GADAG: Twenty-two Congress councillors of Gadag-Betageri Municipal Council resigned enmasse on Tuesday protesting the exclusion of senior party leader and Gadag MLA HK Patil from the expanded Karnataka cabinet. They also staged a protest outside the Gadag DC’s Office and submitted their resignation to Gadag DC CN Sridhar.
They also demanded separate statehood for North Karnataka. Of the 22 members who resigned, 17 are elected from the Congress and the remaining are nominated members.
“Former minister HK Patil has contributed immensely to the development of the state as four-time MLC, three-time MLA and a minister. Injustice has been meted out to him,” said a Congress councillor.
‘Won’t wear shirt till HK Patil is made minister’
A supporter of former minister and Gadag MLA H K Patil took an oath on Tuesday that he will not wear shirt till the latter is made a minister. Rachappa Gadad said that he was disappointed after Patil’s name was missing from the final list of ministers that was released by the Congress high command on Monday. Rachappa removed his shirt at the DC’s Office on Tuesday and took the oath.
20 HARIS SUPPORTERS TAKEN INTO PREVENTIVE CUSTODY IN BENGALURU
BENGALURU: Hundreds of supporters of Shantinagar Congress MLA NA Haris protested at the War Memorial on Brigade Road in Bengaluru on Tuesday, demanding that he be inducted into the Karnataka cabinet. As the protesters attempted to block the road, the Ashok Nagar police immediately took around 20 protesters into preventive custody.
The supporters gathered in front of the War Memorial at around 10 am on Tuesday, wearing black bands on their foreheads and hands. They displayed placards and photographs of the MLA and raised slogans demanding that he be made a minister.
MAHADEVAPPA’S SUPPORTERS RESIGN, SAY INJUSTICE BY TOP BRASS
MYSURU: Discontent within the Congress intensified after T Narasipur MLA HC Mahadevappa was denied a berth in the newly expanded Karnataka cabinet. Congress leaders and office-bearers from the T Narasipur Assembly constituency submitted their mass resignation, expressing resentment over what they termed as injustice to their leader. The resignation letters have been sent to Mysuru Rural District Congress President Vijay Kumar.
The leaders alleged that Mahadevappa, a senior Dalit leader and loyal party veteran, was unfairly overlooked during the cabinet expansion despite his long-standing contribution to the party.
