Minister Umesh Katti favours bifurcation of Karnataka

Mangaluru: After a series of statements targeting the State BJP government by its own party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yathnal in the last two years, now his colleague and minister in the Bommai cabinet Umesh Katti is trying his hand in 'in-party' dissent. He said India will be a country of 50 States soon and Karnataka itself will be divided into two States. What is more intriguing and disturbing is his assertion that Prime Minister Modi is thinking on these lines0.

Katti had in the past wanted the North Karnataka must be a separate State and doled out demographic features and numbers to support his statement. "Karnataka was formed when the population was 2.5 crores but now the population has grown to 6.5 crore which means that the time has arrived to correct the definition of a State based on its population and extent of the political jurisdiction." He made similar statements in Belagavi on Wednesday and then again in Dakshina Kannada district on Thursday.

"I am the last to demand a separate State for the North Karnataka, but I have felt that most part of the State particularly the North Karnataka is not getting its due in development, finance and government power, due to which the people are not getting their due in adequate measures," Katti has stated.

Kattipredicted that Uttar Pradesh will have a total of five states, Maharashtra three and Karnataka two. There are other states which will also be either bifurcated or trifurcated. "I have always raised my voice when I was in the opposition and from within the government, whenever there was injustice done to North Karnataka. I caution Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai that the government must take adequate measures to keep Karnataka as one State, through policy correction and administration,"he stated on Thursdayat a function held at Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada district.

However, Bommai who has reacted to the statement of Katti has confirmed that there is no such proposal in front of the State or the Centre as far as his knowledge goes. "I do not know if Katti knew more on this subject".