Bengaluru (Karnataka): In a high drama at the Karnataka assembly, the newly elected Congress MLA Srinivas Mane was not able to take oath on Thursday. Speaker waited for the Congress leader and all Congress party men waited for the speaker leaving Srinivas Mane high and dry at the end of the day.
The oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected Congress MLA Srinivas Mane from Hanagal and BJP MLA Ramesh Bhusanur from Sindagi was organized at the Conference Hall of Vidhana Soudha at 11 am. The Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegade Kageri administered the oath to Ramesh Bhusanur first.
Meanwhile, Mane came to the speaker and requested him to grant two minutes permission to go out. KPCC President D K Shivakumar was stuck in the traffic and the anxious Mane wanted to take oath in the presence of Shivakumar. Mane did not come back even after the speaker waited more than 10 minutes. Irked, Kageri directed officials to end the program and to tell Mane to take oath at the Speaker's office.
After Shivakumar's arrival, Mane and other Congress leaders including KPCC working President Saleem, Rizwan Arshad waited at the Speaker's office, expecting that Kageri would come back and administer the oath. DK Shivakumar made a phone call to Kageri and requested him to return and administer the oath. But even after waiting about an hour, the speaker did not come. KPCC secretary Vishalakshi requested the speaker once more. But the speaker responded, "I am busy with a programme, I can't come right now. I will fix the date for Mane's swearing-in ceremony."
Later, DK Shivakumar expressed his displeasure over Speaker's attitude and said, "it is the result of by-polls. It shows the speaker's frustration with BJP losing Hanagal seat."
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