Udupi, Jan 8: Senior journalist Raviraj Valalambe passed away due to suspected cardiac arrest on Tuesday night at his residence in Kinnimulki, here. He was 50.
Raviraj was rushed to a hospital after he complained of chest pain. He breathed his last on way to medical facility.
He was the director of Prime TV, a local Kannada news channel.
He had worked as a reporter for ETV and Suvarna News channel earlier.
He is survived by wife and two daughters.
Bengaluru, Apr 22: Former Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah appealed the state government not to discriminate the poor on political lines while distributing relief package to the COVID-19 affected people in the state.
He was speaking to newsmen after attending a grocery kits distribution programme, organised in Jayanagar Assembly constituency, which was represented by the Congress MLA and former minister Ramalinga Reddy.
Charging that there are complaints about the state government in discriminating the Congress MLAs represented constituencies in providing relief kits to distribute among the poorer sections in the society, he said that “there should not be no room for politics, while fighting the COVID-19 disease”.
Bengaluru, Feb 28: “Those who struggle to come up can understand people’s problems better. Yediyurappa is one such leader who has reached this position after a struggle,’’ said former chief minister Siddaramaiah, in praise of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who celebrated his 78th birthday on Thursday in Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah was the only non-BJP leader on the dais, who not only attended the event, but was present throughout. He released a coffee table book, ‘A Leader who Saw Tomorrow’, on Yediyurappa’s life and achievements, compiled by The New Indian Express.
Dwelling on the political spectrum and human relationships, Siddaramaiah said, “Our ideologies are different, but that is limited to politics. Politics should not come between personal relationships.’’ Recalling his association with Yediyurappa, Siddaramaiah said that in 1983, he and Yediyurappa had entered the Assembly for the first time.
“Yediyurappa did not become chief minister just like that. It took years of struggle and hard work. We both have many similarities — neither of us came from political backgrounds. We came up through struggle and those who come from such backgrounds understand people,’’ he said.
Siddaramaiah said that it was Yediyurappa who first became chief minister, and he had reached the post only five years later. “I am five years younger than him, maybe that is the reason,’’ he said on a lighter note. Yediyurappa has become chief minister four times, but I have been chief minister only once, he added. He also spoke about how Yediyurappa had played an important role in bringing the BJP to power in the state, the party’s first government in South India. “Very few leaders know the pulse of the state and Yediyurappa is one among them,’’ he said.
May 28: The Karnataka State Election Commission on Thursday announced postponement of gram panchayat polls citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Out of 6,025 gram panchayats, the tenure of 5,800 gram panchayats will end by June-August 2020.
"After examining the feasibility of conducting general elections to gram panchayats, the State Election Commission, considering the current situation as exceptional circumstance, has decided to temporarily postpone the general elections to the gram panchayats," the SEC said in a release.
It said after examining the situation in the days to come, the decision will be taken on holding the general elections to the gram panchayats.
The CEC also states that report by Deputy Commissioners of districts on holding the elections was verified and it has been found that district administrations are involved in COVID-19 related work and there will be shortage of staff and transport facilities for the elections. Besides, there would be a problem in maintaining law and order.
Last week through a letter to Deputy Commissioners of districts, the commission had sought opinion on holding panchayat polls amid the COVID-19 crisis. It had also pointed out that electoral roll needs to be prepared and reservations had to be allocated as per the new amendments.
Stating that the state election commission's decision to postpone gram panchayat elections was against the provisions of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act 1993, the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said the Congress will question this "undemocratic act" in the court of law.
He accused the commission of playing to the BJP's tune and said the congress will protest the decision at gram panchayat level.
Opposition parties in the state, especially congress, have been demanding elections.
The government was in favour of postponement of polls and wants to have administrative committees to govern the panchayats, until the polls are held, according to government sources.
The Congress, raising apprehension about administrative committees, has accused the government of conspiring to have ruling BJP workers as its members.
A congress delegation had last week submitted a petition to State Election Commissioner B Basavaraju and urged the Commission to hold elections.
The congress had even suggested continuation of sitting panchayat members until the polls are held, instead of appointing administrative committees.
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