Can JD(S) billionaire BM Farooq make it to Rajya Sabha this time?

coastaldigest.com news network
March 8, 2018

Nearly two years after a futile bid by the Janata Dal (Secular) to send its new leader BM Farooq to Rajya Sabha, the March 23 elections to the Upper House are heading for a high-pitched battle as the Karnataka’s regional party has announced the billionaire entrepreneur as its official candidate once again even though it has no hope of reaching a consensus with Congress on an alliance.

Cross-voting by JD(S) rebel MLAs in 2016 had prevent Mr Farooq’s victory. In spite of suspension by the party, the rebel legislators have not yet resigned. They are likely to join Congress after voting for Congress candidate against Farooq in upcoming RS polls.

Members of the Legislative Assembly form the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha polls. A candidate requires about 44 votes to win the polls. In the Assembly, the Congress has 122 MLAs on its side. Though the JD(S) has 37 MLAs, its rebel MLAs have pledged support to the Congress. Hence JD(S) has only 30 valid votes. The Congress is hoping to win the third seat with the help of JD(S) rebels and some independent legislators. The BJP with 46 MLAs can win one seat.

Meanwhile, JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday softened his party’s stand to woo the Congress and announced the party will continue its alliance with the Congress in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). His son and JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy had earlier threatened to withdraw support in the BBMP if the Congress didn’t support its Rajya Sabha candidate.

“Despite losing the 2016 elections, BM Farooq remained with the party and we’re bound to support him,’’ the former Prime Minister said. Within months after the poll debacle, the JD(S) had made BM Farooq as its chief general secretary.

After a core committee meeting, Gowda sent a message to the Congress leadership that it had extended its indirect support to the party by not fielding candidates in Gundlupet and Nanjangud byelections and it expected the same for Farooq.

“Even in the case of getting Kupendra Reddy elected, the Congress did not field a candidate in 2014. Now, when it’s the turn of B M Farooq, why is the Congress, which claims to have been a guardian angel of minorities, trying to oppose us?” asked Gowda.

According to sources, Congress may field Gandhi family loyalist and technocrat Sam Pitroda or senior leader Janardan Dwivedi from Karnataka for the RS polls. Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah is reportedly lobbying for his close friend and realtor P R Channa Reddy to be the third candidate.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said its list of three candidates will be out in two days. “There is no question of alliance with JD(S), as we’ll be fielding three candidates at the RS polls,” said KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

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News Network
March 24,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 24: A Covid-19 patient from Kasaragod, who recently came from abroad travelled to Mangaluru twice, revealed Karnataka department of health and family welfare.

The 54-year-old person is confirmed as Covid-19 positive case yesterday.

He landed at Mangalore International Airport on March 10 at 5.30pm by Air India Express flight.

From there, he had travelled in his own vehicle to Kasaragod. He had coffee near Kasaragod and reached home at 7.30pm.

On March 11, he had visited local fish market and returned home at 10pm.

He had consulted a local doctor at Kasaragod on March 18 and later visited to Kasturba Medical College, Attavar at 3pm, visited reception and consulted a doctor.

He had tea at KMC canteen and travelled in an auto to Medicity and brought medicines and returned to Kasaragod by KSRTC bus.

Again he travelled to Mangaluru on March 20 in a private vehicle and visited a doctor and returned back to Kasargod in a private vehicle.

The health department has requested all passengers who travelled in the above said flight/aircraft, and KSRTC bus can self-report by dialing 104 or other helpline numbers.

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News Network
March 30,2020

New Delhi, Mar 30: Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to open the Karnataka-Kerala border to allow movement of ambulances and other emergency vehicles for the transport of essential items to Kerala.

Unnithan, who is an MP From Kerala's Kasaragod constituency, filed a plea seeking direction to Karnataka to open the borders with Kerala and in particular Kasargod-Mangalore border at Talappadi.

The petition sought directions to Karnataka to allow the movement of ambulances, emergency vehicles, trucks and other vehicles carrying essential and non-essential items to Kerala. It also sought to stay the blockade imposed by Karnataka with its border states.

The plea also sought directions to Karnataka to register an FIR and constitute a special investigation team (SIT) under the supervision of this court to enquire against the concerned authorities including the police officials whose action led to the death of two citizens.

It said that the imposition of such a blockade at a time when the supply of commodities is itself hit hard and when a medical emergency has plagued the entire country is a clear violation of Articles 21 and 19(d) of the Constitution.

"This blockade has also resulted in cutting off the essential lifeline of National Highways and State Highways and major District Roads leading to the State of Kerala which has resulted in the shortage of supply of essential and non-essential items to the State of Kerala leading to shortage supply of food and medical supplies," the plea said.

"This ill-planned and dangerous blockade has claimed the life of a 70-year-old woman who was denied entry into Karnataka even for the purpose of urgent medical treatment which was only available in the medical hub of Mangalore. This is a clear case of violation of the right to life with dignity by the state as citizens are made to die on the roads because of the action of the state which is in total disregard to Article 21," it added.

This comes as the country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which according to the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs has claimed the lives of 29 people and infected a total of 1071 people as on Monday morning.

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News Network
January 2,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived at the Yelahanka air base by a special plane on a two-day visit to Karnataka to attend events in Tumakuru and Bengaluru.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi and state Revenue Minister R Ashoka were present to welcome Modi.

Yediyurappa greeted the Prime Minister by garlanding him and offering a shawl and adorned him with a Mysuru Peta (turban).

Later, Modi flew to Tumakuru to attend events at the Siddaganga Math apart from addressing a gathering and to present the Krishi Karman Award.

In the evening, the Prime Minister will visit the DRDO facility to dedicate five DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories to the nation.

He will stay at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.

On Friday, Modi will inaugurate the 107th Indian Science Congress at the University of Agriculture Science in Bengaluru.

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