JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the government has no plans to demolish the historical Balabrooie Guest House.
The chief minister, however, has not dismissed the idea of having a Legislators Club within the guest house premises. Fears of a political backlash appears to be one of the prime reasons behind Siddaramaiah rejecting a cabinet colleague’s suggestion on shifting the legislators club from Balabrooie.
The guest house is nestled in a 14-acre plot, while the structure occupies 3 acres and 37 guntas.
Sensing the mood among Bangaloreans who are agitated over the plans to do away with the historical building, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated that there was no proposal before the chief minister to demolish the guest house.
The CMO also said that there has been no discussion on whether an alternative location could be identified for the club. The plan to have a club for legislators has been on the anvil for the last 10 years.
The CMO said there is no need for anyone to stage a protest questioning the demolition as there are no plans to do away with the building.
Sources said the guest house will be handed over to the Legislature Section on November 2 or 3. Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa’s office has dispatched a letter to the State hospitality division (under protocol section) seeking the status of the Balabrooie Guest House being handed over to the Legislature Section.
The letter was dispatched two days ago, even as people were protesting against the move to demolish the guest house.
On October 15, soon after the inauguration of Public Works Department (PWD) projects worth Rs 200 crore, PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa met Siddaramaiah along with engineers to propose a new site inside the Kumara Krupa guest house for the club.
Sources said the engineers submitted a detailed plan for a club inside Kumara Krupa premises, which is also government property.
It is said that Mahadevappa and the engineers tried to impress upon the chief minister that there was a two acre area within Kumara Krupa with direct access to the main road which could be utilised for the club.
Siddaramaiah, however, is said to be keen on going by the sentiment of the legislators who are in favour of having a club inside Balabrooie premises.
Siddaramaiah confided in Mahadevappa that the proposal was mooted by the previous BJP government and was accepted by MLAs and MLCs cutting across party lines.
Giving up on the plan at this juncture may not be politically correct, opined Siddaramaiah.