Archives for May 2019

Bengaluru, May 28 : In an attempt to win the confidence of the dissident Congress MLAs, Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy met them individually and pursued them not to fell prey to the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s game plan to topple the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in the state.
Chief minister met the Congress MLA form Belagavi district Mahesh Kaujalagi, a close associate of the dissident Cognress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, and closeted with him for an hour on Tuesday.
According to official sources, Chief minister, while appealing the Congress MLA, not to take a step that may threaten the stability of the coalition government, also assured him to take care of the development of his Bailahongal Assembly constituency.
Chief minister had also met another Congress MLA, V Muniyappa, who is representing the Shidlaghatta and discussed about the political situation after the Lok Sabha poll. Among others, Chief minister had also agreed to release sufficient funds to the MLAs’ constituency which is reeling under severe bout of drought conditions.
Kumaraswamy also met Umesh Kumatalli, another dissident Congress MLA, on Monday and pursued him not to make anything to rock the coalition boat.
The Chief minister, who held the meeting with the Dissident Congress MLAs, had also met the independent MLA from Mulbagal in Kolar district, Nagesh, who is nursing ambition to get a berth in the state cabinet.
Later speaking to newsmen, Nagesh informed that he had staked claim to a berth in the state cabinet and conveyed not to take any post of Boards and Corporations.
Meanwhile, another Congress MLA, Dr Ajay Singh, had also claimed a berth in the state cabinet.
Speaking to newsmen after meeting party leaders, had said that “It seems that the dissident Congress MLAs, are getting more focus to induct into the cabinet, however I have appealed to consider the names of Party Loyalists to the coveted posts”.

Actor-turned-politician, superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that “India needs a charismatic leader” like him. “Modi is a charismatic leader who has single-handedly ensured victory. After Vajpayee, I see Modi as the other stalwart leader in India. 

On reports that Nitin Gadkari said the actor will join the BJP, he said, “I agreed with Nitin Gadkari on the inter-linking the Godavari-Krishna-Kaveri rivers to solve the water problem here.” He also said that he believes the first and foremost expectation from the NDA government for Tamil Nadu is access to clean drinking water.

“There was a pro-Modi wave in the country, barring Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, there was no Modi wave. Anyone who swims against the tide will sink. NDA has to take Tamil Nadu seriously. They have come forward with very good projects, especially the linking of rivers,” the superstar said.

He also congratulated his fellow colleague from the Tamil film industry, Kamal Haasan, and congratulated him for securing 4% vote share in his first parliamentary elections.

On Congress, the Thalaiva of filmdom said that it is difficult to handle the grand old party.

“It is very difficult to handle the Congress party. It is an age-old party. As a youngster, it is very difficult to handle the senior-most people in Congress. As per my observation, the senior leaders are not cooperative, they haven’t worked hard… However, Rahul Gandhi should not resign, he has to stand firm and lead the party. Opposition should be strong. Our ruling party is strong and I expect the same from the Opposition as well. 

Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan were among the first invitees for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 30.

Agencies

Bengaluru, May 28 : Opposition leader in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly B S Yeddyurappa, who is also BJP State President, today underlined that “there is no need to be anxious over Cauvery River Authority, Order to the State government to release 9 tmc ft of water from river Cauvery to Tamil Nadu”.
Reacting to the Tribunal direction, Yeddyurappa told newsmen here on Tuesday that “there is no immediate need to release water from KRS as the tribunal is very clear that the water has to be released only when there is increase in the inflow of water in the south west monsoon, expected next month.”
“If the water inflow into the KRS does not increase then there is no need to release. Hence there is no immediate threat to the State,” he added.
At present the inflow into KRS is only 137 cusecs and it is expected to increase once the South West Monsoon sets in.
Newly elected Congress MP D K Suresh, brother of Minister D K Shivakumar, said that “the Tribunal has taken one sided decision since there is no water for drinking purpose and when such is the situation how can it be possible
to release when the State is facing severe drought condition.”
Former MP and Cauvery Hitha Rakishana Vedike leader G T Madegowda, who is spearheading the agitation, strongly condemning the Tribunal direction warned the State government against releasing water to Tamil Nadu and threatened to launch Statewide agitation.
Members of Farmers Association have decided to stage agitation in Mandya against the Tribunal direction.

