness and pride, and our greatest honour so far to have been his daughters.

TOGETHER, WE CAN 60

TOP GUNS 62

LEARNING, RISING

1984

1972

1985

1975 1977 64

At the age of 29, BSY was elected as president of Shikaripura Taluk Jan Sangh and entered public life

Fought for upholding the rights of Bagair Hukum farmers (landless people who unauthorisedly cultivate government lands) and prevented the forest department from planting eucalyptus saplings on the lands of the unauthorised cultivators

Served as Shivamogga District BJP president from 1985 to 1988. Elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly for the second time

Jailed for 45 days at Shivamogga and Ballari during the Emergency period

Became secretary of the Janata Party

1987

He travelled all over Shikaripura Taluk on bicycle to survey the drought situation and visited all the villages to have a first-hand experience of the ill effects of the drought. As a result, the government took relief work on a war footing

1980

Elected as councillor of Shikaripura Municipal Council, Shivamogga District in August 1975. Elected as president of Shikaripura taluk unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

1982

Led a group of 1,700 bonded labourers to the Shivamogga Deputy Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office demanding release and rehabilitation of the bonded labourers

1988

BJP president

1983

Entered Karnataka Legislative Assembly winning the elections. This election proved to be a turning point in his public life and shaped his political career

Worked as State

1989

Elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly for the third time

1992

Worked as BJP national secretary

SOARING THROUGH TIME

1994

Elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly for the fourth time and functioned as the Opposition Leader in Karnataka Legislative Assembly

1998-99 the second time

Became the State BJP president for

2007

As Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, he successfully presented two budgets. New Initiatives: Loan waiver, abolition of arrack and lotteries, farm credit at 4% interest rate, Bhagyalakshmi Scheme to empower girl children from BPL families, distribution of free bicycles to 8th Standard students from BPL families, Suvarna Kayaka employment training scheme to tackle unemployment problem, Sandhya Suraksha Social Security Pension Scheme for senior citizens, etc. Took oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka on November 12, 2007 to head the first ever BJP led coalition government in South India. But the tenure lasted for only seven days

2008

2011

He resigned on July 31, and then won from the Shivamogga seat in the 2014 general election by a margin of 3,63,305 votes

2004

Elected to Karnataka Legislative Council in 2000 and remained as Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) till 2004

2018

In 2016, BJP re-appointed him as the president of Karnataka state BJP unit. He was BJP's CM candidate in 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election.

2004-06

Elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly for the fifth time in 2004 elections and was the Opposition Leader from June 2004 to February 2006.

2006

Appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka on February 3 in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government led by H.D. Kumaraswamy

Took oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka on May 30. The tenure lasted for 3 years and 66 days.

2019

By-elections to 15 state assembly constituencies were held in Karnataka on December 5 and results were announced on December 9. BJP, the ruling party, needed to win six out of the 15 seats to maintain its majority. It won 12 out of 15 seats. On July 26, BSY was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka

STEP BY STEP

DURING EMERGENCY, HE SPENT 40 DAYS IN JAIL

A look at B S Yediyurappa's political journey makes it very clear that the RSS and its philosophy is the foundation of his political life. He worked hard for building Jan Sangh and later the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. At a time the BJP was considered as the party that mostly enjoyed the support of people living in urban areas, he realised the need and importance of taking the party to the masses and get the support from all sections of the society at the grassroots level. That was how his political experiment began from Shikaripura

He led a padayatra from Shivamogga to Bengaluru demanding that the government conduct panchayat elections. Senior leader LK Advani had inaugurated the padayatra

Municipality elections: In 1977, he was elected as the chairman of Town Municipality

Taking the RSS to all villages in Shikaripura was the first major milestone. Farmers, dalits, and youngsters from the backward communities joined the RSS as volunteers. The RSS spread its roots in all villages in the taluk

In 1965, as Jan Sangh candidate, he won Shikaripura Town Municipality elections. His experiment was so successful that his wife Mythradevi also won

1983

He launched a historic movement for regularising Bagair Hukum cultivation. He successfully fought for it in the assembly

went around Shikaripura Taluk on bicycle to 1985 He organise farmers during drought. That was one of his major pro-people struggles

1988

He organised farmers' rallies from Basavana Bagewadi to Bengaluru and Banawasi

1992

Took part in Unity Rally led by Murli Manohar Joshi at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir

an agitation to save 1994 Launched grama rajya

1995

He took part in Sankalpa Yatre and travelled continuously for 45 days

1998

Took part in Save Cauvery agitation and a rally from KRS to Talacauvery

part in Sankalpa Yatre from Nanjangud 1998 Took to Hubballi from Shivamogga to Shikaripura, 2002 Walked to support Bagair Hukum cultivators

2006

On February 3, he became deputy CM and Finance Minister in BJP-JDS coalition government

2012

He launched Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). He rejoined BJP in 2014

2018

The BIP emerged as single largest party and he took over as the CM. He resigned later

2019

The BJP under his leadership won 25 out of 28 LS seats.

2019

BJP won 12 out of 15 seats in the assembly bypolls.

DECISION

TIME

DRIVING

FORCE

DRIVE & DETERMINATION

Yediyurappa's defining trait is determination. Grit and tenacity are his other qualities. The kind of dedication he brings to work is inspirational, say his friends. He fights for just causes and goes to any length, literally â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he has taken out padayatras and bicycle yatras to get justice for the downtrodden. His mission is to usher in a glorious era of strong, stable and inclusive governance.

SECULAR

APPROACH

LOVE

he names of B S Yediyurappa’s home turf and district begin with the letter S — Shikaripura and Shivamogga, respectively. But this is not the S one is talking about. It is the Big S — Secularism. And he believes in the power of this S. Though Shikaripura constituency has about 50,000 Lingayat voters, the remaining number of voters is 1,20,000, belonging to various castes and communities. It includes more than 20,000 Muslim community votes. It was another S —'Sabka Saath'— that enabled Yediyurappa to win the confidence of all communities. His personal approach has ensured that this constituency turned into his bastion — a Secular one.

PEOPLE'S PROPELS HIM hikaripura constituency is one which has sent Yediyurappa to the assembly several times. An elected MLA always focuses on his constituency, like Yediyurappa. It is the people's love and Yediyurappa's trust in the local leaders that has ensured that he didn't have to visit Shikaripura frequently. He knew well that the party workers and leaders would follow his path and work for the betterment of the constituency. The voters too knew this. It is this mutual trust that stood him in good stead. The party workers always supported their leader and their role is significant in making Yediyurappa a ‘state leader’. This also helped Yediyurappa in organising the party base across the state, right from Bidar in the North to Kodagu in the South.

THINKING

FIELDS 76

uring his tenure as the chief minister of Karnataka from 2008-2011, several initiatives were undertaken to improve farm incomes. Contrary to the general trend among economists, he always stayed close to his belief that the agriculture sector has high potential to create employment and generate income in rural areas. But he was realistic enough to know there were crucial deficiencies in how agriculture and allied sectors were being sought to be developed. One of the main deficiencies, over several decades, has been inadequate investment. Most of the investment that goes into Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farms is the farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own. And since farmers do not easily get the capital assistance they require through financial institutions, the overall invest-

ment is substantially less than what other sectors enjoy. Lack of appropriate technology was another deficiency, according to Yediyurappa. He believed that, in spite of the technologies developed in laboratories and private research institutions, the fruits of these were not adequately reaching the farmers. This applied to appropriate crop varieties, as also agricultural practices, training and related matters. Processing and marketing was another area of concern for him. He felt that farm produce, generated with great hardship, does not fetch reasonable prices. Lack of partnerships, despite the expertise of many national and international-level institutions being available, was also an area of deficiency for Yediyurappa. He believed that there was a need to formulate appropriate policies in the direction.

Keeping these deficiencies in mind, Yediyurappa drafted solutions in his first-of-itskind agriculture budget. Firstly, the state provided agriculture loans at an interest of 1 per cent to farmers through cooperative societies. It extended the Bhoochetna programme with ICRISAT to all 30 districts to cover nearly 30 lakh farmers, mainly to help improve crop yield levels. The state also provided Rs 1,000 crore to improve the livelihoods of 10 lakh farmers under the Suvarna Bhoomi Yojane -- each farmer got Rs 10,000 (given in two instalments). There were a series of other measures. Yediyurappaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government also established an Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 500 crore. He increased the Agriculture Revolving Fund to Rs 1,000 crore. Rs 200 crore was provided to support organic farming and increase the number of organic farmers from 87,200 to 5,28,000 within a certain time-frame. He released an Agri-business Development Policy and even organised a Global Agri Investors Meet for the first time in the country. Due to his governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intervention, the fertiliser market in the state was stabilised. During his tenure, the Karnataka State Marketing Federation handled 23 lakh tonnes of fertiliser valued at Rs 1,800 crore.

A NOVEL APPROACH TO

SUCCESS

To improve the state of affairs in Karnataka, BSY moved away from the conventional thought, focussing instead on areas which were of priority. These were ideas which changed the political course of the state

t is clear that BSY’s welfare philosophy is based on turning government into an enabling factor that builds capacities and changes ground realities, not merely be a benefactor who leaves the core reasons for economic stagnation untouched. Offering distress relief has a role within such a frame too. To this end, in his very first cabinet meeting, he proposed a crop loan waiver of up to Rs 1 lakh, including all loans from nationalised banks and cooperatives. ‘Negilayogi Yojane’ was also suggested in the manifesto to provide direct income support of Rs 10,000 to 20 lakh dry land farmers who fall in the small and marginal category. To ensure that farmers receive 1.5 times the cost of production as Minimum Support Price, things have to be secured at several levels. For this, he envisaged a Rs 5,000 crore ‘Raitha Bandhu Market Intervention

