The Supreme Court is seized of the issue, leaving Krishna little say even as the Shiv Sena urged the governor this week to lead a delegation to New Delhi to seek inclusion of Marathi-dominated Belgaum, Nippani and Khanapur into Maharashtra. The Sena, wracked by fratricidal wars, sought to divert attention by making common cause with deposed Belgaum mayor Vijay More and the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti that ruled its civic body. The corporation recently passed a resolution that Belgaum become part of Maharashtra but was subsequently dismissed by the Karnataka government. Krishna assured the Sena delegation of "appropriate steps".
When Krishna was appointed last year, the Sena had expressed misgivings about having a Kannadiga for governor and had threatened to boycott him. Krishna had made every effort to calm nerves. The Sena has warned that "no Kannadiga would be safe in Mumbai" if pro-Maharashtra agitators are harmed in Karnataka. The Nationalist Congress Party has tacitly extended support to pro-Maharashtra groups. And, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh (Congress) has written to the prime minister expressing unhappiness over the dissolution of the Belgaum civic body. All in all, tough days lie ahead for the governor of Maharashtra.
