Page 46 - Karnataka

Congress questions Modi govt on payment of MGNREGS wages in Karnataka

Attacking the Modi government over key issues in Karnataka, the Congress on Monday questioned the "delay" in the vital Bagalkote-Kudachi Railway line project and also asked when it is going to pay the state's MGNREGS workers their wages. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his rally in Bagalkote in Karnataka. "Why has the Modi Government failed to deliver the Bagalkote-Kudachi Railway line? Why is the Modi Government holding up the Upper Bhadra and Mahadayi projects? When will the PM pay Karnataka's MGNREGA workers?" Ramesh said in a post on X. Elaborating on what he said were "jumla details", Ramesh said the Bagalkote-Kudachi line of the South-Western Railway has now been delayed by more than eight years. As of today, only 33 per cent, or 46 km of the 142 km line has been completed, he said. "Originally sanctioned in 2010-11 at an outlay of Rs 986 crore, the project has now seen its cost balloon to Rs 1,649 crore. ...

BJP MP, ex-Union Minister Sreenivasa Prasad passes away at age of 76

Veteran politician, BJP MP and former Union Minister V Sreenivasa Prasad died on Monday, family sources said. The 76-year-old Lok Sabha member from Chamarajnagar was ailing for some time and being treated at a private hospital, where he passed away early today. Prasad is survived by wife and three daughters. He was a six-time MP from Chamarajanagar and also served as MLA from Nanjangud in Mysuru district for two terms. On March 18 this year, Prasad announced his retirement from electoral politics, marking his 50 years in public life. He first contested Assembly elections as an independent in 1974. Prasad joined the erstwhile Janata Party in 1976 and switched over to the Congress in 1979. He also had a stint with the JD(S), JD (U), and the Samata Party before crossing over to the BJP. Prasad served as the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004. He returned to the Congress fold later, got

Highlights of day: Modi govt used privatisation to weaken reservations, says Congress

From PM Modi's election rallies in Karnataka to BJD leaders joining the BJP in Odisha, catch all the latest updates from around the world here

K'taka CM holds dharna protesting Centre's 'injustice' over drought funds

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar along with several ministers and legislators on Sunday staged a dharna here, alleging injustice done to the state by the union government while releasing the drought relief funds. Holding 'Chombu', the round water pot symbolising emptiness and deception, the leaders charged the Centre with "cheating" Karnataka by not releasing adequate relief to face acute drought, the kind of which was not witnessed in the past several decades. They held the symbolic dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises of "Vidhana Soudha", which houses the Legislature and Secretariat. The state government has declared 226 out of the total 236 Taluks in Karnataka as drought-hit and said there was a crop loss in 48 lakh hectares of land. According to Siddaramaiah, against the demand for Rs 18,171 crore for drought relief, the union government ordered release of only Rs 3,454 crore, that too after the state approached the Suprem

LS polls: PM Modi to address four mega rallies in North K'taka today

The third phase is scheduled for May 7 which will witness polling in 94 constituencies across 12 states/UTs. The results will be announced on June 4

EC orders re-polling at one booth in Chamarajanagar LS segment in Karnataka

The Election Commission said on Saturday that re-polling will be conducted at a polling station in Hanur which falls under Chamarajanagar Parlimentary Constituency in Karnataka on April 29. In a letter addressed to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, the EC stated that on the basis of reports submitted by the Returning Officer and General Observer for Chamrajnagar Parliamentary Constituency and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares under appropriate sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 that the poll taken on April 26 at the polling station no 146, Government Lower Primary School, Indiganatha, 221- Hansur Assembly Constituency of Chamarajanagar Parlimentary Constituency, falling under Chamarajanagar district to be void. The letter further stated that April 29 has been fixed as the date for a fresh poll at the polling station in accordance with the Commission's instructions. The polling will be held from 7 am to 6 ...