Fund’ to support farmers during price fluctuations, a ‘Raitha Bandhu Department’ under the CMO to monitor implementation of all farmer-friendly schemes, a ‘Mukhya Mantri Raitha Suraksha Vime Yojane’ for free accidental insurance cover of up to Rs 2 lakh for landless farm labourers, the Rs 1.5 lakh crore ‘Sujalam Suphalam Karnataka Yojane’ to complete all irrigation projects by 2023, ‘Mission Kalyani’ to rejuvenate all tanks and lakes in the state, and three-phase power supply for 10 hours to enable farmers to operate their pumpsets. He also proposed the Rs 100 crore ‘Raitha Bandhu Scholarship’ to enable farmers’ children to pursue agriculture and allied sector courses in the state. He planned to enable 1,000 farmers to travel to countries like Israel and China every year to study best practices in agriculture under the Chief Minister’s Fellowship

for Agriculture. Developing crop-specific strategies for paddy, sugarcane, coconut, arecanut, coffee and other widely grown crops in the state was also on his radar. He planned to allocate Rs 3,000 crore to promote export of fruits and vegetables under a cluster-based approach through the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). The Rs 3,000 crore Kamadhenu Fund for the development of animal husbandry and dairy farming infrastructure and a Rs 1,000 crore fund for expanding veterinary services, both administered by KMF, also found priority. The Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation Bill 2012 was planned to be reintroduced. The Gau Seva Aayoga was to be re-established. His plans included increasing milk production to 1 crore litres from 77 lakh litres, increasing the subsidy for silk-rearing units of 1,000 sq ft area from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3 lakh and increase subsidy proportionately for smaller units. Another area of focus was women empowerment. In his manifesto, he announced the Rs 10,000 crore Stree Unnati Fund to set up one of the largest women-run cooperatives and the Stree Unnati stores to market its products at district and taluk headquarters. Loans up to Rs 2 lakh were planned to be given to women-only Self Help Groups at 1% interest. Apart from this, he planned to establish 30 new mini, micro, small and medium enterprise clusters under a Rs 100 crore Karnataka Mahila Enterprise Cluster Program to support women-run businesses. A corpus of Rs 100 crore was

earmarked to encourage women in the dairy farming sector. The ‘Mukhya Mantri Smartphone Yojane’ was to provide women from BPL families with free smartphones. Free sanitary napkins were to be distributed to BPL women and girl students, and at Rs 1 to other women under the new Stree Suvidha Scheme. The amount payable at maturity under the Bhagyalakshmi scheme was upped to Rs 2 lakh. The ‘Vivaha Mangala Yojane’ was to provide a 3-gram gold thaali and Rs 25,000 for the marriage of BPL women. And a Special Investigation Cell, under a woman police officer and employing 1,000 policewomen, was envisaged to investigate all pending crimes against women. BSY was also keen on empowering the youth. And thus, he planned to ensure availability of quality work opportunities for everyone through skill development, self-employment and job creation. He planned to establish 60 state-of-the-art Namma BPO complexes across the state and set up a corpus of Rs 250 crore for low interest loans to encourage local entrepreneurs to set up BPO businesses. Under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Laptop Yojane’, he planned to provide every student enrolling in a college with a free laptop. Other plans included developing six ‘K-Hubs’ as the biggest incubators and co-working spaces for startups in India at Hubballi, Bengaluru, Raichur, Mysuru, Kalaburagi and Mangaluru; earmarking Rs 100 crore for upgradation of sports facilities in government schools and colleges, and developing community youth centres.

The tired soul never weeps. It strives for another dawn and struggles to work again. But the profoundness of waking up and finding happiness is when one makes a difference to the life of others. And that is my sole pursuit

KNOWING

THE STATE

ravelling extensively across the state could keep a political leader in touch with the people and also help him know ground realities. B S Yediyurappa knows this. All through his political journey, he has been travelling the length and breadth of the state. When he was not in power, he used to organise the people across the state over any issue bothering them. During the Congress-JD(S) coalition rule, BSY went around the state to galvanise the party cadre as well as to apprise people about the mistakes committed by the coalition government. Most BJP leaders in the state restricted their movements to their constituency or a few districts. But Yediyurappa evolved as a state leader by regularly touring and keeping in contact with the people and gaining the confidence of the local leaders. This was evident during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when a corporator from Bengaluru was brought to Kolar and he went on to win the elections!

THE

THEIST

WITHIN A

24/7 politician, for B S Yediyurappa, there is no life beyond politics. But the God-fearing BSY has visited almost all the temples in the state as well as in other states too. He also visits mutts and seeks the blessings of the seers. Being a devotee of Guru Raghavendra Swamy, Yediyurappa visits Mantralayam (Andhra Pradesh) frequently. And he has named his first son Raghavendra, after the Mantralayam seer, and second son Vijayendra, the name of the Guru of Raghavendra Swamy. He is also a great devotee of Lord Huchchurayaswamy (Lord Anjaneya). Before filing his nomination papers and after the victory, he makes it a point to visit Sri Huchchurayaswamy temple in Shikaripura, built by Vyasarayaru.

Spiritual life has always been important to me. It provides a certain solace that helps me in overcoming every stumble. It is often in times of darkness that I have seen light

THE PERSONA

In BSY, there is the capacity to create a compelling vision and translate it into action and sustain it. Here are some perspectives on his ideology, politics, and policies.

A POLITICAL JOURNEY TOGETHER

THE MAN AND THE PARTY 92

HE story goes back to early 1980sâ&#x20AC;ŚThe BJP, fresh from the high of the Janata experiment, was at that time redefining itself under a new name -- and making a serious play for the centre stage of national politics on its own steam. This story of a leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political baptism coincides with that new chapter in Indian politics. In time, and more importantly, in content. The new party and the yet-to-be crowned leader were both set to reach for the sky while having their feet anchored firmly on the ground.

B.S. Yediyurappa’s commitment to a socially rooted political activism had already started back in 1965, when as a youth in his early twenties he began working through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS). A decade later, in 1975, he had taken his first plunge into electoral politics -- being elected as municipality president in Shikaripura, his hometown in Shivamogga district. But the definitive turn in his emergence as one of the tallest leaders in the state, perhaps in all of South India, came that day in the early ’80s, at a farmers’ rally in Shivamogga. Party stalwart Bhairon Singh Shekhawat happened to be there to address the gathering. The veteran, who had already seen three decades of politics and had once been CM of Rajasthan by then, was thoroughly impressed by a young man, still in his thirties. It was none other than BSY. He saw two essential traits in the young man: a ready connect with farmers and concern for their welfare, and a leader’s natural flair for communication and organisation. The impression BSY made was so strong that, at the rally, Shekhawat declared that the young leader would one day become the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The prophecy came true almost a quarter century later when Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa became the Chief Minister for the first time in 2007. That came as a fulfilment of the leadership traits Yediyurappa had always ex-

hibited. He was always the fighter, willing to take up cudgels for just causes. BSY had a special concern for farmers’ and labourers’ rights from his initial days in politics, recollects his longtime associate and party veteran from the district, DH Shankarmurthy. “He used to fight very aggressively for their cause,” he says. Shankarmurthy, former chairman of the state legislative council, had seen it all first hand as a comrade-in-arms. He recalls instances in the early ’70s when Yediyurappa used to visit every village in the taluk on a bicycle, and sometimes even on foot. He vividly remembers the day when he himself inaugurated one such “cycle yatra” by the young leader. Just like many other national-level leaders of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Yediyurappa was arrested and sent to jail during the Emergency, being lodged in Ballari and Shivamogga jails. At that time, many party veterans, including L K Advani, were lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail. Shankarmurthy too spent nearly 18 months in Belagavi Jail. Imprisonment during Emergency came as an early inflection point in young Yediyurappa’s political journey. It made him more resolute as a leader. In 1980, he went on to become president of the Shikaripura taluk unit of the BJP. Within three years, he was elected to the assembly for the first time. And, by 1985, he was the party’s Shivamogga district president. The growth arc was set.

But growth, in his case, never meant displacement from the roots. Even before his entry into the state legislature in 1983, it was his attentiveness to the inequalities of society, and his ethical response to them, that marked out BSY. A new phase had started with his fight against bonded labour. In 1981-82, he staged a day-and-night dharna in front of the taluk panchayat office in Shikaripura to free bonded labourers from their employers’ clutches and rehabilitate them. His fight for the cause of bonded labourers brought him recognition across the state. He even took out a massive padayatra from Shikaripura to Shivamogga with thousands of bonded labourers freed from their employers. Such was his impact that the district and state administration had to focus all attention on the accursed fate of bonded labourers. This fight, where he exhibited both his connect with grassroots issues and his capacity to articulate those issues in the public sphere, became one of the factors that helped in his first election in 1983. In 1985, when a severe drought hit Shikaripura taluk, Yediyurappa toured the entire taluk on his bicycle and listened to the problems of the people. He demanded that the government waive farmers’ loans and took out a yatra from Basavanabagevadi to Basavakalyan and from Banavasi to Bengaluru. Once he entered the assembly, there was no looking back. Being a legislator

gave him a further impetus to fight for the causes he believed in because it offered him a platform to voice his ideas. As he was slowly making it big in his own party and in state politics, BSY took up several social causes and issues. He took out another padayatra and staged a day-and-night dharna to demand title deeds for ‘bagair hukum’ cultivators. His journey as a legislator was remarkable -- beginning in 1983, he won eight elections, except the one in 1999. He first became the leader of the opposition in 1994. In 1999, the only time he lost an assembly election, he became a member of the legislative council, and reverted to being leader of the opposition in the legislative assembly again in 2004. The next step came up two years later, when he became the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister in the JDSBJP coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy in 2006. The pact between the two coalition partners was that the JDS would relinquish the CM’s post after 20 months in favour of the BJP. Thus, Yediyurappa took over as CM in 2007, but had to step down just a week later as the regional party did not extend support to him as promised. Never one to give up without fight, the Lingayat strongman travelled extensively across the state and galvanised his party cadre. The groundswell was such that, much before the 2008 elections, it became clear that Yediyurappa would return as CM. For the first time, under his

leadership, the BJP crossed the mark of 100, falling just short of getting a simple majority of 113 in the House of 225. As independent legislators extended their support, the BJP formally took office under his leadership -- its first real electoral success in South India! His tenure as CM saw him implement a number of programmes and welfare schemes benefiting a cross-section of people. But adverse political circumstances at that point in time forced him to leave the party â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and neither side prospered. The KJP, led by Yediyurappa, did not win too many seats in the 2013 assembly elections despite getting support from people across the state. The BJP without him was rudderless as well. The breach was filled soon enough, though. BSY was back in the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and won from his native district, Shivamogga. Realising his potential and huge popularity across the state, he was made the party state president in 2016. Yediyurappa worked tirelessly to ensure that the party was battle-ready before the 2018 assembly elections. Thanks to his hard work and the support he got from all senior leaders in the party, the BJP yet again emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats in the 2018 elections. As leader of the single largest party, Yediyurappa took oath as the CM for the third time, but had to resign within three days as he could not get enough time to prove majority on the floor of the House.

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Though the Congress numbers had dropped significantly and the JDS had managed to win just 37 seats in the assembly elections, the parties joined hands to form a coalition government. But as infighting soon took its toll, Yediyurappa came across as a focused field marshal. He was keen on playing a big role in ensuring Narendra Modi’s return to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Under Yediyurappa’s leadership, the BJP created yet another record. For the first time, the party won 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats. Backed by the

BJP, Sumalatha Ambareesh, who contested as an independent candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha seat, even trounced then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s actor son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, in a constituency considered to be a JDS stronghold. After the BJP’s massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, the coalition government collapsed due to its own internal contradictions. Kumaraswamy was forced to resign as 17 MLAs -- 14 Congress and three from JDS -- resigned from their

assembly membership. That paved the way for Yediyurappa’s return as Chief Minister for fourth time. Under his leadership, the party won 12 out of 15 assembly seats during the byelections in December 2019. With that, the BJP’s strength in the assembly went up to 117, well past the simple majority mark of 113. The fortunes of the party and the leader were closely intertwined. Such was the credible appeal of BSY -- as an apt vehicle and conduit for the party’s charis-

matic national leadership -- that the BJP made inroads into the Old Mysore region, considered an impregnable bastion of JDS/Congress. From being a town municipality member to a four-time Chief Minister, Yediyurappa has come a long way. The BJP’s own journey in the state -- its emergence as a true pan-Karnataka party -- too can be mapped entirely on to his graph of success. Now, as the Chief Executive Officer of the state, he works tirelessly for the state’s welfare without even taking a break.

