BJP MLA in Mysuru complains of discrimination, denial of funds for roads in segment

'The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government of the Congress is mired in numerous scams, starting from the Valmiki Corporation scam', Srivathsa said.

Mysuru: The lone BJP MLA of Mysuru district T S Srivathsa has alleged that only his Krishnaraja (KR) Assembly segment is discriminated against over allocation of funds by the Karnataka Rural Development Ministry, classified as 100% urban constituency and denied development of roads.

Addressing a media conference, in Mysuru on Tuesday, Srivathsa, who is one among the three BJP MLAs of the Mysuru region comprising Mysuru, Hassan, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts, pointed out that except for the constituencies under Bengaluru Urban District, all other segments, except KR, have got the funds.

“I do not understand why only KR segment has been left out, while the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has been stating that there are no funds for road development, even though Dasara is fast approaching. Even Chamaraja (CR) and Narasimharaja (NR) segments come under the MCC limits. But they have got funds – Rs 20 crore each,” he said.

“I have complained about this to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, DCM D K Shivakumar and also Chief Secretary of the state government. I have also urged the CM to make Mysuru roads pothole-free in the wake of the Dasara celebrations,” Srivathsa said.

Demand for resignation

“The situation in Karnataka is such that anybody can do anything and get away with it. The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government of the Congress is mired in numerous scams, starting from the Valmiki Corporation scam. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi is accused, by former minister B J Puttaswamy, currently seer Poornanda Puri Swami of Nelamangala-based Thaileshwara Ganiga Mutt, of asking a ‘commission’ to release the funds allocated for the mutt’s renovation by the earlier BJP government, led by then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. But, no action is being taken by the CM,” Srivathsa said.

“If the minister is seeking a commission from a religious institution, what will be the plight of the common people? While the BJP chief minister B S Yediyurappa started granting funds for the development of religious institutions, the present government is doing corruption in the issue. Siddaramaiah should have sought the resignation of Tangadagi by now. We demand his dismissal,” the MLA said.

Speaking about the five guarantees of the Karnataka government, Srivathsa said, the MLAs are unhappy, reflected in the words of former minister and Yelburga MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy, who asked the people about their choice, if they want rice or development.

“Now, owners of 4,000 lorries, which were transporting the rice to fair price shops, are protesting as their payment is pending. While providing rice to BPL card holders, the government has put the livelihood of thousands of people - dependent on lorries like owners, drivers, cleaners, mechanics and their families – at stake” he said.

City BJP president and ex-MLA L Nagendra, general secretary Cable Mahesh, vice-president Jogi Manju, media convenor Mahesh Raj Urs, B M Santhosh Kumar and Nanda Kumar were present.