BJP appeals to Guv not to clear proposed ordinance to trifurcate Bengaluru city

Bengaluru, Apr 9: Opposition BJP on Thursday petitioned Governor Vajubhai Vala requesting him not to approve the proposed ordinance by the government to trifurcate the city.

BJP also asked him to advise government to hold Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections as directed by the High Court.

BJP leaders led by Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, former Ministers Suresh Kumar, Somanna and Arvind Limbavali among others, marched to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

The JDS, led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, also staged a protest in the city opposing the state government's move to trifurcate Bengaluru City.

"We understand that the state government is contemplating trifurcation of Bangalore City by issuing an ordinance before the BBMP elections that are due after its dissolution on April 21. The Bangalore city BJP unit strongly condemns the state government's cavalier approach and its unilateral decision to impose their writ against the wishes of people of Bangalore," BJP in its memorandum said.

Flaying the 'haste' at which the state government was going about on the issue, BJP informed the Governor that the three member committee formed under the Chairmanship of B S Patil (former Chief Secretary) is yet to submit its final report but the state cabinet has approved the trifurcation after hurriedly obtaining an interim report from the panel.

Questioning the state cabinet's decision to split BBMP into three corporations citing efficient administration and governance, the BJP said it was being done with an ulterior motive to postpone the BBMP elections scheduled for May.

The Karnataka High Court has passed orders to ensure that the BBMP polls are conducted before May 30, 2015, BJP in its memorandum said, adding, that the ordinance route was only aimed at creating legal hurdles for the elections.

PTI