The supporters of Ballari Rural MLA N.Y. Gopalkrishna staged a rasta roko on Ballari-Bengaluru Highway here on Sunday, bringing traffic to a stop for more than 30 minutes. The agitators raised slogans in favour of Mr. Gopalkrishna.
They said that Mr. Goplakrishna, a senior leader of the party, who hails from Molkalmuru in Chitradurga district, served the party in different capacities, including as deputy speaker.
He could efficiently handle any portfolio in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet, and so preference should be given to him to serve as a minister.
They also expressed ire over the Congress high command and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not considering Mr. Gopalkrishna’s name for a ministerial berth even after being aware of his experience and service to the party and the backward district Chitradurga.
‘Will intensify agitation’
The agitators warned that they would intensify the agitation if the Congress high command and the Chief Minister failed to give a ministerial berth to Mr. Gopalkrishna at the earliest.
