War of words breaks out between Vishwanath and Siddaramaiah

Agencies
July 4, 2019

Bengaluru, Jul 4: A bitter war of words broke out between Congress leader Siddaramaiah and the outgoing JD(S) state president A H Vishwanath on Thursday, However, the latter stepped down.

While Siddaramaiah ridiculed him for his failure to do 'Adhyakshagiri' (presidency) for even six months, Vishwanath slammed him for his "inability" to coordinate well despite being the coordination committee chairman of the ruling coalition partner, the Congress and the JD(S).

Vishwanath passed the baton to the new incumbent H K Kumaraswamy a month after resigning from the post owing moral responsibility for the partys drubbing in the Lok Sabha election. While resigning, Vishwanath had also hit out at the Congress for the coalitions poor performance in the election.

The JD(S) leader had also held Siddaramaiah responsible for the failure of the alliance in the election and said the coordination committee headed by Siddaramaiah failed to coordinate to bring out a common minimum programme of the coalition government of Congress and JD(S).

Reacting to the allegations, Siddaramaiah said, "What has he to say when he resigned owing to his failure to discharge his duty? How long he was the state president? He could not do Adhyakshagiri for six months and he is talking about others!"

Vishwanath shot back, saying, "Whether I continued for three months or six months but you (Siddaramaiah).. You ensured that the state presidents of both the parties were out of the coordination committee. Arent you ashamed of talking like that?

Earlier, Siddaramaiah tweeted, "H Vishwanath, who resigned as president after not being able to handle his presidency properly for six months, is always trying to hide his weakness by questioning the strengths of others. I have sympathy for him." Vishwanath appealed to Deve Gowda that the new state president H K Kumaraswamy should be included in the coordination committee.

Both Siddaramaiah and Vishwanath started their political career around the same time.

Siddaramaiah was earlier in the JD(S) and Vishwanath in the Congress. After Deve Gowda expelled Siddaramaiah, Vishwanath was instrumental in bringing him to the Congress fold. However, differences cropped up between the two leaders forcing Vishwanath to part ways.

Vishwanath then joined the JD(S) and won the assembly election on JD(S) ticket from Hunsur constituency in Mysuru.

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News Network
February 12,2020

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday shuffled the portfolios of six newly inducted ministers after they expressed unhappiness about the departments allocated to them barely 24 hours ago.

Three ministers — BC Patil, Anand Singh and K Gopalaiah — received new responsibilities and as many — Shivaram Hebbar, Srimanth Patil and Byrathi Basavaraj — have been saddled with more.

Sources said the six ministers met the CM late Monday night and said they were not happy with the portfolios handed to them. They reportedly threatened not to assume office until their demands were met, forcing the CM to effect the changes early Tuesday.

BC Patil is now vested with agriculture (he had been given forest), Anand Singh forest, environment and ecology (earlier food and civil supplies) and Gopalaiah food and civil supplies (instead of small-scale industries). BC Patil said, “I’m happy I can now be with farmers.” Shivaram Hebbar has been given the additional responsibility of sugar along with labour allocated to him on Monday.

Allocation of the forest portfolio to Anand Singh has raised eyebrows as the Vijayanagara MLA had been arrested in 2013 and 2015 in cases of illegal mining and illegal transportation of mining ore. Singh owned SB Mineral in Ballari and the Lokayukta had charged him with transporting 17,086 tonnes of iron ore without permission or valid licence. He was acquitted in a Belikeri iron ore export case due to lack of evidence.

Byrathi Basvaraj, who has been given the urban development ministry, will also handle Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board and Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation.

Srimanth Patil has received minority welfare department apart from textile.

The exercise of portfolio shuffling is likely to continue with minister K Sudhakar reportedly unhappy with medical education.

In another embarrassment to the CM, Mahesh Kumathalli on Tuesday refused to take over as chairman of the Mysore Sales International Ltd, saying he wants to be a minister. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal urged Yediyurappa to induct Kumathalli into the cabinet in line with the promise made to him when he joined the BJP before bypolls. “The CM must keep his word,” he said.

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News Network
January 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 16: Members and activists of social organisation Rakshana Vedike on Thursday staged a protest and demanded the arrest of BJP MLA Somashekhara Reddy, for his 'provocative' remarks and statements.

The protesters gathered near Gandhi’s statue near Maurya circle in the city and demanded that the BJP MLA should be arrested immediately.

The protesters alleged that Reddy’s remark were aimed at inciting communal hatred and that his remarks do not do justice to his being an elected representative of the people in the state assembly.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 8: The Karnataka high court on Tuesday directed the government to submit steps taken in respect of the order of Lokyukta in relation to the Kethaganahalli landgrab case involving former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, his relatives and former minister DC Thammanna.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka gave the direction on a PIL filed by Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), an NGO. The petitioner said despite an order from the Lokayukta on August 5, 2014, to take action within 15 days, no action has been initiated till date in respect of encroachment of a huge tract of land in Kethaganahalli along Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

SPS says the land was purchased in 1979 contrary to norms of Karnataka Land Revenue Act. It claims Kumaraswamy and others paid only Rs 5,000 per acre, although the prevailing market rate was Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre.

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