Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Sep 27: Former MLA Raghupati Bhat informed on Wednesday, September 27 that BJP members of the town unit will hold a Padayathra on October 6 from BJP office Kadiyali to City Municipal Council (CMC), near Alankar talkies, demanding the transfer of commissioner Manjunathayya.

Addressing media persons at press club here, he said, “Along with the Padayathra, we will also organize a ‘card movement’ demanding the transfer. We, the opposition, will write letter to chief minister Siddaramaiah and education minister Tanveer Seth, to draw their attention towards the failures and corruption in the council."

“The commissioner is running a corrupt administration. Any work here does not get completed unless one pays a bribe. The current council led by Congress is completely corrupt,” he alleged.

“Manjunathayya has failed to control his officials. The general body meeting of CMC was supposed to be held as per the protocol. But the rules were violated by the ruling party. According to the protocol, a meeting should begin only after the quorum, but here the meeting starts without taking the attendance,” he said.

“In the last meeting, president of CMC Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje read the agenda randomly within five minutes and then it was passed without considering the opinion of the opposition party. Meetings get over in 15 minutes here and the councilors flee from the hall including the president,” said Bhat.

“A commissioner should not work in favor of the ruling party councilors and not for the minister as well. The commissioner has become a puppet of the minister’s hands. He does not follow the protocol anymore. It is also said that council officials are taking bribes from poor people to issue birth and death certificates,” he alleged.

“Manjunathayya is fit to be a personal secretary of the district in-charge minister. It is good to re-appoint him to the education department where he will get lesser opportunities to make money,” he added.

“The Karnataka Municipal Administration should appoint a qualified commissioner for Udupi council,” demanded Bhat.

Senior BJP leader M R Pai, Praveen Kumar, Jagadeesh and others were present.