From Modi-Bashing to Cooperation with Modi: A New Raga Among Congress CMs

With Deepawali over, the weather is changing, and winter is setting in. Similarly, there appears to be a change in thinking among some Congress Chief Ministers who have been criticising Modi.

Recently, the Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy eloquently praised Modi, saying that the centre was fully cooperating with the state in development and that his government would be working with the Centre to achieve 5 trillion $ economy by 2028-2029 and 1 trillion $ economy of Telangana by 2034.

Interestingly, on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivkumar said that he was ready to work with the Centre for the country's progress and sought PM Modi’s help for priority Metro funding

He urged the Centre to accord Bengaluru the same priority as Delhi and ensure an equal sharing of the financial burden of Metro projects between the Union and state governments.

Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Metro inauguration programme held at the IIM-Bangalore auditorium, Chief Minister Shivakumar also sought speedy approval for pending Metro projects and said the state aimed to expand Bengaluru's Metro network to 500 km in order to address the city's growing traffic congestion. He also submitted a memorandum to PM Modi on the stage after his address.

Calling for greater cooperation between the Centre and the state, CM Shivakumar said Karnataka was ready to work with the Union government for the country's progress. "Let us compete in politics, but cooperate in development," he added.

The Chief Minister further said, "Elections may produce different political mandates, but the aspirations of the people do not change. When the Centre and the state work together, the country moves forward."

He said a strong Karnataka and Bengaluru would contribute to India's growth and added that the state was an important pillar in the vision of a developed India. Politically, the Congress feels that Modi’s vision has destroyed the Indian economy. Rahul Gandhi, quoting Trump, said he agrees that the Indian economy is dead.

On the other side, a confidante of the Gandhi family and advisor to former PM Rajiv Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, was for the first time greeted on Gujarati New Year Day by Modi, and he also reciprocated, calling Modi a warm-hearted, hard-working Gujarati friend and saying he would have no objection to having dinner with him.

Shivkumar on Friday explained how the state was facing financial problems in meeting the cost of land acquisition for Metro projects which are funded on a 50:50 basis by the Centre and the state. He said the state is bearing the costs of land acquisition, repayment of foreign loans and Central and state taxes.

He urged nationalised banks to provide loans at lower interest rates and sought an equal sharing of the overall financial burden of Metro projects.

He went on to explain how Bengaluru had built a Metro network of 103 km and the government had set a target of expanding it to 500 km. "We have undertaken several major projects to address Bengaluru's traffic congestion, and Metro is an important part of this effort," he said.

He urged the Prime Minister to direct the concerned departments to provide early approval for the revised DPRs. CM Shivakumar also sought equal sharing of the additional costs arising from delays, operational losses and repayment of foreign loans, on the lines of the Delhi Metro model.

He suggested the creation of a technical institution for Metro projects, saying Bengaluru could play a role in supporting Metro cities across the country. A technical committee could recommend projects for approval, helping speed up the process, he added.

Citing former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's call to dream, the Chief Minister said the government was committed not only to dreaming big but also to implementing those dreams through proper planning and timely decisions.

"People in Bengaluru spend two to three hours every day in traffic congestion. We are working to find a solution to this problem so that people can spend less time on the roads and more time with their families," he said.

The Chief Minister also appealed to the Prime Minister to provide drought relief to Karnataka, stating that the state was facing a severe drought.

According to CM Shivakumar, crop losses had affected around 85 lakh hectares, with the state suffering losses of about Rs 62,000 crore. Karnataka had sought Rs 22,000 crore in assistance through the National Disaster Response Fund, he said, urging the Centre to release relief funds at the earliest.

CM Shivakumar said the state wanted to bring an all-party delegation before the Prime Minister to explain the drought situation and discuss ways to provide relief to farmers.

He also urged the Union government to ensure a fair share for Karnataka in ethanol allocation. Recently, the state had alleged that the percentage of ethanol in petrol pumps was higher than 20% and made a big political issue of it.

Shivakumar said Karnataka remained committed to hard work and contributing to India's progress.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

[email protected]

A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

Read More