Faced with a daunting task of giving a make over to the BJP Government, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday expressed confidence of refurbishing its image within six months.
“It is possible to refurbish the image of the government within six months. By toning up the administration and implementing the programs envisaged, it is possible”, Mr. Gowda told reporters in Bangalore.
Mr. Gowda, who succeeded B S Yeddyurappa whose administration was rocked by allegations of corruption, nepotism and illegal mining, said: “If we do good things, it will certainly get highlighted. That’s my confidence and belief”.
The attendance of Ministers in Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, which was a meagre 17 per cent, has now shot up to 52 per cent, after Mr. Gowda requested them to be available at least four days in a week in their offices.
“I am confident of taking this attendance to 80 per cent, if not to 100 per cent”, Mr. Gowda said.
He said the division among party men witnessed during his election as chief minister was a thing of the past.
“Whatever might have happened at our party meeting, all should agree that I am the democratically elected Chief Minister,” Mr. Gowda, who pipped Jagadish Shettar in the race for Chief Ministership after being propped by Mr. Yeddyurappa, said.
“If I tread the right path, every one will follow”, he said expressing confidence of taking all his ministerial colleagues with him.
Mr. Gowda, a two-term state unit BJP President who led the party to victory in 2008 assembly polls, realising the dream of the saffron party to install its first ever government in the south, said he has drawn up a three-month agenda for himself to tone up the administration.
He said one of the foremost tasks he has on hand was infusing confidence among investors. “Investors should have confidence that they should come back and invest. That is the challenge”, he said exuding optimism of making the next year’s Global Investors Meet planned in July a success.
“I have free hand in running the administration”, he said responding to a query denying any interference from Mr. Yeddyurappa.
He evaded a reply to a question on ministry expansion to fill up seven vacancies.
Mr. Gowda said he has invited his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi to be the chief guest to witness the famous Mysore Dasara procession next month.
On the September 26 Koppal assembly bypoll, he said it was important for the party which hoped to win it with a big margin.
“It is important for my party. As for as government and as Chief Minister, I don’t think it is so important”, he said implying that the bypoll outcome would have no bearing on his government.
