TNN
Bangalore, Jan 30: In a swift response to avoid embarrassment, the state BJP suspended its party MLA Y Sampangi, who was arrested by the Lok Ayukta police on Thursday for allegedly accepting a bribe from a businessman.
Sampangi represents Kolar Gold Fields constituency. "A team of senior party leaders will further evaluate the allegations, and the final decision on disciplinary proceedings will be taken based on the findings,'' said D V Sadananda Gowda, the state BJP president.
Who is Sampangi?
Though not a native of KGF, Sampangi got elected to the legislative assembly from the constituency in the May 2008 elections by defeating former MLA S Rajendran of RPI. Hailing from Anekal in Bangalore district, he identified with various Dalit movements, backward classes and minorities. He even organized a mega event for these classes in Bangalore in 2007.
Though the local BJP unit in KGF was reluctant to accept him as the party's candidate, the people of KGF, who wanted a change from Rajendran and Bakthavachalam, helped Sampangi garner the support of young voters.
Once elected, he was in the news for both the right and wrong reasons. On the positive side, he made efforts to rope in many trade union leaders of the closed BGML under one banner to explore the possibility of reviving the Bharat Gold Mines Limited. He also attempted to establish a garment industry, and many entrepreneurs visited KGF to explore the possibility of setting up industries there.
On the flip side, he made news for unsavoury reasons on three occasions: once for an altercation with the police chief H S Venkatesh; the second time for staging a demonstration against SP and also levelling charges against it; and the third for allegedly assaulting a KSRTC driver which resulted in the crew staging a demonstration. However, Karunanidhi, the driver in question, denied the incident later.
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