Bengaluru (Karnataka): The troubles seem to be unending for the new Chief Minister of State, Basavaraja Bommai as one of the ruling party MLAs, M P Kumaraswamy from Mudigere staged a protest against his own government. Putting the ruling BJP in an embarrassing situation, Kumaraswamy went on a protest with a placard in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha accusing the government of ignoring his constituency ravaged by torrential rains, floods and landslides over the past few years.
"In 2019, we had heavy rains and about six people were washed away along with their houses and it took fifteen days to search for their bodies. Several houses and coffee plantations were destroyed due to landslides. We asked for compensation but we were completely neglected yet we remained quite," Kumaraswamy said.
"The same situation continued this year too. I did not want to question why other constituencies are being considered while we are ignored. Shivamogga city- was considered for relief under NDRF norms, but Mudigere which is a hilly area on Western Ghats receiving heavy rains, was left out," he charged.
Pointing out that in 2018 when H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) was the Chief Minister, the MLA said, "he had given grants and had promised to help. But now despite our own party being in power, we are neglected every year."
"My constituency is facing a tough situation, we are facing floods every year. We have requested our place to be declared as rain and flood prone zone. There are seven to eight panchayats here that come under Western Ghats region, but the government is not declaring it. They are completely neglecting us," he added.
It could be noted that M P Kumaraswamy was also a ministerial aspirant and had openly expressed his desire to be part of the cabinet. But he did not get Ministerial post.
Responding to this protest, Chief Minister Bommai said that he had already spoken to MLA M P Kumaraswamy. "Everything is going fine. He has stopped the protest. I'm going to make a decision about the release of grants to his constituency. I will speak with him tomorrow afternoon", Bommai reacted in Mangaluru.
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