BAGALKOT: Call it the 2023 version of the 1977 Bollywood classic 'Kissaa Kursee Kaa' (Tale of a Throne) - albeit with a humorous twist in the tale!
While the Shabana Azmi-Utpal Dutt political satire was a bold statement on the tumultuous machinations and treacherous twists of fate surrounding the seat of power in Delhi, that even saw the Emergency-era film ruffle a few feathers due to its rather uncomfortable parallels with contemporary national politics, the current, real-life rendition of a 'tale of a throne' has surfaced in the City Municipal Council (CMC) in Bagalkot, where two officials have ended up holding one post and literally operating under one roof - all at the same time.
It so happened that Vasanna, the previous CMC commissioner, was issued his transfer order two months ago and Ramesh Jadhav was named as his successor.
However, following his transfer order, Vasanna had approached the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT), questioning the appointment of Jadhav as commissioner. After hearing the arguments, KAT ordered Vasanna to continue in his capacity as CMC commissioner, though there was no clarity on Jadhav's role.
In keeping with the KAT directive, as Vasanna resumed his duties as commissioner, Jadhav was already there, holding the same post, in the same office. In a rather bizarre turn of events, both Vasanna and Jadhav are even seated in the same cubicle - both in their capacity as commissioner.
Though Jadhav refused to comment on the impasse, Vasanna claimed that he had resumed his duties as CMC commissioner based on the KAT order.
While the two officers have stuck to their guns, justifying their claim to the commissioner's post, KAT for sure needs some urgent course-correction to sort out this bizarre 'tale of a throne'.