No Modi wave in Karnataka but one in favour of Cong govt: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said there is "no Modi wave" in Karnataka but there is one in favour of Congress government's guarantee schemes, as he claimed his party will win about 20 out of total 28 Lok Sabha polls in the state. He was speaking to reporters after casting his vote at his native village Siddaramanahundi in this district. Voting was underway on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in 14 constituencies. "There is no Modi wave in Karnataka, the wave that is there is the 'guarantee wave'. Congress will win about 20 seats, because our guarantee schemes have reached the people and without any middlemen the money is reaching the bank accounts of the people directly every month," Siddaramaiah said. He expressed confidence about people "blessing" the Congress party, as they did during the Assembly polls last year which saw his party scoring a thumping win. Asked as to how many seats the Congress will win out of 14 seats in the first .

Cong, BJP lock horns again within a year as stage set for voting in K'taka

The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again, in less than a year, in Karnataka as the stage is set for voting in the first phase in 14 Lok Sabha seats on Friday. It's going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) combine unlike the Assembly elections in May last year which witnessed a triangular contest among the three parties. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase of polling in the remaining 14 seats is on May seven. A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the first phase in most of the southern and coastal districts. More than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations where polling will take place between 7 am to 6 pm. While the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in three -- Hassan, Mandya and ..

Channapatna's eroding toy story sees a beacon of hope amid Karnataka polls

Ahead of the general elections in Karnataka, artisans who work at these toy factories are demanding the upcoming govt to create a conducive business environment for them and save their "dying" art

Southern Karnataka on high alert over bird flu reported in Kerala

As an outbreak of avian flu has been reported in some districts of neighbouring Kerala, the border areas of Karnataka, including Mangaluru, have been put on high alert, officials of the Karnataka Animal Husbandry department here said. At present, the situation in Kerala is being monitored before any action can be taken, they said. "Our Kerala counterparts have assured us that the avian flu has been contained within Alappuzha district. However, loading, booking and carrying poultry and poultry products on trains and at railway stations are still under consideration (surveillance), the officials said. Not only railways but also road transport ferrying chicken loads from Kerala to Mangaluru are under surveillance. Mangaluru, being one of the largest consumers of chicken from Kerala, has halted chicken procurement from Kerala-based suppliers. Sudhakar Shetty, a market functionary, stated, "The animal husbandry department of Kerala has advised containment of avian flu within a few ...

Siddaramaiah stages dharna over delay in release of drought funds by Centre

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday staged a dharna here protesting against the delay in release of drought relief funds by the Centre and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue. Siddaramaiah said the protest -- held in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises of Vidhana Soudha which houses the Legislature and State Secretariat -- was aimed at drawing public attention towards the "injustice" done to Karnataka and its people by the BJP-led government at the Centre. He alleged that Modi and Shah "hate Karnataka and its farmers" due to which the drought relief funds were not released even after seven months of severe drought. The chief minister said the state has not seen such a severe drought in 100 years. Citing government survey reports, he said 223 out of 240 taluks of the state are drought-affected. "Modi and Amit Shah hate Karnataka and its farmers," Siddaramaiah said during the protest organised by the ruling .

2024 Lok Sabha elections: JDS looks to maintain hold over Mandya seat

The Vokkaliga dominated seat has sent leaders such as former Karnataka CM SM Krishna to the parliament

BJP expels former Karnataka deputy CM K S Eshwarappa for six years

The BJP on Monday expelled rebel leader K S Eshwarappa for six years for violating party discipline and contesting Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. The former deputy chief minister who had also served as the party's state unit president, has entered the poll fray, blaming state BJP president B Y Vijayendra and his father and veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa, for his son K E Kantesh being denied the ticket to contest from Haveri. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has got BJP's Haveri ticket, while Vijayendra's brother and MP B Y Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga. "Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is violation of party discipline," state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the expulsion order. It said, "so, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with

SC grants Centre one week to provide relief to drought-stricken Karnataka

Karnataka government has sought financial assistance of Rs 18,171.44 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for drought-relief from the Centre

