By Team Mangalorean

Bangalore, November 3, 2009: These elected representatives should have been with the flood victims who are yet to get over a deluge of problems in various constituencies of North Karnataka, but these MLAs are instead holed up in the resorts in Goa and Hyderabad! The BJP legislators and ministers who are loyal to the mining baron Reddy brothers have deserted their own people who elected them and holed up in five star resorts with only one agenda - how to unseat chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Yeddyurappa, after reviewing the flood-hit regions of the state, had asked all the MLAs of North Karnataka to rush to their respective constituencies to oversee flood relief measures and ensure that the miseries of the flood-affected people were minimised. However, they are holed up resort in Hyderabad, where the build-up of the rebellion is being engineered in all preparation for a possible MLAs' parade to convince the BJP party high command that the Reddy camp has higher numbers than Yeddyurappa.

The Reddy camp, which now claims to have 60-65 BJP and independent MLAs, of a total party strength of 117 in the state assembly, on Tuesday moved another group of MLAs who had been accommodated in a five-star hotel in Goa.

However, Yeddyurappa has expressed helplessness in taking action against the erring MLAs, especially at a time when the state was going through a political crisis when none of his threats would have any impact on the MLAs. Instead, he has taken it upon himself to tour these affected taluks to supervise rehabilitation works.

A livid, but helpless Yeddyurappa said: "It is painful that while the state government is taking efforts to rehabilitate the flood-affected villages, the MLAs are not in their constituencies. But I will not care for anybody; I will continue to work. I will personally visit the constituencies where MLAs are not present and inspect the work from November 7 onwards. I will tell the people to take action against such MLAs."

Speaking after launching work on houses for flood victims today at Belgaum, Yeddyurappa once again appealed his party legislators to devote their time in monitoring and supervising development and welfare works in their constituencies instead of participating in "resort politics".

"I will continue to visit the flood hit areas even if the legislators fail to visit their own constituencies," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa reiterated that no one can prevent him from taking decisions and exercising his powers in the best interests of the people of the State. There was no going back on the imposition of toll on trucks transporting iron ore, he said.

The chief minister was accompanied by Sri Sivaratri Desikendra Swamiji of Suttur Math, Mysore, and Union Minister for Law M. Veerappa Moily.

Lauding the contributions from corporate houses, Mr Moily appreciated steps taken by the state government in rehabilitating the flood victims and promised support to the State from the Union Government. He said the Union Government had released Rs. 500 crore of the promised Rs. 1,000 crore to the State for relief and rehabilitation measures. The balance amount would be made available after the State Government utilised the available funds.

He said that in addition to the Rs. 164 crore released from the Natural Calamity Relief Fund to the State this year, the Union Government had provided Rs. 2,970 crore under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The Government could utilise these funds for relief and rehabilitation works.

With MLAs becoming a rare sight in the flood-hit constituencies, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, RV Deshpande, on Tuesday met prime minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi and presented a memorandum pointing out that the political turmoil in the state had severely hit the administration and the flood relief works. "While the people are suffering, struggling for one meal a day, the MLAs from several flood-affected constituencies are enjoying in five star resorts in other states," he said. "No minister is attending to the official duties, and the works have come to a standstill as all are involved in the patch-up work," he added.

Reddy reviews rehabilitation work

BANGALORE:  Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy on Tuesday reviewed the rehabilitation work in 12 districts by holding a video-conference with Deputy Commissioners.

Addressing the media, he said that the shifting of villages and rehabilitation works was mainly belonged to the Revenue Department.

There was no confusion about rehabilitation. "My priorities are clear." Deputy Commissioners of Raichur, Bidar, Bijapur, Gulbarga,  Bagalkote, Gadag, Haveri, Bellary, Koppal, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, and Chitradurga districts and directed them to acquire lands in 10 days for shifting of villages.

Mr Reddy has said Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje while PWD Minister C M Udasi have not much role in the rehabilitation works. Mr Reddy criticised the style of functioning of the ministers.

Mr Reddy said the Department has collected information about crop loss, and damages to houses, buildings and bridges. Almost all deputy commissioners have sought additional funds for taking up rehabilitation works and land acquisition for construction of houses.

Asked about party MLAs remaining absent from their constituencies for the last several days, Mr Reddy said officials have been supervising all works in rain hit areas. Several MLAs of the rebel group led by the Reddy brothers have been spending their time in lavish five-star resorts in Hyderabad and Goa.