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Members of the Congress party staged a protest in Shivamogga on Tuesday alleging that the Smart City project works taken up in the city were of poor quality. The havoc created following the recent rains was itself proof of the sub-standard work in the city, they alleged.
Under the leadership of District Congress Committee president H.S. Sundaresh, the party workers staged dharna on Kuvempu Road. They raised slogans against the BJP rule in Karnataka and the city corporation. During the rains last week, several localities were inundated. Minister for Sericulture K.C. Narayana Gowda, who is also the minister in-charge of the district, visited the rain-hit areas on Monday.
Mr. Sundaresh said the city could not withstand one day’s rains. “The rain has exposed the poor work executed in the city. The BJP should take the credit for spoiling the city. The district minister visited only a few select areas during his visit to the city,” he said.
The stormwater drains in RML Nagar had not been completed even a year after the work started. The delay in completing the works led to flooding in the area, he said.
Leaders of the party also raised slogans against former minister K.S. Eshwarappa and Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra. Congress leaders H.M. Chandrashekharappa, Yamuna Range Gowda, Rekha Ranganath, Youth Congress district president Girish and others were present.
