The 75-year-old Eshwarappa, had remained steadfast in his decision to contest, spurning efforts by party leaders to pacify him. He had even filed his nomination as an independent candidate.
Hectic political activities continued for the second consecutive day in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka on Thursday, as party's national general secretary in-charge of the State Arun Singh started meeting leaders and legislators individually, in the backdrop of speculations over replacing Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.
It is not clear whether Kumar would continue in the Union Cabinet or resign to take up party work.
The Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament, was adjourned on Monday without transacting any business due to a heated exchange between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress over the issue of reservations to Muslims in public contracts in Karnataka. The BJP accused Congress of seeking to amend the Constitution to provide reservations based on religion, while Congress asserted its commitment to protecting the Constitution. The debate centered around a statement by a senior Congress leader, who was reportedly advocating for changing the Constitution to provide reservations for Muslims.
Opposition-ruled states warn of steep annual losses; Centre assures higher consumption will offset revenue hit.
The BJP legislature party in Karnataka will meet in Bangalore on Wednesday for the first time after the party's central leadership brokered peace between Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and dissidents recently.
Kusumavati, mother of Sowjanya, who was allegedly raped and murdered more than a decade ago, submitted a fresh complaint to the SIT probing allegations of multiple rapes, murders and burials in Dharmasthala.
A controversy has erupted in Mysuru over the ownership of Chamundi Hill, home to the Chamundeshwari Temple, ahead of the Dasara festival. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family criticized Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement that the hill is not the property of Hindus alone, leading to a heated exchange and raising questions about the nature of the upcoming Dasara celebrations.
Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has been chosen to lead the Bharatiya Janata Party in the forthcoming Karnataka elections. Member of Parliament and senior BJP leader Prahlad Joshi informed reporters in Bangalore that Shettar would the leader of the party.
'We will win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in 2024.'
While the Bharatiya Janata Party sits in dharna, the Congress plans to go ahead with a rally to expose the Janata Dal-Secular and BJP, who they claim, have entered into an unholy alliance.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleges that the Election Commission is colluding with the BJP to manipulate elections, citing data analysis from a Karnataka constituency. He claims evidence of 'vote chori' and demands transparency from the EC.
A strike by Karnataka's state-owned transport corporation employees has severely disrupted bus services across the state, leaving passengers stranded and impacting school, college, and office attendance. The strike persists despite a court stay, as unions demand wage revision and payment of salary arrears.
'There were deep discussions within the Sangh Parivar before this decision was made.' 'They were convinced, and only then did the Modi government proceed with the caste census.'
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the murder case of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru in Sullia, has announced a cash reward to those who provide clues regarding the whereabouts of four accused in the case.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday came down heavily on the Congress government in Karnataka for flaunting their 'rich fortunes and luxury lifestyles' following a viral video on social media showing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleague B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan in a private jet.
The Congress party has launched a web portal where people can register to demand accountability from the Election Commission over alleged vote rigging, following Rahul Gandhi's claims of 'vote chori'.
The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress of repeatedly supplying "oxygen" to Pakistan, and slammed the opposition party for its leader Charanjit Singh Channi's remarks questioning the veracity of Balakot air strikes after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress is full of pro-Pakistan leaders who make statements against India's interests, and mocked the party for its letter that had advised its functionaries to toe the official line on the issue. Patra also criticized other Congress leaders for their comments on the Pulwama and Pahalgam terror attacks, accusing them of lowering the morale of the armed forces. He further slammed the Congress for claiming credit for the government's announcement of the caste census and said the party never carried out the exercise during its over 60-year stint in power.
Amid Congress leaders in Karnataka openly discussing possible change of Chief Minister in the state, All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said it is up to the party high command to decide on such matters and that one should not create any unnecessary problem.
The BJP has launched a fresh attack on Rahul Gandhi, questioning his frequent visits to Vietnam. The party's leaders have accused him of spending more time in the Southeast Asian country than his constituency and have demanded an explanation for his "extraordinary fondness" for Vietnam. Gandhi's foreign trips have been a target of the BJP's criticism in the past, with the party portraying him as unserious and unfit for domestic politics.
Beleaguered Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's political credibility will be tested by the outcome of the three by-elections. And cries that he must resign will become shriller if the Congress loses them.
'Mr Modi has the power and pre-eminence in the BJP-RSS to choose how long he wants to serve, and he is definitely going to want to contest in 2029.' 'He will only be 79, as old as Donald Trump now, and fitter,' observes Shekhar Gupta.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar denied on Monday making any comments regarding changing the Constitution to accommodate four per cent reservation for Muslims in the state. He claimed he was "misquoted" and warned of moving a breach of privilege motion. Shivakumar's remarks came after the BJP forced repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha over his alleged comments on the matter. The BJP has accused Shivakumar of seeking to change the Constitution for political gain, highlighting the ongoing controversy surrounding reservation policies in India.
This strategy was discussed when Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently visited Mysuru to discuss the BJP's Lok Sabha plan, reports Aditi Phadnis.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna passed away at his residence in Bengaluru early Tuesday morning, his family said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged Mumbai citizens to take precautions as the city experiences heavy rainfall and anticipates high tides. Waterlogging has been reported in several areas, and officials are taking measures to ensure public safety and minimize disruptions.
In a significant move, the Centre on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be part of the next population census, with the inclusion of caste details for the first time since independence hailed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies as a historic step to help design truly equitable and focused policies.
The high command of the Bharatiya Janata Party has made it clear that there shall be no change in leadership in Karnataka.
The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1.
The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has confirmed that Kannada actor Ranya Rao, recently arrested for gold smuggling, was allotted 12 acres of industrial land in 2023 by the previous BJP government for setting up a steel plant. The allocation was approved during a state-level meeting in January 2023, when the BJP was in power. The Congress government, which came to power after the May 2023 elections, has released documents confirming the land allotment. Ranya Rao was arrested after gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her at Bengaluru airport.
Reacting to allegations by the opposition that police had not given permission for celebrations, he said, " I don't want to react to any of these BJP guys. I am only answerable to the people of Karnataka and people of the country. All BJP persons are nonsense... They are also the mastermind of these dirty things."
The Rajya Sabha MP said the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test has prevented access to medical education for so many children and the strength to change that rule of exam could emerge only from education.
Election Commission on Tuesday directed social media platform 'X' to 'immediately' take down an animated video shared by the Karnataka unit of the BJP related to the row over reservation for the Muslim community.
Following a complaint by a police inspector, the case was registered at Cubbon Park station, they said.
Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, the chief minister also announced a one-man judicial probe, headed by Justice Michael D'Cunha, a retired high court judge of Karnataka, into the tragic incident.
Going by political tradition, another formation will likely come to power in Karnataka in the next assembly election, due 2028. And if that happens, Mr Shivakumar will have to sit it out till 2033, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the alleged poisoning of drinking water at a government school in Belagavi district, reportedly to force the transfer of a Muslim headmaster. He termed it a 'heinous act' driven by religious hatred and fundamentalism.
'Vijay should have stayed there for the night and in the morning he should have met the people.'
The rising pitch of road shows and long rallies with hectoring pitches seem to have exhausted and numbed the audiences, rather than motivating them to vote for the party, observes Shreekant Sambrani.
'It should not be politicised. If this happens in a BJP-ruled state, we should not blame them.'
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