Ramanagara: Tension was present in some areas of Channapatna Taluk in the District as JD (S) supporters went on the rampage in support of their leader and Channapatna MLA and former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy was not invited to the foundation-laying ceremony for several development projects in the Taluk. Former MLA and sitting MLC C. P. Yogeshwar laid the foundation for various works in the place of Kumaraswamy.
Before the programme as Yogeshwar arrived at Ramapura in Channapatna Taluk, angry JD (S) workers raised slogans and tried to disrupt the foundation stone laying ceremony, only to be restrained by the huge contingent of police. The police detained and took them into custody. Some of the irate party workers also stomped on the pamphlets of the ceremony bearing the portraits of Higher Education Minister Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, who is also the District In-Charge Minister.
It is said that sensing trouble, Deputy Commissioner Avinash Menon had issued an order late on the night of Friday September 30 postponing the ceremony as Kumaraswamy being a local MLA is pre-occupied with other engagements.
Later when Yogeshwar reached Bhyrapatna, the infuriated JD (S) workers hurled stones at his SUV along with eggs to vent their fury. On the other hand BJP workers also raised slogans, adding fuel to the fire. As the tension escalated, police did lathi charge to disperse protesters.
It is said that Yogeshwar had got sanctioned Rs. 50 Crore special funds from the Chief Minister towards various development works in the constituency. Though the invitation had the names of Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, H. D. Kumaraswamy and C. P. Yogeshwar, Ashwath Narayan skipped the ceremony. Kumaraswamy was kept aloof without any personal invite, in keeping with the protocol as he is the local MLA. Hence Yogeshwar took the centre stage, which didn’t go down well with JD (S) workers.
It is no more a secret that both Kumaraswamy and Yogeshwar are at loggerheads in the Vokkaliga-dominated constituency. Though Kumaraswamy successfully contested the previous election in both Channapatna and Ramanagara constituencies, he vacated the Ramanagara seat for his wife Anitha, and retained Channapatna only to scuttle the possibility of Yogeshwar contesting the by-election.
