Bengaluru: Charging the ruling Congress members with being jittery to face BBMP polls, BJP deputy leader in the Legislative Assembly, R Ashok, said on Monday that the state government had exhausted all options to put off elections to the city corporation.
Participating in a debate on The Karnataka Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2015, Mr Ashok charged that trifurcation of BBMP would harm the interests of Kannadigas in Bengaluru.
“First, you brought in an ordinance. When the Governor raised objections, you tried to convince the court. The court asked you to hold elections and keep trifurcation for 2020. As a last resort, you have brought in the bill,” he told members of treasury benches adding that a slew of problems encountered after division of Delhi municipal corporation would recur in Bengaluru too.
For instance, civic utilities like BWSSB, BESCOM and Bengaluru city police would not be able to function effective after the proposed split, he added. Mr Ashok said that charges of corruption should not be levelled against councillors of BBMP the commissioner, a representative of the government, was responsible for various decisions as all powers were vested with him and not the mayor or the corporation council.
The BJP had won the last elections to BBMP which was superceded by the state government recently.
‘Tainted’ MLA: I exposed the scam in BBMP
In a surprise claim, Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA Mr Munirathna, from whose house Lokayukta seized BBMP files, claimed credit for exposing the scam in BBMP. Intervening when Mr Kumaraswamy was speaking, Munirathna said during the previous BJP government, he collected documents pertaining to misappropriation of funds in Gandhinagar, Malleswaram and Rajarajeshwarinagar constituencies.
"I provided all documents to Mr Kumaraswamy and he addressed a press conference about the scam. Later, the government ordered a CID inquiry. You can ask Kumaraswamy," he added. He explained about officers of Lokayukta recovering BBMP files from his house. "Of 620 files, 600 pertain to BJP rule. Only 20 pertain to my time."
