Nasheman news

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s plea challenging the Governor’s sanction to prosecute him in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna stated that the complaint required investigation and upheld the Governor’s authority to grant approval for prosecution.

The court also noted that it is the complainants’ duty to seek approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Governor has the discretion to take an independent decision.

Bengaluru: BJP MLA Muniratna has been arrested once again, this time in connection with a rape case.

After being held in judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara Jail over a caste slur case, he was released on conditional bail just yesterday.

Reports suggest that Muniratna’s lawyer submitted the bail order to the jail authorities, and shortly after the formalities were completed, officers from Kaggalipura Police Station in Ramnagar district took him into custody.

The Ramnagar police had been stationed near the jail since Thursday night, awaiting his release in order to arrest him.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said simultaneous elections are not possible in a democracy like India.

The state Congress President stressed on the need for “bringing in consensus and unanimity in opinion among all parties” in this regard.

Moving ahead with its “one nation, one election” plan, the government on Wednesday accepted a high-level panel’s recommendations for holding simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner after a countrywide consensus-building exercise.

“The ‘one nation, one election’ that they are planning to do, aimed at saving the government’s money, is not possible in a democratic country like ours. Who thought about ‘Operational Lotus’? (toppling non-BJP governments by luring opposition MLAs), it is BJP. They are the ones who caused several elections. How can it (multiple elections) be stopped?” Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that the BJP is trying to destabilise several opposition-ruled State governments.

“As regional parties are growing, they don’t want them to grow, so they are making these efforts. All parties should give an equal opportunity in this country,” Shivakumar added.

In its report submitted to the government in March, just before the general election was announced, the panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind had recommended implementing “one nation, one election” in two phases — simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in the first phase and elections for local bodies like panchayats and municipal bodies within 100 days of the general election in the second phase.

It also recommended a common electoral roll, which would need coordination between the Election Commission of India and state election commissions.

Noting that ‘one nation, one election’ was in place earlier, Shivakumar said: “In our state we have held elections (both Lok Sabha and assembly) together in the past, but was it possible later? Cabinets (of state) decided to go for polls either three or six months early sometimes, in some states Assemblies were dissolved, all these things are there. There should be clarity.”

Without a two-thirds majority, the central government’s decision to go ahead is not right, he said. “There is no such option in democracy….Bring consensus among all parties and let there be a unanimous opinion, without unanimous opinion, such decisions are a waste.”

Shivamogga: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has alleged that the BJP is conspiring to politically and physically eliminate Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Speaking at a press conference at his Home Office, Krishna, on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah expressed alarm over the threats to Gandhi’s life, urging immediate legal action against those involved.

The Chief Minister emphasized that Gandhi, who comes from a family that has sacrificed much for the nation, remains undeterred by these threats. “Rahul Gandhi is from a family of martyrs, including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Despite the dangers, he continues his fight for the country,” said Siddaramaiah.

He accused the BJP of threatening Gandhi, with some even warning that he might meet the same fate as his grandmother, Indira Gandhi. Siddaramaiah also pointed to remarks by a Union Minister of State for Railways, who allegedly called Gandhi a terrorist.

Further intensifying his criticism, Siddaramaiah condemned Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad (Shinde faction) for reportedly offering a ₹11 lakh reward for cutting out Gandhi’s tongue. Gaikwad allegedly made death threats against Congress workers as well. The Chief Minister demanded immediate criminal action against Gaikwad, calling for his arrest.

Siddaramaiah criticized the BJP for its inaction against such threats. He condemned a minister from Uttar Pradesh for labeling Rahul Gandhi as the country’s “number one terrorist,” noting that no strict measures had been taken against him.

In a broader political attack, Siddaramaiah predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not complete his five-year term, citing current political dynamics. He suggested that key allies, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, would soon part ways with the central government.

Siddaramaiah also addressed the controversy surrounding BJP MLA Muniratana, who has been accused of making derogatory remarks against women, the Dalit community, and the Vokkaliga community. Legal action has been initiated, and Muniratana has been arrested and presented in court.

The Chief Minister called for the formation of a special investigation team to probe the case further.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda

Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 74th birthday and wished he may grow from strength to strength to successfully lead India in this third term.

Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in a small town in Gujarat.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Gowda said, “My very warm birthday greetings to Prime Minister. May he grow from strength to strength to successfully lead India in his third term. May lord almighty bless him with good health and a long life.”

Bengaluru: Damaged concrete slabs covering a drain on the road connecting Vasanth Nagar to Nandi Durga Road near the Cantonment railway underbridge are posing a threat to motorists. The High Grounds traffic police alerted BBMP officials about the issue on Wednesday, requesting immediate repairs.

While BBMP engineers initially promised to address the problem on Thursday, they were unable to proceed due to the unavailability of new slabs.

According to a traffic police officer, the engineers are expected to resolve the issue by Friday. The damaged slabs have been affecting the road for several weeks, with one slab moving dangerously when vehicles pass over it, according to Siddique, a local autorickshaw driver.

Police Inspector Ashok Kumar

Mandya: A police inspector has been suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the recent riots in Nagamangala, Mandya district. The suspension follows the unrest that broke out in the area, raising concerns about the handling of the situation by the police.

Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara, in a post on X, stated, “I have already directed a report on the reasons behind the incident. After receiving the report, we will take strict action within the legal framework without hesitation. No one is greater than the law.”

Nagamangala, a taluk in Mandya district, has been on edge following the riots during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

Bengaluru: Metro services on Purple Line in Bengaluru were briefly disrupted on Tuesday after a 21-year-old man pressed the Emergency Trip System (ETS) at MG Road station. The individual, identified as Hemanth Kumar from Viveknagar, was fined Rs 5,000 for the incident.

Kumar pressed the emergency button for fun, which caused a train arriving from Trinity station to halt at MG Road metro station for approximately 10 minutes, as reported by Times of India.\

The metro security staff found through the CCTV footage that the prankster boarded the train once it resumed and got down at the Cubbon Park station where they caught hold of him and enquired about the incident.

An official from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) told the publication that the mischievous act by the passenger caused significant inconvenience to several commuters. “As per rules, a penalty of Rs 5,000 was imposed. He did not have money. His parents were informed about the incident. After some time, they reached the station and paid the amount,” the source added.

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah toured various areas of Bengaluru on Thursday, reviewing road infrastructure and ongoing development projects. He directed BBMP officials to expedite the process of covering potholes across the city.

During a press briefing after his tour, the Chief MInister provided details on the city’s road network, which spans approximately 12,878 km. Out of this, 1,344.84 km fall under the arterial and sub-arterial road categories, while the remaining 11,533.16 km belong to zonal roads under BBMP. The CM pointed out that road surfaces in Bengaluru have been damaged due to the installation of BESCOM cables, water supply and drainage pipes, GAIL gas pipes, KPTCL cables, and optical fiber cables.

To address this issue, BBMP has set up a batch mix unit to quickly repair potholes, particularly on arterial and sub-arterial roads. Additionally, Rs 15 lakh has been allocated to each ward for pothole repairs on zonal roads. Siddaramaiah emphasized that the BBMP has also developed a cool asphalt mix unit to tackle potholes even during the rainy season.

The CM ordered that road damages caused by digging from agencies like BESCOM, KPTCL, and GAIL gas be promptly fixed. He assured that coordination between the Bangalore Water Supply and Internal Drainage Board and other departments has been achieved, regularizing the process of road repairs.

Siddaramaiah highlighted remedial measures, including the introduction of a mobile app called “Raste Gundi Gamana” (Road Potholes Focus) to monitor and ensure timely pothole repairs. Additionally, Rs 1700 crore has been approved for white-topping projects for the 2023-24 period to further curb potholes.

The CM revealed that of the 1,611 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city, 459 km have been damaged. Asphalting of these roads, at a cost of Rs 659.71 crore, will begin in November and is expected to be completed by March.

During his tour, Siddaramaiah inspected several key locations, including the BDA flyover near Hebbal, asphalting work near Kariannanpalya, and metro work at KR Pura railway station. He consulted with officials at each site to ensure smooth progress.

Ministers KJ George, Byrathi Suresh, MLAs BA Basavaraja, Rizwan Arshad, AC Srinivas, and BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, among others, were present during the inspection.

Bengaluru: Making it clear that the Chief Minister post in the state is not vacant for anyone to weigh in to occupy it now, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that there are no doubts in this regard and he will continue in the position.

As Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in a site allotment case is being heard in the High Court, some Congress leaders seem to be preparing for a race to become CM in the event of leadership change, with several of them openly expressing their desire.

“No one has given any statement. No one has said that they will become the Chief Minister. The seat (of CM) is not vacant, then why will anyone say that they will become CM? What everyone is saying is Siddaramaiah will continue,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question .

When pointed out that some leaders have said that they will become CM if Siddaramaiah “instructs,” he said, “…when the post is not vacant, why will anyone give such instruction?”

Asked whether some Congress leaders have doubts about CM post falling vacant, Siddaramaiah said: “there is no doubt. I will continue.”

A group of Congress leaders on Tuesday wrote to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi requesting him to warn party leaders including senior Ministers, who are weighing in for the Chief Minister’s post, in the event of leadership change.

The signatories of the letter, including current and former lawmakers and some ex-Ministers, have also asked him to direct them not to issue damaging statements in future.

State Congress working president Manjunath Bhandary and MLC Dinesh Gooligowda on Monday wrote to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to curb speculation over the Chief Minister’s tenure.

While Deputy CM and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar is seen as a prime contender for the post in case of any change in leadership, names of Home Minister G Parameshwara and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi too are doing rounds, especially following their recent meeting with party leadership in New Delhi.

A verbal duel of sorts had erupted between two senior Ministers — M B Patil and Shivanand Patil — about seniority as the yardstick to become the Chief Minister.

Senior Congress MLAs — Administrative Reforms Commission Chairperson R V Deshpande and Basavaraj Rayareddy, who is Siddaramaiah’s financial adviser — too have expressed their wish to become the Chief Minister.