The Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) review meeting held here on Friday turned out to be a stage for district in-charge Minister V. Somanna to assert his authority over officials and repeatedly proclaim his “40 years of experience in politics”.
The Minister turned up late by an hour and, after a perfunctory apology, took up the role of a schoolteacher and called out the names of the heads of 29 departments who were supposed to attend the meeting.
As the Minister began reading out their names as if to mark their attendance, the hapless officials stood up to signal their presence and introduced themselves. Mr. Somanna sought to know their designation and rank, and whether they were district-level officials.
At least three department heads were absent, and taking umbrage to this, the Minister sought an explanation from their assistants who had been deputed to attend the meeting. In one case, the department head was out of town following the death of a relative. But Mr. Somanna instructed the deputy to call the official over phone and later spoke to him from the stage to ascertain whether he was indeed speaking the truth.
Another official was absent as he had to attend court proceedings. Mr. Somanna lashed out at the deputy and said, “Ask your boss to come to the meeting immediately. The court case can always be adjourned.” He then instructed the deputy to leave the meeting hall.
PWD engineers were conspicuous by their absence and an incensed Mr. Somanna asked for an explanation. On learning that they were in Bengaluru to attend a meeting called by Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, Mr. Somanna immediately called the latter, first to ascertain whether such a meeting had indeed been convened and then to express his ire over it. He asked Mr. Karjol to relieve the district-level officials from Mysuru so that they could return to the city and attend the meeting, which he said would go on till 6 p.m.
