CBI raids Mangaluru SEZ commissioner; Rs 1 crore seized

Bengaluru, Jan 24: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said the much-delayed Cabinet expansion will take place in the next three days.

At the Kempegowda International Airport, after his arrival from Davos, he informed that he would discuss the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take a final decision on the distribution of important portfolios.

Deputy CM Ashwanath Narayna, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others received the Chief Minister at the airport. The issue of Cabinet expansion was kept in abeyance, ever since the spectacular victory of 12 Assembly seats for BJP, for which the by-elections were held recently. The bypolls were necessitated, following the resignation of about 17 sitting Congress and JD (S) MLAs, which resulted in the collapse of the JDS-Congress coalition government in the state.

BJP had reportedly lured the Congress and JD (S) MLAs into their camp, after promising them to give party ticket to contest the elections, as well as ministerial berths. The Chief Minister had kept as many as 16 Cabinet berths, along with plum portfolios, vacant, after forming the BJP government, with the support of the deserted Congress and JD (S) MLAs, in July last. However, the issue of Cabinet expansion had postponed on one reason or the other, as Yediyurappa was struggling to keep the promise he had made to the former Congress and the JDS MLAs, on whose sacrifice the BJP came back to power.

With the strong demand for ministerial berths within the loyal BJP MLAs, the BJP high command had reportedly advised Yediyurappa to accommodate only a few of the turncoat MLAs and strike balance between the groups.

However, Yediyurappa, who had assured the Congress and JD (S) MLAs of giving them Cabinet berths, had been in dilemma ever since and found it tough to convince the party's Central leaders.

According to party sources, the Chief Minister is not only facing problems over the expansion of his Cabinet, but is also worried over the demand for creation of more number of Deputy Chief Ministers, adding to the present list of three.

Chikkamagaluru, Jan 10: At least 15 RSS activists protesting against the 16th Chikkamagaluru District Kannada Sahitya Sammelan at Sringeri were detained, Police said here on Friday.

The Sangh Parivar activists gathered near the entrance of the hall where the event was being held and started sloganeering against the election of the leftist Kalkuli Vittal Hegde as the president of the literary gathering. The police then interfered and detained several protesters to bring situation under control.

Despite protests from the right wing organisations, the event went ahead and began as per the schedule.

Kasaragod, Mar 23: With 19 more positive cases reported on Monday, surveillance against people coming out of their houses and wandering around in public places has been intensified in the district.

With today's addition, the total number of positive cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has increased to 38 in Kasaragod.

There will be total restriction in place for the public to step out of their houses. Those who are found outside on the streets would be arrested, caution the district authorities. Please log in to get detailed story.