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I have always believed in the strength of collaboration. Every person who has come in close contact with me has left a deep mark on my mind, giving me memories of a lifetime

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HARVEST OF

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haracter is a deep and stable part of a leader’s personality. Its imprint reveals itself like a pattern, consistent in the way it guides his actions -- even as it expands and evolves. A brief scan of BS Yediyurappa’s career, not as a politician but as a policymaker, gives us precisely such a picture: one of unwavering commitment. On November 12, 2007, it was under trying circumstances, with a difficult coalition partner, that B.S. Yediyurappa first took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka — the 25th in the state’s history. It was a fated stint, for Yediyurappa was forced to resign within a week. But that only strengthened the resolve of the man who singlehandedly brought the BJP into power for the first time in a southern state. That intent was clear on May 30, 2008, during his second swearing-in ceremony as

Chief Minister. Yediyurappa -- dressed in a white safari suit with a green shawl over his shoulder -- took his oath in the name of God and farmers. Nothing could have encapsulated his politics better. Right from his days as a young Sangh activist till today, when he holds the office of Chief Minister for the fourth time, the spelling of his name might have changed from Yediyurappa to Yeddyurappa and back -- but the man’s focus on making farmers’ concerns a priority hasn’t. This is perhaps why it comes as no surprise that a majority of his schemes are pro-farmer, pro-poor. Such is Yediyurappa’s commitment to the cause of farmers that, in 2011, he presented the first budget ever to focus only on agriculture — an emphatic statement to come from the hypermodern capital of a largely agrarian state. That set a trend of sorts.

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IDEAS TO

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UPLIFT

n June 2019, when he took oath as Chief Minister for the fourth time, Yediyurappa announced Rs 4,000 additional benefit to every farmer under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana, taking the state’s contribution to Rs 6,000 per farmer, matching the Centre’s contribution. In his 2011 budget, he had set aside a whopping Rs 17,857 crore for the development of agriculture and irrigation. But it isn’t just the farm sector that knows Yediyurappa as a benefactor. It was he who envisioned the revolutionary Maitri scheme to provide pensions for transgenders — one of the most marginalised sections of our citizenry. Although the scheme was implemented much later, by another Chief Minister, it was Yediyurappa’s brainchild. And his Manasvini scheme ensured pensions for single women — divorced or unmarried -- below the poverty line. That being just one of the women-centric policies initiated by Yediyurappa. But a focus on agriculture is a demanding task in a state that has been living through a protracted crisis brought on by years of drought -- it calls for a solution-oriented approach. That’s where his Sujala Watershed Scheme struck gold in rain-dependent districts, leading to the development of close to

41,000 hectares of land. The scheme bagged three national awards. Among his other farmer-friendly schemes is Suvarna Bhoomi Yojana, under which Rs 10,000 was paid out to 10 lakh farmers who own less than two acres of land, besides loans at 1 per cent interest. Yediyurappa has always taken pride in being the son of a farmer. Perhaps this is why it came naturally to him to introduce a ‘Raitha Geethe’, an anthem for farmers. Dedicated to the country’s real ‘Annadata’, this song is rendered at government events alongside the state and national anthems. The Bhoochethana scheme introduced by Yediyurappa ensured a crop boom in dry lands. The Organic Farming Mission was constituted for the first time under his leadership, bringing together 83,000 farmers who adopted pro-nature practices. Some 76,000 hectares of land in Karnataka were brought under organic farming, thanks to this farmer’s son. As a means to popularise organic farming among farmers, BSY took the initiative of going to their doorstep. Once a month, the Chief Minister would visit villages to interact with farmers and create awareness about organic farming. The primary agenda there is to reduce the usage of chemical fertilisers.

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CROP

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ith the deteriorating groundwater situation turning into a nightmare for farmers, Yediyurappa also promoted drip irrigation. In fact, his government made drip irrigation mandatory as a policy matter. For the curious but uninitiated farmer, Yediyurappa set up the ‘Antharaganga Micro Irrigation Corporation’ with the single-point agenda of extending technical assistance and subsidy to farmers. It was during his time that, at the cost of Rs 23,000 crore, irrigation pumpsets (IP sets) running on electricity up to 10 HP were made free for 18 lakh farmers. Responding to the situation of water scarcity, he executed the ‘Per Drop, More Crop’ initiative, which resulted in micro-irrigation touching 26,000 acres of land across the State. The Karnataka Agri-business Development Policy was also formulated during his tenure. During his previous tenure, farm mechanisation implements like power tillers and diesel pump sets were distributed to 84,467 beneficiaries across the state. He also stressed on ‘farm ponds’ under the Suvarna Krishi Honda Yojane, a scheme often mistaken as a Congress government success story.

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FINANCIAL

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ediyurappa, in a way, did the forward thinking for the farm sector. Farm loan waivers, free electricity or irrigation projects were only the beginning. His focus extended to the returns that farmers would get for their crop. During the Agro Expo curtain-raiser, Yediyurappa announced his government's plans to set up industrial clusters feeding on agriculture produce. He emphasised on the need to focus on crops grown in the region, offering attractive concessions to those setting up agri-related units. He is also planning to hold meetings with farmers in each taluk to create awareness on organic farming. From March 2008 to February 2011, Yediyurappa presented six budgets consecutively as finance minister and each of them exemplified his special concern for farmers. In 2020, when he is expected to present the maiden budget of his fourth stint as Chief Minister, Yediyurappa is expected to display his farmer-friendly side once again.

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MANTRA OF WELL-BEING F

or the welfare of the girl child, Yediyurappa introduced the Bhagyalakshmi scheme that provided financial assistance to parents or guardians of girl children belonging to economically backward families. His free bicycle scheme to students of class 8 was popular among high-schoolers. Even his loan waiver scheme didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end with farmers but was extended to fishermen and weavers -- two communities that have always complained of being neglected by consecutive governments. The abolition of arrack and lotteries was well received by women in the state. Yediyurappaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s push for the Suvarna Kayaka Employment Training Scheme to tackle the unemployment problem was aimed at helping the youth while his Sandhya Suraksha Social Security Pension Scheme ensured a sense of security for senior citizens.

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DEVELOPMENT &

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hile his heart lay with the farmers and the poor, Yediyurappa was also a man of integrity towards the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the two entities that brought him to politics. In his time as Chief Minister, Karnataka strengthened the anti-cow slaughter act and introduced the cow protection bill. A Sanskrit University was set up under his leadership. The honorarium of priests working in government-administered temples was increased. A scheme to distribute holy Gangajala during Shivaratri was brought in. Crores of rupees have been approved for the development of temples and setting up of religious institutions by Yediyurappa. His cultural thrust had a strong Kannada imprint. For the first time in 25 years, the Vishva Kannada Sammelana was celebrated in Belagavi — a border district in dispute with Maharashtra — in 2011 under Yediyurappa’s leadership. As Chief Minister, he also presided over two global investors’ meets with a specific focus on Information Technology and Biotechnology. From the first time he took oath as Chief Minister till today, infrastructure — especially in Bengaluru — has been a primary agenda for Yediyurappa. The IT city has featured with a huge allocation of funds in each of his budgets, but not at the cost of Tier II and Tier III cities. His biggest challenges as Chief Minister — whether in 2009 or 2019 — have been the furious floods that ravaged the state. In August 2019, Yediyurappa, then a single-man cabinet with no ministers yet to help him, toured 22 districts destroyed by incessant rains and floods to supervise rescue and relief efforts. That this gesture has been an unchanged aspect of the man throughout his career itself shows the depth and sincerity of his commitment.

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A FATHER &

A LEADER 116

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A DAVOS MAN FROM

BOOKANAKERE BY S A HEMANTH BENGALURU-BASED INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST

he ability to adapt to vastly different situations and protocols of social interchange should be the forte of any politician. But the ability is put to the severest test for mass leaders who rise from the grassroots. They are naturally in sync with the worldly concerns of their original homestead, in tune with those rural or semi-urban lifeworlds, and comfortable with that rustic language. How does one transition from there to the posh world of industry bigwigs? Understand their language and concerns? Or to national politics, where your interactions are perforce with leaders of your own party or that of others who may come from totally different social backgrounds? Ask BS Yediyurappa. He is not only one who has made the journey, but mastered its basic requirement: to be able to listen, and be open, while never losing your essential self in the process. He’s a leader who made his mark championing the cause of peasants, but he crosses that bridge with ease and elan. From Davanagere to Davos, if you will. And back. BSY’s first interaction with a top leader of the then Jan Sangh was with Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The latter, during a visit to Shivamogga, wanted to visit the world-famous Jog Falls. Yediyurappa was at that time secretary of the Shikaripura unit of Jan Sangh. He accompanied Vajpayee along with DH Subbanna, the then jilla karyavaha of the RSS. Both Yediyurappa and Subbanna helped Atalji climb up the stones to reach the top from the pit at the falls. Years later, an encounter with LK Advani

awaited, after the latter had taken over as president of the BJP on May 9, 1986. In June, he visited Karnataka and called on Yediyurappa -- and was closeted with him for over 30 minutes to know more about BSY’s programme oriented towards peasants and bonded labourers. But those were still meetings with political leaders, people familiar with the social base of India’s mass leaders. A more stark leap beckoned when BSY, a self-made leader of kisans, had to interact with industry giants and software honchos when he took over as the Chief Minister of Karnataka in May 2008. He was now at the helm of the first-ever BJP government in the Deccan, South of the Vindhyas, but this was also Karnataka -whose capital had now become a byword for global IT. Duly, he announced that he would hold a Global Investors Meet in the November of that same year. I remember there were snide remarks and sniggers from Congress and JDS leaders. What would a “rural man” like BSY discuss with IT and industry giants, they asked. What policies could he possibly formulate for the industries? The answers came when the GIM actually unfolded in November 2008. It may have been a bemusing sight for rivals to see Yediyurappa -- a Kannada-speaking kisan leader -- shedding his trademark white safari suit for a formal suit and tie, shaking hands and conversing in English with industry giants like Lakshmi Mittal, Azim Premji, N R Narayana Murthy, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and others. But GIM 2008 was perhaps the best ever in tone, tenor, content and outcome. As many as 151 top companies took part, and investment promises to the

