BANGALORE: Opposing the formation of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), members of the Opposition Congress will soon meet Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to complain about how the State Government had set up the larger body by flouting norms.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Bangalore City District Congress Committee (BCDCC) president Ramalinga Reddy and the former Mayor P.R. Ramesh said the party would also take the issue in a "big way" in the legislature session.

Questioning the Government's "motives" in issuing the final notification without allowing a discussion in the Legislative Assembly and Council, Mr. Ramalinga Reddy alleged that the Government had even ignored the Governor's direction on the matter.

"On November 25, the Governor directed the Government to issue the final notification only after having a democratic debate in the session. It is unfortunate that the direction has been ignored, and the Government has issued the final notification in a hurried manner," Mr. Ramalinga Reddy said.

Finances

Pointing out that the Government had so far not made any statement on the finances involved in the running of BBMP, Mr. Ramesh said: "The Government is depending only on funds from the Centre through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). But as per rules, JNNURM funds will not pour in unless an elected body is put in place."

The former Mayor said the Government could have conducted elections as per schedule and add the new areas later.

Corporators for the additional wards could be nominated, he said.

Pointing out that the Government had not even allowed the matter to be discussed in the BMP Council before its term ended in November, he alleged that all rules had been violated to set up the new body.

"It is surprising that even before issuing the final notification, the Government had handed over the delimitation exercise to a private company. They had promised Rs. 500 crore for city development in the budget for 2005-2006. But even after a year, even 500 paise has not been released," he said.

Ridiculing the State Government's claims that the city's infrastructure had got a major boost in the last one year, Mr. Reddy said: "No new projects have been launched in the last one year. They are all inaugurating project that had been completed during our tenure."

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