In his usual bombastic style, the Resident Idiot had vociferously declared that the Congress adopt a “populist” slogan/manifesto. Our own beloved Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna has adhered to it in letter and spirit (dunno whether he has read the Resident Idiot’s tripe or no).

He is touting it as if it is something to be proud of whereas in reality it smacks of the worst form of degeneration. In the name of “governance,” “progress,” “pro-people,” “pro-poor,” and such other worn out schisms, Krishna struts around with what in reality is alms. He proposes to perpetrate the worst form of humiliation anyone can think of: don’t work, we’ll pay for your laziness. On the one hand, he promises to create jobs for the unemployed, while on the other, he promises incentives that guarantees to kill all their initiative. He has promised the 500000+ unemployed people in the state a monthly livelihood assistance of 500 rupees. How much does that total up to? 250000000 rupees (or $5555555) a month! And don’t we all know how he’s going to raise this kind of money: loot from one, pay the other. Social justice, and all that. And I’m not even talking about the accompanying corruption that I’m sure the implementation of this thoughtlessness will bring about.

Another of his promises in the manifesto is to subsidize rice to Rs.3 per kilogram. That means an additional burden on the already-impoverished exchequer, and consequently on hardworking, honest, tax-paying citizens like me. The late N.T. Rama Rao, in his last term as Chief Minister implemented the same gimmick: he had pegged the price of rice at Rs.2 per kilogram, and that led to his son-in-law, the CEO of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu to lead a midnight coup, which effectively dismissed Rama Rao from power.

Krishna’s other promise is to enhance power production: this in fact was his poll manifesto in 1999; he had promised to “eradicate power cuts/shortage.” However, reality shows that in all of 4 and a half years, his government has added only 150 Megawatts of power as against the promised 1000 (or 2000+) MWs. This, despite privatizing the bankrupt den of corruption (formerly) known as the Karnataka Electricity Board.

With barely a day left for voting, Krishna’s confidence in such shoddy, socialist promises as vehicles for his victory truly baffles me. I guess the man is on the edge of senility.