Karnataka govt withdraws order providing office space to V Somanna in Tumakuru

The state public works department has all of a sudden cancelled the earlier permission given to use the Circuit House, on the premises of Travellers’ Bungalow in the city, as office for Tumkur MP and Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna.

Incidentally, the circuit house was renovated after spending lakhs of rupees and was due for inauguration on August 18.

Somanna had made preparations to begin work from his new office from Sunday itself.

However, the PWD has now withdrawn its order claiming that it cannot provide space (for the purpose of office of Somanna) in Travellers’ Bungalow much to the chagrin of the BJP and JD(S) leaders.

In a joint press conference conducted in the city on Friday, BJP MLAs B Suresh Gowda and G B Jyothi Ganesh and JD(S) MLA C B Suresh Babu have condemned the state government in unison.

“District Incharge Minister G Parameshwara is directly responsible for this. He is into vendetta politics and trying to rule through oppression. In chief minister’s home district of Mysuru, Travellers’ Bungalow has been provided to MLA G T Devegowda and other MLAs for their use. However, the order granting permission to use Travellers’ Bungalow in Tumakuru has been withdrawn,” said Suresh Gowda.

The MLAs said that senoir politician like Somanna is being insulted on purpose. A lot of development works need to be undertaken in the district with the help of the union minister.

These include railway, irrigation, metro and Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. To implement development works, an office should be provided to Somanna first, they added.

MLA G B Jyothi Ganesh said, “There is no question of giving up the building (Circuit House) come what may.”

He also said that people shouldn’t indulge in cheap politics.