Ramanagar DC, defected corporators threatened by JD(S), alleges DKS

NT Correspondent, Ramanagar: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday alleged that former JD(S) corporators who joined Congress a day prior were threatened by their old party. He added that Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy was also threatening Ramanagar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Yeshwant Gurukar for aiding the Congress government in development work. Shivakumar made the claim after laying the foundation stone for several government projects at Adil Shah ground in Channapatna town in Ramanagar district. He was referring to the fact that 13 of the 16 JD(S) corporators in the 31-member Channapatna City Council defected to the Congress on Friday.

DC Gurukar, who is also the District Election Officer (DEO), approved the defection with no need for disqualification. He made the decision under the Karnataka Local Authorities (Prevention of Defection) Act under which if more than two-thirds of the elected members switch parties, then they aren’t disqualified and there is no need for by-polls. “The Union Minister has apparently threatened the Deputy Commissioner for doing such good work now. Our’s is people-centric politics while Kumaraswamy’s is family-centric politics. No one is permanent in politics. There are many local corporators who have joined the Congress and we will take care of them. I heard they are getting threats as well,” Shivakumar alleged. The Deputy CM also wooed local voters, telling them the Congress would turn Channapatna into “Chinnada Pattana” (a town of gold). “We have laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 500 crore in the last three months.

The people of the taluk are not hearing about these developments but are also witnessing it. The officials and ministers are coming to your doorstep to attend to your needs. The previous MLA has abandoned Channapatna while my relationship with Channapatna is the one between God and devotee,” he said, adding that there would be emphasis on distribution of houses under various schemes in the near future. It is to be noted that Channapatna was held by Kumaraswamy before he was elected as the Mandya Lok Sabha MP.

Then he vacated the seat. BJP MLC CP Yogeshwar is vying for the seat as is JD(S) Channapatna taluk president Jayamuthu. On the Congress end, the name of MLC Puttanna and former MP DK Suresh are being mooted. There are other aspirants as well.