The mining scam in Karnataka brought down BS Yeddyurappa from the chief minister's seat. Now it threatens to expose the state's 3 former chief minister S M Krishna, H D Kumaraswamy and N Dharam Singh. Vicky Nanjappa reports
A renewed energy seems to have been infused into the 75-year old Congress leader Siddaramaiah's gait as he walked to address a packed press conference in Mysore on Saturday.
A complaint was on Wednesday filed in the Lokayukta court against four former Karnataka chief ministers, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, for alleged irregularities in the Bangalore-Mysore expressway project.
In yet another sign of fissure in his relations with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has sought an "unconditional apology" from Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over his reported remarks on illegal mining issue.
The Karnataka government has told the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowerment Committee that it could go ahead and probe the three former chief ministers of the state in connection with the illegal mining case.
The moment a case is filed against a political leader, opposition parties go all out demanding his resignation. On Thursday, a FIR was registered against three former chief ministers of Karnataka in connection to a case of illegal mining. The FIR was registered in the wake of a private complaint filed in the court of the Karnataka Lokayukta, which alleged that S M Krishna, N Dharam Singh and H D Kumaraswamy had helped certain companies carry out illegal mining.
In a major setback to External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, the Lokayukta court has ordered a probe against him in connection with an illegal mining case. The Lokayukta special court also ordered probes against former chief ministers H D Kumaraswamy and N Dharam Singh in connection with the same case. Lokayukta Special Court Judge N K Sudhindra Rao on Saturday directed the police to complete the probe by January 6 and submit its final report.
The Karnataka Lokayukta's report on illegal mining in the state is said to have named Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappaa, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, the Reddy brothers among others.
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.
The IT department also questioned the various investments made by his family members in India and countries abroad.
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.
Revenue Minister M P Prakash was appointed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister in place of Janata Dal (Secular) rebel Siddaramaiah on Saturday.
The governor told the delegation that he was considering the matter.
"JD-S will not transfer power to BJP. See what all will happen on October 3," Singh, a former chief minister, told reporters in Bangalore on Thursday.
After months of bitter exchanges over this city's crumbling infrastructure, the Karnataka government and the IT industry on Thursday smoked the peace pipe, paving the way for the smooth conduct of the state's flagship tech event 'Bangalore IT.in.
Honour inter-state treaties: Deshmukh to Karna CM
He was accompanied by senior leaders.
The JDS group, which was opposed to forcing a snap poll on the people of the state in the event of its coming out of the government, is likely to rope in Bharatiya Janata Party support to form an alternative government.
he had asked the chief secretary to take steps for renaming Bangalore.
In a swift damage control exercise, Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh on Thursday said he would persuade Infosys Chairman N R Narayana Murthy to withdraw his resignation as the Bangalore International Airport Ltd chairman.
The water was being released from Kabini reservoir.
However, Gowda sought to advocate that ELRTS would be ideal for the city to decongest the traffic, as it covers 99 kms stretch against just 33 kms by Metro rail. \n
The legislators had earlier been lodged in a resort on the outskirts of Chennai.
Asked about the letter submitted by Kumaraswamy about withdrawal of support to the government, Singh said JD-S chief H D Deve Gowda had submitted a letter requesting the governor not to take cognisance of Kumaraswamy's letter.
With only 65 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, do you think the Congress has suffered a big blow from Kumaraswamy's move?
The letter said suicide bombers will blow themselves up at a Bangalore hotel and the chief minister's residence.
Eighteen ministers inducted were of cabinet rank, nine each from the Congress and JD(S). Two JD (S) members joined as ministers of state.\n
The much-delayed Bangalore international airport project would be given final clearance at the state cabinet meeting on December 21 and work on it would begin in the second week of January, Chief Minister N Dharam Singh said on Tuesday.
A hi-tech city worth Rs 390 crore (Rs 3.9 billion) would be built in Bangalore for information technology and biotechnology companies by the Bangalore Development Authority, chief minister N Dharam Singh said on Monday.
There was a need to find out who provided the bandit political and financial support that helped him to survive for more than 20 years, Chief Minister Dharam Singh said.
Karnataka CM Dharam Singh confirmed on Friday that he had received a letter from the Janata Dal (Secular), asking for the removal of rebel leader and Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and two ministers.
The Governor, Singh said, assured them that he would examine the issue and take a decision on Saturday.
The Karnataka chief minister said he is waiting for directions from the Congress high command.
Former Karnataka chief minister H d Kumaraswamy's entry into the Chikkaballapur constituency will make the going tough for his opponent, and Union minister and former chief minister Veerappa Moily, who had won the 2009 election from here comfortably, reports Vicky Nanjappa.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances