Bangalore: Whereas speaker K.G. Bopaiah, after being lashed out at, by Supreme court in the case of disqualified 5 independent MLAs, subsequently revived in the legislature as MLAs, escaped severe criticism and against dogged attempts of opposition parties to remove him under “Contempt of Court”, is now on his way to become assertive and more powerful, but CM Sadananda Gowda, from a stronger position after a contest with Jagdish Shettar to be chosen CM, is slipping in his popularity steadily.

We do not have external agencies that keep an eye on a politician’s popularity as in USA, should he be a CM, or a state Governor, or even PM, and tell us how much percentage his popularity is reduced or enhanced and have no way of determining if DVS Gowda is even 50% popular today from the successful promotion he had as MP into CM’S post. When he  must have been at least 85% popular in 2011.

This year, he compromised on several basic issues, as in Udupi tourism, and dismissal of 3 ministers, even insisting upon Bannurmath as his choice for Lokayukta that he lost.

Now there is some disharmonious feeling in Karnataka High Court, where Vikramjit Sen is the chief Justice, that Sen was not consulted by CM Gowda, when retired Judge S. (Mysore Resorts) Chandrasekharaiah was selected as 2nd Upa Lokayukta.

Under Lokayukta Act, CM has to take the state high court chief Justice, Vidhana Sabha speaker, Council Chairman(MLC), and opposition leaders of both houses(Siddaramaiah and C. Motamma), before he could legally appoint a deputy Ombudsman(Lokayukta or People’s commissioner).

In the case S. Chandrasekharaiah’s appointment, CM Gowda did not tell chief Justice Send even as a matter of courtesy.

Gowda has tripped here, but not fallen like his 3 ministers on February 8. The High Court Chief Justice has written a letter on 03-11-2011, in reply to CM’s letter of 18-08-2011 which did not mention Justice Chandrasekhariah being appointed as second Upa-Lokayukta, after Justice Majage.

Neither CM nor Law Minister Suresh Kumar cared to inform the CJ of KHC until now. It is a serious lapse of etiquette on the part of our rustic CM, who is an RSS trouser- wearing Volunteer.

Now that may be pardoned, but the upa Lokayukta is a tainted person, as much as Gururajan, who left the post earlier under a controversy stir-up.

This case has affected CM Gowda’s popularity in ruling and legal circles, but he Can make amends by withdrawing Justice Chandrasekharaiah, and inform chief Justice Sen as to who is the proposed LA and Dy. LA next.

One has to watch both CM and the speaker for their stars on a forward (rise) or backward fall movements.

CM Gowda has to tread carefully even as a stop –gap leader.