Congress suspends MLA Ganesh for assaulting colleague; attempt to murder case filed
Bengaluru: Congress MLA JN Ganesh was suspended from the party on Monday after a case of attempt to murder was registered against him on the basis of a complaint by his colleague Anand Singh, who is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital after an alleged brawl at Bengaluru’s Eagleton Resort. The Congress lawmakers were shifted to the resort two days ago ostensibly to protect them from poaching attempts by the BJP.
Singh, in the FIR, has accused Ganesh of assaulting him. According to reports, the Kampi MLA had allegedly hit Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh on his head with a liquor bottle amid a heated argument.
In a press release, Pradesh Congress said as serious allegations have been made with regards to the incident, on the orders of KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA J N Ganesh has been suspended with immediate effect.
For a detailed inquiry into the incident, a special committee had been constituted under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara.
The Congress, however, had denied the reports of a brawl and claimed that Singh was admitted to the hospital due to chest pain. Speaking to the media, Water Resource Minister DK Shivakumar rubbished reports that the two MLAs were involved in a brawl. “There was no fight, no assault, no liquor bottles,” DK Shivakumar said.
Singh, who was formerly with the Bellary Reddy brothers group in the BJP, was initially reported by Shivakumar to be among Congress rebels the BJP was trying to poach.
Singh, however, reached Shivakumar’s residence a day later and the duo reported to Congress in-charge for Karnataka K C Venugopal. Singh reportedly informed the leadership that the rebellion was instigated by Congress leader from Belagavi Ramesh Jharkiholi, who is locked in an ego battle with Shivakumar.
The alleged brawl is learnt to be a consequence of Ganesh alleging that Singh “played a double game” while reporting the dissidence to the high command, sources said.