Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai and Actor Kichcha Sudeep during a press conference at a private hotel in Bengaluru. (Express Photo)Bengaluru News Highlights: Amid speculations of joining BJP ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled on May 10, Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep confirmed that he will not contest elections, but will support BJP leader and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Sharing a stage with CM Bommai, he said, “He (Bommai) is like a father figure. If he requires my help, I will help him. I am here to support my uncle.”
In other news, JD(S) expelled former Member of Parliament from Mandya, LR Shivarame Gowda, joined the BJP in presence of party’s state chief Nalinkumar Kateel in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 5. “In the next 10 days, many people will be joining the BJP. The people of Karnataka want a double-engine government in the state,” Gowda later claimed, reported ANI.
Meanwhile, the city is forecasted to see partly cloudy skies, with scattered thundershowers expected towards the evening and night, Bengaluru’s Meteorological Department said on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, rains in Bengaluru resulted in waterlogging in Nallurhalli metro station, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 13.71km stretch of the Bengaluru Metro Phase II project.
Five cow vigilantes who are accused of killing a cattle trader in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka on the night of March 31 have been arrested in Rajasthan by the Ramanagara police with the assistance of Gujarat and Rajasthan police.
Idris Pasha, 39, was found dead on the morning after his truck was stopped by a gang of five cow vigilantes led by self-styled Hindutva activist Puneeth Kerehalli near Sathnur town in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka around 11.40 pm on March 31.
Pasha and two associates Syed Zaheer and Irfan who were in the truck were allegedly beaten and attacked by the vigilantes. Read Here
A Maharashtra government order to implement the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana in 865 villages of Karnataka – which Maharashtra contends as part of its territory – evoked strong reactions from Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Wednesday.
Bommai has threatened to implement a similar scheme in Kannada-speaking villages inside Maharashtra. “The decision to implement the Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana threatens the federal nature (of the country). The Maharashtra government should immediately withdraw its order. They should respect the directions issued by (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and protect the harmony between the states,” he said in a tweet.
The Yojana is being implemented following a Maharashtra Cabinet decision taken in March. Bommai alleged that the Maharashtra government, while implementing the scheme, was seeking a declaration from residents of these villages that they are part of Maharashtra. This is condemnable, he said. Read More
Colonel David Nehemiah, who serves in Kashmir, rushed to Bengaluru Sunday, April 2, soon after he learnt that his brother had died after he was beaten up during a brawl with three techies on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
David, who is seven years younger than Lloyd (54), recalled that his brother was an “extrovert” and an “articulate” person who knew how to manage people. Scrolling through his Facebook page, one will know that he is someone who loves nature, said David.
Speaking to The Indian Express, David said.......... Click Here
According to recent reports, Puneeth Kerehalli and his associates have been arrested in connection with the lynching of cattle trader Idrees Pasha. Puneeth, who had been on the run since the incident occurred, was apprehended in Rajasthan. The brutal killing had sparked outrage across the country, with many demanding swift action against those responsible for the heinous crime.
The arrest of Puneeth and his associates is a positive development in the case and sends a strong message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated. The authorities must ensure that justice is served and that the guilty are punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Sudeep's support for the BJP and Bommai has been unwavering. However, the threat letter he received is not related to his political affiliations but rather a personal issue.The Chief Minister has acknowledged and appreciated Sudeep's support, and both leaders have expressed their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.
"I have some concern for Bommai. If he was in any other party, I would have backed him too," Sudeep added on Wednesday, adding that "I will support Bommai and some of the people who wants me to support, based on requirement."
Amid speculations of joining BJP ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled on May 10, Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep confirmed that he will not contest elections, but will support BJP leader and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Sharing a stage with CM Bommai, he said, “He (Bommai) is like a father figure. If he requires my help, I will help him. I am here to support my uncle.”
He added, "CM was among those who was with me when I was struggling. It is a duty and gratitude I have for this person, he said. Today, I am very happy that Bommai is the leader of the state. I am supporting this person. I am here to announce this."
The CM confirmed that Sudeep is not joining the BJP, however, he will campaign for some BJP leaders. "I have spoken to him and told him that even if he does not join party, he should campaign for us. He has agreed to do it. He will campaign for the party along with me." To this, the actor underlined that he will "not campaign everywhere".
"If CM says that some people need my support, I will do it," Sudeep added.
