Archives for May 2018

Unfazed by the fall of its 3-day government last week in Karnataka, a defiant BJP’s state unit will protest across the state on Wednesday against the formation of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S)-Congress coalition government, said a party official on Tuesday.

“As the Congress-JD-S alliance hijacked the people’s mandate and formed an unholy alliance to form a coalition government on Wednesday, we are observing the occasion as the ‘anti-people’s mandate day’ across the state,” said BJP’s spokesman S. Shantaram in a statement here.

State Governor Vajubhia Vala invited JD-S legislative party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy to take oath as the 25th Chief Minister on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. on the grand steps of the state secretariat (Vidhana Soudha) in the presence of national and regional leaders and about an estimated 1 lakh people.

“Thousands of our party cadres and functionaries will stage a black flag demo at cities and districts to draw the people’s attention to the opportunistic alliance of the duo to keep the BJP out of power,” Shantaram noted.

Party’s state unit President and its three-time Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will lead the demo at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the city centre at 11:15 a.m. ahead of the oath-taking ceremony in the evening.

Party’s state unit general secretaries Shobha Karandaleje, Arvind Limbavalli R. Ashok and N. Ravi Kumar, Lok Sabha member from Bengaluru Central P.C. Mohan will be present on the occasion.

“We have also decided to boycott the swearing-in of Kumaraswamy and Congress state unit President G. Parameshwara as Deputy Chief Minster as they don’t have the mandate or moral ground to form the government,” another party official told IANS here.

In the May 12 election, voters gave a hung assembly in 222 constituencies, with 37 for the JD-S, including one from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 78 for the Congress and 104 for the BJP, which fell seven less than the 111-halfway mark for a simple majority and passing the floor test.

Film celebrities like R. Madhavan, Siddharth and Jayam Ravi have condoled the death of civilians killed in police firing during ongoing anti-Sterlite protests in Tamil Nadu’s Toothukudi district.

Thousands of people from nearby areas allegedly attacked the District Collectorate demanding closure of the Vedanta Group-run company on Tuesday.

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the police firing, which left nine people, including a girl, dead. The inquiry will be conducted by a retired judge. At least 60 people were injured.

Here’s what the celebrities had to say:

Siddharth: Each and every bullet in the chests of dead protestors will come back to haunt this sham of a government in Tamil Nadu. Deepest condolences and prayers for the murdered innocents and their families. What a dark day in our history.

R. Madhavan: This is totally tragic and unacceptable. It’s simple the will and the voice of the local people there has to adhered to. Why can’t somebody hear them? Heart goes out to the families-police firing in Sterlite protests kills, Rahul Gandhi says “Murder”.

Karthik Subbaraj: Shocking and horrible! Feeling really sad for innocent people shot dead by the police… Really scary about our rulers and their governance and some corporates are more evil than we can imagine.

Jayam Ravi: Who gives one human the right to take the life of another? Strongly condemn the mass killing of innocents during the Sterlite protests. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

Vishal Dadlani: Indian citizens shot down for protesting against a chemical company now! What the hell is going on? This is deranged!

HD Kumaraswamy is in the habit of fighting since his school days as many of his classmates still remember in a jovial way.The incident happened while he was in the 7th standard.In another incident a Principal chased him on his motorbike as the then college student Kumaraswamy was fleeing after biting a lady lecturer for having caught him copying!

He’s in the habit of a fighting mood aspiring for leadership during his school days also,recollects Krishnakumar of Hassan.He’s the classmate of HDK.

The year happened to be 1973-74 and HDK was studying in the 7th standard at the Government Middle School in Holenarasipur town.Then he wished to become a monitor of the class.However another student was also eyeing on the ‘position’.So HDK’s arguments with him reached a stage where both of them were above to indulge in fisticuffs.However late Basavaraju,Sevadal teacher admonished them and prevented a scuffle underway…

…Yet HD Kumaraswamy managed to become monitor of the class,recalls Krishnakumar. He’s sitting in the same bench along with HDK and still remember those good old days when the latter used to come to school carrying school books in a aluminium box.

HD Kumaraswamy completed his primary education at Holenarasipur and joined the St.Joseph’s High School on Salagame road at Hassan for high school education.Many of his old classmates have settled down in Hassan and Holenarasipur and still enjoy the close proximity with him.

