‘KSCA not respecting legislators, giving general tickets for IPL matches at Chinnaswamy stadium,’ say Karnataka MLAs

Leader of Opposition R Ashok joined the discussion, saying that the government had given land to KSCA at a monthly charge of Rs 1,600. “Yet, legislators are not respected,” he said. Noting that KSCA had an excise license to sell liquor, he asked the government to review it so that KSCA would agree to the government’s demands. “They should be taught a lesson,” he added.

Meanwhile, Speaker U T Khader advised Shivakumar to hold a meeting with KSCA. “Their reason for not giving VIP tickets to MLAs is that other people occupy the seats on MLAs’ behalf. You should ask them to give a minimum of four tickets to members of MLAs’ families at the VIP gallery,” he said.

A few legislators suggested that tickets were sold in black with the knowledge of the government and stadium authorities. BJP MLA Abhay Patil demanded a probe into the matter.

Responding to this, Shivakumar agreed to convene a meeting with KSCA to address the issue. “There is nothing wrong with what the MLAs are asking. They have every right as they should get benefits as legislators,” he said.

In his response about Bengaluru development, Shivakumar said that alternate arrangements are in the works to ease the flow of traffic at key entry points to the city. While an alternate road connecting Nelamangala to Bidadi via Tavarekere will be developed, the government was looking to extend the Bala Gangadhara Swamy flyover, which connects Town Hall with Sirsi Circle, till Kengeri in the southwestern part of the city.

The reply was interrupted by a heated exchange between Shivakumar and BJP MLA Munirathna. The saffron MLA asked Shivakumar to respond even as his fellow BJP legislators asked him to sit down, prompting protests from Congress MLAs who entered the well of the Assembly and demanded action against the BJP legislator. Due to the poor choice of words used in the exchange, the Speaker expunged the remarks from the official proceedings of the House.