Fans of Kannadda actor Kiccha Sudeep launched a hashtag campaign #WedontwantKichchainpolitics on Twitter, ahead of a formal announcement of his role as a star campaigner for BJP. Sudeep fans have requested the star to continue doing films and not be used as a 'pawns for politics'.
Kannada Actor Sudeep Kiccha spoke to reporters outside his residence and said that he "won't contest elections and will only campaign for his friends in the upcoming polls."
Amid speculations of joining BJP ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled on May 10, Kannada actor Sudeep Kicha has received alleged death threats prompting the police to register a case on the basis of a complaint by the actor’s manager.
Meanwhile, the city is forecasted to see partly cloudy skies, with scattered thundershowers expected towards the evening and night, Bengaluru’s Meteorological Department said on Wednesday morning.
JD(S) expelled former Member of Parliament from Mandya, LR Shivarame Gowda, joined the BJP in presence of party’s state chief Nalinkumar Kateel in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 5. “In the next 10 days, many people will be joining the BJP. The people of Karnataka want a double-engine government in the state,” Gowda later claimed, reported ANI.
Rains in Bengaluru on Tuesday resulted in waterlogging in Nallurhalli metro station, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 13.71km stretch of the Bengaluru Metro Phase II project.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who is on a visit to New Delhi for the last few days, has indicated that he is not holding talks with any political leaders for an alliance for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls slated to be held on May 10. Know more here
Election duty officials on Tuesday seized 8.6 kg of gold worth Rs 1.47 crore and cash of Rs 3.37 crore in Bengaluru.
In its daily bulletin, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka said the flying squad and police seized gold worth Rs 1.47 crore in C V Raman Nagar constituency whereas the Income Tax Department seized Rs 3.37 crore cash in Padmanabha Nagar constituency. This besides, 47,030 litres of liquor was seized. (PTI)
Fourteen flights were diverted and six departures were delayed on Tuesday evening due to a heavy downpour and bad weather in Devanahalli on the city outskirts where the Kempegowda International Airport is located, airport authorities said.
Strong crosswinds and heavy rains with thunder and lightning impacted flight operations from 4.05 PM to 4.51 PM, an airport official said. (PTI)
The first list of the BJP candidates for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections will be finalised by April 8 by the party’s central leadership, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in Bengaluru Tuesday.
The CM’s statement came close on the heels of Union minister Pralhad Joshi indicating in Belagavi Monday that the first list of the BJP candidates could be out on April 8 or 9. Read more here
The Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development (K-RIDE) Limited, which is executing the flagship Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), has recently sought permission from BBMP forest officials to cut 1,500 trees. The K-RIDE is a joint venture of the Government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways.
The permission for tree felling has been sought for the first phase of corridor two between Baiyapanahalli and Chikkabanvara, where the works have already begun. However, according to a senior BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) forest department official, the civic body has given permission to cut only 764 trees. Read more here
Coastal Karnataka, that is also home to many rituals including the worshipping of ecology and its species, celebrated Nagamandala. Nagamandala is one tradition where the locals pay their respects to Cobra snakes called Naga devaru which is celebrated in a massive way at Dakshina Kannada and Udupi region. (Express photo by Jithendra M)
Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar are "dreaming" about the Chief Minister's post, ahead of the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls, but it will not come true, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday.
He alleged that the Congress leaders' main focus is power and the chief minister's post, and not the welfare of the people of the state. (PTI)
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that the party will release the second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections, late today.
The Bahutva Karnataka Tuesday issued a press release, condemning inaction in the Ramanagara murder case where a 35-year-old man was killed when a group of at least five ‘cow vigilantes’ allegedly assaulted him and two others while they were transporting cattle in a truck. Among other demands, the orgnanisation called for the arrest of Puneeth Kerehalli, who is currently facing charges of the murder.
Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM plans to field candidates in about 25 constituencies and is eyeing an electoral alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) in the Assembly elections in Karnataka, the party's state unit president Osman Ghani said on Tuesday. (PTI)
Former Congress MLA Nandihalli Halappa and noted ophthalmologist Dr Appaji Gowda, who is aspiring for a ticket to contest the upcoming election from Kanakapura constituency against Congress state president D K Shivakumar, joined the BJP on Tuesday. (PTI)
"Hassan politics is different, my wife's politics is different," JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday, as he rejected media reports about his wife and party MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy's "demand" to contest May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls.
