The political fight between Congress MLA A.S. Patil Nadahalli and his party colleagues appears to be getting personal and murkier, with the MLA demanding the resignation of district in-charge Minister M.B. Patil.
Mr. Patil had suggested that Mr. Nadahalli must resign from his position if he did not believe in party ideologies. The party had removed Mr. Nadahalli from the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) for allegedly speaking against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and accusing him of giving false information about funds allocated for irrigation projects in the budget.
During a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Nadahalli said he would resign if Mr. M.B. Patil and Muddebihal Congress MLA C.S. Nadagouda also resign and contest again from their respective constituencies. “In a democracy, it is the people’s decision that is final, and hence let all three of us resign. I will contest from all the three constituencies: Deverahipparagi, Babaleshwar and Muddebihal; let us see who will win,” he challenged. Mr. Nadahalli also accused Mr. M.B. Patil of misusing his power to suppress the agitation launched by him (Mr. Nadahalli) for the development of north Karnataka region.
Displaying a copy of a letter, he said that his supporters had sought permission from Superintendent of Police D. Prakash to hold a rally on May 2 for demanding justice to northern Karnataka.
Claiming that he was planning to hold a massive public convention of more than 1 lakh people of northern Karnataka between May 25 and June 5, Mr. Nadahalli urged Mr. Patil not to create any hurdle in holding the rally. “In case you try to misuse your power to stop us from holding the rally, then I will take out a march against you from your own Babaleshwara constituency by arranging at least 10,000 bullock carts,” he said.
A.S. Patil Nadahalli challenges others to re-election from three constituencies
