Great expectations

New beginnings. Nothing like a time span. A whole year stretching before us. Suddenly, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is talking tough. Pressure or no pressure he went ahead and posted BS Patil as Chief Secretary. And the senior IAS officer, known for his administrative skills, made clear he would crack down on corruption.
Not in a long while has a Chief Secretary made such an assurance.Krishna avaru has learnt from his mistakes.
You can''t be a leader and please every lobby.
He truly goofed up during the Nagappa kidnap crisis and the Cauvery waters imbroglio. A statesman sticks to his guns. Diplomacy is for Indian Foreign Service.
He''s upped the reward on the bandit''s head from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore. And he''s talking bullets not negotiations.
That''s the spirit.
He should also prove to the Centre and the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that the state does not possess enough water for its own needs. He should furnish not just figures but get his PR machine working overtime. Television crews should be taken to the dams, reservoirs and the fields to capture the reality on the ground.
Krishna avaru has also predicted that the state would face a power crisis in summer. That''s fine. But he should also find a solution. We have enough soothsayers. Check out the options and get working on new projects. If not this year, we''ll at least be prepared for the next.
There are too many political parties, trade unions and even leaders from his own party all ready to see him humiliated at the next hustings. He''s aware of this. But he must act.
The Krishna Government despite its numerous failures has still managed to convey a sense of dedication for the well-being and development of the State.
That still is a leitmotif of hope. The people don''t care which party rules them. What they want is better governance.
In calling a spade a spade on various issues, Krishna has sent the right signals for 2003.
Maybe, just maybe, he''ll get the international airport and the metro off the planning table to construction stage.
He must make good on his promises. If he fails, it will be a sad testimony to a man who had the potential for greatness.