BJP blowing up sand issue to seek sympathy votes: MLC

MLC Bhojegowda on Thursday accused the BJP of organising a protest in order to blow the sand issue out of proportion and seek sympathy votes for the Shivamogga Lok Sabha by-elections.

He said that the Centre should be blamed for all the obstacles preventing the mining of sand. “The Opposition leader in legislative council Kota Srinivas Poojary has been making irresponsible remarks against the chief minister. Poojary should maintain the decorum of his post. He, along with others, should hold talks with the Centre and try to resolve the sand crisis,” said Gowda.

“There are 93 traditional sand miners and if the BJP agreed, permission for sand mining will be given to them immediately. The chief minister will convene a meeting after the by-elections, in order to find a permanent solution for sand crisis,” he added.

Gowda lauded the Ramanagara Assembly constituency’s BJP Candidate L Chandrashekar’s decision to withdraw from the contest and join the Congress.

‘Diwali gift’

Bhojegowda declared that development was a Diwali gift for BJP, who were the pioneers in engineering defection. “The BJP should now understand the fact that whatever sin it commits, finally it has to suffer the consequences,” he stated.

He defended Madhu Bangarappa and said that Bangarappa was a former JD(S) MLA and had identified himself with the JD(S). He predicted that the victory margin for Bangarappa would be 5,000 votes.

He criticised BJP leader Janardhana Reddy for his comments against Siddaramaiah and said Reddy had lost his sanity due to his connection with the underworld.