K'taka minister in row over tirade against voters

Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport minister D C Thammanna has courted controversy by venting his anger against voters of Maddur taluk, which falls in the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency where chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son and JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost.

A video of the minister purportedly shouting at some people has gone viral prompting a strong reaction from Sumalaltha Ambareesh, the BJP-backed independent candidate, who defeated Nikhil in the seat considered to be a Janata Dal-Secular citadel.

Sumalatha said Thammanna is holding the position because of the people.

The minister was in Maddur Friday to lay the foundation for various development works when some people approached him with a request to get certain public works done.

In the video, Thammanna is heard saying, “You come here to show off! Aren’t you ashamed? Earlier also I had got so many works done here. Did you ever remember that? Now you come to talk to me.”

Reacting to it, Sumalatha Ambareeshsaid,”This is not good. People have the authority to ask (public representatives) because they have voted them. If he(Thammanna) is holding a position, it is because of people,” Sumalatha said.

Asked if she would seek Thammanna’s resignation, Sumalatha said people themselves would ask him to step down.