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tune of several thousand crores flowed. Many other elements of policy action from BSY showed his capacity to think holistically — integrating core urban needs into his grassroots vision. Conscious of the fact that infrastructure development would be the prerequisite for any investment to fructify, Yediyurappa set out to improve road connectivity. It was during his tenure that not only Bengaluru and other corporations but also district headquarters and Tier III cities saw asphalting of roads. Besides the actual work, the elaborate preparation he had made through his officers to showcase Karnataka, Yediyurappa saw no dishonour in making conscious efforts to comport himself well in the Anglophone environment of an investors’ summit, for the sake of Karnataka. “If I commit a mistake, I will be letting down the entire state. I should not do that. I must be extra careful,” Yediyurappa had told some of his close associates before the start of GIM 2008. That event brought about a visible change in his entire demeanour. Hitherto tending to be serious and grim-faced, the new Yediyurappa was a welcome surprise, smiling and laughing as he interacted with IT honchos. Keen political observers were pleasantly surprised to see this welcome transformation. During his tenure as CM, Yediyurappa also had interactions with a number of foreign dignitaries, including delegations from Switzerland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Singapore and many other countries. During all these moments, BSY showed enormous social tact, presence of mind, and abundant

common sense. He was keen on understanding the infrastructural requirements of companies that showed interest in investing in Karnataka. The state’s progress was always in his heart. A meeting of the National Integration Council, convened by the Congress-led UPA, enabled BSY to interact with his counterparts from other states. Yediyurappa’s stature among chief ministers grew in proportion with the groundswell of support he had been enjoying in his own home turf. A word of appreciation came even from a political rival — the then Home Minister, for handling a sensitive law and order issue. A rare event in politics that increased BSY’s stature. Yet another important milestone in Yediyurappa’s career came with the visit of Narendra Modi to interact with ministers of the state BJP government at a session held in Mysuru in 2009. It demonstrated Modi’s love, affection and admiration for BSY, who was by now seen as the kind of mass leader and tough taskmaster in tune with the BJP’s needs. Many upheavals followed, of course, many twists and turns in the political career of Yediyurappa. But his return to the BJP in early 2014 and his fantastic victory in the same year’s parliamentary elections from Shivamogga now enabled him to interact with the Prime Minister and Union ministers apart from central leaders of other parties. Returning as Chief Minister of the state again in August 2019, Yediyurappa was in two minds whether to attend the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, that was held in January 2020. When he

was told the advantages that would accrue to the state on account of his visit, Yediyurappa decided to head to Davos. “Sir, it is after 17 years that a chief minister of Karnataka is visiting Davos,” a top official told him. That brightened up the chief minister’s face. “Then we must make the best use of this visit. Ensure that we are prepared and equipped in all respects to showcase Karnataka,” Yediyurappa told the officer. I was privy to this talk between the chief minister and the officer, and no doubt could be entertained about his clarity and sincerity of intent. At Davos, Yediyurappa was a buzzing workaholic, keen and eager to meet IT giants and industry heads. At the Karnataka pavilion, Yediyurappa was always fifteen minutes early for scheduled interviews/interactions with dignitaries. The speed and finesse with which he navigated those interactions -- indeed, the sheer scale of the professional calendar he set for himself at Davos — is something truly amazing. In back-to-back meetings, Yediyurappa met a whole global array of industry captains —

including the chiefs of Mitsubishi, Swiss RE, NEC Corporation, Dassault, Lockheed Martin, Arcelor Mittal, Novo Nardisk, Loho Group, Uber, GE, Coca Cola, Damal Group, Crescent Petroleum, DENSO Corporation, Bharat Forge, Adani Group, Hitachi, Dalmia Cements etc. “It is amazing that a 77-year-old man was so active, that too in that freezing cold. He was dynamic and vibrant during all the interactions. The comfort level he exhibited with global industry heads was something to see,” said another officer who had accompanied the chief minister. In fact, it was a sight also to see Yediyurappa holding close talks with his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Kamal Nath, who not only belongs to a diametrically opposite pole in politics but is also from the Doon School set. The ease and comfort with which he interacted with top officers of the PMO and the Centre was also appreciated. “My task is to get maximum benefits to Karnataka, no matter whom I should meet or interact. I do not stand on prestige when it comes to development of Karnataka,” Yediyurappa told this reporter, after his return from Davos. BS Yediyurappa, the man from Bookanakere, is still growing, in stature and range, as a political leader. And is willing to grow and learn to adapt. The series of adaptive transformations he has managed in his own personality -- never once abandoning his true self -- encapsulates the man. His live contact with the rural masses now blends seamlessly with the needs of global conversations. And the qualities that he assiduously cultivated for that continuing growth rest well with his natural charisma.

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THE

CHIEF

As Chief Minister, BSY took decisions which were ahead of times. His budget presentations influenced change, signalling a new dawn for Karnataka.

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BUDEGT SPEECH 2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9 | J U LY 1 7, 2 0 0 8

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uring the last five years, our national economy has achieved a growth rate of 8.7 per cent. But, in view of the present economic conditions, characterized by high rate of inflation and tight monetary policy, the growth rate is likely to slow down. The rate of inflation at 11.89 per cent which is the highest in the last seven years has adversely affected the prices of food grains and edible oils, causing severe hardship to the poor people. The measures taken so far by the Government of India in improving supplies and controlling prices through monetary policy have had limited impact. The Reserve Bank of India has initiated several measures to tighten the monetary policy for bringing a balance in financial management. In this background, there is

no doubt that the economic growth in our state is going to be affected by the prevailing uncertainty at the national and international level. Within a month of taking the responsibility of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration, our government has had to take steps to reduce the impact of increases in the prices of petroleum products by reducing sales tax. Due to the reduction of sales tax on petrol, diesel, etc., we have to face a reduction of about Rs.380 crores in our revenues. Due to reduction in state sales taxes, the price of petrol has gone down by Rs.1.35 per litre and the price of diesel has been reduced by 65 paise per litre. The price of cooking gas has also been reduced by Rs.10.34 for a cylinder. Even after taking these initiatives, the prevailing prices of petroleum products in our state are higher than those in

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other states. The reason for this is that the oil companies have fixed their basic prices for sale in Karnataka at a higher level. I have appealed to the Government of India to set right this imbalance. The state has got limited financial resources and very restricted fiscal space to control such high inflation. Therefore, I request the Government of India through this house to take effective measures to control inflation. STATE OF ECONOMY

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As the Hon’ble Members are aware the growth of Karnataka’s economy during the last six years has been adversely affected due to adverse seasonal conditions and the consequent poor performance in the sector of agriculture. During the 10th Five Year Plan the growth of the Gross State Domestic Product was at an average of 6 per cent per annum (at constant prices of 1999‑2000) as compared to 7.8 per cent per annum of the Gross Domestic Product of the Country. The growth of the state’s economy has improved from 6.2 per cent in 2006‑07 to about 7 per cent during 2007‑08 taking the GSDP to Rs.2,15,282 crores (at current prices). The per capita income at current prices was estimated to be Rs.37,576 during 2007‑08 as per advance estimates. The bulk of the GSDP is contributed by the services sector which has a share of 55.72 per cent followed by the secondary sector including manufacturing and mining with a share of 25.16 per cent. The primary sector (Agriculture and allied

129 activities) which provide employment to about 56 per cent of the state’s work force is estimated to contribute 19.13 per cent of the GSDP. During the 11th Five Year Plan period it shall be the state’s endeavour to step up the rate of growth to about 9 per cent which will correspond to the growth target for the country. The sectoral composition of the GSDP of Karnataka and the sluggish growth of the agricultural sector point to the need for accelerating the growth in the primary sector from less than 2 per cent to over 4 per cent in the near future. Similarly, the services sector which has shown a

high level of growth of over 9 per cent in the past will need to be supported to sustain and accelerate its growth using the favourable factors of human resources and the knowledge base in the state. The manufacturing sector which has shown a growth rate of about 6 to 7 per cent in the recent years needs to be supported to further improve its performance. The above factors point to the conclusion that while the state needs to mobilise larger investments in the agricultural sector it will also have to attract increasing amounts of private investments in the industrial and services sectors.

STATE FINANCE

Even though the growth of Karnataka’s economy has been somewhat below the national average during the recent years the state’s fiscal performance during the recent years has shown considerable improvement, thanks to a set of fiscal reforms adopted since the year 2000‑01. This has resulted in the state achieving and maintaining a revenue surplus position every year since 2004‑05 besides containing the fiscal deficit to less than 3 per cent of the

GSDP during the same period. As a result the state’s debt stock which amounted to Rs.60588 crores is within 30 per cent of the GSDP, by 2007‑08. The total debt servicing liability including interest payments during 2007‑08 was Rs.6018 crores amounting to14.73 per cent of the state’s revenue receipts. The path of fiscal reforms adopted by the Government of Karnataka has received the acclaim and support of the 12th Finance Commission and the Central Gov-

ernment. The state’s example in adopting fiscal reforms legislation as far back as 2002 has been emulated by other states in the subsequent years. The state has also benefited considerably by the debt consolidation and waiver scheme recommended by the 12th Finance Commission. At this juncture it is necessary for the state to carry forward the implementation of the fiscal reforms measures adopted in the past to ensure financial stability on a long term basis. It will therefore be imperative on our part to continue to reduce non development and revenue expenditure and conserve resources for capital investments. KARNATAKA’S DEVELOPMENT: A VISION

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Karnataka is acclaimed the world over as a progressive state. Its capital Bangalore is among the foremost centres of technology at the global level. The quality of human resources in the state has the potential to put the state in the forefront of the developed regions in the country. During the last six decades since independence the state has achieved considerable progress, and yet we have a long way to go in realising our development dreams. The present development ranking of the state is 7th position among the major states of the country. This is not in keeping with the immense potential and the high aspirations of the people of Karnataka. The vision of our government is to put Karnataka at the top of the developed states of

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the country and make it a model state. The blueprint for realising the full potential of the state for development is being worked out in the form of a vision document ‘Karnataka 2020’ by a team set up for the purpose. This blue print will unfold the strategy for achieving the total eradication of poverty, eliminating regional imbalances in the state, upgrading the fa-

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cilities for an orderly and comfortable life for the people in both rural and urban areas, and promoting social and economic equality in the state. I request the people of the state, leaders of all political parties and elected peoples representatives to co-operation in preparing this blue pring by giving suggestions. Our government would like to lay the foundation for a prosperous Karnataka during the next five years by following a certain development strategy: lOver 60 per cent of the people of Karnataka depend upon agriculture and related activities for their livelihood. It shall be the endeavour of the government to promote the overall development of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, sericulture, and related activities in order to make these occupations remunerative and sustainable ; lBasic necessities of housing, water supply, sanitation, roads, electricity, health and educational services shall be provided to all the people living in over 56000 villages and hamlets of the state; lThe cities and towns of the state including Bangalore , which is the pride of India, shall be provided with infrastructure and civic amenities befitting the progressive image of the state within the shortest possible time; l The development of human resources

to create 10 lakh additional employment opportunities in the growing manufacturing and services sectors with a period of five years; lThe creation of infrastructure for industrial development in all the districts and to promote industrial corridors across the state; lThe promotion of public private partnership for the speedy development of highways, railway lines, ports, airports, industrial estates, and power generation plants for the industrial development of the state; lThe conservation of the cultural and linguistic heritage and the development of arts and literature to enrich the cultural life of the people. Further, to promote tourism to highlight the splendour of Karnatakaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage and natural beauty; lThe implementation of special measures for supporting the economic and social advancement of the weaker sections and the minorities; lThe conservation of the richness and variety of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flora and fauna and the protection of environment to ensure the quality of life of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s citizens; lTo nurture the democratic traditions and institutions of the state including the Panchayat Raj institutions and urban local bodies for efficient, responsive and citizen oriented governance.

