Daijiworld Media Network – Chitradurga (SP)              

Chitradurga, Oct 3: In a programme of ‘interaction with voters’ organized by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) here on Sunday October 2, a zilla panchayat member and his supporters thrashed a party activist in full view of state leaders of the party.

The programme was attended among others, by KPCC president, Dr G Parameshwar, and leader of the opposition in assembly, Siddaramaiah. A party activist named Kaki Hanumantha Reddy objected to the fact that the name of a local leader, Kodandaramaiah, who was on the dais, was not mentioned in the welcome address. This angered other party activists. Reddy was beaten black and blue by zilla panchayat member, Babu Reddy, and his supporters, and dragged away.

All this happened in the presence of state leaders, who chose to keep quiet. When questioned later, Siddaramaiah tried to pass off the incident as a minor incident that is common in party forums.

Addressing the participants at the programme, Siddaramaiah lambasted the BJP government and its leaders, Yeddyurappa, Renukacharya, Katta Subrahmanya Naidu etc for forgetting ethics, practicing corruption, and destroying values.  He called ‘Renukcharya’ as ‘Chumbanacharya’. G Parameshwar decried the state government for failing to declare Chitradurga as draught-hit, in spite of the scarcity of fodder and water in the district.