VIJAYAPURA/KALABURAGI : Amid the simmering cold war between Congress Aland MLA BR Patil and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, the former has said that he will not attend the legislature sessions, including the winter session in Belagavi from December 4, until an investigation into the allegations of corruption which Byre Gowda levelled against him are probed and completed.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked him to rush to Bengaluru in connection with the controversy and that he would meet the CM on Wednesday evening. Patil was speaking to media persons in Kalaburgi “I want the government to launch a high-level inquiry into the allegations made against me. I had to write to the Chief Minister for a probe into the allegations of corruption against me as the development harmed my self-respect. The CM should conduct the inquiry by having Krishna Byre Gowda and the officials together,’’ he added.
He said so far he tolerated insults on many occasions but the way Byre Gowda spoke against him in the legislature session pained him.
“I don’t have a grudge or anger against anybody but people should know that I am innocent,’’ Patil added.
He said that the CM spoke to him on the phone and asked him to rush to Bengaluru on Wednesday evening itself. Patil said he would attend the meeting convened by the CM.
Recalling the developments which led to the controversy, Patil said he had asked questions about developmental works. “While replying to my questions in the session, Byre Gowda alleged that I took money to allot the works. But I protested against it. Unfortunately, none of the MLAs came in support of me,’’ he regretted. Patil said he did not raise the issue in the run up to the Assembly elections in the five states. “Now, I have written to the CM. I am a man with self-respect,” he said.
CM WILL TAKE A DECISION, SAYS BYRE GOWDA
Replying to the reported letter written by Aland MLA BR Patil to the CM, Byre Gowda has said that the former would take an appropriate decision on the matter. Addressing media persons in Vijayapura on Wednesday, Byre Gowda said that he has already given a reply in the Assembly in the past.
On the allegation of Patil that the statement of Byre Gowda has caused offense, the minister refused to respond, stating that he has come for a review meeting and therefore he does not wish to create any controversy. On the statement of Patil that he would not enter the Assembly till a probe is ordered to clear him from corruption charges, the minister said that he would not like to comment on it as it is the prerogative of the CM to order for any probe.
