Clarifying that neither the BJP nor the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar were opposed to the project to repair and develop Malaprabha canal, the former BJP MLA from Navalgund Shankar Patil Munenakoppa has termed the proposed padayatra seeking initiation of the project as a publicity stunt by Navalgund MLA N.H. Konaraddi.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr Munenakoppa clarified that the opposition from BJP was not to the development project but to the sudden escalation of the project cost within a month.
“According the information available with me, attempts are being made to revised the project cost from Rs. 962 crore to Rs. 1,300 cr. And to facilitate the same a new survey (at a cost of Rs. 5 crore) is being held,” Mr. Patil alleged.
He said that officials who refused to sign the documents pertaining to escalating the project cost to Rs. 1,300 crore were transferred and BJP would not support any attempt to loot the public money or favour a particular contractor in the name of development.
He further clarified that it was during BJP’s regime that the DPR (Detailed Project Report) for the Rs. 962-crore canal development work was prepared, which indicated that BJP supported the canal development. “We want the project to be implemented and that too as per the earlier DPR, which estimates the cost at Rs. 962 crore,” he said.
'He has lost his following'
Mr. Munenakoppa said that Mr. Konaraddi had lost his following in the constituency after the recent arrest of farmers in connection with violent protests over Mahadayi in Navalgund taluk and for the fear of losing ground, JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy had been invited to flag off the three-day padayatra on the banks of the Malaprabha canal, he said.
