Muneer Katipalla files nomination, declares crusade against corruption

Bengaluru, Feb 4: The possibility of defeated MLA CP Yogeshwar being inducted into chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet is causing ripples within the ruling BJP, with many legislators, especially from Kalyana-Karnataka region, raising a banner of revolt.

Several MLAs led by Surapur legislator Narasimha Nayak, also known as Raju Gouda, held a meeting at the Legislators Home on Monday and voiced their opposition.

"When there are more than two dozen MLAs aspiring for a cabinet berth, making a former MLA a minister is beyond logic," Gouda said. "We will convey our feelings to Yediyurappa and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel." Murugesh Nirani, Paranna Munavalli, Rajkumar Patil, Dattatreya Patil Revoor, Basavaraj Mattimud are among others who attended the meeting. MP Renukacharya, political secretary to the CM and Honnali MLA, was also present at the meeting. "Some more MLAs will join us when we meet again tomorrow," Gouda said.

The MLAs highlighted the issue of caste and regional imbalance in the council of ministers to further their cause. With four from Bengaluru and three from Belagavi district set to take oath on February 6, the share of MLAs from these districts in the cabinet will rise to seven and five respectively. Currently, 16 districts have no representation.

Sources say Yediyurappa and BJP’s national leadership decided to reward Yogeshwar with a cabinet berth for his "active" role in getting 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs to resign and join the BJP, enabling the party to grab power. The party also believes he has the potential to become the Vokkaliga face of the BJP in the Old Mysuru region, where the party’s organisation is weak.

If Yogeshwar is inducted, he will be the second former MLA to make it to Yediyurappa cabinet after deputy CM Laxman Savadi, who lost the 2018 assembly polls. Several party MLAs were unhappy with Savadi’s elevation and are now upping the ante against the party leadership.

"Let Yogeshwar be made Rajya Sabha or council member. We have no problem. But making him minister is not acceptable. If they want to make defeated MLAs ministers, then why not AH Vishwanath and MTB Nagaraj, whose sacrifices brought BJP to power?" said Gouda.

Reports say Yediyurappa has promised Vishwanath and Nagaraj, the disqualified MLAs who lost the bypolls, that they would be made ministers in June. Both met Yediyurappa and secured this assurance. The two were demanding that they be inducted into the cabinet on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vijayapura MLA Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal urged the CM to evaluate the performance of existing ministers and drop those found non-performing. "Many ministers don’t even come to the Vidhana Soudha. What is the use of having such ministers?" he asked.

Yediyurappa also continued to face pressure to induct Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli into the cabinet. The Jarkiholi brothers, Ramesh and Balachandra met Yediyurappa separately on Monday with a request to make Kumatalli, their confidant, a minister.

Mangaluru, Apr 19: District-in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said that Rs 2000 each has been deposited in the bank accounts of 6,122 construction workers, who are registered with the labour department in the Dakshina Kannada district. The amount will be deposited in the accounts of other registered construction workers at the earliest.

The state government had announced Rs 2000 to construction labourers who are registered and have lost their livelihood due to the on-going nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The curbs, which were imposed on March 24, have been extended till May 3. "The labourers were reeling under hardship after construction activities came to a halt," said the Minister.

Supply food

Local bodies should make arrangements to supply food for stranded labourers, destitutes and beggars in all the ULBs in Dakshina Kannada district, Poojary said. 

"No one should starve during the lockdown period. All the ULBs should identify destitutes, migrant labourers in their jurisdiction and arrange food for them. In case of necessity, the help of NGOs can also be taken," he added
The minister announced that Asha workers and health workers would collect information on people's health by visiting the houses in the district and submit a report within 10 days.

Bengaluru, Apr 5: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday said the state government will double down for 100% compliance to the lockdown in the next 10 days, warning action against those found roaming the streets.

Dismissing reports of a shortage of ventilators, he said the state was bringing in reinforcements over the next few days and expressed relief that none of the Covid-19 patients of the state has required a ventilator so far.

"None of the Covid-19 patients are on ventilators; two of them require oxygen," Yediyurappa told reporters after he met ministers and MLAs of Bengaluru and apprised them of steps taken to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The CM said the government had placed orders for 1,570 ventilators, of which 17 have been supplied and another 20 would arrive by next week. The government has also ordered 18.3 lakh N-95 masks, of which more than 4 lakh have been supplied. To ensure a steady supply of hand sanitiser, manufacturing licences have been issued to 36 pharma companies and 29 distilleries.

While the state readies the medical infrastructure, the CM urged the legislators, cutting across party lines, to ensure full compliance to the lockdown. "If people fail to cooperate with the government and respect the nationwide lockdown, there will be no option but to enforce it in a more stringent manner from Sunday," he said.

As people continue to crowd markets amid growing fears of a shortage of essentials, the CM reiterated that all measures have been put in place to get the supply chain moving. 

He also assured that food will be provided to migrant workers and the poor. "There is enough stock of foodgrains and medicine in the state. The government has set a taskforce of ministers, 17 committees under additional chief secretaries, several helplines and a war room to fight the pandemic and they are all working round the clock," he said. 

The government has also issued direction to authorities to provide rations to those who do not have BPL or APL cards. Since many people from other states have settled in Bengaluru and they don't have ration cards, we have taken this decision," Yediyurappa said.

On reports of many private hospitals being closed and refusing to treat patients, the CM said: "We have already warned private hospitals to remain open and provide treatment to patients failing which strict action will be initiated."

Kisan Nidhi, 2 months' pension by April 10
The CM said an installment of Rs 2,000 under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and two months' pension under the various social security schemes will be credited to bank accounts of beneficiaries by April 10. 

The process of crediting subsidy to 15 lakh beneficiaries under Ujjwala Yojana is on, he said.