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Rebels resurface as Krishna
fails over Rajakumar issue

M D Riti in Bangalore

Until now, his all-consuming worry was how to get Kannada film icon Dr Rajakumar released from forest brigand Veerappan's clutches. Now, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna finds he also has to watch out for his 'survival'.

Old rivals have recognised the opportunity that the abduction and Krishna's handling of it offer to resume dissidence.

An early starter in the game was former chief minister Sarekoppa Bangarappa, who is back with the Congress after having left it at least three times to start regional parties that failed to take off.

Bangarappa's second daughter Geetha is married to Rajakumar's eldest filmstar son Shivarajkumar.

Bangarappa tried and get grievances about Krishna's governance across to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

According to state Congress sources, Bangarappa confided in Sonia his concern that Krishna, in his eagerness to get Rajakumar released, may give in to all of Veerappan's demands. He also complained that Krishna had sidelined erstwhile rival, Home Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, and taken all key decisions himself. Bangarappa's concern for Kharge's troubles probably stem from the fact that he is a harijan and Bangarappa belongs to a backward class.

His third contention was that Krishna did not act speedily in getting Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act detenues released as soon as the Mysore high court gave its verdict. If he had organised their bail and got them released quickly, Veerappan may have been satisfied and released Rajakumar, he argued.

Another leader who fancies himself as a serious contender for Krishna's position after the assembly elections, Jaffer Sharief, has begun politicking at a more local level in Karnataka.

He reportedly met other ambitious and disgruntled Congress leaders like Bangarappa, former minister R L Jalappa, a minister in Ramakrishna Hegde's Janata government at one time, and also an accused (and subsequently cleared) in the Rashid murder case and Law Minister D B Chandre Gowda.

Kharge is waiting for an opportunity to throw in his lot with any group of dissidents, provided they are well established, likely to succeed, and give him a fair chance at trying for the chief minister's chair. But now, he certainly cannot afford to invite public opprobrium by showing concern for anything other than Rajakumar's speedy release.

So far, Krishna's image vis-a-vis the public, high command and to a smaller extent, his party men, remains unblemished. If he manages to pull off a speedy return of Rajakumar to his family, it may be difficult, if not impossible for dissidents to dislodge him in a hurry.

The Rajakumar Abduction: complete coverage
The saga of Veerappan

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