Are there only two Assembly constituencies -- Shikaripura and Ramanagaram -- in the State now?
This was the question raised by Siddaramiah (Cong) while initiating the debate on Supplementary Estimates for 2007-08 in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
And he has a reason for it: These two constituencies, represented by Deputy Chief Minister Yediyurappa and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, have got the lion’s share of Rs 1,955 crore in supplementary estimates, compared to others.
Works like drain repair, asphalting, construction of community halls, re-development of SCs and STs’ basadhi and several other projects have been taken up in these two constituencies.
According to Mr Siddaramaiah, Shikaripura has already got over Rs 400 crore, while Ramanagaram has got around Rs 1,000 crore in the last 18 months. “Why this discrimination?. Are there only two constituencies in the State,?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress members staged a walkout in the Council in protest against delay in appointing members to the Karnataka Permanent Backward Classes Commission.
The Assembly gave its approval to the Rs 1,955-crore Supplementary Estimates 2007-08.
These estimates are related to advances sanctioned from the Contingency Fund to cover expenditure on new service and other unforeseen expenditure after the 2007-08 budget was placed.