Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's advisor asserts he will complete his term amid power tussle within the Congress party.
Asserting that there are no differences between him and his deputy D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that they both are running the government unitedly, and will continue to do so in the future too.
In a fresh twist to the ongoing power struggle in Karnataka, caste groups backing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar on Thursday threw their weight behind them, with one warning Congress against unseating the incumbent CM while the other community strongly batted for Shivakumar's elevation.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar wished Chief Minister Siddaramaiah 'all the best' after he said that he would complete a five year term in office. Shivakumar also commented on the ongoing cabinet reshuffle and MLAs meeting with leaders in Delhi.
Amid speculation over leadership change in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the issue will be resolved after discussions with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed there is unity in the party.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
Observing that persons regardless of popularity are equal before the law, the Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the bail granted to actor Darshan and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case.
On whether injustice has been done to Dalits by not giving a DCM post to the community, he said the people, especially the Dalit community, have huge expectations.
Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra suggests political developments are underway in the ruling Congress party and expects them to culminate after the Bihar assembly polls, hinting at a possible change in Chief Minister.
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 Congress MLA G Parameshwara, who was reportedly upset over the denial of the deputy chief ministerial post, on Friday said that 'sacrifice' has to be made at 'some point'.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar responds to criticism regarding Bengaluru's infrastructure, while industry leaders and opposition members voice their concerns.
'I have faith in the party high command. I have certain principles. I can also take about 50 legislators and do the shouting, but for me the discipline of the party is important. If people like us don't follow things, there won't be any discipline in the party. I have said that if the high command gives me the responsibility, I will take it up. I have not said I won't'
The initiative comes in the wake of the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday that claimed 11 lives.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that senior IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, who is heading the SIT probing the allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala, will be replaced if he goes on central government duty.
The minister also said moving forward, tourists visiting Karnataka will be briefed on the dos and don'ts to ensure their safety.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday searched locations in Karnataka, including educational institutions linked to state Home Minister G Parameshwara, as part of a probe into alleged gold smuggling-linked money laundering case against Kannada actor Ranya Rao and others. The ED sources said an educational trust is suspected to have "diverted" funds and made a payment of Rs 40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual. The sources claimed the trust is linked to Parameshwara and the "influential" individual is a politically exposed person. The searches found there were no supporting vouchers or documentation to "substantiate" this payment (for credit card bill payment), they said.
The minister said he gives instructions to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda on a daily basis to strengthen patrolling and monitoring system.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has apologized for his remarks on the recent molestation incident in Bengaluru, saying his statement was "not understood properly" and was "distorted." Parameshwara said he would express regret if his comments caused pain to anyone, especially women. He reiterated his commitment to providing safety and protection to women and said he has taken several measures in this regard. The incident sparked controversy, with the opposition BJP and the National Commission for Women (NCW) demanding a public apology.
The crew of an Iraqi cargo vessel were denied permission to disembark at Karwar port in Karnataka by the coastal security authorities as per special instructions given by the central government "after the Pakistan incident", Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Friday.
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.
Suhas Shetty, a known rowdy sheeter and Hindu activist, was murdered by an unidentified group late on Thursday within the Bajpe police station limits in Mangaluru city.
The complainant-witness, a former sanitation worker, has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, and that he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala.
Shivakumar's recital came when the Bharatiya Janata Party legislators accused Shivakumar of being an 'abettor' of the stampede as he created mass frenzy.
Tensions ran high in Gubbi taluk on Saturday as the farmers' protest against the Hemavati Link Canal project escalated into violence, prompting police to register FIRs. It is said that more FIRs are likely to follow.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday slammed the Congress government in Karnataka over the deaths in a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrations in Bengaluru, demanding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara take responsibility for the incident.
Additional Superintendent of Police Narayan Baramani, who faced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's anger during a Congress rally in Belagavi, said he was 'attending to his duty'. This comes after reports that he sought voluntary retirement from service after the incident.
The portfolios were cleared by Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the exercise had turned out to be tricky for the party state leaders.
Belagavi superintendent of police Bheemashankar Guled had on Wednesday confirmed, "No such incident has taken place," clarifying that the post was false.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement that even God can't fix Bengaluru traffic in the next two or three years, has come under severe criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, with leader of opposition R Ashoka on Friday demanding that the former step down and make way for someone more capable if he is unable to take responsibility and address the city's traffic issues.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress top leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday condoled the Bengaluru stampede deaths and the Bharatiya Janata Party asked the Congress government to own up responsibility for what it called the 'state-sponsored negligence'.
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has overturned the Karnataka government's suspension of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was suspended following a fatal stampede at a stadium last month. The tribunal's decision could also lead to the reinstatement of other suspended officers.
The longest-serving state party president since October 2010, Parameshwara has remained a hardcore loyalist of the party ever since his political debut through the Congress.
Following a complaint by a police inspector, the case was registered at Cubbon Park station, they said.
Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has claimed that two unsuccessful "honey trap" attempts were made on a senior minister in the state. He has called for a police investigation into the matter, condemning the incident as a tactic used for political gains. Jarkiholi said that the concerned minister should file a complaint, allowing the police to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also backed the call for a police complaint, while former BJP minister V Sunil Kumar had earlier raised the issue in the assembly, accusing the Congress government of running a "honey-trap factory."
The third accused in the gang rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, near Hampi in Koppal district has been arrested. Two other accused were arrested earlier. The incident occurred on March 6. The minister also instructed police to enhance security for tourists in the future to prevent such incidents.
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has expressed his support for a bus conductor, Mahadevappa Hukkeri, who was allegedly assaulted in Belagavi for not speaking Marathi. The incident has reignited the decades-old border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. Five people have been arrested in connection with the assault, but the Minister has called for the arrest of others involved. The attack has also led to allegations of a false POCSO case being registered against the conductor.
Heavy overnight rains severely affected parts of the city on Monday, leading to water-logged roads, inundated residential areas and traffic pile-up, as the city braces for more spells in the coming days.
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.
Congress's K R Ramesh Kumar will be the speaker of Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha (assembly), while the deputy speaker will be appointed from the JD-S.
