Congress corporators stage walkout over 'partisan' politics

Poornima was charged under the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/STs Act late Thursday night. Alleging that the Mayor was being partisan by refusing to listen to the woes of the Congress corporator, Opposition leader M Nagaraj led the walk-out. Ten minutes later, they returned to the Council proceedings for a brief period before Congress women corporators stormed to the well of the House shouting slogans against the BJP government and its Council members.

Poornima, daughter of former MLA A Krishnappa and first time Councillor, was not invited to an event organised to dig a borewell in her ward by the authorities.  Poornima said the contractor, Balakrishna, who was in-charge of digging the borewell, had contested against her in the BBMP elections and alleged that he had gone to one of the party workers’ house and assaulted him.

Responding to the allegations of partisan politics, Mayor S K Natraj said even the Congress MLAs had indulged in the same game. Miffed by the response and denial of extension of time to the Congress councillor, Nagaraj led the walkout for the “unfair” treatment meted out to his colleague, Poornima.

The House was adjourned till afternoon as the relentless Opposition had a sit down in the well of the House protesting against the Mayor’s refusal to listen to the Basavanpura corporator and provide a response. When the House was re-convened at 3 pm, Natraj gave in to the pressure and agreed to look into the atrocities case filed against Poornima.