Anitha had earlier contested elections to save the party, when it did have a candidate in certain prime constituencies, he said, adding that she has no interest in electoral politics and has decided to stay away from it. (PTI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the process of selecting candidates for the Assembly polls is being held in a democratic way and it will be completed smoothly with the list being announced after the party's central leadership finalises it on April 8. (PTI)
As a Surat court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi and suspended his sentence till the disposal of his appeal seeking a stay on his conviction in a defamation case over his 2019 Modi surname remark, the Urdu dailies kept their focus on the Rahul affair, tracking the shape of the Opposition unity emerging in the process. They are also charting the course of the high-stakes Karnataka Assembly polls, seeking to read its tea leaves for sensing the arc of national politics ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The dailies flagged the en masse acquittal of the accused in the 1987 Maliana massacre and a 2002 Gujarat riots case, pointing out that these rulings marked a chilling miscarriage of justice. Read what they said here
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Tuesday said the process of selecting candidates for the Assembly polls is being held in a democratic way and it will be completed smoothly with the list being announced after the party's central leadership finalises it on April 8.
Asked by reporters if there will be surprise candidates in the fray from the BJP, he said: "Certainly, there is a plan for new experiments in certain constituencies and they will happen." Some seats will give a "surprise result", he said. "You are going to see it in the days to come. Both our workers and leaders are confident." He also said there are clear signs of BJP getting absolute majority and coming back to power.
"Today's state election committee meeting is a continued part of the district-level core committee meeting that took place over the last couple of days; further screening would be done today and tomorrow before sending (the list of probable candidates) to the centre (central leadership). It will be sent to the centre day after tomorrow," Bommai said. (PTI)
Considering it an extraordinary circumstance, the Karnataka High Court has directed prison authorities to release a convict on parole for 15 days so that he could get married to his girlfriend.
The mother and lover of the convict, who is serving a 10-year term for murder, approached the court fearing the latter was being married off to someone else.
The Additional Government Advocate, however, submitted to the court "that there is no provision for grant of parole to get married". He submitted that if it were to be anybody else's marriage that the detenue wanted to attend, it would have been a different circumstance.
However, Justice M Nagaprasanna considered this as an extraordinary situation that warranted parole to the convict, Anand. (PTI)
In a move that may further escalate the ongoing row between the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka over the border dispute, the Maharashtra government on Monday issued directions to extend benefits of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Aarogya scheme to residents of the 865 villages in Belgaum, Kalburgi, Bidar and Karvar districts in Karnataka.
Maharashtra has claimed stake over these villages in 12 tehsils and the legal battle is pending in the Supreme Court. Karnataka is set to go for Assembly polls on May 10 and Maharashtra’s extension of welfare services to the border areas is likely to raise the political heat in the state. Maharashtra has already doubled the pension given to family members of martyrs in the border dispute. (Read more)
Along with strong Lingayat influence, a large SC/ST population defines the demography of four districts in central Karnataka, which has kept offering rich dividends to the BJP over the last decade and a half. Save for the 2013 Assembly polls — when the BJP was hit by B S Yediyurappa breaking away and forming a splinter group, Karnataka Janata Party — the BJP has bagged the most seats in the region since 2008, powering it to single-largest party in the state.
Central Karnataka comprises a total of 32 constituencies, eight of which are reserved for SC/STs — five for SCs and three for STs. In 2018, the BJP won 21 of the seats, the Congress seven and the JD(S) won 4 (all 4 in Tumakuru district). (Read more)
Several parts of Bengaluru witnessed spells of rain Monday night, bringing a welcome respite from the scorching summer heat.
However, as per the weather forecast by the Meteorological Centre in Bengaluru, the city is expected to get light rain or thundershowers towards the evening or night in some areas, along with a partly cloudy sky. However, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 33 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
On Monday night, many areas of the city including Jigani, Madiwala, Haragadde, Bommasandra, Anekal, Electronic City, Marsuru, the Bannerghatta Zoo and surrounding areas of the south-southeast Bengaluru received a good bout of rains with lightning and gusty winds. According to weather experts, the BBMP limits recorded 65 mm of rain on Monday.
While showers are expected in Bengaluru till April 6, the city is going to witness a normal summer from April 7. From midweek, the temperatures in the city are likely to go beyond 36 degrees Celsius.
