Politics and Society in Karnataka

Karnataka, in contrast to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, has not been hospitable to radical social movements. The seemingly dramatic political changes in Karnataka since the 1970s thus present a sharp contrast to the conservative social order, and demand an explanation. In order to understand these political changes, the authors argue, it is necessary to grasp the strategies Devaraj Urs pursued to capture power and to retain it. These strategies in turn provoked reactions, the significance of which Urs himself failed to grasp, Devaraj Urs pursued a two-pronged policy, one which sought to tackle the problem of poverty, and the other which tackled social problems which were intimately linked with poverty, viz, inequality, oppression and exploitation. The two prongs gave rise to contradictory consequences of which Urs himself later became a victim. However, while the latter event teas the short-term result, on a long-term view Urs initiated measures which may yet bring about structural changes in Karnataka society.