The tug-of-war between Congress strongman DK Shivakumar and disqualified MLA from Chikballapur Dr K Sudhakar over the shifting of the proposed medical college from Kanakapura to Chikballapur has led to protests and a war of words between the leaders. The issue is sure to emerge as a major poll issue ahead of the December 5 bypolls.
Shivakumar, who is out on bail in an alleged money laundering case after spending nearly 50 days in judicial custody, is furious over the Yediyurappa government for shifting the medical college sanctioned for Kanakapura to Chikballapur. He warned the government that he would fight till his last breath to bring the proposed medical college back to his constituency.
Meanwhile, Dr K Sudhakar, a rebel Congress MLA who was disqualified by the previous Speaker, along with 16 other rebels, is adamant to retain the medical college in his district staying it was announced way back in 2017, by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
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"I will retire from politics if I fail to retain the medical college in Chikballapur," says Sudhakar.
The tussle for the medical college began soon after the Union government sanctioned three new medical colleges in the state recently.
The Centre, on October 23, 2019, gave its nod to set up three new colleges in Chikkamaglur, Haveri and Yadgiri with existing district hospitals at the cost of Rs 325 crore each under phase-3 of the centrally sponsored scheme. The colleges which will be set up under 60:40 cost-sharing basis will commence its academic year from 2020-21 and will be adding 450 more MBBS seats in the state.
The Union government, which hopes to increase the number of doctors across the country even as it plans to enhance tertiary care, has already sanctioned 58 medical colleges in phase 1 and 24 in phase 2 and has sanctioned 75 new medical colleges in phase 3, which will add around 15,700 more MBBS seats.
The issue of the fourth new medical college has raked up a controversy as the proposed medical college was first announced by the previous Congress government led by Siddaramaiah.
In March 2017, Siddaramaiah, in his budget speech, had announced six new medical colleges in Chikkballapur, Chitradurga, Chikballapur, Haveri, Bagalkot and Yadgiri. But it was a non-starter owing to fund crunch. Siddaramaiah had admitted that there were not enough funds to start the colleges.
In June 2018, the JDS-Congress coalition led by HD Kumaraswamy surprised everyone by announcing a new medical college in Kanakapura in its budget. A proposal to set up a medical college in Ramanagara was already pending. As Kanakapura is in the same rural district, a separate college was unnecessary, felt experts.
In December 2018, the Kumaraswamy cabinet gave its nod to the new college and also allocated Rs 90 crore in the first phase.
The BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa, which wrested power in July, gave the cabinet nod for a new college at Chikballapur after cancelling the new college in Kanakapura.
The tussle has put Yediyurappa in a tight spot as his opponents are calling it "vendetta politics". However, Sudhakar, who is awaiting the Supreme Court ruling in the disqualification petition, is hoping to contest in the crucial bypoll. A new medical college in his constituency would certainly boost his poll prospects.
