Madikeri: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kodagu district unit spokesperson M.B. Devaiah said on Tuesday that his party will win a majority of seats in the zilla and taluk panchayat elections in Kodagu district.

Mr. Devaiah told presspersons that the frustration of the people of the district arising out of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) governance in the State had made them turn to the BJP. The people of Kodagu were aware of the infighting between the Congress candidates for the zilla panchayat president's post.

Over Rs. 1 crore in the zilla panchayat budget account and an identical amount under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare had lapsed last year, thanks to the apathy of the zilla panchayat regime controlled by the Congress in the last body, Mr. Devaiah alleged.

The Congress and the Janata Dal (S) had failed to protect the interests of the poor and farmers, although they claimed to stand by them, he said. A large number of local leaders from the two parties were joining the BJP in Kodagu, he said.

Hurdles

Mr. Devaiah said blamed the Forest Department for placing hurdles in development work in the district and accused it of stopping the Hoddur-Bolibane roadwork for which Rs. 14 lakhs was secured by Madikeri MLA K.G. Bopaiah, recently.

He accused certain groups of people, who called themselves environmentalists, of provoking the Forest Department to register cases against people who undertook development work in the district. He challenged the environmentalists to go to the Kodagu-Kerala border, near Virajpet, to check the timber smuggling from Kodagu to Kerala.

Mr. Devaiah accepted the gauntlet thrown by the environmentalists, who reportedly said they would oppose the construction of the Madikeri-Kadmakkal-Subramanya road. The road is expected to reduce travelling distance drastically from Madikeri to Sri Kukke Subramanya.

Hydel project

The BJP leader criticised Kodagu District in-charge Minister Alangur Srinivas for faxing a message to the Deputy Commissioner to stop the construction of the Abbi Falls mini hydro-electric project, near here.

The Revenue and the Power portfolios were held by the Janata Dal (S).

The Revenue Secretary had instructed the Deputy Commissioner here to execute the Abbi project. How can Mr. Srinivas, who also belongs to the same party, ask the Deputy Commissioner to stop the work, Mr. Devaiah asked. The BJP will support the project, but oppose the Barapole and Irpu mini hydel power projects in Virajpet taluk as they will disturb the sentiments of the people and damage the environment.

Mr. Devaiah called upon MLC C.S. Arun Machaiah to clarify why he opposed the Abbi Falls project.

BJP Madikeri unit President K.M. Prakash, BJP Yuva Morcha member Robin Devaiah and Kalakeri-Nidugane Gram Panchayat (which has jurisdiction over Abbi Falls) member Aiyappa were present.

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