Division of Bellary: Somashekhar threatens to quit

Bengaluru: BJP legislator G Somashekhar Reddy on Saturday threatened Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to quit the party if Ballari is split to create a new Vijayanagar district.

Addressing presspersons on the issue Somashekhar said, “The Yediyurappa before deciding anything on the issue must compulsorily call us for a discussion on this. Just because someone gave a letter, you can’t act in haste and bring it before the Cabinet.”

“If disqualified MLA Anand Singh resigned for this, what if we resign saying it shouldn’t be done,” he added.

He further added that “MLAs Gopalakrishna, Karunakara Reddy, Somalingappa and myself are on this side while Singh is the only one on the other side. No one is in favour of breaking the district. They say it will benefit administration, but development must be a united effort.”

The demand to create a Vijayanagar district was made by disqualified Congress’ rebel legislator Anand Singh. He was the first among the 17 disqualified MLAs to resign, citing this demand as the reason.