The Hindu
Kottur, (Bellary), Nov 8: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly M Mallikarjun Kharge declined to react to the reported statement of AICC general secretary Margaret Alva that party tickets were “sold” in the last Assembly elections in the State. However, R V Deshpande, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, merely said that the statement was “unfortunate.” Responding to questions by presspersons here on Friday, Kharge said that Alva was the member of Congress Working Committee and Prithviraj Chavan, AICC general secretary, incharge of Karnataka, had already reacted to her statement on the one hand and the party high command had also taken note of what she had said. “Under these circumstances, there was no need for me to react here,” he said.
Deshpande, while endorsing the views of Kharge, said that the statement made by Alva was very unfortunate.
V S Ugrappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, M P Prakash, former Deputy Chief Minister, K C Kondaiah and K S L Swamy, MLCs, were present. All the leaders were here to go round the town to hear the grievances of the people, whose houses were demolished for road widening.