His statement comes a day after two Congress leaders – Ramesh Jarkiholi and Sudhakar met BJP’s SM Krishna at his residence, fuelling the speculation over the longevity of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition.

None of our K’taka MLAs will switch to BJP: Congress   |  Photo Credit: ANI

Bengaluru: Karnataka minister and Congress leader MB Patil on Monday ruled out any tension in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government and said that none of his party’s MLAs will switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“None of our MLAs will switch to BJP. They (BJP) have tried it (to topple government) in the past, they will also try it in the future but this government will complete its full term,” Patil said.

His statement comes a day after two Congress leaders- Ramesh Jarkiholi and Sudhakar met BJP’s SM Krishna at his residence, fuelling the speculation over the longevity of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka.

However, Jarkiholi, who is Congress MLA from Gokak had said that it was not a political meeting and that he had come to meet Krishna to wish him for BJP’s victory in Lok Sabha elections.

In the recently-held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka while the Congress-JD(S) combine won two seats.

Following this humiliating defeat, some of the rebel Congress MLAs are reportedly in touch with the BJP and are also planning to poach Congress and JD(S) MLAs to topple the state government.

The BJP, which is the single largest party in the Karnataka Assembly with 105 seats, needs only eight MLAs to reach the majority mark of 113 in a 224-member Assembly.

Earlier, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy brushed aside the reported trouble in the coalition government and said that the alliance was intact and would stay for long.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara also asserted that they have the support of all MLAs and that there is no threat to the state government.

“We have all decided to support and continue the coalition government. All our MLAs are with us. There is no threat to the government. Siddaramaiah has also spoken to senior leaders,” he had said.

Former Karnataka chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah had also said that there was no threat to the coalition government in the state.

Agencies

Bengaluru, May 27(UNI) Worried over imminent threat to the one-year-old JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his Deputy Dr G Parameshwara holding parleys to hammer out strategies to save the government.
According to reliable sources, the coalition partners, who are yet to come out from the shock of the setback in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, are now busy in finding ways to save the coalition government at any cost.
Kumaraswamy, in his bid to save the government, reportedly suggested an idea of taking resignation of the many of the senior Ministers from his cabinet and induct those who were likely to be wean away from the Opposition Bharatiya
Janata Party(BJP).
The Ministers, who are likely to be asked to make way to the dissident MLAs included K J George, Priyank Kharge, Krishna Byre Gowda, R B Thimmapur, Jayamala, C T Khader, P T Parameshwara Naik, Tukaram, Puttaranga Setty (all from the Congress), Srinivas, S R Ramesh, D C Thammanna, (a from the JD(S) , the sources said.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also chairman of the JD(S)-Congress Coalition government, also had a one-on-one meeting with Kumaraswamy and discussed about thwarting the BJP’s game plan to lure the disgruntled Congress and the JD(S) MLAs and save the government.
Both the leaders, had also contacted several Congress rebel MLAs, including B C Patil, B K Sangamesh, J N Ganesh, and supporters of Ramesh Jarakiholi and appealed them not to rock the boat and also offered cabinet berths to them, in a bid to stave off the threat to the stability of the coalition government.
Siddaramaiah, who is also CLP leader, has convened a meeting on May 29 and likely to issue Whip to all the Congress
MLAs to attend it. During the meeting the Congress MLAs, would be advised to shun any offers from the Opposition BJP and remain loyal to the party.
“If needed there is also possibility of shifting all the party MLAs to a safe places including at Resorts”, a Congress leader said.