Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 1: "Dakshina Kannada MP and BJP candidate, Nalin Kumar Kateel, has been claiming that work on road development on national highway 75 between the city and Bengaluru has stalled on account of land acquisition problem. If Kateel is able to prove this allegation, I will permanently retire from politics," said former minister and Congress leader, B Ramanath Rai, by way of challenge.

Rai was speaking at the inaugural of his party's election office in the city on Sunday March 31. He noted that L&T Company which bagged the contract for road widening work had begun working on the project and that work has been stopped for some reasons. He blamed Nalin Kumar Kateel of unnecessary blaming the state government by claiming that land acquisition problem has stalled the work.

Rai recalled that the MP had given similar reasons for the sluggish progress of flyovers at Thokkottu and Pumpwell. He accused the MP of failing to address such problems and then covering up the truth.