Challenges galore for new Mandya district minister

The new district in-charge Minister of Mandya D K Shivakumar has fresh challenges before him in the sugar bowl of Karnataka.

While a faction of Congressmen demand reinstating of Ambareesh into the ministry, another faction has been batting for another actor-turned politician Ramya. It seems that the faction politics is here to stay.

Caught between the two factions, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has burdened D K Shivakumar with the additional responsibility of Mandya, while he is already the district minister of Ramanagar.

Besides, managing factionalism, Energy Minister Shivakumar has several issues before him including that of MySugar factory.

 High drama was witnessed in the district when it was presumed that Ambareesh would be dropped from the ministry. Three of his supporters had attempted suicide and protests were staged across the district. The supporters continue to hold protests even after a week of the cabinet rejig, hoping that he would be reinstated.

The supporters of Ramya have been demanding a berth for her in the ministry.

In fact, Shivakumar himself was witness to the factionalism in Congress, when he was made in-charge of the Lok Sabha elections. With his name being recommended for the KPCC president’s post, it is a great challenge for him to put an end to all groupism and strengthen the party.

The district has been declared ‘drought-hit’ since three years and more than 100 farmers have ended their lives in the last one year or so. Mounting debts and crop failures have combined steered the farmers into crisis. The government has to release special financial package to mitigate agrarian crisis.

The factories are not paying fair remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane leaving the cane growers in trouble. The crime rate in the district is on the rise. Sand issue and illegal quarrying has gone out of control.

The people of the district are wondering whether Shivakumar will be able to manage the politically volatile Mandya and Ramanagar districts, apart from the Energy portfolio.