Two delegations meet Governor as agitation for Dharwad municipal corporation enters sixth day

The indefinite agitation demanding the bifurcation of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) to create a municipal corporation for Dharwad entered the sixth day on Wednesday with the Hoteliers Association and progressive organisations extending support to the cause.

Meanwhile, two delegations met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot seeking early approval for the bifurcation.

While a delegation of the agitation committee members was led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, the other was led by Labour Minister Santosh Lad.

The committee members met the Governor on Tuesday evening and urged him to give assent to the bifurcation proposal sent by the State government.

On Wednesday, Mr. Lad accompanied by MLAs Prasad Abbayya and N.H. Konaraddi and others, including agitation committee member B.D. Hiremath (who was also part of the Joshi-led delegation) met the Governor and urged him to give approval to the bifurcation proposal.

Meanwhile, a Congress leader raised questions over the Governor’s move to seek legal opinion on the issue and sought to know why the Governor waited for 11 months to seek legal opinion.

He has accused Mr. Joshi of playing a double game and accused him of exerting pressure on the Governor to delay giving assent for bifurcation.