Karnataka cabinet expansion on June 12, says H D Kumaraswamy

Agencies
June 8, 2019

Bengaluru, Jun 8: Expansion of the Karnatakacabinet would take place on June 12, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced Saturday, in a much expected move to quell growing dissent within the Congress-JD(S) coalition that threatens the stability of its government.

Kumaraswamy made the announcement in a tweet after meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, which comes after weeks of consultations between the chief minister and Congress leaders amid coalition worries compounded by the Lok Sabha poll rout.

"Today, I met the honourable governor and requested him to give time for the cabinet expansion. He has fixed June 12, Wednesday, 11.30 am to administer oath," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

The cabinet expansion or rejig was in the offing after the humiliating defeat of the Congress and JD(S) in the Lok Sabha election, in which both the parties barely survived the Modi wave, getting one seat each.

The BJP swept the polls, capturing 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, backed by the BJP, won the Mandya seat, defeating Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil in one of the most bitterly fought contests.

The cabinet expansion is seen as a way to contain the rebellion that erupted, specially in the Congress, after the poll debacle, with several senior leaders openly castigating the state leadership.

Of the total 34 ministerial positions in Karnataka, the Congress and the JD(S) have shared 22 and 12 respectively under an understanding between the two parties. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD(S) and one from the Congress.

Troubles mounted for the coalition early this week with the JD(S) state chief A H Vishwanath quitting his post flaying the coalition's functioning and two senior Congress MLAs slamming the party's state leaders for the debacle in the general elections.

The Lok Sabha rout gave enough ammunition to the disgruntled lot in the Congress as well as the JD(S) to publicly target their state leaders.

Vishwanath had criticised the coalition government's performance and coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah for failing to draw a common minimum programme for smooth functioning of the government.

Senior Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy had also hit out at the party's state leadership, saying "newbies and migrants", who did not know anything about the Congress, were being given priority in the party and government.

He had warned that if the present situation continued, it would be difficult for seniors to continue in the party.

Reddy's attack had come days after state Congress' Muslim face Roshan Baig's outburst, calling AICC general secretary K C Venugopal a "buffoon", Kartanaka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao a "flop show" and Siddaramaiah "arrogant."

Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi has been allegedly hobnobbing with the BJP for the past few months, amid reports that he might switch sides along with several other legislators.

According to sources, Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) legislature party leader, has discussed with MLAs the issue of cabinet expansion or rejig.

There seems to be worry within the Congress about cabinet expansion or reshuffle with a growing number of aspirants for ministerial berths and that the move might only complicate matters for the coalition.

The spectacular electoral show by the BJP, despite a Congress-JD(S) joint fight, is keeping the coalition on the edge as it fears an onslaught from its opponent to topple the government by luring away its disgruntled MLAs.

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa has asked the Congress-JD(S) to give up power if it cannot run the government and asserted that his party would govern in case the coalition collapses and would make sure there is no mid-term polls.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 16: Leaving spectators awestruck, Karnataka's Srinivasa Gowda ran 142.5 meters in 13.62 seconds at traditional buffalo race Kambala, following which people started comparing him to former Jamaican Sprinter Usain Bolt.

Gowda, who is from Mudbidri town, accomplished the feat during a Kambala race in a paddy field in Kadri on February 1.

"People are comparing me to Usain Bolt. He is a world champion, I am only running in a slushy paddy field," said Srinivasa Gowda.

People took to social media and drew a parallel between him and Bolt. Twitterati hailed Gowda and his accomplishment on the muddy grounds.

Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern state of Karnataka.

Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

"I'll call Karnataka's Srinivasa Gowda for trials by top SAI Coaches. There's lack of knowledge in masses about the standards of Olympics especially in athletics where ultimate human strength & endurance are surpassed. I'll ensure that no talents in India is left out untested," Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted on Saturday.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 6,2020

Mangaluru, May 6: A day after a wild bison dies lost its life hours after being tranquilized in Mangaluru, another wild bison appeared in the Ashok Nagar area of the coastal city today.

In fact, two bison were spotted in Mangaluru yesterday. The two were reportedly wandering together early in the morning. Later one was spotted in Mannagudda and the other in Hathill area.

While one of them was tranquillized by an official of a Pilikula Biological Park and captured, another bison had gone missing.

The captured animal, however, died later in the day due to cardiac arrest.

According to official, it is common for herbivores, which are sedated to ensure their safe capture, to suffer cardiac arrest.

Meanwhile, Forest department officials have launched an operation to capture the second bison. It is believed that it is the same bison which went missing yesterday.

Also Read: Wild bison intrudes into Mangaluru city amidst lockdown; captured

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News Network
March 2,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 2: The monthlong budget session beginning on Monday, which will mark BS Yediyurappa’s maiden budget in his fourth term as chief minister, is expected to be a fiery one.

The opposition JD(S) and Congress have already threatened to stall proceeding until BJP legislator Basangouda Patil Yatnal apologises for his controversial remarks against freedom fighter and centenarian HS Doreswamy. Yatnal had called him a fake and a Pakistani agent.

Disruptions are also likely to pose a threat to speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri’s novel idea of having a two-day discussion on the Constitution of India to commemorate 70 years of the country’s Independence.

Both opposition parties have scheduled legislature party meetings early on Monday and they could coordinate on issues on the floor of the house to put the BJP — especially Yediyurappa — on the backfoot.

Yatnal is not known as a “hardliner”, but his attack on Doreswamy has garnered support from several ministers including CT Ravi, KS Eshwarappa and V Somanna. Yediyurappa may have a hard time defending his party’s line.

The BJP is yet to schedule its legislature party meeting, but MLAs suggest the party will allow the issue to be raised and debated in the legislature. “Both have expressed their point of view. Let there be a discussion on the matter, but not allowing the house to function will only be a waste of the state’s time and money,” said deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan.

Besides the Doreswamy issue, Yediyurappa will also deliver his reply — postponed from February 20 — to the debate on the governor’s address. The issue of student Amulya Leona Narona’s arrest on a charge of sedition, the Bidar sedition case involving a parent of a school student, pro-Pakistan writings on walls in places in north Karnataka, introduction of NPR and the anti-CAA stir is also likely to feature during the lengthy session.

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