Release of DKS a victory for Congress ahead of bypolls in Karnataka

News Network

October 24, 2019

Bengaluru, Oct 24: The release of Vokkaliga stalwart D K Shivakumar has come as a shot in the arm for the Congress at a time when it was struggling to gear up for fthe December 5 bypolls in Karnataka.

Shivakumar’s presence on the state scene is expected to give the Congress — reeling from poll debacles, desertions and scandals — much-needed traction. “His release will boost our campaign and prospects in the byelections,” said a senior Congress leader.

Supporters are hoping Shivakumar will be made state Congress president, replacing incumbent Dinesh Gundurao. It is no secret that Shivakumar has been aspiring for the post.

However, the big challenge for Shivakumar is to work in tandem with Congress Legislature Party leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah. This is crucial for the party’s prospects in the bypolls. Given his track record as a poll strategist and experience as campaign committee chairman in the 2018 elections, Shivakumar will help consolidate the Vokkaliga community vote.

But it won’t be easy since he could upset the ‘monopoly’ Siddaramaiah appears to have established. It could also lead to divisions as a section of senior leaders who had opposed Siddaramaiah’s candidature for the opposition leader’s post, are expected to rally behind Shivakumar.

“The rivalry between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah is likely to intensify,” one leader said. “They need to bury the hatchet for the sake of the party. Siddaramaiah also has to set his ego aside.”

But it might take time for Shivakumar to get going. “The legal course of the Enforcement Directorate’s case and the possibility of the CBI filing a case against him looms large,” said a Congress leader.

There is opposition to Shivakumar too within a section of the Congress. Some say it will be detrimental to make him party president while he is facing court cases.

But former speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, who is identified with the Siddaramaiah camp, said: “It is natural Shivakumar gets a significant role in terms of leading the party. We can expect some positive change after the bypolls.”

The ruling BJP will be reduced to a minority if the party fails to win at least eight seats in the bypolls. The saffron is naturally worried as a Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah combination could prove formidable if they really get going.

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35-yr-old CIB officer found dead inside his car in Bekal

News Network

January 3,2020

Kasaragod, Jan 3: A serving officer of the Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB) was found dead inside his car in Bekal town near here early on Friday.

Police sources said the officer, Rijo Francis (35) has been under treatment after he had an heart attack last year.

Police suspect that the death could be due to heart failure.

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Karnataka CM Yediyurappa turns 78; PM, leaders wish him

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February 27,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 27: Karnataka Chief Minister and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa turned 78 on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of leaders greeting him.

Modi hailed Yediyurappa as a "hardworking" chief minister and wished him long life and good health, while several state leaders flocked to his residence and greeted the Lingayat strongman.

"Birthday greetings to Karnataka's hardworking CM @BSYBJP Ji. He is passionately working for the state's progress, especially on farmer welfare and rural development. I pray for his long life and good health," the Prime Minister tweeted.

A large-scale "non-partisan" birthday bash will be held here later in the evening.

The felicitation function will see Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and former chief minister S M Krishna besides Siddaramaiah of Congress and H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) sharing the stage.

Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, also a former chief minister, Pralhad Joshi and Suresh Angadi will be in attendance.

BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh and state party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel are among those who will be gracing the event.

While Santosh will release a felicitation volume in Kannada with 78 articles from a cross-section of people, including politicians, writers, bureaucrats, and spiritual leaders; Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy will unveil a coffee table book and documentary respectively.

Yediyurappa, on the eve of his birthday on Wednesday, had said whatever he has achieved is a result of the people's "blessings and faith" and requested well-wishers not to bring bouquets, flowers, shawls, sweets, turbans or any souvenirs to greet him.

The birthday function organised by "Yediyurappa Abhinandana Samiti" (Yediyurappa Felicitation Committee) is being seen in some quarters as an attempt by Yediyurappa and his loyalists to send a message to the party leadership that he was still "strong".

The BJP's current dispensation under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has retired several senior party leaders who crossed the age of 75.

However, an exception was said to have been made in Yediyurappa's case after the BJP won 25 of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha election under his leadership.

In the 2018 elections, he spearheaded the campaign of the BJP which emerged as the single largest party but fell short of the majority mark following which Congress and JD(S) came to power stitching a post-poll pact.

However, the coalition collapsed in July last year, paving the way for return of Yediyurappa as Chief Minister for the fourth time.

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People in this Karnataka city boycott health survey mistaking it for NRC

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January 3,2020

Chamarajanagar, Jan 3: The residents of Galipura layout in Chamarajanagar city boycotted the annual Community Based Survey (CBS), conducted by the Health and Family Welfare department, mistaking it to be the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Majority of the residents in the layout belong to Muslim community. The people, who mistook CBS to the NRC survey, got into arguments with the Asha workers, who were given the responsibility of collecting information. They even tore the forms into pieces and vent their ire.

The Health Department conducts CBS every year in the urban areas and collects all details including Aadhaar number, residential address, details of family members, health problems and others.

Fifteen Asha workers were deputed for the survey in the layout. A few youths started questioning them alleging it to be an NRC survey and started arguing with them.
Tahsildar Mahesh, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr N C Ravi, with the help of Muslim leaders cleared the confusion. The community leaders assured of explaining it to the residents and extend cooperation to the survey.

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Its not the fault of the residents. Sanghis are planning to approach citizins disguised as health workers and else to get details of residents. such trouble makers should be noted and handed over to police. Police should arrest such fake people and put in jail. such fake people are trying to terrify poors and collect money assuring to help them. So, please be careful.