Cong MLA Shrimant Patil’s ‘disappearance’ rocks House

Bengaluru: The mysterious ‘disappearance’ of Kagawad Congress MLA Shrimant B. Patil from a resort where Congress legislators were staying Wednesday night, created a furore in the Legislative Assembly on a crucial day when Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy sought a trust vote to prove he still had the numbers following the resignation of sixteen Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) legislators.

Congress leaders claimed that their MLA had been ‘abducted’ by BJP leaders but it was flately denied by the saffron party leading to a war of words between ruling and opposition members.

As soon as the House re-assembled after lunch break, Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar alleged that the party MLA had been forcibly taken to Mumbai and admitted  to a hospital there under the pretext of being treated for chest pain. He also displayed photographs which reportedly showed Mr Patil sleeping on a bed and a copy of a ticket for a special flight which had the name of former BJP MLA, Mr Laxman Savadi.  This was enough to prove that the BJP was behind the kidnap of Mr Patil, said Mr Shivakumar while demanding that the Speaker take steps for the safety of ruling party MLAs. He furnished photos of Mr Patil undergoing treatment in Mumbai and Mr Savadi accompanying him at the airport.

Mr Dinesh Gundurao said Mr Patil spoke to him Wednesday night in the resort and after that he went missing. Later, they came to know that he was taken to Chennai in a car and from there to Mumbai by Mr Savadi.

He wondered why Mr Patil had to go to Mumbai when there were super-speciality hospitals near the resort. Arasikere JD(S) MLA Shivalinge Gowda said MLAs have become ‘commodities’ like ‘sheep and cattle’.

Taking serious note of the allegation, Speaker Ramesh Kumar said his office had received an undated letter on plain paper purportedly written by Mr Shrimant Patil seeking permission to stay away from the Assembly proceedings on health grounds. It is not known whether the letter was written and signed by Mr Patil or somebody else.  He instructed Home Minister M.B. Patil to send a police team to Mr Patil's house to ascertain the facts and submit a report to him on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Congress filed a complaint with Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar against Mr Laxman Savadi for allegedly abducting Mr Shrimant Patil.

Mr A.N. Nataraj Gowda, secretary, KPCC & Coordinator Social Media, and Mr Manjunatha Adde, spokesperson, KPCC, complained that Mr Savadi has either abducted or unlawfully restrained Mr Patil to prevent him from voting on the confidence motion. Besides, they have sought protection for the MLA.

In the evening, Mr Patil reportedly sent a video clipping claiming that he developed chest pain suddenly because of which he had to rush to a Mumbai hospital for treatment.

He said that he has been  visiting the same hospital for treatment.