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Congress downplays alleged fight between 2 MLAs in Bengaluru, BJP watches in glee
A senior Congress leader confirmed that Anand Singh, MLA from Vijayanagara constituency in Ballari district, was admitted to a private hospital early Sunday, but the reason for hospitalisation was not clear.
The Congress scrambled today to play down an alleged fight between two of its MLAs at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru even as the BJP sought to capitalise on it saying that it was clear that all was not well in the grand old party.
A senior Congress leader confirmed that Anand Singh, MLA from Vijayanagara constituency in Ballari district, was admitted to a private hospital early Sunday, but the reason for hospitalisation was not clear.
Speaking to HT, Backward Classes welfare minster C Puttarangashetty, who was also at the Eagleton Golf Resort, said had Singh and JN Ganesh who is also from Ballari and an MLA from the Kampli constituency had a heated argument even during the second CLP meeting on Saturday.
“They were at it in the meeting and it appeared to have carried on into the night. I could hear raised voices near my room, but I cannot say for certain that there was physical violence,” Puttarangashetty said.
However, addressing the press outside the resort, irrigation minister DK Shivakumar categorically denied that any such incident had occurred.
“The Ballari MLAs (Singh, Ganesh, minister E Tukaram, and LBP Bheema Naik) and I had gone for a reception and held a meeting about the district before returning here. Singh has gone to attend a wedding. But you (media) are speculating that there was a fight. Wait for another hour or two he will return and tell you what happened,” Shivakumar said. “There is no fight and there has been no physical violence, nothing has happened,” he added.
But the BJP insisted that all is not well in the Congress. The saffron party tweeted that this was proof that the Congress MLAs were not united. With screengrabs of local news channels claiming that there was violence, the BJP said on Twitter: “What more proof do we need to tell all is not well within Congress..Congress MLA’s in Eagleton resort indulged in physical fight & 1 MLA is admitted. How long will Congress be in denial mode & blame BJP for all their differences? When political party is lame, it loves to blame”
In another tweet, BJP said: “It’s unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao can’t even blame BJP now, MLA’s were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats ur excuse now?”
