The Hindu : Karnataka News : BJP threatens major offensive against Government

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

BJP threatens major offensive against Government

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 7. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today decided to launch a major agitation against the State Government from December 14 on various counts, including development work coming to a standstill. The agitation would begin with a "satyagraha" by the 79 MLAs of the party in front of the residence of the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, B.S. Yediyurappa, who announced this after meeting of the BJP Legislature Party here, said the party legislators were of the unanimous view that the BJP had to play a proactive role and voice the concern of the people over the Government's apathy towards them.

The meeting discussed three issues: rehabilitation package for Bagalkot town, development work not being taken up by the Government and Datta Jayanti celebrations. Mr. Yediyurappa alleged that the Government had put on the backburner development work, and Ministers and officials were involved in transfer of officials for a consideration. The BJP had urged the Government to come out with guidelines for transfer of officials. Even former Ministers and legislators were involved in the "transfer racket," he charged.

Rehabilitation package

On the Bagalkot rehabilitation package, he said the Government had not even spent Rs. 10 crores in two years, although it had announced a package of Rs. 638 crores. Despite an agitation in Bagalkot calling for the implementation of the package, the Government had turned a deaf ear.

Instead, it had assaulted those who were demanding rehabilitation, he alleged.

Govind Karjol, deputy leader of the party in the Legislative Assembly, said that the Government should relocate Kaladgi village and also the villages in Bilgi and Jamkhandi taluks as they would be submerged.

Mr. Yediyurappa took a dig at the coalition Government's Ministry expansion plans.

The Chief Minister had made more visits to Delhi to get clearance from the Congress High Command for the expansion, than to different parts of the State.

People were not in the least bothered whether the Ministry was being expanded or not, but they were keen that development work should be completed.

Datta Jayanti

The BJP had urged the Government to allow Datta Jayanti celebrations without any hindrance and not to buckle under the pressure of "vote-bank politics".

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