Karnataka Congress MLA slams govt, threatens to quit

BELAGAVI: In a fresh blow to Karnataka's Congress govt, which is battling dissent, senior Karnataka MLA Raju Kage accused govt on Monday of administrative collapse and threatened to resign over stalled development works in his constituency in Belagavi district.

Kage claimed his ordeal was more severe than that of fellow Congress legislator BR Patil, who recently alleged houses under govt schemes were allotted against bribes and that MLAs had been kept away from decision-making. "I might resign from the party in the next two days after meeting CM Siddaramaiah," said Kage, who represents Kagwad. "Special grants have been released to my constituency. Even after the allocation of Rs 25 crore for development works two years ago, not a single work order has been issued. People of my constituency are cursing me."

BJP seized on Patil's and Kage's statements as "proof" of administrative failure and rampant corruption in the state govt.

Kage, who heads North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, told reporters in Ainapur, near Athani in the district, that the system was dysfunctional, with no officer functioning. "What does it mean if work orders are not issued even after the release of funds," he added.