Once again Bengaluru witnesses massive protest against CAA, NRC, NPR

Bengaluru, Feb 27: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has again kindled hope for several ministerial aspirants by suggesting he will expand his council of ministers in April. A dozen senior BJP legislators are aspiring for ministerial berths, but there are only six vacancies in Yediyurappa’s cabinet.

However, Yediyurappa suggested on Tuesday he will fill only three spots, one of which would go to Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti. With this, lobbying has intensified for the two remaining berths as the expansion exercise is expected soon after the budget session that ends on March 29.

The aspirants include Murugesh Nirani, S Angara, Appachhu Ranjan, SA Ramdas, Aravind Limbavali, Narasimha Nayak and GH Thippareddy besides others.

Yediyurappa, it is being said, is keen on inducting Katti and Limbavali since they are close to him. He will leave the decision on choosing legislators for the remaining two berths to the party’s central leadership.

On more than one occasion in the past, Yediyurappa has publicly stated that his wish is to induct Katti, a former minister, into the cabinet. In fact, the CM had wanted to induct Katti in the previous expansion that took place last month, but dropped the idea at the last minute due to pressure from party bosses.

The CM is also under pressure to induct Athani legislator Mahesh Kumatalli, who was among 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs who resigned to help the saffron party form the government. Several BJP MLAs and Lingayat seers have been piling pressure on Yediyurappa to make Kumatalli a minister as promised.

Kumatalli was denied a cabinet berth only to accommodate Katti. Both are Lingayats and from Belagavi district. As the Lingayat community already has a lion’s share in cabinet berths, the CM cannot afford to induct both.

Nirani, who has been leaving no stone unturned to secure a spot, reiterated his wish to become minister, but insisted he will not lobby for the post.

Yediyurappa has been upset with Nirani for lobbying for a berth through Panchamasali Mutt seer Vachananand Swami. The former minister was also part of the team of alleged disgruntled MLAs which met Jagadish Shettar at his residence to put pressure on the CM for cabinet berths.

However, while expressing confidence of being made minister when Yediyurappa’s expands his cabinet next, Nirani said, “Yediyurappa is not upset with me. My relationship with him is that of father and son. He knows me and what I am.”

Bengaluru, Mar 6: The Karnataka government has directed school authorities to grant leave to students and staff suffering from cold or fever in the light of renewed coronavirus (COVID -19) fears.

"If any student, teacher of staff is suffering from respiratory infections, they should be granted leave. They should be allowed to come back to school only after confirming from the doctor that they are cured. In case of a student or staff staying at hostels developing any symptoms, they should be kept in a separate room," said the government circular.

Aiming at containing the spread of coronavirus, Sriramulu said, "We have formed 1,680 isolation wards in private hospitals. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister of the situation."

However, the Health Minister said no positive case has been recorded till now in the state.

"Tests are also being conducting on passengers arriving in Karnataka and all precautionary measures are being taken," said Sriramulu about the 40,000 people thermal screened at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in the city. Major private hospitals in the city have geared up to treat suspected cases.

Five Karnataka districts bordering Kerala -- Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru -- continue to be under surveillance after three positive coronavirus cases were reported in Kerala

The deadly virus has killed a total of 2,912 people in mainland China till Saturday, bringing the global death toll to more than 3,000, authorities said on Monday.

The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department is observing 461 people under home quarantine even as no positive coronavirus case has been reported from the state, an official said on Thursday.

"We are observing 461 people for Coronavirus symptoms at their residences, however, no positive case has emerged from Karnataka," said state Health Department's Joint Director, Communicable Diseases, Prakash Kumar.

The five people under isolated observation at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases continue to be so on Thursday as well. As many as 273 samples sent from the state for coronavirus testing reported negative.

In Karnataka, 68,717 passengers have been thermal-screened for the virus until now at Kempegowda International Airport in the city and Mangluru International Airport.

Another 5,103 passengers were also checked for the virus at Karwar and Mangluru seaports.

On Thursday, 16 people completed the mandatory 28-day observation period while a total of 225 people also underwent the same.

Karnataka is screening all international passengers and the state health department met the private sector hospitals to take stock of recent developments.