GTD aghast at CM's son 'launching works' in his constituency

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was on the defensive, on Tuesday, when JD(S) MLA from Chamundeshwari constituency G T Deve Gowda accused him of allowing his son Yatindra to launch developmental works, throwing all rules to the winds ahead of the polls.

Gowda, who sought to move a privilege motion on the issue in the Assembly, charged the chief minister with neglecting him. "As per the rule book, the local MLA has to preside over any programme related to government-sponsored developmental works. But I am not invited to any such function," he said.

Siddaramaiah announced recently that he will be contesting the coming polls from Chamundeshwari constituency. His son Yatindra will be contesting from Varuna constituency, which Siddaramaiah is currently representing. As the chief minister is unable to spend much time in Chamundeshwari, his son is doing the ground work in both the constituencies.

"The chief minister's son (Yatindra) is launching developmental works taking police protection. The officials are saying that the  chief minister has issued an order in this regard. Is the chief minister's son an elected representative? What the chief minister is doing in unconstitutional," he charged, urging Speaker K B Koliwad to protect his rights.

Siddaramaiah, however, denied the charges, claiming that the MLA was not left out. "I admit that my son is touring the constituency. But he is not launching any government works," he said.

BJP MLA from Hebbal constituency N Y Narayanaswamy also charged the government with sanctioning Rs 4 crore to MLC Byrati Suresh to take up developmental works in places where people belonging to minority communities live in large numbers in the constituency. He sought to move a privilege motion and demanded that the order be withdrawn.

Another BJP member Govind Karjol complained that family members of Bagalkot district incharge Minister R B Thimmapur were launching developmental works. No action has been taken despite referring the issue to the privileges committee, he added.

When both Gowda and Narayanaswamy staged a protest in the well of House, Koliwad assured them that he will get a report on both the cases within 24 hours and take an appropriate action.