Congress flounders again as 7 MLAs stay away from CLP meet

TNN
May 31, 2019

Bengaluru, May 31: The Congress appears in deep trouble as seven MLAs, including two associate members, skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting that extended well past midnight on Wednesday-Thursday. Significant among the absentees were former ministers R Roshan Baig and Ramesh Jarkiholi, who continued to adopt a tough posture against the party leadership.

While Ramesh has absented himself from party meetings ever since he resigned as minister, Baig, whose anger has been simmering, recently unleashed an outburst against the party leadership. He accused state leaders of overlooking Muslims and senior leaders of the community.

However, there was some relief for the ruling dispensation as other disgruntled MLAs, including K Sudhakar, Mahesh Kumathalli, B Nagendra and BC Patil were present. Kampli MLA JN Ganesh, who was accused of assaulting fellow legislator Anand Singh during a brawl at a resort last year, also attended the meeting after his suspension was revoked to keep Congress numbers intact.

Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah said 72 of 79 MLAs attended. Five MLAs had sought leave of absence, but there was no communication from either Baig or Jarkiholi.

Of the other five who stayed away, former minister R Ramalinga Reddy is on a foreign tour, Byrathi Basavaraj cited ill-health, while Rahim Khan, Subba Reddy and Rajashekhar Patil cited urban local body polls as reason for their absence. Siddaramaiah, however, exuded confidence that Baig and Jarkiholi will not leave the party.

Baig told reporters that that he stayed away since he has been critical of senior leaders including AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, KC Venugopal and he had “no face” to attend. However, he dismissed reports that he was in talks with senior BJP leaders and was intending to jump ship, saying, “I am a disciplined soldier of the Congress.”

The CLP meeting was convened by Venugopal, who arrived from New Delhi on Wednesday to execute damage control measures in the wake of the BJP’s efforts to topple the government.

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News Network
July 14,2020

Bengaluru, July 14: Ahead of the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru starting from Tuesday night, around 35,000 people have left the city and grocery stores and liquor shops are witnessing a rush with customers thronging to stock up on for the shutdown.

According to transport department officials, labourers from other parts of the state migrated in good numbers from Bengaluru ahead of the lockdown fearing that they would have to face similar challenges as they had to confront during the previous shuttering. 

"Yesterday 35,000 passengers left Bengaluru. The number is big given the fact that we are allowing a limited number of passengers in the buses to maintain social distancing," a KSRTC official said.

Tipplers made a beeline for liquor shops and a senior State Excise official said liquor worth Rs 230 crore was sold on Monday alone.

"There was apparently a mad rush yesterday.India Made Foreign Liquor worth Rs 215.55 crore and 14.83 crore worth beer was sold...," the officer said.

In view of the rising coronavirus cases in the city at an alarming proportion, the government decided to impose lockdown from Tuesday 8 pm till 5 am on July 22.

Later, Dharwad and Dakshina Kannada districts too decided to impose a lockdown for nine days and seven days respectively from Wednesday.

"For the past two days there is an unusual rush of customers in our store," an executive of the Metro Cash and Carry said.

According to him, people are buying grocery items and vegetables with long shelf life such as onion, potato, radish, carrot and beetroot.

A salesperson at the Star Bazaar too said people were thronging the store for the past two to three days.

During the Sunday curfew, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the week-long lockdown will be stringent one and government has made all arrangements to address all concerns ahead of the shutdown.

As many as 19,702 people in Bengaluru have tested positive, of which there are 15,052 active cases, while 4,328 have been discharged.

The number of fatalities as of Monday is 321.

Across Karnataka, 41,581 people have tested positive for coronavirus including 24,572 active cases, 16,248 discharges and 757 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.
 

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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
February 24,2020

Shivamogga, Feb 24: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said that he has been invited at the banquet hosted for US President Donald Trump at Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Tuesday, but, he is yet to decide on his presence.

“I have been invited, but I have various engagements and work, let’s see. I have not yet decided on what to do. It is true that I got the invitation,” he told reporters here.

"President of a powerful and rich country like United States of America visiting India is not a normal thing. He (Trump) has said that he personally shares good relationship with Prime Minister Modi and has confidence in him…let’s wait and see", Mr Yediyurappa said in reply to a question.

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