PUNEETH Kerehalli, who is facing charges of murder for the killing of a man transporting cattle in a district near Bengaluru on Friday night, is known to have built his profile over the past few years raising religious issues, racking up multiple cases, and hanging around the fringes of Sangh Parivar-affiliated outfits in Karnataka.
The younger brother of Idrees Pasha, who was found dead after the attack on a vehicle in which he was transporting cattle by a gang led by Kerehalli, on Monday alleged that Idrees was electrocuted. Speaking to The Indian Express, Yunus Pasha said Idrees’s body bore “burnt marks on the chest and back” and that he appeared to have been assaulted. (Read more)
Despite an appearance of unity in Karnataka Congress, there are signs that the factions led by state Congress president D K Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah continue to be at loggerheads.
The two leaders are learnt to be silently working to ensure the support of a maximum number of party MLAs to emerge as the Chief Minister if the party is elected to power in the May 10 election. There have been rumblings of discontent over probable ticket allocation in recent days. On Monday, there were protests in front of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office by supporters of ticket aspirants from the Molakalmuru (Chitradurga district) and Tarikere (Chikkamagaluru district) constituencies. (Read more)
A flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi was forced to land in Telangana early Tuesday due to a technical problem, but all passengers are safe, reported the news agency ANI.
The Varanasi-bound IndiGo Flight 6E897 made an emergency landing at Telangana's Shamshabad Airport at 6.15 am. All 137 passengers who were onboard are safe, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
More details to follow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the face of BJP’s election campaign in Karnataka, is likely to address nearly 20 rallies in the state in the run-up to the elections. This was reported by the news agency ANI quoting a senior BJP leader.
PM Modi would likely visit the state this weekend, his first visit since the announcement of assembly election dates and his eighth visit to the state this year. He will visit Mysuru. The Assembly elections are to be held on May 10 and the counting of votes on May 14.
Union Minister and BJP leader Pralhad Joshi has indicated that the party's first list of candidates for Karnataka polls could be released on April 8 or 9.
During what was supposed to be a simple two-hour journey between Pune and Bengaluru, flyers on a GoFirst flight on April 2 had a harrowing experience. The flight scheduled at 8.30 am was rescheduled to 8:30 pm and further to 11:25 pm, a delay of nearly 15 hours. The flyers were forced to walk to the aircraft from the boarding gate in the midst of fuel tanks, luggage wagons and other vehicles as no one cared to guide them.
Prajakta Gothkhindikar, who runs a cafe in Bengaluru, took to Twitter to criticise the airline for the inconvenience caused by the poor management of the situation. Gothkhindikar said that she and her four-year-old son had booked tickets and paid extra for two consecutive seats on the fourth row. However, following the rescheduling of the flight, the airline provided them seats in different rows—the fourth and 25th row. “Despite paying extra for two consecutive seats on the fourth row we were given two separate rows. The seats got shuffled due to rescheduling. How can I leave my child alone in a different row, especially during night journeys?” she said. (Read more)
A BJP MLA from Kundapur Haladi Srinivas Shetty has voluntarily decided not to contest in the upcoming elections. The 71-year-old is a five time MLA from the constituency -- four times from BJP and once as an Independent in the 2013 polls.
BJP leader and MLC Ayanur Manjunath on Monday said he will resign as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, and contest the May 10 Assembly polls from the Shivamogga constituency.
However, he did not specify whether he would contest from any other political party or as an independent candidate. (PTI)
A case was registered by the police against Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Monday for allegedly distributing cash during a poll campaign.
The action comes days after the police had registered a non-cognisable offence against Shivakumar following a complaint alleging that he showered currency notes at the crowd, from his campaign bus at Bevinahalli village in Mandya Taluk on March 28. (PTI)
A day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar held a public meeting in Cubbon Park along with Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan, the Cubbon Park Walkers Association (CPWA) sent a letter to the Election Commission of India requesting the body to ban ‘political meetings’ in parks such as Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, citing disturbance to animals and birds.
In another blow to the BJP in Karnataka, MLC Ayanur Manjunath on Monday announced he would resign and contest the coming Assembly elections from Shivamogga constituency, which is currently represented by BJP MLA and former minister K S Eshwarappa. According to BJP insiders, Eshwarappa wanted to push his son’s candidature from Shivamogga.
