Deepika, Sonakshi, Jacqueline, Rani Mukherjee ration card holders in UP!

Bengaluru, Jan 29: Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday demanded that he and all the newly elected MLAs, who won the bypolls after defecting from the Congress and JD(S), be inducted into the cabinet — likely on January 31 — as promised by chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

"We are hoping all 11 MLAs will be made ministers," Jarkiholi said. "That is what the BJP and the CM promised us and we hope they will keep their promise." This is the first time Jarkiholi has spoken in public on cabinet berths, ever since reports surfaced of the party high command not being in favour of inducting all the turncoats into the council of ministers.

Jarkiholi also said fellow rebel AH Vishwanath should be given a ministerial berth.

Vishwanath, formerly of the JD(S), had lost the bypolls. Jarkiholi said the rebellion would not have succeeded had it not been for Vishwanath.

"Those of us who rebelled against the JD(S)-Congress coalition government got a shot in the arm when Vishwanath supported us," Jarkiholi said. "It is imperative that we support him," he said, even as he sought to distance himself from comments made by newly-elected MLAs ST Somashekar and D Sudhakar, who said Vishwanath cannot demand a ministerial post.

Meanwhile, the BJP issued another deadline — January 31 — to expand the cabinet. "In all likelihood, cabinet expansion will take place on Friday," said an aspirant for a berth. But several BJP functionaries are skeptical of meeting the new deadline.

"Till now, the CM has not been given the green signal by the high command. This is all I can say," said a senior minister in Yediyurappa’s cabinet, while insisting he wouldn’t be surprised if the exercise was postponed till the Delhi elections are over.

Former minister and independent R Shankar, who along with Mahesh Kumatalli and Shrimant Patil accompanied Jarkiholi to a trip to Nanjangud, Mysuru district, has upped the pressure on Yediyurappa to field him in the bypoll to the lone vacant council seat. "I am confident the CM and the BJP will honour promises made to me," Shankar said.

The former minister had joined the BJP during the rebellion, but was not given a ticket to contest the bypolls.

In Chikkamagaluru, deputy chief minister Govind M Karjol insisted he is prepared to step down if needed to enable new entrants into the cabinet. "I’m a disciplined solider of the party. If the BJP directs me to submit my resignation, I will do so and return my official car and take a bus to Bengaluru," Karjol said. He said anyone who doesn’t respect the party line will not grow. "It is imperative to toe the party line," he said.

Mangaluru, Jul 1: The Bajpe police station under the limits of Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate has been sealed down after an arrested accused was tested positive for the Coronavirus.

Police said on Wednesday that the Bajpe police arrested two persons in connection with plotting dacoity in Oddidakala in Bajpe. After the arrest, their throat swab was sent for a test. On Wednesday, one of the accused tested positive for the Coronavirus.

In this connection, the Bajpe police station has been sealed down and the police personnel who were present during the arrest are placed under home quarantine.

Mangaluru, Feb 12: As many as 54 house surgeons from Kasturba Medical College (KMC) staged a protest near the casualty of the Wenlock Hospital on Wednesday over over non-payment of monthly stipend.

House surgeons, who have studied MBBS under the government quota, have not received their stipend from last 11 months. They have to get a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000 during their one-year internship at the government hospital.

The protesting house surgeons alleged that their stipends have not been released despite Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s written order dated December 24.