Umesh Katti: Belagavi loses a heavy weight politician

In the passing away of Umesh Vishwanath Katti(61), the state and more so the border Belagavi district has lost a heavy weight well known for his sway, maneuvering and manipulative politics in the district.

Umesh Katti

Lost only once with Congress: An eight times MLA from the same Hukkeri Assembly constituency from Janata Party(JP), Janata Dal(JD), Janata Dal United(JD(U)), Janata Dal Secular(JD-S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he only failed to make it by a margin of 800 votes on behalf of the Indian National Congress (INC)!

A chameleon of sorts: He changed parties not once or twice but for a record number of six times and proved to the onlookers that parties didn’t really matter to him for succeeding in electoral politics. And irrespective of the party he belonged, was successful enough in managing a berth in the state cabinet.

Day dreamer of becoming a CM: However, whenever he was left out of the ministry for whatsoever reasons he fondly floated the utopian idea of carving a separate North Karnataka and also becoming the first chief minister. But, once he became a minister the day dream of a North Karnataka state got lost in hibernation.

A sudden entry to great heights: Following the sudden demise of his MLA father Vishwanath Katti, the then 25 years old young Umesh Katti had to plunge into active politics to become an MLA from the native Hukkeri Assembly constituency in 1985. It was just a humble beginning and from then onwards there was no looking back at all. He contested nine Assembly elections and but for one triumphed in all of them.

Minister for several portfolios: He became a minister for the first time in 1994 in HD Devegowda cabinet holding the Sugar ministry. Later he became a PWD minister in JH Patel’s ministry during 1994. He held the portfolios of Agriculture, Prisons, Forest, Food and Civil Supplies in the cabinets of BS Yeddiyurappa, DV Sadanandagowda, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai.

Jowar and Ragi in PDS: Although Jowar and Ragi are sought after grains in everyday life since ages in the North and South regions of the state, both of them were never the commodities distributed in the Fair Price Shops. But soon after becoming the Forest, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti not only pronounced his intention of bringing them under the Public Distribution System (PDS), but also ensured that the desire became a reality.

Contribution to irrigation: Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Chief Minister mourning the demise of his colleague has described him an Ajatshatru in politics. He also recalled Umesh Katti’s contribution as a legislator, minister for more than three decades in the implementation of Ghataprabha irrigation projects. He had also envisaged developing the Hidkal dam site area on the model of the picturesque Almatti gardens and was also successful in getting a nod from the cabinet recently.

A man of controversies: Despite, being a resident of Bengaluru for almost four decades he remained a typical North Karnataka rustic person in private and public by his utterances unbecoming of a public figure. He had condemned the stance of Chief Minister BS Yeddiyurappa in releasing Krishna waters from Tubachi-Babaladi lift irrigation project to Maharashtra. He was under attack by his own party men for raising the issue of a separate statehood for North Karnataka. But for making public statements, he never moved further on the necessity of another state or genuine reasons for such a demand.

We must survive: When the Covid-19 pandemic had crippled the lives of people he had made a ruckus by claiming: We ministers should survive and am not sure of you people! A leopard made an appearance in Belagavi city and has gone missing since more than a month. A few days back while in Belagavi and confronted by the media on the whereabouts of the leopard, he had accosted by claiming: I am a Tiger, so the leopard has come to visit me!

-Manohar Yadavatti