In this interview with Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa, Kharge says that he is not an aspirant to the chair of the chief minister, but also adds that the final decision would be with the party high command.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has invited his deputy D K Shivakumar for a breakfast meeting to discuss the leadership row, amid an ongoing power struggle within the state's Congress party.
Thirty-six people, including eight children, 16 women died in a stampede at the actor-politician Vijay's rally in Karur on Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said.
The stakes are at an all-time high for Congress leader Priyank Kharge, who is contesting from Chitapur in Kanataka's Gulbarga district. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
Congress leaders Siddarmaiah and G Parameshwara are likely to leave with a host of other senior leaders to meet with party high command in New Delhi to hold discussions about the Karnataka elections.
Even as the Congress Legislature Party is set to meet on Friday afternoon to elect the new Karnataka chief minister, at the moment, it appears that it would be a closely contested battle between Siddaramaiah and Mallikarjuna Kharge.
The fierce contest for the post of chief minister may result in Karnataka Congress leaders Mallikarjuna Kharge and Siddaramaiah going for a 50/50 arrangement, reports Vicky Nanjappa
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar faced criticism from within the party for his participation in Mahashivaratri celebrations in Tamil Nadu, which was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Shivakumar defended his attendance, asserting his Hindu faith while emphasizing his respect for all religions. He also clarified that he had not met Amit Shah and refuted claims of aligning himself with the BJP.
Karnataka Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge on the party's prospects in Karnataka, his aspirations on becoming chief minister and issues pertaining to state election 2008.
Hectic lobbying for the post of Karnataka's next chief minister is on ahead of the crucial Congress legislature party meeting to be held at 12.30 pm Friday in Bangalore.
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi will kick off the Karnataka leg of his Discover India trip on March 25. During his four-day visit, Rahul's main agenda would be to lure the youth into joining the Congress, according to Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Mallikarjuna Kharge.Rahul will start his road show from Chamrajnagar on March 25. He would then travel to H D Kote, Mangalore, Hubli-Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot, Almatti and Raichur.
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 Karnataka unit of the Congress is yet to name its chief ministerial candidate. The party has intentionally shied away from naming its chief ministerial candidate. It is currently riding high on its recent success in the local body polls and does not want any infighting to break out.
The Karnataka Government on Tuesday ruled out a CBI probe into the illegal iron ore mining and export scam, even as the stand-off with the Opposition showed no signs of resolution.
Prakash had initially been in talks with the BJP, soon after he left the JD-S due to differences with party chief H D Deve Gowda. However due to differences in principles, Prakash decided to join the Congress party along with around ten other of his supporters.
President of the Karnataka Congress unit Mallikarjuna Kharge told reporters that Sonia will address public rallies in Bengaluru and Tumkur. Prior to Sonia's visit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too would be in Karnataka and address rallies at both Bengaluru and Mysore on May 6. The Congress also plans to rope in the brother-sister duo of Rahul and Priyanka to campaign. However, the dates of their visit to campaign for the party in Karnataka have not been finalised as yet.
Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge said that if voted to power, the party would provide loans at three per cent interest rate for farmers, journalists, women's self help groups, potters, handloom weavers, fishermen and shepherds. All pending loans under the Ashraya and Awaz Yojana scheme will also be waived off.Free colour TVs and 25 kg of rice at Rs 2 for families living below the poverty line that is what the Congress manifesto promises.
Karnataka state Bharatiya Janata Party president B Y Vijayendra and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh called on state minister Satish Jarkiholi separately on Monday, triggering political speculation.
The results announced in the elections to the 224-member Karnataka assembly:
The third and final phase of the Karnataka elections on Thursday will decide the fate of 530 candidates, who will contest from 69 Assembly constituencies spread over the northern part of the state. The phase will decide the fate of Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge, who is tipped to be the Chief Minister if the party comes to power. Former chief minister and Congress leader, N Dharam Singh is also in the fray in the third phase of the elections.
Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge, meanwhile, came to Siddaramaiah's defence, stating that the party is standing with him and will support him.
In UP and Bengal, it is willing to sacrifice its interests to stop the BJP and would work towards ensuring the BJP did not win incremental seats in Odisha and Telangana.
The newly elected Congress legislators, who are staying at a resort on the city outskirts, also joined the protest.
For the May 10 assembly elections in Karnataka, the following are the 20 seats to watch out for.
Rahul has come out in support of JNU students, who are protesting the arrest of JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charge, and has accused the RSS and BJP of imposing their ideology.
When we bought weapons-like the Bofors gun previously purchased, no one went and brought them while showing off, Kharge said.
Sixteen former ministers of the United Progressive Alliance government are staying unauthorised in government bungalows for over a month now and have been served eviction notices, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday released its second list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. The Election Commission has cleared 52 candidates of which 20 are from Karnataka.
The National Democratic Alliance government is keen on the passage of the Insurance Bill before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US to send out a message that economic reforms are back on track in India. Anita Katyal reports
"He (Modi) has created an environment in Jammu and Kashmir of hatred and anger, and the only people who benefit from violence and hatred are the Pakistanis," the Congress vice president said.
A Congress MP reveals to Sheela Bhatt the Congress plan to protect the Speaker and home minister and muscle through the tabling of the Telangana bill in Parliament.
Attacking the previous government, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the hike in rail fares was "thrusted upon" by the United Progressive Alliance, but it was a "bitter medicine" that had to be swallowed in the interest of sound health of the economy.
The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance were ranged against each other both inside and outside the Parliament on the opening day of the budget session on Monday.
Replying to a short duration discussion on COVID-19 management in Rajya Sabha, the minister said technology transfer to several companies has started and they will begin production in the coming days to reduce vaccine shortage in the country.
However, the MLA, who was upset at not being made a minister, said he will go by the instructions of his voters and supporters on accepting the saffron party's offer.
Anil Kumar Sinha, a 1979-batch Indian Police Service officer, on Wednesday took over the reins of the Central Bureau of Investigation at a time when the agency is facing criticism from courts over its handling of probe in coal allocation and 2G scams.
Gandhi claimed that if a JPC probe was conducted, names of PM Modi and businessman Anil Ambani will come to the fore.
Talk that Anil Kumble, the former Indian captain, will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election from Karnataka has been making the rounds. Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa finds out if Kumble will indeed spin a political googly.
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