BJP MLA Munirathna ends hunger strike, touches Dy CM Shivakumar’s feet
Bengaluru: BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu on Wednesday ended a hunger strike launched against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and his brother Congress MP D. K. Suresh for pursuing “hate politics” and “withdrawing” funds allotted to his constituency.
After ending the strike, Munirathna went to a function where the Deputy Chief Minister was present and touched his feet.
Munirathna also submitted a memorandum seeking funds and a list of development works for his constituency Raja Rajeshwari to Shivakumar.
Later, Munirathna also met Shivakumar at his residence later and held a discussion.
Sources said that former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa had advised him to end the hunger agitation and meet Shivakumar.
Talking to mediapersons, Shivakumar said he would have given an appointment to MLA Munirathna if he had asked for it.
When the mediapersons asked him about Munirathna touching his feet, Shivakumar said, “Did he really touch my feet? I am not a religious seer.”
“I have asked him to give a list of works that need to be done and assured that funds will be released,” Shivakumar said.
Munirathna went on a hunger strike to demand the release of funds for carrying out developmental works in his Assembly constituency. He sat in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
The former minister was accompanied by his associates who were holding the BJP flag and placards against Shivakumar and Suresh. However, the police took more than 10 associates, who sat with Munirathna, into custody. Munirathna continued to fast and staged the protest alone.
The MLA alleged that Shivakumar was pursuing a “personal vendetta” against him. The Rs 126 crore funds granted for his constituency during the previous government headed by then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had been allotted to different constituencies by the Congress government in the state.
Earlier, he had said that he would not hesitate to touch the feet of Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development Ministry, to get the funds.
Yediyurappa had stated that he would support Munirathna and speak to the Congress government.
“Prima facie it appears as hate politics. Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency should get funds like any other constituency. I will speak to the CM and Dy CM. All legislators should get funds. They had withdrawn the funds allotted by the BJP government. This is not correct. I had asked him to drop the hunger strike as he was carrying it alone. We are with him,” Yediyurappa said.