Bommai vows to take Karnataka to newer glory on all fronts

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Bengaluru - The post had fallen vacant after B.S. Yediyurappa had resigned on Monday.

By Aftab H Kola

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Published: Thu 29 Jul 2021, 11:03 AM

After several episodes of guessing games, Karnataka finally got a new chief minister. At a brief ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan here on Wednesday, the three-time MLA and former minister, Basavaraj Bommai, 61, took oath of office, administered by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, as the new chief minister of Karnataka.

The post had fallen vacant after B.S. Yediyurappa had resigned on Monday. Among those who graced the swearing-in ceremony were senior BJP leaders, including former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh.


Known for his administrative skills, and armed with vast political experience, Bommai has considerable rapport with political leaders across political spectrum which could see a smooth take off to his tenure.

The new chief minister said he would work day and night to take Karnataka to newer glory on all fronts. He said he was the first among equals, and would take people into confidence in taking forward development works, and appealed to everyone to support his government in its mission.


Spelling out his immediate priorities, the new chief minister averred that he would strive to provide relief to people affected by Covid-19 and floods, as well as improve the general economic condition of Karnataka hard hit by the pandemic.

Bommai’s wife Chennamma Basavaraj said her husband’s hardwork had paid rich dividends, and that she would request him to carry out work that benefits all people.

Offering felicitations to the new CM, Prime Minster Modi tweeted: “Bommai brings with him rich legislative and administrative experience. I am confident that he will build on the exceptional work done by our government in the state. Best wishes for a fruitful tenure.”

The BJP central leadership as well as the RSS opted to place the mantle of chief ministership on Bommai after taking into consideration the caste to which he belongs, his political acumen, governing capabilities, and him being a close confidant of Yediyurappa. Bommai is considered BJP’s safest bet to rein in political instability that may have arisen in the state.

Basavaraj Bommai’s father, SR Bommai, served as the chief minister of Karnataka during 1988-1989. He however was a member of the Janata Dal Party.

Offering the new Bommai government Congress Party’s full support, opposition leader in the assembly, Siddaramaiah, said in a Facebook statement: “I urge you to take up the issues of GST dues, compensation to flood-affected people, support to fight Covid-19 and other related works with the Centre, and get things done on a priority basis for the sake of the state and its people.” While State Congress chief D.K. Shiv Kumar said in a statement: “Let the new CM fix the injustice meted out to the state in the past two years.”

Bommai later held an hour-long meeting with senior officials in Vidhana Soudha and underscored the government’s resolve to provide an efficient, honest and pro-people administration. One of the first tasks stressed by the chief minister was reducing unnecessary wasteful expenditure by 5 per cent in all departments before the end of the year.

The chief minister said he would be visiting flood-prone pockets of Uttara Kannada district today to take stock of the ravage caused by heavy rains that caused heavy flooding in Uttara Kannada and Malnad regions.

news@khaleejtimes.com


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