Two rebel Congress MLAs in Karnataka meet BJP's SM Krishna, trigger speculations

Agencies
May 28, 2019

Bengaluru, May 28: The informal meeting of two 'rebel' Karnataka Congress legislators with BJP's senior leader S.M. Krishna here on Sunday sparked speculation over the continuation of the year-old fledgling JD-S-Congress coalition government in the southern state.

"Yes, the two Congress legislators - Ramesh Jarkiholi and K. Sudhakar met Krishna at his residence in the city for personal reasons as they both knew him well and the latter was a veteran Congressman till he resigned in early 2018 to join our party," BJP's state unit spokesman G. Madhusudan told IANS here.

Jarkiholi, who was dropped from the coalition government on December 24, by the Congress and replaced by his elder brother Satish Jarkiholi, revolted against the party leadership for being ignored and threatened to resign along with a few other rebel legislators with a view to ousting the government.

Jarkiholi is a three-time lawmaker from Gokak assembly segment in the state's northwest Belagavi district, about 550 km from here. Sudhakar, a legislator from Chikkaballapura assembly seat near Bengaluru, has been sulking for being denied a cabinet post in the ministry.

"As our party has been ridiculed for predicting the imminent fall of the government due to various reasons and inherent contradictions, we will let actions speak louder than words hereafter. Just wait and see," hinted Madhusudhan.

Ignoring the party leadership, Jarkiholi also did not campaign for the party's candidates in the recent Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress retained only one parliamentary constituency (Bangalore Rural) and lost 20 of the 21 seats it contested along with its ally Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S).

Defying the party leadership, Jarkiholi also did not attend the Congress legislature party meetings convened by its leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in January and February ahead of the budget session.

Jarkiholi has also been trying to get two other rebel party legislators Mahesh Kamtahalli and Bheema Naik to join him in quitting the party for joining the BJP, which is reported to have promised plum cabinet post to them.

"As the coalition government is surviving on a slender majority of 116 with 113 as the halfway mark for simple majority, resignation of 5-6 Congress or JD-S legislators will reduce it into a minority and a trial strength in the event of a floor test," added Madhusudhan. In the 225-member House, the BJP has 104, Congress 79 excluding the speaker and JD-S 37, with the remaining 2 Independents and 1 BSP and one nominated.

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News Network
May 4,2020

Bengaluru, May 4: First year Pre-University results of Karnataka Department of Pre-University Education will be released soon.

According to a report, the first year PU result will be released on the registered mobile numbers of students or parents on May 5. The report also asked the colleges which offers PU course that the PU results should not be released on the notice boards.

This measure has been taken keeping in view to avoid gatherings in and around the institutions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Deccan Herald report also said the students who are not able to clear the exams after the PU results are declared will be given a chance to appear for supplementary examinations in college level and further details on this will be shared with the institutes by the department in due course.

"After the declaration of results, colleges can conduct online classes for students who are eligible to attend second year PU classes," the report added.

The state is yet to complete the SSLC (class 10) and PU second year (higher secondary or class 12) examinations as the spread of coronavirus and subsequent lockdown announced by the government has put the whole academic activities out of gear in the state.

Recently, the education minister has said the SSLC examinations in the state will be conducted as it is a "crucial stage in a student's life".

"We will consider it (SSLC examinations) when the situation becomes normal," The New Indian Express quoted the minister as saying.

The Karnataka SSLC exam was scheduled to be held between March 27 and April 9, and over eight lakh students had registered for the exam.

Updates on the date and other decisions regarding PU second year exams are awaited.

Earlier, the school education department had decided to promote class 7 and 8 students without any exams in the wake of lockdown aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.

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News Network
May 6,2020

Bengaluru, May 6: Resolving the disparity in payment of stipend to the Resident Doctors across Karnataka, Minister for Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday directed the Medical Education Department to consider the request made by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) to increase the stipend.

Holding a video conference meeting with the department officials and Vice-Chancellor of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), the Minister instructed the officials to look into the request and submit a detailed proposal pertaining to the increase of stipend.

The Karnataka Resident Doctors Association had submitted a request seeking a hike in the stipend which is due since 2015.

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News Network
August 3,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 3: All those who met Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has tested positive for Covid-19, in the last three-four days will have to be quarantined, Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K said on Monday.

He also said those who came in contact with Yediyurappa in a couple of programmes in the past week are being traced.

Sudhakar, a medical doctor himself, said Yediyurappa has "very mild cough and his chest is clear."

"I think eight to ten days," he told news agency when asked how long the Chief Minister would have to remain in hospital.

Sudhakar said he is also getting himself tested as a few of his office staff had tested positive.

"All those who met the Chief Minister in the last 3-4 days...ideally they should be quarantined till they receive their results/report. Those who came in contact with him in a couple of programmes will have to isolate themselves and subject themselves for testing," the Minister said.

On the Chief Minister meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, along with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai last Friday, Sudhakar said as a result "They also become primary contacts. Ideally, they should also be quarantined and tested."

Yediyurappa who was hospitalised on Sunday night after testing positive for Covid-19 was "doing well" and is "clinically stable", the hospital treating him said.

The 77-year old leader is being monitored by a team of doctors at the Manipal hospital here.

"He is doing well, is clinically stable and will be monitored closely by our team," the hospital said in a statement late last night.

"I have tested positive for coronavirus. Whilst I am fine, I am being hospitalised as a precaution on the recommendation of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," Yediyurappa had said in his tweet.

Yediyurappa was in home quarantine a couple of weeks ago, after some staff members in his home office were found infected with the virus. Subsequently, he tested negative for Covid-19.

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