Many still have the friendly relations to such an extent that they prefer to call him by his name.It’s also by and large the same sort of affection being extended by Kumaraswamy,say his old classmates.He continues to remember and cherish the old days and rejoices remembering his pals and teachers.

In another incident Kumaraswamy was caught red handed copying while being in the degree college by a lady lecturer.He immediately bit her hand and started running.The incident came to the notice of Dr Rajagopalacharya who was principal of the college for 18 years from 1972 on wards.He immediately started his motorcycle and started chasing him.

He also succeeded in catching hold of him physically and took him to the police station where the principal was reprimanded by the police officer.He’s worried as to what would have happened to him if at all the student had also carried a knife with him!

After the incident HD Devegowda insisted that his son’s transfer certificate be issued.But Rajagopalacharya was stubborn enough in not letting it till Kumaraswamy completed the three years degree.He also remembers that Kumaraswamy had inquired about him after becoming the chief minister.

Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

to take over the reigns of the state administrative machinery as the new Chief Minister in the evening representing the Janata Dal-Secular party while on the other hand Dr. G Parameshwar, KPCC President will be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister representing the Indian National Congress party.
The move of the Congress party in only naming the KPCC president for the DCM’s post and not heeding to the demand of the 16 MLAs’ Lingayat lobby to give one more DCM position to a Lingayat legislator belonging to the North Karnataka region is set to pave way for new disenchantment among the newly elected Lingayat legislators.
The Congress party had fielded 44 Lingayat candidates of whom 16 have emerged victorious while two are elected on a Janata Dal-Secular party ticket. Thanks to the Veerashiva-Lingayat controversy let free by the Siddaramaiah led previous Congress party government the ruling party received a severe drubbing during the polls.
About 16 Ministers including many Lingayat leaders were packed off in the just concluded polls while returning the BJP nominees in a big way thus making the Siddaramaiah government’s move for a separate minority religion status tag recommendation boomerang rather than be of any advantage.
Interestingly Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, President of the All India Veerashiva Mahasabha which was dead opposed to the government’s stance and MB Patil, former Major Irrigation minister who was in the forefront in favor of the government’s recommendation have managed to win. However Vinay Kulkarni and Dr Sharanprakash Patil,other two ministers’ for the government on the issue have been bundled off by the voters.
Once the move to lobby for a DCM berth for Lingayats’ of the North Karnataka set in motion counter moves also began by other communities.RV Deshpande,Brahmin Congress MLA for eight times lobbied to become DCM on seniority and community basis.Later it was the turn of R Roshan Baig,former minister and Shivajinagar MLA who gave a futile try to become a DCM on minority quota basis.
Much before the issue had its natural death the move also gave rise to a different controversy as HK Patil,former Rural Development Minister’s name also cropped up in the Lingayat MLAs’ belonging to North Karnataka region to be considered for the DCM post.
Umesh Patil,president of youth wing of Veerashiva Mahasabha has issued a press note questioning the rationale behind the KPCC move of including HK Patil’s name among the 16+1 Lingayat MLAs’.He’s also urged the former minister to produce documents to this effect.
It may be recalled here that although HK Patil belongs to the Reddy community with Tirupati Tirumala as the family deity every now and then he’s under the habit of occupying positions in the name of a Lingayat!
Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy designated Chief Minister is having a hectic schedule since this morning and he will be formally taking the oath of office and secrecy later in the evening before Vidhana Soudha,the picturesque stone marvel at 4.30 pm.

He left to Mysuru in a helicopter in the morning from the HAL airport here and reached the Lalit Mahal helipad and went by road to the Chamundi hills to pray Goddess Chamundeshwari who also happens to be the deity of Mysuru royal dynasty.After returning from the temple he’ll again board the chopper to alight at Ramanagar where he’s again scheduled to pray at the local Chamundeshwari temple.Then he’ll be returning to the city by noon.

Yesterday he and his father HD Devegowda along with family members visited the Dharmasthala in South Canara district and Sringeri pilgrimage centers in Chikkamagalur district in separate small flights to perform religious rituals for being fulfilled their fond wishes.The senior Gowda also took part in the poornahuti stage of Ati Maharudra Yaaga.

It may be recalled here that HD Devegowda with most of his family members had performed a Yaaga by the same name for 13 days before the elections.A similar ritual was also undertaken by him at the renowned Kolluru Mookambike temple in Udupi district.

