Congress leaders withdraw dharna in K'taka Legislature

Bangalore, June 21 (UNI) The main Opposition Congress today withdrew its two-day dharna in both the Houses of the Karnataka Legislature after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy made a statement on the floor of the Houses, denying ever saying that a former Minister and a journalist had tried to 'lure' him in connection with the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project.

Making a statement in the Assembly, the Chief Minister clarified that it was true that a former Minister and a journalist had met him and discussed the project details, but never made any attempt to 'bribe' him. He appealed to the Congress members to withdraw their dharna and allow the House to conduct its business.

Congress members D K Shivakumar and Basavaraja Rayareddy demanded that either a House Committee be set up to go into the issue or the Chief Minister file a defamation case against the media which had reported his purported earlier statement. Mr Kumaraswamy rejected the idea, saying that it was unnecessary.

The Congress leaders, in the last two days, had demanded that the issue be discussed in detail through an adjournment motion. However, the Speaker had converted the adjournment motion notice into a matter of public importance and had allowed for a discussion, which was not acceptable to the Opposition benches.

In the Council, the Congress members trooped to the well of the House when it assembled for the day, but withdrew the dharna following the Chief Minister coming to the House and making the statement.

The Chief Minister said he would come back to the House to give a detailed reply after the discussions were completed.

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