Yeddyurappa loves people; Siddaramaiah is corrupt CM: Shobha

Bengaluru, Jan 24: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said the much-delayed Cabinet expansion will take place in the next three days.

At the Kempegowda International Airport, after his arrival from Davos, he informed that he would discuss the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take a final decision on the distribution of important portfolios.

Deputy CM Ashwanath Narayna, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others received the Chief Minister at the airport. The issue of Cabinet expansion was kept in abeyance, ever since the spectacular victory of 12 Assembly seats for BJP, for which the by-elections were held recently. The bypolls were necessitated, following the resignation of about 17 sitting Congress and JD (S) MLAs, which resulted in the collapse of the JDS-Congress coalition government in the state.

BJP had reportedly lured the Congress and JD (S) MLAs into their camp, after promising them to give party ticket to contest the elections, as well as ministerial berths. The Chief Minister had kept as many as 16 Cabinet berths, along with plum portfolios, vacant, after forming the BJP government, with the support of the deserted Congress and JD (S) MLAs, in July last. However, the issue of Cabinet expansion had postponed on one reason or the other, as Yediyurappa was struggling to keep the promise he had made to the former Congress and the JDS MLAs, on whose sacrifice the BJP came back to power.

With the strong demand for ministerial berths within the loyal BJP MLAs, the BJP high command had reportedly advised Yediyurappa to accommodate only a few of the turncoat MLAs and strike balance between the groups.

However, Yediyurappa, who had assured the Congress and JD (S) MLAs of giving them Cabinet berths, had been in dilemma ever since and found it tough to convince the party's Central leaders.

According to party sources, the Chief Minister is not only facing problems over the expansion of his Cabinet, but is also worried over the demand for creation of more number of Deputy Chief Ministers, adding to the present list of three.

Mangaluru, Jan 24: Aditya Rao, who was arrested for planting Improvised explosive device (IED) at Mangaluru airport on January 20, was brought to the airport on Friday for recreation of the crime scene as part of the investigation process.

Yesterday, one more case was registered against Rao in connection with a hoax call to the terminal manager of the airport on January 20, police said.

"One more case has been registered against Aditya Rao at Bajpe Police station for a hoax call to the terminal manager of Mangaluru International Airport on January 20," said PS Harsha, Mangalore Commissioner of Police on Thursday.

Earlier, Harsha informed that Rao, who surrendered before the Bengaluru Police, is now in the custody of Mangaluru Police.

"Our investigation team arrested Aditya Rao in Bengaluru in connection with the planting of an explosive device at Mangaluru airport. We produced the accused before Bengaluru's first JMFC court and the court issued a transit warrant," Harsha said.

"We have brought him to Mangaluru from Bengaluru and now the accused is in our custody. Our investigation team will interrogate him. We will investigate all aspects. He will be produced before Mangaluru 6th JMFC Court," he added.

Rao hails from Udupi and has engineering and MBA degrees.

According to the police, the IED was recovered from a bag at the Mangaluru airport. It was later defused in an open field by the personnel of the bomb disposal squad.

Madikeri, Jan 17: Kannada and Telugu actor Rashmika Mandanna is likely to be further interrogated by Income Tax (I-T) officials on Friday.

The residence and properties by the family of Rashmika were raided by I-T officials on Thursday morning. Following summons issued by I-T officials, Rashmika rushed to her residence on Thursday night and gave details on investments and other financial transactions.

After the interrogation, the I-T officials left for Serenity hall, which is owned by Rashmika's father, at Virajpet at around 2.30 am and stayed back there.

The I-T officials have reportedly directed Rashmika and her father Madan Mandanna not to leave the house.