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.
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.
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.
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.
Instructions would also be given to the legislators on how they should behave during the swearing-in ceremony, he added.
The incident led to a political confrontation between the government and Opposition in the state.
The Shiromani Akali Dal skipped the meeting, besides the Aam Aadmi Party, the TRS and the BJD.
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.
There is no mention of Kolar, the second seat from where senior party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, wants to contest, in addition to Varuna, where his name is already cleared.
The Janata Dal [Secular] is expected to make a last ditch effort to persuade the Congress to accept its demand that it should lead the coalition government with Siddaramaiah as the chief minister.
The announcement comes after an outcry over the rape of a woman identified as Reshma and the subsequent attack on journalists by the MLA who is allegedly involved, Anant Singh of the Janata Dal-Secular.
Kumaraswamy's remarks assumed significance in the backdrop of former home minister Prakash rushing to Delhi on Friday to continue talks with Congress leaders in a bid to concretise efforts for government formation proposal.
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was summoned by Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Monday and asked to explain his stand about the ongoing political crisis. During the hour-long meeting with the chief minister, the governor asked Kumaraswamy to make his stance clear. Thakur also wanted to know the Janata Dal Secular's next course of action. Kumaraswamy sought time till October 18, so that he could prove his majority in the Legislative Assmebly after a trust vote.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy is reported to have told his legislators about his intention to resign from the post of chief minister. However, the MLAs were united in their stand and urged him not to step down.
Kumaraswamy said Sriramulu has submitted his resignation several times in the past, but that did not change anything.
Hassan seat, has become a bone of contention, as Gowda's daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna, who has thrown her hat in the ring, has not relented, despite her brother-in-law Kumaraswamy, repeatedly making it clear that she will not be fielded, and instead a 'loyal party worker' will enter the fray.
In a last-ditch bid to save the coalition government in Karnataka, Congress Friday offered Janata Dal-Secular the "Maharashtra model" power-sharing formula, just before Chief Minister Dharam Singh was to seek a vote of confidence.
The date for a meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Gowda has not yet been set.
The petition filed by Yeddyurappa said that on October one, Kumaraswamy son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda alleged that a Rs 50 crore kickback was involved in awarding the contract for construction of residential quarters for economically-weaker sections in Ejipura in Bangalore to a private construction company Maverick Holdings.
Left wants India to abstain during IAEA vote on Iran
Left parties have decided to launch a nationwide campaign against the centre's decision to support IAEA resolution against Iran.
Devegowda was ousted on account of 'anti-party' activities.
The BJP state unit is banking on the party's central leadership to shore up its prospects in the May 10 assembly polls as it fights anti-incumbency.
Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, who have been rallying behind dismissed Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have set August 20 as deadline for party chief H D Devegowda "to repent and rectify the mistake".
'Some of his ministers have performed abysmally, and Bommai has faced an unwanted campaign of religious polarisation imposed by national BJP leaders.'
Murmu's vote share is now likely to go past 61 per cent, while it was earlier estimated to be around 50 per cent at the time of her nomination.
Amid protests and anger in some quarters against observing 'Hindi Diwas', Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday his government is bringing in a legislation to make Kannada "mandatory" in the state.
The netas have put on their thinking caps and day in and day out they seem to be planning their strategy to face the poll, which is round the corner in Karnataka.
"There are clearly two sides. On one side, there is an organisation of patriots in the form of BJP and on the other side, tukde-tukde gang have come together under the leadership of the Congress. It is for the people of Karnataka to decide now whether they are with the patriots or those who support people who want to divide this country," he added.
The national council of the rebel Janata Dal-Secular, called by the faction opposed to H D Deve Gowda, on Saturday endorsed the party's executive decision to suspend the former prime minister from the primary membership of the party.
Making it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party is no mood to buckle under pressure from the Janata Dal-Secular, a senior BJP leader made it clear that he will not hold talks with JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda.
H D Kumaraswamy, former chief minister of Karnataka and Janata Dal-Secular leader, says he is confident of defending his political turf.
The Janata Dal (Secular) has offered to join the National Democratic Alliance, provided the BJP allows H D Kumaraswamy continue as Karnataka chief minister for the next 20 months.
Chief Electoral Officer M N Vidyashankar said on Sunday an average of 66 per cent polling was registered in the first phase of elections in the segments spread over 11 districts. This is higher than the 65.07 per cent average polled in the 224 assembly segments in 2004 polls.
There seems to be a wave of uncertainity in the state of Karnataka on whether JD-S will hand over power to its coalition partner, the BJP on October 3.
The Congress in north Karnataka has been given a three month ultimatum to regain its past glory by All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who met with youth Congress party workers at Hubli on Wednesday. Rahul sought to know why the party's performance has been dismal in north Karnataka. He urged party workers to pull up their socks and work extensively towards bettering the party.
The JD-S led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, who is known for visiting temples across the country and performing ceremonies of various kinds to reap divine blessing, is at it once again. Gowda engaged a team of priests and performed special ceremonies, including night-long homam, to propitiate gods and to bestow power to his party and particularly his son, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, to occupy the chair he lost last year.
He said the Congress not only humiliated his party leaders but also tried to engineer defections and bring about a split.
All candidates hoping for a Janata Dal-Secular ticket to contest the elections in Karnataka will now have to pass an examination carried out by none other than party chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.