MLAs must unite to support north Karnataka: AS Patil

BELAGAVI: In an attempt to garner the support of leaders in north Karnataka region for his campaign for a separate statehood for north Karnataka, suspended Congress legislator A.S. Patil on Monday asked all 96 MLAs of the region to unite in order to fulfill the aspirations of people of this area.

Addressing a meeting to discuss development of north Karnataka region at Jamakhandi, near Bijapur, he charged that successive governments had failed to allocate funds for development of the region and to ensure social justice for the people. Of the 3800-odd employees working in Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, only 150 belonged to this region and were serving as either C or D class employees.

Most of the top and prominent posts were held by people of south Karnataka region. Though 53 per cent of the entire state comes under north Karnataka, the region has been getting only 25 per cent of the funds while 75 per cent was set aside for other parts of the state, he added.

He found fault with the budgetary allocation to various regions and slammed governments for neglecting projects essential for job-creation. More prominence in the last few decades was given by the governments only to districts of Mandya, Mysuru and Hasan.