In spite of the JD (S) flip-flopping on the issue of power transfer in Karnataka, its ally Bhartiya Janata Party is hopeful that the JD-S will keep its side of the bargain, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
Janata Dal-Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Thursday said that there is no question of him holding talks with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in New Delhi on the transfer of power until the BJP in Karnataka sorted out its internal differences.
The Janata Dal-Secular said it will transfer power to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka only if it acts against Tourism Minister, B Sriramulu. The 2 parties formed the govt with an understanding Kumaraswamy will hand over power to BJP on Oct 3.
Gowda had said that his party was ready to join the National Democratic Alliance provided the BJP permits H D Kumaraswamy to continue as chief minister for the next 20 months.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition ministry headed by H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka was expanded Friday with the induction of 20 ministers.
The joint session of the assembly will start from Februay 24.
While some of the senior Congress leaders are sending feelers to the JD-S regarding power sharing in the seat, a host of other Congress legislators feel that any sort of alignment with the JD-S will spell doom in Karnataka.
He had the support of 138 legislators in the 224-member House.
The decision on alliance with BJP in the polls will be taken by JD-S President Deve Gowda.
Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has indicated that he will hold the finance portfolio.
JD(S)-BJP not to go for full-fledged ministry on Feb 3
The new entrants will be welcomed into the party by All India Congress Committee general secretary Prithviraj Chavan in the KPCC office, party state general secretary M Ramachandrappa told PTI in Bangalore.
The meeting did not make much headway towards finding a solution to the Karnataka crisis.
The Opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular members continued their protest in the Karnataka legislative assembly for the third straight night demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged illegal mining scam.
Asked about BJP's role in the efforts to oust the Dharam Singh government, Bharti said, "It is justified if the intention is to help people and not to make money."
The mining scam in Karnataka could easily be worth Rs 2,500 crore says Justice Santosh Hegde, the state's Lokayukta. An exclusive first person account to Rediff.com
The new ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor T N Chaturvedi in the Vidhan Soudha premises.
The Janata Dal-Secular on Tuesday charged Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa with violating the model code of conduct by addressing individual letters to beneficiaries of old age pension scheme and said it would complain to the Election Commission about it.
The Congress has decided to hunt for new allies while retaining the old ones in its bid to return to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections. The grand old party's strategy revolves around getting new alliance partners like the Janata Dal-Secular in Karnataka, Trinamool Congress of Mamta Banerjee in West Bengal, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam led by actor- turned-politician Vijaykanth in Tamil Nadu, apart from the existing partners.
The state has also been battered by administrative chaos due to political instability in the coalition era notwithstanding the Congress-Janata Dal Secular and JDS-BJP dispensations' claims of having ensured development.
The Janata Dal-Secular on Thursday petitioned Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, seeking his intervention recommending a CBI probe into the sexual abuse charges against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Executive of JD(S) held at the residence of former prime minister and party chief H D Deve Gowda in New Delhi on Monday.
Revenue Minister M P Prakash was appointed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister in place of Janata Dal (Secular) rebel Siddaramaiah on Saturday.
The ghosts of Malegaon blast are still haunting the Congress at the textile mill town. After a losing streak in the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, the Congress again lost in the mayor elections for the Malegaon Municipal Corporation held on Tuesday morning.
With Janata Dal-Secular state president H D Kumaraswamy repeatedly attacking him and his son Yathindra, a former Congress MLA, accusing them of a 'cash for transfer' racket, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he will retire from politics, if proved that he has taken money, even in a single transfer case of government officials.
Top Left leaders on Thursday held discussions with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in Delhi on the prevailing political scenario reportedly giving focus on major developments in the country and Bahujan Samaj Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh.
A day after failing to topple the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government during the trust vote, leaders of the Left parties, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the United National Progressive Alliance met in New Delhi to chalk out their future course of action.The meeting, held at the residence of BSP supremo Mayawati, was attended by Communist Party of India Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat, Communist Party of India leaders A B Bardhan and D Raja.
'Blanket protection to MLAs, who are driven not by ideology but by far baser concerns, is unheard-of'
The Assembly session would be held as planned and the Bill would be tabled in the House, Transport Minister N Chaluvaraya Swamy told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
According to Congress, the five schemes are 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
The Karnataka elections had its share of upsets this year. Some major politicians who were defeated include former chief ministers N Dharam Singh and S Bangarappa, former Union minister and film star Ambareesh, Madhu and Kumar Bangarappa.
"You are made to read lies, so please don't read it," BJP members said.
Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of JD-S patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, and is the only candidate from the party to have won the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka in 2019.
Mamatha Nichani speaks about her political ambitions, her thoughts on the political scenario and her decision to join the Congress, a party which her father, Ramakrishna Hegde, had opposed all his life.
Voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls will be held on Friday for 88 seats in 13 states with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a second-straight term from Wayanad in Kerala.
There are critics who say the Bommai's government was not able to counter the Congress narrative to paint his administration as corrupt, a factor that helped the Congress surge in the May 10 assembly elections.
Instructions would also be given to the legislators on how they should behave during the swearing-in ceremony, he added.
The sources said elections will most likely to be held within six months. The decision by the Parliament was taken after the Union Cabinet gave its approval taking into account the fact that no party was able to form the government.
Prakash, former state home minister, who has launched a banner of revolt against Gowda for certain 'unilateral' decisions adopted by him on party matters including toppling of the BJP-led coalition government, called the meeting to decide future course of action.