The ruling party had to cut a sorry figure in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday when one of the ministers jokingly said BJP MLA.
C T Ravi would be the next target in the wake of the murder of BJP workers in the state.
Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka (BJP), who broached the topic of the murder of party's Bengaluru corporator Rekha's husband Kadiresh, he said, "First it was Santhosh -- today it is Kadiresh. I wonder who will be victimised tomorrow." The Cabinet minister candidly said, "C T Ravi", triggering an uproar in the House.
Ravi, who was present in the House, said the government had hatched a plot against him. "This proves that they have hatched a plan to kill me. I don't fear death," he said.
BJP members including Aravind Limbavali, D N Jeevaraj and Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar demanded that the ruling party members name the minister who made the comment. They also demanded an apology from the said minister.
The BJP members calmed down only after Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda tendered an apology on behalf of the minister in question. "He has said it in jest. He is sorry about it," added Gowda.
Jeevaraj said that Ravi was already facing a death threat and he had also sought police protection. "Imagine his state of mind to hear his name being called out in this manner in the House," the Sringeri MLA observed.