Hubballi case to be transferred to CID, special court to be set up: CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said his government has decided to hand over the Hubballi student murder case to the Crime Investigation Department and that a special court will be set up for its speedy disposal. Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday. The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently. Neha was a first year Master of Computer Application (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate. "We have decided to give it to the CoD (CID). We will set up a special court for it. Charge sheet has to be filed in a time-bound manner and the case has to be disposed off, so the special court," Siddaramaiah said. Responding to a question from a reporter, he said, "I have not been able to go to her (parent's) residence. Our district in-charge Minister and party workers had go

EC files FIR against Karnataka BJP official for illegally carrying cash

An FIR was registered on Sunday against BJP Office Secretary Lokesh Ambekallu and two others for illegally carrying Rs 2 crore cash in a car, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said. The matter came to light on Saturday when the Static Surveillance Team (SST) of Chamrajpet intercepted a car here carrying cash of Rs 2 crore at 4.05 pm and intimated income tax officials, they said. According to the EC officials, the Income Tax department summoned office bearers of the BJP and concluded that there was no violation under IT laws as the source of the money was legitimate. But as per ECI (Election Commission of India) direction, cash more than 10,000 given to party functionaries and candidates' agents for political activities shall be done through cheque or online mode. ECI had also advised political parties not to carry huge amounts of cash. As there is a violation of ECI directions and the recipient's list was not produced, based on the suspicion that the money may be used for .

D K Shivakumar faces police case for 'bribery, undue influence at polls'

An FIR has been registered against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of the Model Code of Conduct for allegedly promising water supply in exchange of votes to residents of a housing society near here, the Election Commission said on Saturday. The matter came to light after the BJP approached the poll body seeking action against Shivakumar after a video of him seeking votes from the residents of a housing society in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment was shared widely on social media platforms. Taking to social media platform 'X', the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka said that an FIR is lodged by the FST (Flying Squad Teams) of Bengaluru against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara. The FIR has been registered at RMC Yard police station under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code for bribery and undue influence at elections, it stated. In the video clip, Shivakumar

Mutts play major role in K'taka, have followers in different communities

Nath Sampradaya Kadari Mutt is situated in Dakshin Kannada's Mangalore. Devotees from all over India visit this place to seek the blessing of Pithadiswar

BJP never fulfilled any promise, says Siddaramaiah on party's LS manifesto

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday listed the BJP's unfulfilled promises of two crore jobs a year and doubling farmers' income, among others, and mocked the saffron party over its manifesto, saying its government has never fulfilled a promise, nor will it in the future. Siddaramaiah said there has to be a review of what the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has done in the past 10 years. "Have they (BJP) fulfilled what they had promised earlier? It has to be discussed. Did they give Rs 15 lakh (to every bank account holder)? Did they generate 2 crore jobs (per year)? Did they double farmers' income? Did they do Make in India? Did 'achhe din' (good days) come? Did prices of all food products and essential commodities come down?" Siddaramaiah asked in response to a question about the BJP manifesto, while speaking to reporters here. The BJP-led government has never fulfilled any promises and they will not fulfill in the future too, he said. "They (BJP) may promi

BJP slams K'taka CM over his post on demolition of 'illegal' houses in Goa

The BJP has slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his comments on the demolition of some houses allegedly built illegally and belonging to Kannadigas in Goa and said he should first work to solve problems in his own state. Bharatiya Janata Party's Goa spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar told PTI on Sunday that the demolition drive was carried out following a directive of the Supreme Court. A total of 22 houses built illegally on land owned by the local communidade (community institution) at Sangolda village in North Goa district were demolished by the authorities on Friday and Saturday. Siddaramaiah in a post on X on Sunday said, "Deeply concerned by the demolition of homes belonging to Kannadigas in Sangolda, Goa. I appeal to the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Dr Pramod Sawant, to cease further demolitions immediately until alternatives are provided, and ensure all displaced individuals receive adequate rehabilitation." He shared the media reports and pictures of the ...