133

2008-2011

AGRICULTURE

134

FARMER

FOCUS BSY's focus on agriculture has always been evident since the beginning of his political career, and his initial three budgets (2008-2011) reflected his deep concern for upliftment of the sector

135

2008-2011

A STATE THAT

First state to implement ‘Bhoochetana’ Scheme for increasing agricultural productivity by adopting scientific cultivation practices in dry lands

MATTERS

Manthana A brainstorming session held for discussing development issues with officials and people's representatives

136

A special legislature session was held to discuss issues of agriculture and rural development A State-level Knowledge Commission was set up

Farmers extended short-term loans from co-operative societies and commercial banks at the lowest interest rate of

2009

Karnataka has secured the first prize for Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability

First state to bring out the Semi Conductor Policy

Appreciation for organising ‘Kaushalya’ (Skills Development) training programmes and Udyog Melas (Job Fairs) to provide jobs and job training to the unemployed youth.

First to introduce e-payments since

First State to unveil ‘Vision 2020’ for comprehensive development and thereby provide a model for the entire country Weavers and fishermen continued to get loans at the rate of 3% interest

Introduced ‘Janaspandana’ for on the spot redressal of the grievances of the people - an initiative to take the government to the doorsteps of the people

Bhagyalakshmi Schemes' maturity value enhanced to

A1 lakh

Established ‘Organic Farming Mission ‘ for reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers

Farmers study visit to China and Israel was organised to experience and understand latest agricultural practices

Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi districts received National awards for successful implementation of NREG Programme

Karnataka is in the forefront among the States which have adopted e-Tendering

RECOGNITION FROM ALL CORNERS Karnataka stood second in overall implementation of PMGSY in the country KSRTC and other public Transport Corporations have received more than 30 National and International Awards during the last 3 years. KSRTC received Award from Government of India for IT services.

Karnataka was the first State to completely introduce electronic ticketing system in the Public Transport buses and received the Union Urban Development Ministry's Award for Excellence

National recognition to the State's design and fabrication of low-floor buses for urban transport under JNURM Scheme.

The State received the Union Urban Development Ministry's 2009 Award for Excellence for introduction of completely transparent electronic recruitment system for drivers.

137

2008-2011

PRIME MINISTER'S CIVIL SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD IN 2009 National Water Award for the ‘Sujala’ Watershed programme

KUIDFC received the National Urban Water Award 2009 under Public Private Partnership category in five districts

National e-governance award for introducing Panchatantra software

Three Awards from ‘National Urban Water Supply Awards 2009’ for effective management of water supply by Hubli-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Chitradurga and Kundapura towns.

4 local bodies of the State received ‘Green Leaf Award’ for effective urban waste management

urban local bodies got ‘Icon SWM-2009’ Awards

5 cities of Karnataka received central governments ‘Swachata Award’. Mysore city is in second position.

Developing the state as a responsive, knowledge based society

Sujala watershed programme is implemented in 6 districts where dry land cultivation is in practice. 3 National awards for this programme.

Best Bio diversity award for the state bio diversity board from the National Bio Diversity Board

International UITP-ITF Award for best innovation in Public Transport

Ensuring quality health care facilities to all

VISION 2020

India Tech Excellence Award for introducing IT in urban Administration. State got 2nd prize

Karnataka is one of the few states in the country to adopt e-Tendering and e-Procurement. Conferred with the National Award along with ‘Asia Award’ for effective implementation

Enhancement of rural income by ensuring stability in agriculture and agri related activities

138

In the area of Financial Reforms, Bangalore Water board got First prize from central urban development departments ‘National Urban Water Awards’.

Information Department received 2nd prize for ‘Bidiri ware tabloo’ in the Republic day parade 2010

Ensuring availability of power and improvement of infrastructure for increasing economic productivity

Emphasis on boosting job oriented growth through the traditional skills of the working classes

Maintaining a harmonious balance between industrialization and urbanization in a systematic manner Empowerment of women in economic, social and political spheres bu providing sufficient opportunities

Bridging the gap between socially backward and weaker sections with the rest of society Protection and nurturing of Karnataka’s rich cultural heritage

REVISION OF POLICIES Several existing policies have been revised and comprehensive new policies in tune with the current requirements have been framed to effectively utilize the States available natural resources and vast pool of manpower in order to achieve all round development of the State. b Industrial Policy b Mining Policy bTextile Policy b Semi Conductor Policy b IT Policy b BT Policy b Wine Policy b Tourism Policy b Renewed Energy Policy b New SEZ Policy b Comprehensive Agri Business Development Policy 2011

NEW LEGISLATIONS 2009: b Karnataka Prevention of Violence against Medical Staff and Destruction of Properties of Medical Institutions Bill 2009. b Kaginele Development Authority Bill 2009. b Karnataka State Law University BIll 2009 b Karnataka State Gangubai Hanagal Music & Fine Arts University Bill 2009. 2010 b Agricultural Sciences University Bill 2010 b Horticultural Sciences University Bill 2010 b Karnataka Border Area Development Authority Bill 2010 b Karnataka Sanskrit University Bill 2010 b Azim Premji University Bill 2010 2011 b Karnataka Civil Services (Doctors and other staff transfer and control) Bill 2011 b Karnataka State Public Documents Bill 2011 b Karnataka National Law School Bill 2011 b Karnataka temporary job oriented courses employees merger Bill 2011 b Karnataka underground water (Recharging, Maintenance and Control) Bill 2011

139

2008-2011

SEEDS OF

About 7.02 lakh quintals of subsidized seeds worth Rs 89 crore were distributed to more than 27 lakh beneficiaries

SUCCESS

30,735

The yield in dry lands has increased between after the implementatin of Bhoochethana Scheme.

Krushi hondas (farm ponds) were constructed at a cost of Rs 30 crore under Suvarna Krishi Honda Yojane

This programme is under implementation in an area of 12 lakh hectares in 90 taluks coming under 16 districts. Bhoo Chethana Scheme will be extended to an area of

For the first time in the history of Indian States, a separate agricultural budget of more than Rs 17,000 crore was presented along with annual budget of 2011-12

45lakh

Organic Farming Mission was constituted for the first time. 83,000 farmers were enrolled for adopting organic farming practices. Rs 10.50 crore spent. 76,000 hectares were brought under organic farming.

Many new schemes including ‘Suvarna Bhoomi’ which provides for an incentive of

140

A10,000 - 10 lakh The State achieved a record food grains production of 130 lakh tonnes during 2010-11 Farm mechanization implements like power tiller, diesel pumpsets worth more than Rs 108 crore were distributed to 84,467 beneficiaries across the State

A83.56 cr

spent towards crop insurance scheme

small and marginal farmers across the state were announced in the budget . Orders were issued for the implementation of all new schemes.

hectares covering all districts

20L farmers practising dry land farming were extended financial incentive of Rs 1,000 each as one-time benefit and Rs 200 crore was allocated for this programme during 2009-10

245 Krishi Melas (Agri fairs) were organized by spending

A14 cr

Drip Irrigation was made compulsory to preserve under groundwater. Antharaganga Micro Irrigation Corporation was constituted to extend technical assistance.

Free electricity up to 10 HP IP sets for 18 lakh farmers. Rs 2,300 crore spent towards free electricity supply. In order to popularise organic farming among the farmers, a new programme called ‘CM’s visit to village once in a month’ was started. Under this programme, the Chief Minister directly interacted with the organic farmers. This became one of the most popular programmes in the state.

141

2008-2011

COOPERATION

Construction of 28 warehouses with a capacity of 84,000 metric tonnes is completed at a cost of Rs 401 crore. The remaining 27 warehouse buildings are at the final stage.

19.78

lakh farmers were issued Kisan Credit cards

FOR ALL

Karnataka has the distinction of starting the first co-operative society in the entire country. The society was started in 1905. By 2011, there were 35,000 co-operative societies in the State with a membership of over 2 crore.

9.68 142

lakh beneficiaries have so far been treated as out patients under Yashaswini Health Insurance Scheme. 3.46 lakh beneficiaries were operated upon. Rs 309.89 crore spent for the treatment as well as surgeries.

Karnataka Co-operative Society Act was amended and the new Act introduced

At the end of the financial year 2010-11, 14.32 lakh farmers received farm loans to the tune of

A4,647 cr

E-Tendering introduced by 45 APMCs in the State by spending

A16.86 cr

12,400

Milk Co-operative Unions started since 2008

1,76,417

Self-help groups have been formed through agriculture co-operative societies and D.C.C Banks. Rs 343 crore collected

warehouses were constructed with a capacity of 1.50 lakh metric tonnes. Karnataka Government extended a financial assistance of Rs 400 crore as Deposit fund to marketing federation during 2010-11. Financial assistance was increased to Rs 550 crore.

The production of milk in the State increased by 5 lakh litres (an increase of 14%) after the introduction of financial incentive scheme. The collection of milk in the societies touched an all-time high of 41 lakh litres a day. Under the Milk incentive scheme, a sum of

Rs. 616.28cr

was provided to 6 lakh women milk producers.

retired veterinary doctors were reappointed on contract basis to meet the shortage of staff during 2008-09.

113

veterinary doctors were appointed through direct recruitment during 2009-10

143

2008-2011

EARTHY ATTENTION

Horticulture crops in the State extended to an area of 20 lakh hectares during 2008-2011. Production of horticulture products reached 150 lakh tonnes per annum . Rs 3,556 crore worth of horticulture produce was exported. Karnataka stood first in exporting flowers and gherkins. Flowers worth Rs 50 crore and gherkins worth Rs 245 crore were exported.

