Congress will win more than 18 ZP seats: Ex-MLC

Former MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda said Congress will win more than 18 seats in the Zilla Panchayat election in the district. 

Briefing media persons here on Monday, she said suitable candidates have been fielded from the party. PhD holders and engineering graduates are contesting the election, she added. 

Gayathri said arecanut and coconut plantations in Belavadi, Kalasapura and Devanuru have dried without water. When the MLA visited the villages for campaigning, the villagers urged him provide water to these plantations. But the MLA has stated that some persons had created ruckus in the village during election campaign in an inebriated condition. He had promised to enter Devanuru only after supplying water from Karagada canal during the previous election. When he visited the village for campaign, the residents stopped him from entering the village and demanded water. But the MLA has termed those who questioned his failure as drunkards, she ridiculed.

She said the neglected Karagada drinking water project has seen progress as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi have shown interest in the project. However, the project is going on at a snail’s pace due to technical hurdles. The Congress-led government in the State has given priority to complete the project, she added. 

The party’s district campaign committee president A N Mahesh said six persons, who are contesting the election as rebel candidates in the zilla and taluk panchayat election, have been expelled from the party’s primary membership for six years. Disciplinary action has been taken against Tarikere taluk panchayat president Parvathi Bai for contesting as a rebel in Lakkavalli zilla panchayat constituency, Ajjampura gram panchayat president Rangaswamy in Ajjampura taluk panchayat constituency, Ramappa and Mallikarjuna in Mudagodu taluk panchayat constituency, Shekarappa in Hunasaghatta taluk panchayat constituency and Dejappa in Gonibeedu taluk panchayat constituency, Mahesh added.