Celebrations have begun at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi after the Bharatiya Janata Party high command decided to allow B S Yeddyurappa to continue as the state chief minister. The beleaguered chief minister has been facing charges of a land allocation scam.An official announcement to this effect will be made by Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari. The high command has decided that Yeddyurappa should continue in office.
Karnataka CM's claim that several border villages in Maharashtra once sought to be become part of his state has triggered a row.
The 10-month-long timeline in the hijab ban case.
Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the 'inability' of the Congress to decide on the new chief minister early, despite having a complete majority, reflects on the internal situation of the party.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the RSS of "majority communalism" over an article published in an RSS mouthpiece regarding the Catholic Church's property holdings in India. The article, which has since been removed from the website, called for the government to acquire the church's land, claiming it was illegally leased during the British era. Vijayan said the article reveals the "true mindset" of the RSS and its alleged plan to "target minority groups one by one and destroy them step by step." The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, echoed Vijayan's concerns, stating that the article shows the RSS's intent to target the Church's property. He also claimed that the article's publication coincides with the passing of the Waqf Bill in Parliament, suggesting a pattern of targeting religious communities. Meanwhile, the BJP state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, denied the article's accuracy and stated that the article was removed after it was found to be untrue. He also emphasized that owning land is not a crime, and countered allegations that the Congress and Waqf have illegally acquired land in Karnataka. Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Thalassery, however, expressed confidence that the Church is not afraid of any "Church Bill", as its properties have been earned through hard work. He said the Church will take legal action if necessary.
Karnataka will have to wait till August 3, 11 am, to know who their next chief minister is. Bharatiya Janata Party observer, Dharmender Pradhan, said in Bengaluru that the new chief minister of Karnataka will be elected on August 3 at 11 am.
However, he claimed that this was a fight to save the party and its ideology and to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again.
Asked whether this was being done to "shield" the chief minister who is facing a probe in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment case, Patil said: "On CM there is a court order for Lakayukta probe, so there is no such question."
These remarks from a legislator considered close to Shivakumar come amid renewed speculation about a leadership change in Karnataka later this year.
The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has decided to remain silent and direct all inquiries to party spokespersons following criticism over various issues, including his singing of the RSS anthem and remarks about the Chamundeswari hill.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed police to register a treason case against Congress leaders for allegedly singing the Bangladesh national anthem at a party meeting. The move has sparked controversy and accusations of disrespect towards India's national anthem.
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday continued its searches at places linked to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara as part of the probe into alleged gold smuggling-linked money laundering case against Kannada actress Ranya Rao and others, official sources said.
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday emphatically stated that the government would not involve itself in acquiring land for special economic zones and investors would have to deal directly with the farmers.
Rajkumar's fans were not responsible for the violence, Kumaraswamy asserted at a press conference in Bangalore
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge and Congress leader B K Hariprasad have raised concerns about the RSS not being a registered organization and questioned the sources of its funding, alleging that this lack of registration allows the RSS to evade government regulations. BJP leaders have defended the RSS, stating that registration is not mandatory for all organizations.
The decision to invite Mushtaq had sparked controversy, with several petitions challenging the Karnataka government's move.
Shivakumar said, "Mahayuti leaders should visit my state to see how Congress' welfare guarantees are benefiting people."
Bowing to pressure from B S Yeddyurappa, Bharatiya Janata Party appears set to replace Karnataka Chief Minister Sadanand Gowda with Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar and an announcement is expected within a week.
Internal fight within the Congress for chief ministership gained full speed Thursday as contenders sought to vigorously push their claim in behind-the-scene action, with Siddaramaiah and M Mallikarjuna Kharge still seen as front-runners.
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednsday moved the Supreme Court -- seeking launch of contempt of court proceeding against Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and others -- for allegedly defying the court's order to supply 9,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery River to the state. In its application filed through counsel Umapathi Ganesh, Tamil Nadu contended that Karnataka has deliberately violated the apex court's directive.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance appeared to register a landslide victory in Bihar, opening up impressive leads in more than 180 of the state's 243 assembly seats, with early trends also indicating that the saffron party was on track to post its biggest tally.
In Hubli on a mission of show of strength, former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday made it clear that he would not ask the Bharatiya Janata Party high command for chief ministership and that he would not campaign for the March 18 Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha bypoll in the wake of the attack on him by chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda.
With Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar both staking claim to the top post, they are lobbying hard for it with supporters of each one raising the pitch in support of their leader.
Some of the worst-affected areas include Manyata Tech Park, BTM Layout, Ejipura Junction, HSR Layout 5th and 6th sectors and Silk Board Junction.
A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed in Madhya Pradesh to investigate the deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara, suspected to be linked to a toxic cough syrup. The investigation includes arrests, exhumations, and a ban on the implicated cough syrup.
Amid the simmering border dispute, Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai on Wednesday said if Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai does not stop making irresponsible statements, Maharashtra will have to rethink about water supply from its dams to the neighbouring state.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said his statement on 'Shakti scheme' was distorted and presented as if the Congress government in the state wanted to withdraw it.
A group of Congress leaders have written to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to warn party leaders and state ministers, who are weighing in for the chief minister's post, in the event of leadership change in Karnataka.
Raut said that he did not need anyone's 'permission' regarding the issue.
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.
Unidentified men posing as central government officials intercepted a cash van in Bengaluru and allegedly fled with about Rs 7 crore. Police are investigating the incident and have formed teams to hunt for the suspects.
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.
"We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it...A mother will give everything to her child," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Congress leader Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka CM and has designated party leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar for the programme, a Trinamool Congress leader said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned against violence and linguistic chauvinism related to the Marathi language, emphasizing constructive promotion and legal action against those taking the law into their own hands.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Bengaluru, Bommai said he held a meeting with Nadda on Wednesday on the matter.
Democracy in India is too important to be left to a leader with a limited appeal. If Rahul Gandhi cares for India, he should step aside for a new crop of leaders, suggests Harishchandra.
Senior BJP leader B Sriramulu has invited K N Rajanna, recently sacked as minister from the Congress government, to join the party. This comes as a state minister and some ruling party legislators met with Rajanna, signaling potential political shifts in Karnataka.
The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the Enforcement Directorate summoning advocates for offering legal advice or representing clients during investigations, calling for guidelines on the matter.