New Horticulture College started in Kolar Rs 3.75 crore spent. New University of Horticultural Sciences started at Bagalkot

A21 cr spent

New Horticulture Colleges were established in Bidar, Bagalkot, Mysore, Sirsi, Hiriyur and Koppal.

New Wine Policy Implemented.

144

fingerlings were stocked in 482 tanks and reservoirs at an expenditure of Rs 8 crore

During 2010-11 under National Horticultural Mission

Around

A 119.36 cr

A5cr was spent for maintenance of link roads of coastal districts

released. Rs. 25.10 crore spent . Rs. 117.60 released for Micro Irrigation The area under Horticulture crops was expanded by about 1 lakh hectares during 2010-11. This resulted in the increased production of

A20 cr

11.42 lakh

spent towards production of fish seeds under Inland Fisheries Development Scheme,

The total value of horticulture crops exported from State touched

A10 cr

tonne horticultural crops

An exclusive research station was established at Sringeri to control yellow leaf disease affecting arecanut plantations. Rs 2 crore was provided.

8cr

A3,557 cr

178

Ice Plants and Cold Storages received a power subsidy of Rs 4.32 crore

allocated for developing Koderi Fishing Port - Rs 8.22 crore spent

Matsya Mela (Fish Fair) organized at Bangalore Palace Grounds was a success

Construction of 63 M length breakwater/ groyne with an outlay of Rs 300.00 lakh was taken up in Gangolli fishing harbour.

145

THE TWO BIG Es

2008-2011

146

EDUCATION & ENERGY

Education has always been a priority for BSY; his thinking being that to elevate the society, enlightenment is necessary. His other focus has been on developing resources for energy. Both sectors have evolved in the state under his leadership

147

2008-2011

BRINGING LIGHT

The State was facing a deficit of around 2,500 MW. The demand for electricity was also continuously increasing. This was evident by the total quantity of 39,774 million units consumed during 2010-11 compared to 36,118 million units during 2009-10. BSY's government purchased power from private producers to meet the demand. His government planned to increase the annual availability of power by about 1,000 MW by the next 3 years

1,300

MW of power purchased daily during 2010-11 to meet the deficit

148

The Government initiated several reform measures to make public distribution system more transparent.

Total established power generation capacity including public and private production was 10,640MW.

Power generation capacity increased by 3,532 MW

Niranthara Jyothi Scheme launched, implemented in two stages across 126 taluks with an expenditure of

A2,123 cr

746

km of gas pipeline being laid from Dabhol to Bangalore Rs 4,400 crore is being spent

CFL Bulbs distributed to 115 lakh houses under â&#x20AC;&#x153;Belakuâ&#x20AC;? Scheme, expected to save 3,300 million units of electricity and Order issued to provide Rs 100 crore for regularisation of 1 Lakh unauthorised irrigation pump sets Order issued to provide Rs 100 crore for regularisation of 1 lakh unauthorised irrigation pumpsets. Distribution of energy-efficient pumpsets to farmers taken up in Doddaballapur taluk on pilot basis

EFFECTIVE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 1,320 MW power project by power company of Karnataka at Ghataprabha

First unit of Udupi power project of 600 MW started. Second Unit of 600 MW capacity synchronised.

Approval for establishing Edlapur (800 MW) and Unit-3 Bellary Thermal Plant(700 MW) Coal-based power project of 4,000 MW capacity was being implemented at Kudugi of Bijapur district . Acquisition of land was in progress.

PROGRESS OF ELECTRICITY PROJECTS MoU signed for starting 1,600 MW. Thermal Power Project at Chattisgarh. Final Notification issued for acquiring 1,260 acres of land. Rs 141 crore paid for land acquisition

Software to prevent misappropriation in distribution of kerosene and ration.

Separate Yellow colourpainted vehicles to prevent misrouting of ration

Toll free number 1800-425-9339 for complaints. 2,944 complaints received; 1,796 redressed

Committee, Food 4 Vigilance Guarantee Committee, Food Security Committee formed at Fair Price Shop, Grama Panchayat and District level respectively for effective functioning of PDS

11,99,700 Anthyodaya and 84,82,648 BPL ration cards issued

Campaign to identify bogus cards started by linking the existing cards to electricity RR No in urban areas and house number at villages

Annapoorna Ahara Bhandara started on pilot basis to distribute ration on all days.

149

2008-2011

QUALITY EDUCATION

Development works worth Rs 5 crore completed at Karnataka State Women's University, Bijapur

For the first time in the state, the government provided free bicycles to all 8th standard students of Government and Aided High Schools. 20.54 lakh students were benefited. Rs 125 crore was provided for free bicycles scheme during 2011-12

Nali Kali Scheme has become very popular. It has been implemented in 40,137 Government Kannada Medium Primary Schools and extended up to 3rd standard. 7 lakh children benefited

150

HIGHER EDUCATION

New universities started: Davangere University, Karnataka Sanskrit University, Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadeveraya University, Janapada University, Music University, Rani Chennamma University

A 2 cr

released towards interest subsidy on educational loan scheme which benefits 24,000 poor students

A10 cr

National Primary Education Scheme was started. 74 Model Schools were established. States share was

A50 cr

released for textbooks, free of cost to 11 lakh students of government schools from 1st to 10th standard

Sanchi Honnamma and Sir C V Raman Scholarships worth Rs 1 crore and Rs 80.50 lakh given for 5,000 and 1,600 students respectively

Uniforms worth Rs 90 crore distributed free of cost to 57 lakh students and Income Certificate for admission to Rural Government Primary Schools exempted

Rs 2 crore spent for development activities of Music and performing Arts University at Mysore

232 Kittur Rani Chennamma Girls Residential Schools started in most backward taluks.

A52 lakh released

for construction of Government Polytechnic College building at Bidar

Rs 9.25 crore spent out of Rs 10 crore for the activities of new university at Davangere

Rs 10 crore allocated for the developmental activities of Music and Janapada Universities during 2011-12

Apart from Bangalore, for the first time, CET counselling started at Shimoga, Mangalore and Gulbarga

Rs 10,000 paid by government towards admission fee of poor meritorious students pursuing technical courses through CET

8 Monthly food allowance of hostel students increased, 66.68 lakh students benefited

2,821 High School Teachers and 11,037 Primary School Teachers newly appointed

13,000 Teaching Staff newly recruited

Expert Committee constituted to address CET seat allotment issue

Rs 10 crore grant for each university at Tumkur, Davangere and Bijapur

Rs 5 crore for Hampi University

Approval for starting Azim Premji and Alliance Universities in private sector

151

2008-2011

ROAD TO

DEVELOPMENT OF PORTS

PROGRESS

A 19 cr

spent for prevention of sea erosion in coastal areas

spent for development and maintenance of 10 small ports

SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

5,970 Km of District Main Roads Developed

A high-level committee constituted to implement the recommendations of Dr D M Nanjundappa Committee to redress regional imbalance

A4,605 cr

DEVELOPMENTOF 10,000 KM OF ROAD

152

A19 cr

3,713 Km of road and 68 bridges built under RIDF.

1,137 Km of road completed under Suvarna Road Development Project

1,494 Km of road completed under SDP.

734 Km of road development under State Highway renewal plan by spending Rs 53 crore

spent during the last three years for the development of 114 backward taluks under the special development plan

Roads connecting District Head quarters to District Headquarters Length of road and 322 bridges developed by KRDCL at a cost of Rs 842 crore

Connecting roads from State border to District and Taluk Headquarters

Special emphasis given to Education, Public Health, Skill Development and Rural Development in the SDP of 2009-10.

A2,123.61 cr D2,046cr D795 cr D223 cr D202 cr D53 cr D241 cr D842 cr

released and Rs 2,118.31 crore spent under SDP during 2010-11. Rs 2,975 crore allocated for 2011-12

153

2008-2011

IN THE PINK OF

HEALTH

Arogya Bandhu Scheme started on PPP basis at 56 primary health centres

Ayurveda Hospital building of 60 beds at Shivamogga completed by spending

A2 cr

upgradation of Government Ayurveda Hospitals at Bangalore, Mysore and Bellary Drugs testing labs constructed at Hubballi and Bellary by spending Rs 15 crore

Infant mortality rate in the state reduced from 45 to 41 (per 1,000). Mothers mortality rate reduced from 218 to 213. The rate of institutional delivery went up from 63% to 93%

154

Under the Vajpayee Arogya Shree Scheme, started in Kalaburagi and Belagavi divisions, 32.5 lakh BPL families of 13 districts covered. 8,740 beneficiaries availed the facility under the scheme which provided free treatment/surgery up to Rs 2 Lakh. Rs 40 crore was allotted for the scheme in 2011-12

Ayush Units to be started in all the District Hospitals Rs 5 crore allocated Panchakarma Hospital with 100bed capacity was started at Mysuru by spending

A3cr A23.58 cr spent for surgeries of 5,769 schoolchildren under Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya Scheme

998

117 70,661

primary health centres newly started in rural areas

2.18cr calls received and 10.77 lakh precious lives saved under Arogya Kavacha 108. 517 Ambulances were operating across all the districts

Aout3.72 cr of Rs 5 crore spent towards

out of 2,310 primary health centres converted into 24x7 service units

A10 cr allocated for starting Ayurveda College at Shivamogga

women have availed free delivery facilities under Thayi Bhagya Scheme

6,243

rural women who delivered children at private hospitals have been paid an incentive of Rs 6 lakh, at the rate of Rs. 1,000 per head Free medical check-up of 8.16 lakh Bhagyalakshmi Scheme beneficiaries and 2.53 lakh children treated for various diseases. 95 mobile clinics were pressed into service in the State

1,737

general medical officers and 5,863 paramedical staff appointed The IV World Ayurveda Conference successfully held in Bangalore in which representatives from 26 countries all over the world took part

155

2008-2011

RURAL LENS

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Under Total Sanitation Campaign, the unit incentive of toilets to be built by BPL families wasraised from

Reservation for elected women representatives in Panchayat Raj Institutions was enhanced from 33% to 50%

The honorarium of elected representatives , viz Gram Panchayat members, ZP and Taluk Members, Presidents and Vice Presidents of all these institutions was increased

A2,500-A3,000

Panchayat Development Officers recruited

Under â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jala Nirmalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Scheme , 612 works related to supply of drinking water in rural areas completed with an expenditure of

156

Financial support of Rs 354 crore to 2.75 lakh members of 22,000 self-help groups formed under Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarojgar Scheme.

1,132

A2,134 cr

A 388 cr

provided during 2011-2012 for the development of specified areas to address the problem of regional imbalance

A 45 cr

A 34 cr

A 6 cr

provided for Hyderabad- Karnataka Areas Development Board

2500

Under Pradhana Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 6,959 Kms of road developed with an expenditure of

Under Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 32,684 km of roads maintained with an expenditure of

A476 cr

villages developed under Suvarna Gramodaya Scheme. Rs 1,267.90 crore spent. Roads and drainage development works worth Rs 431.07 crore completed in 95 villages during 2010-11.

