Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday held a massive roadshow along with BJP national President J P Nadda and Kannada film star Kichcha Sudeep in his constituency of Shiggaon, ahead of filing nomination for the May 10 Assembly polls. Earlier this month, actor Sudeep had announced his support to Chief Minister Bommai in the poll-bound state. A large crowd had gathered, as Bommai, Nadda and Sudeep travelled through the streets in a specially-designed vehicle, after garlanding the statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma, queen of the former princely state of Kittur who led an armed resistance against the British East India Company. The crowd, mostly wearing saffron caps, moved along with the vehicle with BJP flags in their hands. They cheered when the leaders and their favourite cinema star waved at them. Bommai is seeking re-election from Shiggaon, from where he has been MLA thrice. The BJP leader became the Chief Minister in 2021 after party stalwart B S Yediyurappa stepped
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday filed his nomination for the May 10 Assembly polls from his traditional seat of Shiggaon in this district amid fanfare. He was accompanied by BJP national president J P Nadda and Kannada film star Sudeep, as he filed his papers before the election returning officer. Bommai is seeking re-election from Shiggaon, from where he has been an MLA three times since 2008. Earlier, he visited temples and also held a massive roadshow along with Nadda and Sudeep in Shiggaon. Hundreds of people gathered as Bommai, Nadda and Sudeep travelled through the streets in a specially-designed vehicle, after garlanding the statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma, who in 1824 led an armed resistance against the British East India Company. They later addressed a public meeting, seeking votes for Bommai and the BJP. The 63-year-old CM, who is the son of former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Parivar veteran late S R Bommai, had already filed one set of ..
The Election Commission has ordered the transfer of 10 police personnel, including a deputy commissioner of police (DCP), for "stricter enforcement of poll code and smooth conduct" of the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka, sources in the poll panel said on Monday. Those transferred included the DCP (North) Bengaluru, the ACP of Yeshwanthpur and Bengaluru, and four police inspectors -- one each from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, Yeshwanthpur, Nandini Layout police station and Rajagopal Nagar police stations. Sources said the officers being transferred were posted at the behest of a state minister and it was felt that their removal will help in "stricter enforcement and smooth conduct" of the May 10 polls. "Per se, there was no complaint. EC took the decision for better conduct of polls," a functionary said. Following clashes between BJP and Congress workers in Surpur Yadgir earlier this month, the EC also ordered the transfer of local DSP and one circle inspector for their inept handling
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address party rallies in Bhalki and Humnabad in Bidar district on Monday, ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka. Several senior Congress leaders, including AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D K Shivakumar, are expected to participate in the rally. Former Minister and KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre and former Minister Rajashekar B Patil are sitting MLAs and the party's candidates from Bhalki and Humnabad Assembly segments respectively. Gandhi on Sunday had addressed the 'Jai Bharat' rally in Kolar, the same place from where he made a remark on the Modi surname for which he was convicted of criminal defamation and also stripped of his Parliament membership.
In a big jolt to the BJP in Karnataka, former Chief Minister and influential Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar, who announced his resignation, stated on Sunday that the Congress has sent feelers
The state's committed liabilities are projected to rise to 60% in FY'24 from 55% in the previous year
Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the BJP after being denied ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections, on Friday met senior Congress leaders, including its state unit President D K Shivakumar. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary and party in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala were among those present. Ignoring Savadi's request, the BJP had earlier this week gave the Athani seat in Belagavi district to sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli. Savadi, currently a BJP MLC, is a three-time MLA from Athani but lost in the 2018 elections to Kumathalli (then in the Congress). Kumathalli was among the group of defectors who helped the BJP to bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019.
