Udupi: Udupi MLA Raghupathy Bhat had called for a progress review meeting with the newly elected members of the City Council and officials, including the Municipal Commissioner here on Thursday, November 22, at 10.30 AM.

This is the first time that a local MLA has called for a review meeting after the three months of the municipal election. Unfortunately, most of the officials showed up. Only CMC members and officials of the MESCOM, NHAI and KUDCEMP were present.

MLA Bhat alleged that it was the district Deputy Commissioner who instructed them not to attend any meetings as they were newly elected and had not yet taken their oath of office due to the court order.

He then said that the district administration should give him in writing, not to hold discussions with officials and elected members of the municipality. There are several problems in the Udupi city municipality limits like that of drinking water, electricity and so on. I have the right to discuss the problems faced by the people with the councilors and officials, he said

“We cannot make any resolutions because the officials have not yet taken their oath. For three months, due to objections relating to the reservation issue, the election of the president and vice president of the local bodies has been postponed. What is the district administration’s difficulty when the local MLA is trying to solve the various problems faced by the people?” he questioned.

The elected representatives are under tremendous pressure from the public as many issues are not solved. The Municipal commissioner and DC should answer the people regarding this, he said.

The MLA then said that he would wait for the DC to come and listen to the grievances, but by 12.30 PM, those officials that were present started to disperse.

Those officials who were in attendance at the meeting listened to the grievances of the councilors and promised to solve them.

Earlier Raghupathy Bhat distributed payment orders to various beneficiaries in the city municipal limits.