Madikeri: The Kodagu Zilla Panchayat meeting on Wednesday witnessed a heated debate between Congress and ruling BJP-JD (S) members when the former questioned why a meeting had not been convened to discuss the no-confidence motion moved by them against the president and vice-president of the zilla panchayat recently.

Karun Kalaiah of the Congress and Raja Rao wanted panchayat president H.S. Ashok to clarify on the delay. Subsequently, Mr. Ashok charged the Congress with forging the signatures of a few of its members to move the no-confidence motion against him. This led to a ruckus.

Enraged by this, Mr. Kalaiah, Mr. Rao and Sanjay Jivijaya of the Congress challenged Mr. Ashok to prove his allegation. They trooped into the well of the house. They said the president had not convened a meeting in the past four months. When the situation went out of control, Mr. Ashok adjourned the meeting for half an hour.

When the meeting resumed, Mr. Ashok appealed to the Congress members to extend their cooperation in conducting the meeting, but they did not relent and staged a dharna. Mr. Ashok said that if they did not give up their belligerent stand, he would have to act in accordance with law. Subsequently, he asked the police to remove the agitating Congress members, including women, who had assembled at the well of the house. When Madikeri MLA K.G. Bopaiah tried to intervene, Congress members insisted that Mr. Ashok clarify on the matter.

P.M. Vijaya and other Congress members shouted slogans against Mr. Ashok. Vice-president B.C. Neelamma said the Congress members were insulting the chair. Meanwhile, Mr. Sanjay Jivijaya entered into an altercation with a policeman who used unpalatable words against the agitating panchayat members. Soon, additional police personnel led by Deputy Superintendent of Police H.R.S. Shetty rushed to the meeting hall.

Enraged by this, all 14 members of the Congress staged a walkout.

Manu Muthappa of the BJP termed the incident unfortunate. The Congress members were not interested in discussing issues relating to the development of the district, he alleged.

V.P. Shashidhar of the Janata Dal (S) said it was a pre-meditated move of the Congress. Mr. Ashok could even recommend to the authorities to annul the membership of Congress members for disrupting the meeting time and again.

Later, the meeting was held in the absence of Congress members. Chief Executive Officer K. Sundar Naik was present.

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