Former CM gheraoed in Bijapur; Local BJP MLA threatens to quit.
Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa got a taste of drought politics during his visit of drought-hit areas in Bijapur on Thursday when he was gheraoed by supporters of local MLA Appu Pattanashetty.
Yeddyurappa visited villages as part of the visit to get a firsthand look of the people's plight. He interacted with villagers and officials to enquire about arrangements made for supply of drinking water and opening of gruel centres.
However, BJP MLAs Appu Pattanashetty, SK Bellubbi and Sarvabhouma Bagali stayed away from Yeddyurappa's programmes. A group—reported to be supporters of Pattanashetty—gheraoed him and raised slogans amid reports that the MLA had decided to quit in protest against alleged interference from large and medium industries minister Murugesh Nirani, who is the Bijapur in-charge minister.
Pattanashetty, who was in the Yeddyurappa camp, is said to have switched loyalties after Nirani allegedly started discriminating against Pattanashetty in development works for his constituency and started interfering in the functioning of local panchayat bodies.
The gherao ended only after Yeddyurappa assured that Pattanashetty's grievances would be resolved. Yeddyurappa, who vented his displeasure against the government on taking up drought relief works two days ago, changed tune on Thursday by appreciating the government and blaming bureaucrats for the shortcomings in undertaking drought relief works.
“The state government is doing a good work in tackling drought, but officials are not doing enough to implement the programmes. Officials seem to be in deep slumber. They should wake up and speed up the works,” Yeddyurappa said.
He is expected to submit a report to chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda on the drought situation. Meanwhile, Gowda, too, has decided to hit the road. He will begin to tour drought-affected areas on April 7. He will visit Mysore and Chitradurga districts. Gowda has stated that he would lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi soon to demand a liberal central package to take up relief works.
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