Watch row: Cong high command not happy with CM's explanation

February 28, 2016

New Delhi: Feb 28: Although Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave his version of the row over the “gift” of a luxury watch sported by him, the Congress high command is not fully satisfied that he will be able to weather the political storm generated by the episode.

watchWith new angles being added to the row by the Opposition leaders, the high command was mulling ways to contain the damage to the Congress' prospects in the remaining two years of its rule in the State.

Party sources said the high command was not happy over such rows coming to light when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhhi had himself led a strong campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “suit-boot” government. It was pointed out to the chief minister that if the controversy was not contained immediately, it could tell upon

Congress' campaign against the BJP in several states and at the Centre, on corruption.

The Congress high command is also unhappy that the State government's popularity was not showing an upward trend as reflected in the Zilla and Taluk panchayats polls.

Though the chief minister, during his meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, defended the watch issue saying it was gifted by his friend, it was learnt that the high command wanted him to act further to prevent recurrence of such controversies.

Karnataka Congress president G Parameshwara, who had met Rahul Gandhi a couple of days before the chief minister's Delhi visit, is understood to have conveyed that the watch controversy was one of the main reasons for the party's average performance in the recently held elections.

Despite the chief minister claiming that he had delivered a good administration in the past three years, many state leaders had told the high command that the latest controversy had only sullied the State government's image.

A section of party leaders who are upset with the chief minister, are of the view that, as part of damage-controlling measures, “urgent corrective steps” are reuqired to be taken. But the party high command is not clear as yet as to what steps should be taken, sources said.

Not Cong culture'

Senior party leader B K Hari Prasad on Friday also criticised the chief minister over the watch row and said wearing luxury watches is not Congress culture. Attacking Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for poor performance in the recently held Assembly by-poll and zilla and taluk panchayats polls, the party national general secretary also said it was a strategic blunder committed by the chief minister.

Criticising the chief minister's style of functioning, Hari Prasad said, “The chief minister has not adapted to Congress culture. He should not ignore old Congress leaders.”

Comments

Mani
 - 
Sunday, 28 Feb 2016

Congress is not happy because ...Siddu is different than the rest . as he delivered Good governance ...

Congress will be happy if Babies killed in Muzaffarnagar...is happy if Muslim called anti national....is happy when Afzal guru hanged ...is happy when introducing UAPA which is almost used against Muslims

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News Network
March 11,2020

Bhopal, Mar 11: After meeting with 19 party MLAs who have tendered their resignations, Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma on Wednesday said they are neither willing to support Jyotiraditya Scindia nor in favour of joining BJP as they were "misled and taken to Bengaluru" in Karnataka.

"Nobody is ready to go with Scindia ji. They said they were misled and taken to Bengaluru, most of them said they are not ready to join BJP," Verma told media persons on being asked about the 19 MLAs.

"I just came from Bengaluru and now I am going to Jaipur. Besides 5-6 ministers and one MLA, we all are going to Jaipur. They (MLAs) have said they have the blood of Congress and they will remain in the party. 
Since Scindia was a senior party leader, all our MLAs followed his order as a courtesy," he said.

The Congress leader further claimed that BJP is using both "muscle and money power" to influence Congress MLAs.

He also claimed that he is strongly in contact with 7-8 BJP MLAs.

On Tuesday, Congress sent two of its leaders -- Verma and Govind Singh -- to Bengaluru in order to pacify some of the rebel MLAs who are lodged in a hotel there and who claimed to have resigned from the state Legislative Assembly.

Most of the rebel MLAs are perceived close to Scindia and are apparently unhappy at Scindia being "ignored" in the party. The grand old party has been witnessing an internal turf war in Madhya Pradesh since the party formed the government in the state in 2018.

Scindia is likely to join BJP later today.

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News Network
May 12,2020

Bengaluru, May 12: Last week, a 28-year-old, eight-months pregnant woman, was found murdered at her house, in Diburahalli. The woman was hacked to death with a machete during the day and was discovered only after her family members returned home, later in the day. After the alleged murder, the accused tried to destroy the evidence, by cleaning the crime scene, and wiping the bloodstains off the walls and floors.

The victim was a homemaker and her husband is employed in the railway department. The police suspected that the murder was a result of someone known to the woman and family, and were soon proved right. The woman was murdered by her own brother-in-law, frustrated with her for allegedly not taking care of his mother and other family members properly.

The victim has been identified as Jyothi, and the accused is her husband’s brother Hareesh Babu, 38. “Jyothi and the accused are alleged to have had differences for the past few years. Their fights kept escalating over the years. She had also informed her family and her husband about the regular fights with the brother-in-law. The accused had been advised by the family, to back off from Jyothi. Owing to his violent streak, Babu’s wife had deserted him and their son. Since his wife’s departure, he had started troubling his brother’s wife and was regularly picked a fight with her.

He complained that Jyothi neglected to take care of his mother and other family members. Investigations reveal these as false allegations, and in fact, Babu’s son was being raised by Jyothi,” said an officer on part of investigations.

Last week, when the victim was resting at home, the accused returned home at around 10.30 am and picked up a fight with her. The fight escalated and Babu ended up hacking her to death with a machete. The victim’s father Nagaraj, at the time of filing a complaint, mentioned Babu’s regular fights with Jyothi and suspected his role in the murder of his pregnant daughter.

The accused, after killing her, had gone to the farm and pretended to not knowing about the the happenings back home. Based on the complainant’s suspicion, the police picked up Babu. After a thorough interrogation, Babu reportedly confessed to the murder of his sister-in-law. The machete, which was used for Jyothi’s murder, was also recovered by the police team.

A case of murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and further investigations are underway.

Comments

abdullah
 - 
Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Put this case in fast track and hang him immediately.  No mercy should be shown on such inhumans.

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News Network
May 1,2020

Bengaluru, May 1: Former underworld don and real-estate baron Muthappa Rai was admitted to Manipal hospital in Bengaluru on Thursday.

As per sources, Muttappa Rai’s condition is said to be serious.

Muthappa Rai was diagnosed with brain cancer two years ago and had undergone treatment at hospitals in New Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru.

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