At KDP meeting, MES MLA forgets people's problems but rants Belagavi's merger with Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) continuous to stoke anti-Karnataka feelings. On Monday, during the tri-monthly review meeting of Karnataka Development programme at the Belagavi Zilla Panchayat, Khanapur MLA  (MES) Aravind Patil reiterated the party's demand that Belagavi be merged with Maharashtra.

As the meeting took up the review of Khanapur taluk, the legislator instead of bringing up the problems that the border taluk was facing, showed arrogance by stating that "We won't be in Karnataka anyway and we are sure that Belagavi will merge with Maharashtra," reports Suvarna News.

This irked the district in-charge minister Ramesh Jarkiholi who was present at the meeting. He took MLA Patil to task for making anti-Karnataka statements instead of talking people's problems at the meeting. Later, he told the MLA that "We have accepted Mahajan report and we will not agree whatever you do." Minister was joined by Athani legislator Laskhman Savadi who too said that Khanapur will always be part of Karnataka.

In fact, this was not the first time that MES is harping on the merger with Maharashtra issue. Last year, MES activists had worn black cloth to protest against Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations. In fact, this was not the first time that MES is harping on the merger with Maharashtra. Last year, MES activists had wron black cloth to protest against Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations. Then mayor Sarita Patil and deputy mayor Sanjay Shinde and other MES corporators participated in the black day rally demanding merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra.

The MES which dominates the Belagavi City Corporation had once passed a controversial resolution on the border row, forcing the State government to supersede the Corporation, at least twice. Yet, people's representatives from MES continue to speak against Karnataka aggravating tension at the border areas.

• MES
• belagavi
• border dispute
• khanapur
• karnataka