Page 2 - Karnataka

Congress' candidates for about 60 seats in Karnataka unsuitable: CM Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday commented that the Congress didn't have suitable candidates in about 60 seats and the party would lose badly in the May 10 Assembly polls, performing worse than last time. He said the Congress lacked not only candidates, but a base in the State as well as clarity on its policies. "As per my understanding, Congress doesn't have suitable candidates in about 60 seats, so they are trying to get people from here and there," Bommai said in response to a question. "As I had said earlier, D K Shivakumar while preparing Congress' second list contacted almost all our MLAs saying, 'seats have been reserved for you, will you join?'" . Speaking to reporters here, he said that the Congress and Shivakumar speak with valour, but the reality inside was different. "They (Congress) will lose badly than last time, there is no doubt on that, because they neither have candidates, nor base nor clarity on policies -- whether it is on reservation or on ..

Third gender denoted as a 'caste' in Bihar's recent caste-based survey

With each political party having a distinct area of influence in various regions of the state, it is key to understand the "micro picture" in every such part, as Karnataka heads for Assembly polls on May 10. Kittur Karnataka (earlier known as Mumbai/ Bombay Karnataka region) sends 50 MLAs to the Legislative Assembly. Comprising seven districts- Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Haveri, Gadag, Bagalkote and Uttara Kannada- it's a direct fight between the ruling BJP and the Congress in this region, where the Janata Dal (Secular) is considerably weak. The state government decided in 2021 to rechristen the region that was under the erstwhile Bombay presidency, before Independence, as 'Kittur Karnataka' from 'Mumbai-Karnataka.' The name Kittur is after a historical taluk in Belagavi district that was ruled by Rani Chennamma (17781829), who had fought the British before Jhansi Rani Laxmibai did. Predominantly a Lingayat dominated region (other than Uttara Kannada district), it is the home

Cheated his father and Congress: KPCC chief on Anil Antony joining BJP

"Anil Antony doesn't have the tradition of fighting for Congress," he added

AAP alleges Rs 1,300 cr scam against Karnataka BJP's Anil Kumar

Irregularities worth Rs 1,300 crore have taken place when Anil Kumar was Commissioner

Karnataka at top in delivery of justice among 18 large states: IJR

The report said that in the list of seven small states, with a population less than one crore each, Sikkim is at the top followed by Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura is at rank three

PM Modi to address 20 rallies in Karnataka ahead of assembly elections

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 Congress chief DK Shivakumar booked for throwing notes in rally

The Mandya Court, on Tuesday, booked Shivakumar for allegedly throwing Rs 500 currency notes during the Praja Dhwani Yatra in Mandya

Prashanthi Balamandira Trust invests Rs 400 cr to strengthen operations

The Prashanthi Balamandira Trust on Monday said it plans to invest an additional Rs 400 crore to expand its recently inaugurated medical college and hospital in Karnataka. On March 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research' (SMSIMSR) & 'Sri Sathya Sai Rajeswari Memorial Block', a completely-free-of-cost medical college and hospital, at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district. "The Prashanthi Balamandira Trust, which manages the Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, will spend another Rs 400 crore in the next phase for the construction of another 400-bed teaching hospital and related facilities to complement the medical college," its Founder Sri Madhusudan Sai said in a statement. The trust is working with like-minded individuals, philanthropists and corporate partners for this unique free education model, he added. "The trust is expected to spend around Rs 125 crore to Rs .

Karnataka BJP MLA Gopalakrishna joins Congress ahead of Assembly elections

Several BJP and JD(S) leaders joining the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka is an evidence to prove that public sentiment is in favour of the party and it will come to power, its state unit President D K Shvakumar said on Monday. He was speaking after inducting Kudligi BJP MLA N Y Gopalakrishna, who had resigned as a legislator on Friday, into the party. "Several BJP and JD(S) leaders are knocking our door, this is evidence to show that the voice of the people of the state is in favour of the Congress and that our march is on a right track, towards power," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters here, he noted Gopalakrishna resigned as BJP MLA and joined the Congress; similarly JD(S) MLA K M Shivalinge Gowda too has resigned and will be joining the party soon. BJP and JD(S) legislators joining the Congress voluntarily is a "big evidence" that people have decided for a change, after the "failure of the double engine government", the KPCC chief further ...

Yediyurappa says son Vijayendra to contest from Shikaripura and not Varuna

Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said his son B Y Vijayendra will contest the May 10 Assembly elections from Shikaripura in this district, which he represented in the Lower House six times. The BJP strongman, who had already announced his retirement from electoral politics, again ruled out the possibility of his son being fielded from Varuna in Mysuru against Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah. Vijayendra, who is a BJP state vice-president, sought the people's blessings to contest from Shikaripura. "There was a pressure on Vijayendra to contest from Varuna constituency but I decided that he should contest from Shikaripura because this was the constituency which gave me a political life, recognition and honour, Yediyurappa said addressing a public meeting. Yediyurappa's statement came even though the BJP's Central Parliamentary Board, the party's highest decision-making body of which he is a member, has not yet cleared the list of candidates Addressing people,

Karnataka CM Bommai confirms he will seek reelection from Shiggaon

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday confirmed he would seek reelection from his home town of Shiggaon in Haveri district in the Assembly elections. Stating that there is "pro-incumbency" in the state, Bommai said a lot of changes have taken place in the country after the BJP-led government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. "I will contest from Shiggaon in Haveri," Bommai told reporters. He added that the ruling BJP was fully prepared to face the election. "We are seeking votes based on our performance". The Chief Minister hit out at the Congress alleging that there was large-scale corruption and uncertainty in the country when the UPA was in power, which impacted the country's economy. Bommai has been the state's Chief Minister since July 2021.

JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy to file nomination from Channapatna on April 19

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said that he will be filing his nomination as a candidate from Channapatna segment on April 19, for the Assembly polls in Karnataka to be held on May 10. He said his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy will be filing his papers as the party's candidate from neighbouring Ramanagara on April 17. Kumaraswamy in the current Assembly represents Channapatna while Ramanagara is represented by his wife and Nikhil's mother Anitha Kumaraswamy. Nikhil, an actor-turned-politician and JD(S) party youth wing president, had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha poll from the party bastion of Mandya to BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, another actor-turned politician. JD(S) announced its first list of 93 candidates in December. Kumaraswamy said he and JD(S) state president C M Ibrahim will be meeting this evening and if possible the second list of candidates will be released. "For 40-50 constituencies candidates list is ready, it will be cleared. The third list ma

Karnataka polls: BJP to finalise first list on April 8, says CM Bommai

Among the 18 seats, BJP had won 13 seats in the last assembly elections and Congress managed to bag five. The BJP is aspiring to win 14 to 17 seats, whereas Congress is hoping to win seven

K'taka CM hits back at Randeep Surjewala on his '420 Bommai govt' comment

Surjewala had stated on social media, "BJP is now Betrayal the Janata Party. RESERVATIONS- The "Con Job on Reservations" of the ace420 Bommai Government"

Who will form the govt in Karnataka from among four chief contenders?

They are the contenders, the leaders of parties that will finally form a government in Karnataka. ADITI PHADNIS profiles the challengers

Karnataka Assembly elections: Finding balance in the juggling act

PM's appeal, Congress' survival, JD(S)'s relevance at stake in an election that is as much about govt formation in Karnataka and political power as it is about succession planning in different parties

Isro successfully conducts autonomous landing of Reusable Launch Vehicle

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) informed that it successfully conducted the autonomous test landing mission of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Karnataka's Chitradurga on Sunday.A statement issued by ISRO said, "India achieved it. ISRO joined by DRDO successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka in the early hours on April 2, 2023."According to the statement, the RLV took off at 7:10 am by a Chinook Helicopter of the Indian Air Force. The release of RLV was autonomous. Then using the Integrated Navigation, Guidance & control system, the RLV completed an autonomous landing on the ATR at 7:40 AM. With that, ISRO successfully achieved the autonomous landing of a space vehicle.The statement said, "The autonomous landing was carried out under the exact conditions of a Space Re-entry vehicle's landing high speed, unmanned, precise ...

Freebies worth Rs 9.59 cr seized since MCC came into effect in Karnataka

Freebies worth Rs 9.59 crore has been seized since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect in Karnataka since March 29, officials said on Saturday. The Assembly elections are to be held in Karnataka on May 10. According to a statement issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), cumulatively the flying squads, Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) and police authorities have seized cash worth Rs 7.87crore, 1,156.11 litres of liquor worth Rs 5.80 lakh and 39.25 kg drugs worth Rs 21.77 lakh and freebies worth Rs 9.59 crore and booked 172 FIR's till date. It further said that the Income Tax department has seized cash worth Rs 3.90 crore, Excise department has seized 1,93,051 litres of liquor worth Rs 11.66 crore, 12 kg drugs worth Rs 1.82 lakh and booked 264 heinous cases, 195 cases for breach of licence conditions, 14 NDPS and 737cases under Section 15 (a) of Karnataka Excise act 1965. The statement said 150 vehicles have been seized so far. "All teams together, the wort

Rahul Gandhi to hold 'Jai Bharat' rally in poll-bound Karnataka on Apr 9

The election rally will be the first such public meeting of Rahul Gandhi after he was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha

JSW Neo Energy bags 300 MW pumped hydro storage project in Karnataka

JSW Neo Energy on Friday said it has bagged a 300 MW pumped hydro storage project from Power Company of Karnataka Ltd (PCKL). "JSW (Neo) Energy receives LoI (letter of intend) for 300 MW Hydro PSP from PCKL," a JSW Energy statement said. It further said that JSW Neo Energy Ltd (JSW Neo), a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Energy, has received a letter of intent from PCKL for procurement of 2,400 MWh (300 MW x 8 hours) energy storage from the pumped hydro storage project (PSP). The LoI is for providing storage capacity for 40 years. The project will be located in Karnataka and designed for eight hours of storage capacity per day. Prashant Jain, Joint Managing Director and CEO of JSW Energy, said, "We are excited to bag our first hydro pump storage project and we have already secured resources for 64 GWh of hydro PSP across various states". This is our second utility-scale storage project in addition to 'Battery Storage' secured under a competitive bidding process, he added. The com