Page 6 - Karnataka Polls

Real contest in Kanakapura for first time: BJP in Shivakumar's home turf

Senior BJP leader and Karnataka Minister R Ashoka, who is pitted against state Congress president D K Shivakumar in the latter's home bastion of Kanakapura for the May 10 Assembly polls, said his candidacy has resulted in an election contest, in its true sense, taking place for the first time in the region after nearly two decades. In an interview to PTI, Ashoka, who was campaigning in this village that comes under Kanakapura Assembly segment, said he feels he is a "trigger" for public anger against the rule that existed in the region for long to come out in the open. In a surprise move, the BJP has taken the battle to the opposition camp by fielding Ashoka, who is considered to be the Vokkaliga face of the party, against Congress' Vokkaliga strongman Shivakumar in his home turf, which is the community's stronghold. Ashoka said he is in the fray from Kanakapura on the directions of the party, and his task was to win the seat, along with building the party in the constituency, where

Karnataka voters should beware of spurious promise of BJP govt: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday referred to the violence in Manipur to say that Karnataka voters should beware of the "spurious promise of a double-engine government". Chidambaram's assertion came in the wake of violence in Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community which has displaced over 9,000 people from their villages. Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles had to be deployed to contain widespread rioting. "Look at the consequences of the 'double engine sarkar' in Manipur. Both engines have failed. The state government is broken with internal dissensions. The central government has a trigger-happy solution to all issues," Chidambaram said on Twitter. The result is that the divide between Meiteis and the tribal communities has widened, the former home minister claimed, adding communities that were on the path to peacefully co-exist during the Congress' governments are now on the warpath. "Voters of Karnataka should beware of the spuriou

BJP trying to get attention through religion-based politics: Himachal CM

"They (BJP) are trying to get public attention which they are not getting in Karnataka"

Karnataka polls 2023: All you need to know about regional powerhouse JDS

JDS has been able to maintain its vote share of around 20 per cent in the assembly, which brings it nearly 40 seats. This has resulted in a hung verdict twice, once in 2004 and again in 2018

Bommai junks pre-polls surveys giving Cong an edge; says BJP will win

Junking pre-poll surveys giving opposition Congress an edge in the May 10 Assembly elections in the state , Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday exuded confidence his party BJP will retain power with a "comfortable majority" and without the JD(S)' support. In an interview to PTI, Bommai said whether he will continue as CM in the event of the saffron party coming to power will be decided by the BJP high command and its Parliamentary Board. He also said former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who defected to Congress over denial of a BJP ticket to yet again contest from Hubli-Dharwad Central, will lose this time. Whereas, the 14 defectors who helped the BJP topple the Congress-JD(S) government in 2019 will win from their respective segments. Bommai also alleged the Congress has taken the election discourse to a "very low level". "There was no edge to Congress at all. We know how surveys are made. I am expecting a comfortable majority," Bommai said, and added the party

Shah cancels K'taka poll campaign; to closely monitor violence-hit Manipur

"The Union Home Minister Shah had discussion late at night with Manipur CM N Biren Singh and other top officials in view of the situation in state," report said

BJP 'sold governance' in Karnataka, alleges Congress; calls it corrupt

The Congress on Friday described the outgoing BJP government in Karnataka as "corrupt" and accused it of having "sold governance" in the southern state. Ahead of the May 10 Karnataka assembly election, the Congress released a set of posters listing out the "corruption rates" in the state between 2019 and 2023 while dubbing the BJP government a "trouble engine". The Congress has been hitting out at the BJP government in Karnataka with the "40 per cent commission sarkar" jibe. The "40 per cent commission' row erupted in the southern state following the death of Belagavi-based contractor Santosh Patil who had earlier alleged that then minister K S Eshwarappa demanded 40 per cent commission for the release of funds for the civil works undertaken by him at a village. Posting a photo of the "corruption rates" poster released by the Congress, the party's general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "The rate at which BJP has sold governance in Karnataka. This is the BJP doub

'Nalayak' jibe only to highlight PM's empty rhetoric for Banjaras: Priyank

"The imputation attributed to me has to be seen in context of PM Modi's remarks made at Kalburgi for the Banjara community, which has been deeply hurt by the anti Banjara-Scheduled Caste policies"

Congress under clutches of SDPI, PFI, can't come out of it: Karnataka CM

He further alleged that the two organisations became strong during the Congress rule

Banning Bajrang Dal impossible: Yediyurappa in poll-bound Karnataka

Yediyurappa asserted that the BJP will "comfortably form the government by winning 135 seats" in the state

Electoral bonds worth Rs 970 crore sold ahead of upcoming Cognizant

This time, sales at the SBI branch in Hyderabad were the highest, followed by Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and New Delhi

LIVE: Indian-origin Ajay Banga confirmed as next World Bank president

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As Karnataka assembly election nears, NRC returns to BJP syllabus

In the first session of Parliament after the 2019 elections, Parliament made instant triple talaq illegal and invalidated Article 370 on August 5, 2019

Congress sets free terrorists, defames country worldwide: PM Modi

"The Congress party pursues the policy of divide and rule. Karnataka has seen its scary face. They are saving terror suspects and letting them out"

Bihar Cong leader lodges case against Shah over his 'riots' comment

"Through his speech, Amit Shah was trying to spread hatred and communal tension in Karnataka"

BJP programs are part of Congress' manifesto: Karnataka CM Bommai

Bommaii said on the one hand the BJP is seeking votes based on patriotism and the country's security but on the other hand, the Congress Party has joined hands with anti-nationals to divide the nation

Congress just makes promises, none fulfilled: Owaisi in Karnataka

"When Babri Masjid was demolished, they made a resolution of rebuilding a mosque there. What became of that?"

They are stealing democracy: Priyanka Gandhi's jibe at BJP in Karnataka

Priyanka said, "I have seen the first such Prime Minister who says in front of the public that he is being abused. The PM does not have a list of problems faced by the public but a list of abuses"

Cong, BJP urge EC to ban electioneering by top leaders of other side

A war of words over the Congress manifesto pledge to ban the Bajrang Dal added to the shrillness of the poll campaign in Karnataka on Tuesday, even as the Election Commission issued an advisory to parties and their star campaigners asking them to exercise restraint in their remarks and not to vitiate the atmosphere. Both the Congress and the BJP rushed to the Election Commission seeking a ban on electioneering by top leaders of the other side alleging that they had violated the model of conduct with their remarks. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the offensive on Congress' anti-Bajrang Dal stance, members of the outfit held protests outside Congress Party's Karnataka offices, even as top BJP ministers attacked the grand old party alleging it has opposed both "Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman" and was following politics of appeasement and division. The promised ban on Bajrang Dal was the latest in a series of dissonant campaign notes, after invectives like 'nalayak beta' (unworthy

K'taka polls: Cong seeks EC ban on campaigning over hate speech

The Congress on Tuesday accused Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of making "hate speeches" in poll-bound Karnataka and urged the Election Commission to put a ban on campaigning by them in the wake of Supreme Court orders on such speeches. A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Ajay Maken, Vivek Tankha, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera met the Election Commission and gave them a memorandum demanding immediate action against such "hate speeches". "The home minister says such things which polarise the country and create division in society..., neither the Constitution provides for such a thing nor does the oath they take while assuming the high office. We have pointed this out to the Election Commission," Tankha told reporters after the meeting. He asked what the home minister meant by saying that "there would be riots in India if the Congress comes to power". "Does he mean to say that the Congress is getting the riots .