SHIMOGA,: Former minister and Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa collapsed after addressing party workers at a rally organised by the District Congress Committee (DCC) at Gopi Circle on Thursday.
Former MLC Shantaveerappa Gowda, former MLA Kariyanna, DCC president Prasannakumar and others rushed him to a hospital in a car.
Prior to this, Thimmappa had participated in the rally taken out from the Congress office to Gopi Circle. He addressed the gathering for about 20 minutes, before he collapsed. The Congress leaders told the media that Thimmappa was fine, but fainted due to the heat.
Congress workers arrested
The police arrested hundreds of Congress workers near Hole bus stop for attempting to picket the house of state BJP president K S Eshwarappa.
After staging a road blockade at Gopi Circle, the workers took out a rally towards Eshwarappa’s house in Gundappa Shed.
The workers attempted to proceed towards Eshwarappa’s house by removing the barricades put up by the police.
The police arrested and released them later.
‘BSY unfit to rule’
Thimmappa said that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa is not fit to rule. Anarchy prevails in the state as the administration has broken down, he added.
‘BJP purchasing MLAs’
“The BJP is purchasing MLAs of other parties by engineering a fresh round of Operation Lotus. Yeddyurappa has dented the state’s pride for power and also insulted the people. Some BJP MLAs disgusted with rampant corruption have revolted against their own government.
“Yeddyurappa should resign as his government was reduced to a minority and tender a public apology,” he demanded.
Training his guns at the state BJP president, the former minister said that Eshwarappa has been making provocative statements.