The Karnataka government's decision to scrap four per cent Muslim quota ahead of the assembly polls Thursday came under the scanner of the Supreme Court, which questioned the government order and said prima facie it appeared to be on a "highly shaky ground" and "flawed". Taking note of the observations, the Karnataka government assured the top court it will put on hold its March 24 order by which it had given quotas in admission to educational institutions and appointment in government jobs to Vokkaligas and Lingayats, till April 18, the next date of hearing. The four per cent reservation for Muslims was to be equally split between the two communities. The top court said from the records tabled before it appears that the Karnataka government's decision is based on "absolutely fallacious assumption". A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna, which gave time till April 17 to the state government and counsel representing members of Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities to file the
With Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled to be held next month, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold its Central Election Committee meeting on Sunday, said sources
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Sunday and interact with frontline field staff and Self Help Groups involved in conservation efforts.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Friday said that if the grand old party came to power in the assembly elections
BJP National General Secretary BL Santosh on Wednesday hit out at former CM Siddaramaiah, terming his tenure as the "most corrupt, indecisive and Hindu-hating government"
PM Modi is likely to address a total of 20 public rallies in a span of 30 days in the poll-bound state of Karnataka ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on May 10, a BJP source said
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the process of selecting candidates for the Assembly polls is being held in a democratic way and it will be completed smoothly with the list being announced after the party's central leadership finalises it on April 8. Asked by reporters if there will be surprise candidates in the fray from the BJP, he said: "Certainly, there is a plan for new experiments in certain constituencies and they will happen." Some seats will give a "surprise result", he said. "You are going to see it in the days to come. Both our workers and leaders are confident." He also said there are clear signs of BJP getting absolute majority and coming back to power. "Today's state election committee meeting is a continued part of the district-level core committee meeting that took place over the last couple of days; further screening would be done today and tomorrow before sending (the list of probable candidates) to the centre (central leadership). It wil
Senior JD(S) MLA from Arkalgud A T Ramaswamy on Friday resigned as legislator, ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka. Ramaswamy submitted his resignation to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary at Vidhana Soudha here, as Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri is in his hometown of Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district. It is not yet clear as to whether he will join the BJP or Congress. Ramaswamy is the second JD(S) MLA to quit as legislator this week. On March 27, another MLA of the party S R Srinivas (Gubbi Srinivas alias Vasu) resigned and joined the Congress on Thursday. "I have happily resigned as Arkalgud MLA. I have submitted my resignation to the Assembly Secretary, and once the Speaker comes I will meet him and request him to accept it," Ramaswamy said, speaking to reporters. He thanked the JD(S) for having given him the opportunity to serve as a member of the Legislative Assembly, and said he has never done politics for personal gains and has served the people of t
The term of the current assembly expires on May 24. A total of 52.1 million voters are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections
The AAP on Wednesday released its manifesto for Karnataka polls giving 10 guarantees, which included 300 units of free electricity per month, 80 per cent reservation to locals in jobs, and 33 per cent reservation to women in government jobs if voted to power. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party, which is gearing up to contest all seats in Karnataka assembly polls, also promised that it will generate 2 lakh jobs every year and fill up all the vacant posts, with preference to regularisation of contractual staff. Kannada proficiency will be made mandatory for the state government jobs if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is voted to power, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, releasing the party manifesto at a press conference in Bengaluru, a few hours after the Election Commission announced Karnataka assembly polls schedule. "It's not just a poll manifesto, it's a list of 10 guarantees which we will fulfil as we did in Delhi and Punjab," Singh said. The AAP's Karnataka unit convener Prithvi Reddy and
Mining baron-turned-politician Gali Janardhana Reddy on Monday released the symbol and manifesto of his newly-launched party, the Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP)
Quoting Lingayat sect founder Basaveshwara and extolling his government's development agenda, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said he will return to power again after the assembly election, which is due by May. Addressing a public gathering at Hungund in northern Karnataka's Bagalkote district here on Tuesday night, the Chief Minister said he has performed sincerely to offer social justice to every section of the society, which resulted in increase in the annual per capita income by Rs 1 lakh in the last four years. "I will come back as chief minister again. God has given me an opportunity to serve Mother Karnataka. I have done sincere work," Bommai said during an election rally. The Chief Minister said he is treading on the path of "work is worship" and social equality, as advocated by 12th Century social reformer and founder of Lingayat sect Basaveshwara. "I tried to give social justice to every section of the society. People had asked for corporations of various ..
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday hit out at the Congress for trying to fool people by making fake promises in its bid to return to the helm of the state