Congress legislators corner minister at KDP meet over ‘lack of devpt’

District in-charge Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil faced embarrassing moments during the KDP meeting here on Friday when the Congress legislators, led by Maski MLA Basanagouda Turvihal, vented their ire at the government over lack of development works in their constituencies.

Turvihal, also the chairman of Karnataka State Khadi & Village Industries Board, expressed his anguish against the functioning of the district minister. “The district has drawn a blank on development. The officers and the police are behaving arbitrarily.

"They do not care to call the legislators for meetings. Illegal activities are rampant. The district minister holds a meeting for the sake of it. Development has come to a standstill in the district.”

Congress MLCs Basangouda Badarli, A Vasanthkumar and Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur too joined the chorus. Basanagouda Patil Daddal, Raichur Rural MLA and chairman of Karnataka ST Development Corporation, came to the district minister’s rescue. He tried to stop the party legislators asking them to give him an opportunity to speak about his constituency. Soon, Daddal got into a verbal duel with Turvihal and Co before the minister intervened to pacify them.

Meanwhile, JD(S) MLA from Devadurg Karemma staged a dharma, sitting on the floor of the meeting hall, alleging the lacklustre attitude of the government in addressing the issues of her constituency.

“Only six PDOs are working in the constituency following the suspension of 33 PDOs. The government has not made any alternative arrangement after mass suspensions. The government is fleecing people by setting up two toll gates within 40 km. Police are using force to silence the activists,” Karemma alleged. She relented after the district minister assured her of addressing the issues.