BJP targets George, BBMP, over failure to mitigate rain disasters

BJP leader R Ashoka on Saturday launched a tirade against Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and the civic authorities for their “failure to mitigate rain-related disasters” in the city.

“We told the authorities to take steps about a month ago. Nothing was done. As a result, four people died because of heavy rainfall,” Ashoka told reporters. “Drains were not desilted, trees were not pruned and vulnerable trees were not identified. The government’s inaction is clear,” he charged.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa will visit rain-affected areas in the city on Sunday, Ashoka said. On the BBMP Mayoral election scheduled to be held on September 28, Ashoka said the BJP planned to move the court to challenge the manner by which the Congress and the JD(S) formed an alliance and got ineligible voters to poll last year. “We have 101 corporators out of 198. We aren’t hungry for power, but if bogus voters were weeded out, then the BJP will have a majority,” he said.