Manjunath said he would soon submit his resignation to the Legislative Council Chairperson. If he goes through with it, he will become the third BJP MLC to resign after Puttanna and Baburao Chinchansur, who put in their papers last month. Both of them joined the Congress and Puttanna has been fielded from the Rajaji Nagar constituency in Bengaluru. The Congress is also likely to field Chinchansur from Gurmitkal in Gulbarga district. Another leader who joined the Congress recently was S R Srinivas (Gubbi Srinivas alias Vasu) who resigned as Janata Dal (Secular) MLA on March 27. Read here
The High Court of Karnataka has directed quasi-judicial authorities in the Department of Panchayat Raj, Rural Development Department, to ensure that all case proceedings before them are web-hosted and information is provided to the litigants and advocates electronically.
The HC also directed that details of all the proceedings before quasi-judicial authorities must be uploaded to the relevant websites and necessary arrangements made to inform the litigants and also advocates by SMS and/ or e-mail. (PTI)
The Basavaraj Bommai government has made some significant changes in the norms for reservation in government jobs and education for backward classes and Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Karnataka.
On March 30, the government notified a decision taken by the cabinet to scrap the 4% backward classes quota for Muslims — they have been recognised as a backward class in Karnataka for more than 100 years — and to reallot the Muslim OBC quota to the two most dominant communities in the state, Lingayats and Vokkaligas. What does this mean? Read here
“All corrupt faces are coming together on one platform … because the BJP is waging a war against corruption.”
With this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week unleashed an attack on Opposition parties for criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Four days after Modi’s speech at the party headquarters in New Delhi, the BJP on Sunday officially launched an online video campaign on alleged corruption during Congress rule and the first episode, titled “Congress Means Corruption”, began with the statement, “Congress has looted Rs 48,20,69,00,00,000 from the public in 70 years of its rule.” The PM also amplified the anti-corruption message on Monday at the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), terming corruption the biggest roadblock to democracy and justice. Know more here
In view of various BJP-ruled states including Karnataka mulling to introduce mainstream education in madrasas, minority institutions have also taken a lead in bridging the gulf. Bidar-based Shaheen Group of Institutions (SGI) recently launched a program to increase the employability of 10,000 madrasa students by imparting mainstream education. In Karnataka, the institution is expected to train over 1,400 students based on NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) and state board syllabus. The classes are expected to start on May 20, following the Ramzan break.
Karnataka School Education Minister BC Nagesh had earlier claimed that the state government was planning to introduce mainstream education in madrasas after receiving complaints from parents about ‘poor quality of education’. Read more here
Several BJP and JD(S) leaders joining the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka is an evidence to prove that public sentiment is in favour of the party and it will come to power, its state unit President D K Shvakumar said on Monday.
He was speaking after inducting Kudligi BJP MLA N Y Gopalakrishna, who had resigned as a legislator on Friday, into the party. (PTI)
The Bengaluru police arrested the owner of a film institute for cheating dozens of aspirants of money under the guise of landing them roles in films and television serials.
Rajajinagar police in north Bengaluru arrested K Nagendra alias Dhawan Soha, 31, who ran an enterprise called Flamingo Celebrities World Pvt Ltd, on the basis of a complaint filed by an 18-year-old girl who was duped of Rs 75,000 in the guise of creating portfolios and promos to land acting jobs.
The police probe in the case has revealed that as many as 58 acting aspirants may have been cheated by the alleged fraudster and his associates. Read more here
Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said his son B Y Vijayendra will contest the May 10 Assembly elections from Shikaripura in this district, which he represented in the Lower House six times.
The BJP strongman, who had already announced his retirement from electoral politics, again ruled out the possibility of his son being fielded from Varuna in Mysuru against Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah. (PTI)
Three techies allegedly attacked the family members of a serving Army officer recently following a scuffle over ‘loud music’. Lloyd Nehemiah, brother of colonel David Nehemiah, alleged that he and his sister were attacked by three men after Lloyd reportedly asked them to lower the volume of the music. The incident took place at Vignan Nagar in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Sunday. Read more here
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said there is no change in his stand regarding selection of candidate for the Hassan seat, for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka and that his father and party patriarch H D Deve Gowda would take a final decision on this.
Hassan seat, has become a bone of contention, as Gowda's daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna, who has thrown her hat in the ring, has not relented, despite her brother-in-law Kumaraswamy, repeatedly making it clear that she will not be fielded, and instead a "loyal party worker" will enter the fray. (PTI)