BJP leader arrested for misbehaving with college girl after offering her a lift in car

Bengaluru, May 23: Karnataka reported 216 covid-19 positive cases in last 24 hours, marking the highest single day spike in the state ever since the first case was detected on 8 March. 187 of these 216 patients have recently returned from Maharashtra.

A 32-year old male resident of Bengaluru died on Saturday making it the 42nd fatality in the state.

The spike on Saturday takes the total number of covid-19 positive closer to the 2,000 mark and the number of active cases to 1,307 in the state, according to the daily health bulletin of the health department.

Yadgir in northern Karnataka recorded 72 cases on Saturday while Raichur recorded 40 cases. Cases in the sugarcane growing region of Mandya continued to rise as 28 people tested positive on Saturday that takes the total number of active cases to 211 as against Bengaluru that has 124.

Gadag registered 15 cases while Bengaluru recorded 4 cases.

Most of those who tested positive on Saturday had returned from other states, especially Maharashtra, one of the worst affected regions in the country.

The spike in cases comes even as the B.S.Yediyurappa-led state government is deliberating further easing of lockdown restrictions post 31 May. The state government has already resumed public bus and train services as well to facilitate inter-district movement of people that has added to fears of spreading the virus from cities to villages where healthcare infrastructure is poor and inadequate.

Karnataka will also see domestic flight arrivals from Monday.

In a statement on Saturday, Bengaluru International Airport said that it introduced ‘Parking-to-Boarding contactless’ journey.

“We have introduced innovative contactless procedures to minimise exposure at the Airport. These enhancements demonstrate our continued commitment to keep our passengers safe in this environment," said Hari Marar, managing director and chief executive of the airport said in a statement on Saturday.

New Delhi, Feb 12: Buoyed by the Aam Aadmi Party's stellar performance in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Maharashtra unit of the party has decided to fight all forthcoming local elections, including the Mumbai elections.

The AAP’s Bengaluru unit will also contest the municipal corporation polls likely to take place in August or September.

AAP National Executive Member Preeti Sharma Menon said the party will try to “replicate the Delhi model of pragmatism, performance, and people centric policies”.

“We are sure that Maharashtra will shower us with the same faith and love as Delhi has done so,” she said.

The party has decided to field candidates in all the 198 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

"We have been planning to contest the BBMP election when we received a major shot in the arm. The Delhi victory happened because of the good work, which we want to replicate here," AAP's co-convener in Karnataka and party's BBMP campaign in charge Shanthala Damle told PTI on Tuesday.

Born out of an anti-corruption movement, the AAP led by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal registered the second landslide victory by winning 63 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections.

According to Damle, AAP in Bengaluru was working in full swing to make its presence felt in the city. "The party has already done its ground workin terms of election campaign and reaching out to the people in Bengaluru," she added.

According to her, the party has already opened around 10 offices and about 50 people have been announced as the assembly president or ward president.

Last month, the party launched a 40-minute movie called 'Hosa Bengaluru' (New Bengaluru) and conducted 50 shows already.

"It shows the Delhi model and explains what can be done in Bengaluru. So that is part of our vision," the AAP leader said.

In its next level of the campaign, AAP intends to conduct 'Jana Samvada' (Dialogue with people) in every street and in every ward.

The preparedness of the party can be gauged from the fact that it has identified many of its candidates for the BBMP elections.

The party has never tasted success in Karnataka anywhere but the Delhi's success story has kindled a new hope as many people would now be waiting to join the AAP, Damle said. The AAP cadres in Bengaluru burst into celebration soon after it became clear that the party was going to script history by forming government for the third consecutive time since its inception.

Sporting their signature caps, party workers lit crackers, danced on the Delhi election song 'Lage Raho Kejriwal'.

Mangaluru, Feb 7: To stop the NRC and CAA from being implemented everyone has to fight unitedly highlighting the failures of the ruling party, said National President of Priyadarshini squad, All India National Women’s Congress Kavya Narasimha Murthy.

Addressing the workshop for the protection of Citizenship against CAA, NRC and NPR for the party workers at the Cordel Hall, Kulshekar here Thursday by district Congress party, she said, “Protests are being held everywhere against the CAA, NRC and NPR but if we only go on protesting, the ruling party will implementing divisive policies and new laws every day.

Many think that they may not be affected by the CAA, NRC or NPR and keep away from protesting against it. The congress should fight against the CAA concentrating on three approaches. We cannot fight against divisive politics by fighting only against the CAA and NRC. We need to expose the government’s failures, their divisive politics and continue our protests against the CAA, NCR and NPR.”