High Drama In Karnataka As Cong Leaders Allegedly Manhandle, Hold Up K Sudhakar After Resignation

A high-voltage drama unfolded at the Vidhana Soudha, the Karnataka Secretariat, as Sudhakar was surrounded by the Congress leaders who tried to convince him not to quit .

Siddaramaiah meeting K Sudhakar/ Image: ANI

New Delhi: Karnataka Congress MLA K Sudhakar who tendered his resignation on Wednesday delivering a fresh jolt to wobbly ruling alliance in the state, was allegedly manhandled and later “held up” in a room, after he submitted his papers. A high-voltage drama unfolded at the Vidhana Soudha, the Karnataka Secretariat, as Sudhakar was surrounded by the Congress leaders who tried to convince him not to quit . The more than an hour long tension-filled drama that also saw BJP leaders and legislators protesting demanding 'release' of Chikkaballapur MLA K Sudhakar, ended with police escorting him to the Raj Bhavan after Governor Vajubhai Vala reportedly intervened. It all started as Sudhakar was about to leave after submitting his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar, joining the list of 15 other ruling Congress-JDS combine MLAs who have quit over the days plunging the shaky coalition government into a crisis. As the MLA was about to speak to mediapersons, some people, stated to be Congress supporters, surrounded and 'manhandled' him as they questioned his decision to quit. Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramiah who met Sudhakar at the Vidhan Soudha denied the MLA was taken for discussion by force and slammed the BJP, accusing it of indulging in goondagiri. After meeting the Governor, Sudhakar described the incident at the secretariat as "a small friction" but condemned the manner in which he was taken for talks, adding his wife and his other family members were 'shaken' by it. Without naming anyone, he slammed the behaviour of "a person who has been a minister and an MLC." "The way he behaved should not have happened in democracy and civilised society. People of the the country have seen it, I don't want to talk about it more. There was a way to convince me if they wanted. I’m not a kinder garden student. The action is highly condemnable”, he added. Earlier, the situation turned ugly with BJP leaders and Congress supporters engaging in slogan shouting against each other before police stepped in and forcibly evicted some people, resulting in a skirmish during which some mediapersons, covering the stand-off, were allegedly attacked. When things went out of control while Sudhakar was trying to engage with mediapersons, State Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao and Minister Priyank Kharge, who were also present there, tried to control the crowd and later seen arguing with Sudhakar after which they escorted him to Minister K J Georges office on the third floor of the Vidhana Soudha. Minutes later, Siddaramaiah, a former chief minister, arrived there to convince him. On learning about the happenings, a group of BJP leaders, including MLA S R Vishwanath, went near the room where Sudhakar was held up and demanded that he be let out immediately. With Congress supporters too present there, the situation turned tense and both sides shouted slogans against each other even as Police personnel arrived in large numbers to manage the situation. Meanwhile, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa told reporters that Sudhakars wife spoke to him over phone and requested him to "rescue" her husband. She was also said to have made a similar request to the Governor. Later Siddaramaiahs office released a photo of Sudhakar holding discussion with the CLP leader. He was escorted by police to Raj Bhavan as the Governor, reportedly, directed the police commissioner  to produce the MLA before him at the earliest. Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah described Sudhakar as a well wisher and alleged BJP was indulging in goondagiri. Stating that Congress leaders were only trying to talk to him, he said what BJP has to do with Sudhakar, he is not BJP worker, he is our MLA... BJP people are rowdies, they behaved like goondas." Sudhakar also described Siddaramaiah as his well wisher, but said he had explained to him the reasons for his resignation. (with inputs from PTI)