A211 cr 23 lakh individual families built toilets in their homes and more than 11,000 schools and Anganwadis also got the facility

Based on the progress under NREGA, the central government increased the grant from Rs 2,846 crore to Rs 4,781 crore for the year 2010-11. National awards presented for Belgaum, Gulbarga and Dharwad for excellent implementation of NREGA

provided for Malnad Area Development Board

provided for Bayalau Seeme Area Development Board

A 3 cr

A 300 cr

provided for Coastal Area Development Board

provided for Legislators Area Development scheme

A 50 cr

each provided for development of infrastructure facilities at Yadgir and Chikkaballapur districts during 2011-12

157

2008-2011

158

URBAN UPLIFT

A 532 cr

has been spent to provide infrastructure facilities across 7 Mahangara Palikes of the State.

Global level basic infrastructure facilities were provided for Bengaluru which has the distinction of being the fastest developing city in the world. Best quality roads, drainage and drinking water facilities , under and over bridges etc, were provided. Necessary action was initiated for the beautification of the city. Emphasis has also been given for the development of Tier-2 cities.

Increase in total amount spent for urban development , 165% and 122% increase during 2009-10 and 201011 respectively. Computerization of 214 local bodies Chief Minister's Urban Development Scheme implemented. Rs 340 crore released and fully utilized under this scheme.

Central Government's â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sanitation Awardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for five major towns of State; second place for Mysore

A 899 cr released for 4,000 works related to road, water and drainage development under Chief Ministers Nagarotthana scheme, Rs 653 crore spent , 73% progress.

E-Tendering System Implemented in 7 Mahanagara Palikes

Nagarapalike (City Municipalities) Rs 100 crore, Rs 15 crore for district headquarters, Rs 5 crore for taluk headquarters and Rs 2 crore for other Town Panchayats was provided to upgrade infrastructure facilities.

Rs 13 crore released towards free water supply to SC/ ST families under Nirmala Ganga Scheme

The survey of slums across the state has been completed. As per this survey, 7,87,604 families are living in 3,568 slums

Development works worth Rs 1,454 crore have been completed across 211 towns under Chief Minister's Small and Medium Town Development scheme.

Similarly, development initiatives worth of

A 626 cr have been completed across 211 local bodies

Notification issued for Kempegowda and Shivarama Karantha Layouts in Bangalore City

Development works worth Rs 208 crore implemented under Karnataka Urban Development Coastal and Environment Management Scheme

Approval for formation of Layouts in memory of late K C Reddy, D Devaraj Urs, Sri S Nijalingappa

All the offices of the urban and rural planning departments and planning authorities are being computerized with an expenditure of

A 4.5 cr

159

2008-2011

TECH TERRITORY

A2 cr

provided for starting IT Park in Kalaburagi Aryabhata IT Park developed in Hubballi, Amount spent:

Rural BPO Centres were started at Taluk and Hobli Headquarters

Rural BPOs set up, Rs.40 lakh per unit provided, Rs.4.6 lakh spent.

1,500 acres

of land allotted near Challakere to start second branch of the Indian Institute of Science,activities have already started

A3 cr

14 acres of land allotted to JNCASR near Hessarghatta to start Science and Technolony Policy Study Center.

Out of 712 applications for BPO Centres, 42 settled, 28 centers have already started working. Amount released:

A 8.2 cr

160

161

Software worth of

17.3 acres of land allotted to Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bangalore, to start an international centre for study of theoretical sciences.

A 85,000 cr exported during 2010-11 which amounts to a whopping 30% share of the total national software exports Bio Technology Park started in Electronics City. IBAB, Bio IT Centre and CHG Institutions started in first phase

Preliminary notification issued for acquiring 2,072 acres of land to start IT Investment Zone near B.I.A.L

IT parks are being developed in Mysuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi on PPP model.

TELEMETRIC RAIN GAUGE CENTERS SET UP IN 747 HOBLI AND 303 GRAMA PANCHAYAT HEADQUARTERS

A7.84 cr A19.54 cr Central share

A 5 cr

State share of released and fully spent

Bio IT Facility Centre Started in IBAB Campus of Bangalore Bio Tech Park

Tech Park is being built at Devanahalli

Permanent Seismic centers started at 12 different places across the state

TAKING CENTRE STAGE 162

163

164

The mellowed flame of spirituality has taught me that there is a humble fire within each of us which ignites several positive emotions and drives us to a mystical journey which is sacred. It is a lesson I have learnt after meeting spiritual leaders

165

166

167

RIVER OF

HOPE

2019-2020

A NEW 168

DAWN During his first 100 days, BSY was confronted with one major challenge, the floods that hit the state. While he handled the crisis as an ideal leader, he also ensured that other sectors were not neglected. Education, health, IT&BT, rural development were integral to his agenda.

169

TACKLING

FLOODS 170

Karnataka, which was facing a harsh drought, suddenly found itself in the midst of excessive rain and floods caused by the release of water by neighbouring Maharashtra into the Krishna river between August 3 and 9, 2019. During this period, Karnataka received 279% more rain than the average rainfall in a year and this is the highest in 118 years.

arnataka undertook what finally became one of the massive disaster-relief operations in its history. The National Disaster Relief Force, defence teams, Coastal Security Force, state fire and emergency services, police personnel, Home Guards and many other rescue teams took part in the extensive relief operations. The extent of loss on account of floods in August 2019 has been estimated at Rs 35,160.81 crore. As per flood-relief guide-

lines, the State had submitted an appeal to the Union government, seeking release of a compensation of Rs 3,891.80 crore. The Union government has released an interim relief of Rs 1,200 crore. l Some 103 taluks in 22 districts in the State have been declared flood-affected l A sum of Rs 417.93 crore in grant has been released towards flood relief under the State Disaster Relief Fund l To help the flood-affected people purchase clothing and utensils to rebuild their lives, the state government released

171

Rs 10,000 crore. Compensation amount of Rs 3,800 fixed as per the Union government guidelines, was increased to Rs 10,000 to help the distressed people l A sum of Rs 202.36 crore has been released for 2.03 lakh families DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

A huge number of people in the State depend on agriculture for their livelihood. They are in deep distress due to the combined assault of natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fury, failings of

comprehensive crop management strategies and problems linked to markets. Besides responding to cries of the farming community, the government is according top priority to the robust revival of the agriculture sector. In this backdrop, the government, on the very day it assumed office in July, decided to provide additional compensation to farmers who are covered under the Prime Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

drip-irrigation units in 1,350 hectares of mulberry-growing area l By integrating silk producers’ units in Pavagada of Tumakuru district, Shidlaghatta of Chikkaballapura district and Koppa of Mandya district’s Maddur taluk, efforts have been made to build a bridge between the silk farming community and the industry.

172 PRIME MINISTER’S KISAN SAMMAN NIDHI YOJANA

Under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, every eligible farmer family is entitled to an annual financial help of Rs 6,000. In addition to this, the Karnataka government hands out Rs 4,000 in two instalments under the PM Kisan Karnataka Yojana. The state government has fixed a grant of Rs 2,200 crore for this programme. The state government has transferred Rs 489.13 crore to 24,45,699 beneficiaries’ bank accounts as part of disbursal of the first instalment of Rs

2,000 l The Union government has chosen Karnataka for its commendation award on its spectacular achievement of bettering and taking its pulses output to a five-year high MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2019-20

l The department has launched e-auction in 10 silk markets to bring transparency in the sector and also help farmers get best and remunerative prices for their produce l The department has released Rs 1,076.909 lakh assistance under the Prime Minister’s Krishi Sinchai Yojana to introduce

tive approval to a Rs 30-crore project estimate that seeks to install a network of pipelines to carry additional 35 MLD water from Agara (STP) lake to K&C Pump House PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES: MAJOR AND MEDIUM IRRIGATION The Government of Karnataka is committed to extending the number of acres under irrigation and it has given the sector utmost priority. Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project has secured the approval of the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment. Works under Phase 3 of the Upper Krishna Project have picked pace. The government is making all efforts to see that water allocation made by different tribunals is judiciously executed. For the year 2019-20, the department has been allocated Rs 17,212.33 crore. From April to June 2019, the department has achieved progress in projects worth Rs 3,278.76 crore.

l For the first time, the department is giving nutrition-rich milk to 10,567 children of 155 special schools in the State l Concerned by the weight of the bags schoolchildren carry, the government has taken bold measures and issued advisories to aided and unaided schools to ensure the weight of the bag must not exceed 10% of the average body weight of the student of that age l The department is in the process of appointing 10,000 new teachers in primary schools l The government has released grants to repair or rebuild a total of 5,771 classrooms across Karnataka — 3,202 in primary schools, 2,120 in high schools and 449 rooms in government PU colleges — to improve basic infrastructure for the year 2019-20

DEPARTMENT OF MINOR IRRIGATION

HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

l The department has given administrative approval for a Rs 29-crore project proposal that seeks to fill 22 lakes in Bikkonahalli, Kommanalu, Abbalagere, Beeranakere, Kunchenahalli and Kallapur villages by harnessing water from the Tunga river near Holehanasawadi in Shivamogga district l The department has given administra-

l Action has been taken to fill the posts of 1,242 assistant professors and 310 principals in the Department of Collegiate Education through the direct recruitment process l The department has so far utilized Rs 105.77 crore of the sanctioned Rs 111.89 crore to take up repair and improve the infrastructure in the state government-run

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DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE Karnataka is the investors’ paradise. In the goals set by the Union government in ease of business, Karnataka has achieved 98% Karnataka Udyoga Mitra l At the 117th state-level single-window committee meeting held on October 3, 2019, it was decided to approve 34 investment proposals. These proposals are expected to bring in investments to the tune of Rs 1,413.68 crore and create 8,390 employment opportunities l 3 industrial units got off the ground since July last year with Investment of Rs 240.5 crore and generated 1,679 jobs DEPARTMENT OF IT, BT AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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first grade and post-graduate institutions l In a bid to encourage girl student enrolment in the higher education sphere, the department has taken action to waive the fees of all the 4 lakh girls studying in government PU, degree and post-graduate colleges HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT

l The government’s primary resolve is to ensure quality healthcare for all sections of society. In this regard, the government has decided to improve facilities in government hospitals and upgrade facilities under Ayushman Bharat and Aarogya Karnataka projects.

lThe department has held 24/7 medical care and counselling sessions for those affected by sudden floods and torrential rain. l The government has kicked off the process of filling 1,500 vacancies of specialist doctors, which remained unfilled for many years l Under the cadaver transplant programme, the department will give financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh for kidney transplant, Rs 11 lakh for heart transplant, and Rs 12 lakh for liver transplant l The state has invented Baalika, a software, to track and supervise registration and renewal of private hospitals and real-time monitoring of scanning conducted under PCPNDT Act

