It’s Union minister vs state minister and Cong MLC vs BJP MLA, as elected representatives clash in separate incidents in Karnataka

An argument erupted between Humanabad MLA Sidhu Patil and MLC Bhimrao Patil during the Bidar district quarterly progress review meeting, in Bidar on Monday. (Source: ANI Video Grab)

In two separate incidents reported from Karnataka, elected representatives from the Congress and the BJP had heated altercations on Monday.

In the first incident reported from Koppal, Union Minister V Somanna had to face the wrath of Congress leaders and workers during the inauguration of a railway overpass at Hitnal village in the district. Congress workers launched a protest at the venue of the event and were joined by Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Congress MLA K Raghavendra Hitnal and others, alleging that elected representatives from the Congress were not mentioned in the invitation and banners of the event.

With the demonstration taking centre stage, Somanna tried to pacify the protesters, saying that only pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are used in the banners installed on stage for central government programs. The Union minister then accused the Karnataka minister and MLA of ganging up with their supporters to disrupt the program, after which Tangadagi and Hitnal breached the police cordon and walked to the stage.

A heated exchange followed between Somanna and Tangadagi and other Congress and BJP leaders, forcing the organisers to truncate the event.

Speaking to reporters, Somanna maintained that there was no breach of protocol as names of the state ministers and local elected representatives were mentioned on the inauguration plaque. “When their names are on the plaque, I don’t know why they are doing this,” he said.

Tangadagi alleged that elected representatives felt disrespected as their names were not mentioned either in the invitation card of the event or the banners installed for the same. “We are ready to tolerate (the insult). But party workers will not tolerate it,” he said.

The second incident took place in Bidar during the Karnataka Development Programme meeting. Congress MLC Bhimrao Patil and BJP MLA Siddu Patil clashed over a land encroachment issue.

The issue flared up as Bhimrao Patil took offence to the allegations of land grab made by Siddu Patil and rushed towards where he was seated. “Let’s see what you can do,” the Congress MLC is heard saying, before raising his arms towards the BJP MLA. A police personnel succeeded in restraining the Congress MLC even as it seemed that the duo would exchange blows.

Bidar in-charge minister Eshwar Khandre, who is also the forest, ecology and environment minister of Karnataka, called off the meeting soon after the incident.