Poll Bass Shine whine

Prepared by Ashok Kumar

Out of sight is out of mind?this aptly applies to the Chief Minister of Karnataka S. M. Krishna, who during his regime rode roughshod over the problems of the people of the state. No wonder, five opinion polls painted a gloomy picture of the Krishna govern-ment. But the namby-pamby party cadre in the state still hopes of a victory. The reason being that the party commissioned a survey a couple of months ago, which gave an edge to the Congress over the BJP. But the BJP´s ´feel good´ campaign has taken the wind out of Congress´ sails. The state Congress unit, fully alive to the dismal prospects of the party´s fortune in the state, strained every nerve to woo the voters?hence promises galore. Some of these include Rs 500 per month to unemployed youth, rice at Rs 3 a kg for the poor, loans for farmers at 4 per cent interest, free textbooks and uniforms for poor students, funds for madrasas, reservation for SCs/STs in the private sector, free saris to poor women, etc. Bright promises (only promises) notwithstanding, gloomy performance of the state government may not help Krishna woo the voters to win the requisite number of seats.