Karnataka has made giant strides in IT, BT, science and technology spheres, and has made huge impact at the international level too. As per the recent Niti Aayog report, Karnataka is the most innovative state in the country. l Under Idea 2 POC project, the department conducted Elevate 2019 competition in which 100 startups achieved victory. It’s significant to note that a sizeable number of women and businessmen from Tier II and III cities have achieved success in great numbers l With the assistance of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council and under the aegis of Bangalore Bio-Innovation Centre, the department has established a Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Business Fund, besides offering Rs

30-crore help to bio-startups HOME DEPARTMENT

Karnataka has unblemished law-and-order, besides maintaining peace. The government is giving importance to its goal of reducing crime rate and ensuring overall welfare of police personnel. RECRUITMENT OF POLICE

l The department has taken measures to fill vacancies in the constabulary level, in particular posts of police constables and police sub-inspector cadre and recruitment process is initiated l Based on the recommendations of a committee headed by IPS officer Sri Raghavendra Auradkar, the government has given approval to make upward revision of the pay and payscale of all cadre of police personnel in the fire and emergency services and the prisons. l The Karnataka State Forensic Sciences Laboratory technology centre at a cost of Rs 30.16 crore coming up on the premises of forensic sciences laboratory in Bengaluru’s Madiwala area. TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT

The department of transport is an important department that brings in revenue to the state. From July 2019 to September 2019, the department has collected revenues of Rs 1421.35 crore l The government had set the department a revenue target of Rs 6,601.96 crore for the year 2019-20. From April 2019 to September 2019, the department has realised

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Rs 2,930.71 crore in revenue, achieving 88.78% of the annual target l The department, in October, launched online submission of applications at BangaloreOne and KarnatakaOne centres across the state to avail services regarding driving licence l To ensure people are able to complete their RTO-related work within the stipulated time, 24 services are included through new software to "Sakaala" services in the system of KGSC Services . FINANCE DEPARTMENT

The financial health of the state continues to be strong and and tax collection is on target. There is no resource crunch, and it is committed to honouring fiscal discipline

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ENERGY DEPARTMENT

l The department has been supplying 3-phase power supply 24/7 in Urban/city and in rural areas, under Nirantara Jyoti scheme; houses which have non-agricultural power connections are enjoying 2224 hours of 3-phase power supply l In rural areas, the department is supplying 3-phase power supply to irrigation pumpsets for 7 hours and in batches, and it has been providing single-phase power supply for 10 hours between 6pm and 6am. l The state has kicked off measures to implement projects that will collectively add 277.16 megawatts to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grid from various renewable energy resources â&#x20AC;&#x201D; solar 244.86 megawatt, wind 30.3 megawatt, mini-hydel 2 megawatt.

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MAN OF THE MASSES

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FRAMES

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OF TIME

Precious moments captured from BS Yediyurappa's life. Pictures that tell stories of his rise from a small village to the corridors of power, his association with various political stalwarts, industry giants, celebrities, and spiritual leaders, and how he paved a new path of development for the state of Karnataka. These are glimpses that reveal a personality who has stood the test of time and won

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FRAMES OF TIME

FIRST FLUSH

Dr M B Shivashankar, BSY and S Shankara Rao during their Pre-University days in 1959. Shivashankar is currently a medical practitioner in US and Shankara Rao is an insurance consultant in Mysuru Addressing bonded labourers at Shivamogga DC office

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With his classmates during a farewell party after 10th standard exams in 1959. (From left) M P Somashekar, BSY, S Shankara Rao, K P Chandrashekhar Shetty, Parthasarathy, R C Panduranga Rao and R K Sathyanarayana Rao RSS stalwart Baburao Deshpande visiting BSY at a hospital in Shivamogga. BSY was critically injured after an attack by his political opponents at Shikaripura. His attackers later regretted the incident

BS Yediyurappa and S Shankara Rao at his family areca nut farm at Bookanakere

Leading a team of 1,700 bonded labourers to the Shivamogga DC office demanding their release and rehabilitation

With his wife Mythradevi and daughter Padmavathi

In 1987, BSY travelled all over Shikaripura on bicycle to assess the drought situation in the taluk, forcing the then government to take up relief measures on a war-footing

FRAMES OF TIME

SPECIAL BONDS

Former Union Minister Rahman Khan and BSY

B S Yediyurappa with former chief minister Siddaramaiah after assuming office, for the fourth time, as Chief Minister in July 2019

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Yediyurappa greeting Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal Then Opposition Leader BSY and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy greeting Speaker of the Assembly K R Ramesh Kumar

185 Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and BSY immediately after the formation of BJP-JDS coalition government in 2006 With Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge With the then Defence Minister A K Antony BSY meets Dr Sarojini Mahishi, former Union Minister and chairperson of Dr Sarojini Mahishi Committee on Employment Opportunities for Kannadigas

Then Chief Minister BSY and Karunanidhi, CM of Tamil Nadu, during the unveiling of Tiruvalluvar statue in Bengaluru, August 2009

In discussion with former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Dr Subramanian Swamy

BSY and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, K Rosaiah

Amitabh Bachchan shares a moment with BSY at the screening of the movie Paa in Bengaluru, 2009 With activist Medha Patkar and ryot leader Sunanda Jayaram

BS Yediyurappa playing host to his cabinet colleagues and friends at his residence

Then President Pratibha Patil with BSY at Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru

Yediyurappa meets veteran BJP leader L K Advani

With Union Minister Rajnath Singh

FRAMES OF TIME

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MOMENTS & MEMORIES Greeting the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee

With the then Governor of Karnataka, Rameshwar Thakur

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BSY and the then Governor of Karnataka, Hans Raj Bhardwaj

Then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and BSY during the signing of MoU between Karnataka and Chhattisgarh for establishing a thermal power plant by the Karnataka State Government

Yediyurappa wishes N Dharam Singh on his assuming office as Chief Minister of Karnataka in May 2004

BSY and the then Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram visiting flood-affected districts in Northern Karnataka in October 2008

Close encounter with BJP veteran Dr Murli Manohar Joshi

BSY at an election campaign of the Yeshwantpur Assembly Constituency

FRAMES OF TIME

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THE VICTOR Being sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister by Governor of Karnataka T N Chaturvedi in 2006

Then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi congratulating BSY during his swearing-in ceremony as Chief Minister at Vidhana Soudha in 2008

Governor Rameshwar Thakur administering the oath to BS Yediyurappa as CM in 2008

BSY at a symposium organised by a Kannada daily at the Vidhana Soudha in 2008

Yediyurappa calls on BJP stalwart and the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

With Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala

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Sri Bharathi Teertha Mahaswamiji of Shringeri Sharada Peetha blessing BSY

BSY being blessed by Kashi Jagadguru Dr Chandrasekhar Shivacharya Swamiji

Yediyurappa exchanging thoughts with Pejawar Mutt seer Vishwesha Teertha Swami

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Rambhapuri Jagadguru Sri Renukacharya Swamiji of Balehonnuru giving ashirvada to BSY

FRAMES OF TIME

MATTERS OF FAITH In conversation with Dr Shivamurthy Shivacharya Swamiji, pontiff of Sirigere Mutt

With Sri Ravishankar Guruji, head of Art of Living

BSY and Mata Amrutanandamayi at her ashram in Bengaluru

With then Arch Bishop of Bengaluru, Bernard Blasius Moras

Members of Brahmakumaris spiritual organisation and BSY

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BSY with steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal and then Minister Murugesh Nirani during Global Investors Meet held in Bengaluru in 2008

FRAMES OF TIME

Warren Buffett , CEO, Berkshire Hathaway, and BSY in 2009

BUSINESS TIES

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Meeting point with Azim Premji, Chairman, WIPRO, and the then Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu

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BSY and Shobha Karandlaje, the then Minister for Energy, during the signing of an MoU between NTPC and ESCOM in 2009 BSY welcoming N R Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, during Global Investors Meet held in Bengaluru in 2008

Ratan Tata, former chairman of Tata Sons, and BSY in deep talks in Bengaluru in 2008

With Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys

FRAMES OF TIME

BOUQUETS & BEYOND

B S Yediyurappa greeting Brinda Karat, former Rajya Sabha member and CPI (M) leader

Discussing energy-related issues with R K Pachauri, the then TERI chief

Thespian Dr Rajkumar with BSY

With Lt Col Chengappa

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With cricketer Virat Kohli

Greeting Y V Reddy, the then RBI Governor

BSY and then RSS chief K S Sudarshan

On a different pitch with cricket great Anil Kumble With Sam Pitroda, then Chairman of National Knowledge Commission

At a meeting with Montek Singh Ahluwalia, ex-Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of India, in 2008 BSY with K Kasturirangan, former chairman, ISRO

With former Air Marshal V R Iyer

FRAMES OF TIME

MEETING & GREETING

With Su. Ramanna, convenor, Sangh Parivar, and G Madhusudan, MLC

With Vijay Kelkar, Chairman, 13th Finance Commission BS Yediyurappa congratulating M S Dhoni during a cricket match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

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197 BSY extending invitation to Srikantadatta Wadiyar, scion of Mysuru royal family, for the Dasara festival

With actor Aishwarya Rai during the inauguration of the second World Kannada Conference held in Belagavi in March 2011

Keenly listening to acclaimed scientist Dr C N R Rao

Explaining a point to Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

With former ISRO chief Madhavan Nair

All smiles with Justice Cyriac Joseph, former Chief Justice of Karnataka

FRAMES OF TIME

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VARIED MOODS Fun time with grandchildren

199 B S Yediyurappa, a keen wildlife lover, in the company of lions

Receiving an honorary doctorate from the Saginaw Valley State University, USA, in December 2008, for his contribution to public life

Fitness mantra â&#x20AC;&#x201D; performing yoga

THE CHIEF MINISTER IN DIFFERENT LEISURE MOMENTS

Published by Express Publications (Madurai) Private Limited, Bengaluru

Senior General Manager P Suresh Kumar

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Editorial Resident Editor: Santwana Bhattacharya Associate Editors: Ramu Patil, Utthara Kumari B Senior Assistant Editors: Pallavi Srivastava, Adarsha Sri Krishna Chief Sub Editor: Tina Shashikanth Special Correspondents: Ashwini M Sripad, Anusha Ravi, Principal Correspondent: Ramachandra V Gunari Design Editor: Nitin Tuse Designers: Arun Kumar B, N Gopalakrishnan, Suman Mitra Photographers: Vinod Kumar T, Shimoga Nandan, Nagaraja Gadekal Assistant Editor (Supplements): Vyas Sivanand Acknowledgement Umadevi S Y, Daughter of BS Yediyurappa Mahadev Prakash, Media Adviser to CM Bhrungeesh N, Media Secretary to CM

Disclaimer: Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any party for any loss, damage or disruption caused by error or omission resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

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