Hindusthan Samchar/Manohar Yadavatti

As Pakistani Rangers continued shelling on the international border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the security forces have a free hand to respond as they deem fit if the neighbouring country continued the offensive.

Speaking at the Border Security Force’s (BSF) 16th investiture ceremony function here, Singh said “We have a neighbour that does not want to correct itself.

“Yet, we must not fire the first bullet at our neighbour. But if it opens fire, you (security forces) have to decide what action to take. Then no one will ask why you did so.”

New Delhi had on May 16, announced a ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, asking security forces to halt their operations during Ramadan to help “peace loving Muslims” observe the holy month in a peaceful environment.

The Minister also said that perhaps the neighbouring nation “did not want peace for some unknown reasons”.

According to the police, the Pakistani Rangers have been carrying out indiscriminate shelling and firing in Arnia, R.S.Pura and Ramgarh sectors in the Jammu and Samba districts since Monday. At least 30 BSF outposts and some two dozen border villages have been targeted.

Proving third time unlucky as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, the BJP’s Lingayat strongman, B.S. Yeddyurappa, stares at an uncertain future although his party bets on his return to power again.

“Yeddyurappa will continue to be the party’s state unit president till we return to power again. He will become chief minister again before his political career ends,” Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS here.

Yeddyurappa, 75, resigned on Saturday before the crucial trust vote as he did not have the majority in a hung House, falling seven short of the 111-halfway mark in the 225-member Legislative Assembly, whose current strength is 222.

Of the 222 assembly segments where the election was held on May 12, BJP won 104, the Congress 78, the Janata Dal-Secular, 37 and one each by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) and an Independent, leading to an inconclusive election.

Election in one assembly segment in Bengaluru has been deferred to May 28 due to electoral malpractice and countermanded in another constituency due to the death of BJP contestant B.N. Vijaya Kumar. One member of the Anglo-Indian community is nominated to the House.

Mauled at the hustings, a bruised Congress and a wounded Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) came together after the poll results threw up a hung House and formed a post-poll alliance to upstage the BJP in the numbers game and also staked claimed to power.

When Governor Vajubhai R. Vala invited Yeddurappa to form a BJP government and take oath as Chief Minister after he too staked claim to power, a defiant Congress and its JD-S ally petitioned the Supreme Court to stall his swearing-in and advance the floor test from the 15 days laid down.

Though the alliance partners did not succeed in preventing Yeddyurappa taking oath on May 17, they prevailed upon the apex court to advance the floor test to May 19, which he did not take in the absence of even the simple majority.

Admitting that the BJP has in the Congress-JD-S a common foe than two rival parties, Vamanacharya said the combined alliance would be their target to beat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“We are setting our sight on the 2019 general elections as Yeddyurappa vowed to win in all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the southern state during his emotional speech on the floor of the House before bowing out of office gracefully,” said Vamanacharya.

With the focus henceforth on the parliamentary elections, the BJP will not worry much on what will happen in the hung assembly or how long the Congress-JD-S coalition government will last, currently with a combined strength of 115 seats.

Political analyst Sandeep Shastri, however, feels Yedddyurappa’s prospects of becoming Chief Minister again are bleak for various reasons.

“Yeddyurappa’s speech in the Assembly before calling quits sounded as a farewell address. Three-four years later, he may not be eligible to become chief minister again if we go by the BJP’s yardstick of not having leaders above 75 years in power. This election possibly was his last chance at the power,” Shastri told IANS.

BJP’s veteran leaders like L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha have sidelined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they were above 75 years in age.

“But the party is certain to bank on Yeddyurappa’s popularity as a Lingayat leader for the general elections,” Shastri added.

Observing that the BJP may not tinker with its state leadership for the time being, Shastri said Yeddyurappa would continue to be the party’s chief campaigner for the Lok Sabha elections as the tallest Lingayat leader across the state.

Vamanacharya, however, contended that age was no bar for the party, as there was no other leader to rival Yeddyurappa in seniority and stature at the state level.

“Age is no bar for us as there is no competition to him (Yeddyurappa). As he has been declared a leader, creating parallels will not be a good sign of a national party,” Vamanacharya added.

The party’s hunch is that the Congress-JD-S alliance may fall apart sooner than later, giving Yeddyurappa another chance to become Chief Minister for the fourth time.

“Let the Congress and JD-S fight, then the anti-incumbency, which exists against the former will escalate, as some of its re-elected legislators will be back in power in their coalition government,” noted the spokesman.