VENTING THEIR IRE: BJP corporators and party members staging a protest in front of the BMP office in Bangalore on Saturday. They were expressing their anger over the attack on the former corporator Gangabyraiah and his supporters on Friday. — Photo: K Murali Kumar

Bangalore: Bharatiya Janata Party members of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council on Saturday demanded the resignation of Mayor Mumtaz Begum for failing to check her party corporators' unruly behaviour on Friday.

They, along with members of the party's city unit, staged a demonstration protesting against the attack on the former corporator Gangabyraiah and his supporters by the Industrial Town ward corporator M. Srinivasa, at the BMP office here on Saturday.

The demonstrators wore black badges as a mark of protest.

A.H. Basavaraju, leader of the BJP group in the BMP Council, said the Mayor should resign from her post immediately.

Unruly behaviour

"At a council meeting, when the Congress corporators threw water bottles around, the Mayor kept quiet. She refused to even warn the unruly Congress members when they barged into her chamber and broke the furniture. She has also failed to discharge her duties as a Mayor," he alleged.

After the Mayor came back from her visit to China, Ms. Begum said all the roads would be washed.

"Certain wards do not get drinking water and the Mayor is talking about washing the roads. Many citizens have been forced to buy drinking water," Mr. Basavaraju said.

Mr. Basavaraju said though the construction of the B.R. Ambedkar stadium had been completed, it had not been thrown open to the public.

Misuse of funds

"Crores of rupees have been misappropriated, as the stadium had been getting generous budgetary allocation each year," he said.

He also said that the demonstrators would submit a memorandum to the Mayor.

B.N. Vijayakumar, general secretary of BJP's city unit, said the attack on Mr. Gangabyraiah was not a stray case. "Congress corporators are known for their unruly behaviour. The BMP body should be dissolved and Mr. Srinivasa should be arrested immediately," he said.

He also said that the BJP members would meet Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and urge him to take action in this regard.

Mr. Gangabyraiah said the Mayor issued a statement that only carpentry and electrical work had to be completed at the stadium.

"The fact is that no work has been executed, and the area corporators should be held responsible for the misuse of funds," he alleged.

He also urged the Mayor to initiate disciplinary action against errant officials.

B. Somashekhar, corporator and president of the city unit of BJP Yuva Morcha, said the Mayor should step down from her post.

He also said that Mr. Srinivasa should tender an apology at the council meeting.

"We will meet Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and urge him to dissolve the BMP Council," he said.

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