Archives for May 2018

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Dr.G Parameshwara made it clear that there won’t be any understanding between the Congress and the JD(S) in Jayanagara and Rajarajeshwari Nagar elections regardless of alliance f government in the state.

Addressing media people here on Sunday, he said that the Congress has finished the names of a contender for RR Nagar. The subject of coalition won’t raise as applicants of the two parties are in the field.

In the meantime, assigned CM and JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy said that nothing has been settled about the coalition in both the constituencies.

It is said that there would be an amicable battle between the applicants of these two parties in both the constituencies. In the meantime, for the Jayanagara constituencies which was cleared by the passing of present MLA and BJP applicant B N Vijayakumar, the BJP is truly considering handling his brother Prahlad Babu. The names of former chairman S K Nataraj, Tejaswi Soorya, and Union Minister Ananth Kumar’s wife Tejaswini Ananth Kumar are in the list.

BJP senior leaders have relegated the duty of RR Nagar election to Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Ananth Kumar will be the in-charge for Jayanagara constituency elections.

Petrol and diesel prices have been raised for the ninth straight day across the country, just days after the government promised a solution. These nine hikes come after a 19-day hiatus when prices were kept unchanged for the May 12 Karnataka election. Petrol prices have been increased by Rs. 2.24 a litre in Delhi, Rs. 2.21 in Kolkata, Rs. 2.22 in Mumbai and Rs. 2.36 a litre in Chennai over the past nine days, data from Indian Oil Corporation shows. Diesel prices have been raised by Rs. 2.15 a litre, Rs. 2, Rs. 2.28 and Rs. 2.31 in the four cities.

On Tuesday, petrol prices were hiked in the range of 29-32 paise per litre across Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, while diesel prices were lifted by 26-28 paise per litre, compared to the previous day.

With effect from 6 am, Tuesday, a litre of petrol was sold at Rs. 76.87 in Delhi, Rs. 79.53 in Kolkata, Rs. 84.7 in Mumbai and Rs. 79.79 in Chennai, according to Indian Oil. Diesel was sold at Rs. 68.08 per litre in Delhi, Rs. 70.63 per litre in Kolkata, Rs. 72.48 per litre in Mumbai and Rs. 71.87 per litre in Chennai. So far this year, petrol prices have shot up in the range of Rs. 6.81-7.26 per litre across the four metros, while the increase in diesel prices has been in the tune of Rs. 8.33-9.21 per litre in the wake of rising global crude prices.

Soaring crude oil prices in the past few months, coupled with weakness in the rupee against the US dollar, has led to petrol and diesel prices hitting all-time highs in Delhi and Mumbai.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday that the government was looking at ways to keep rising fuel prices in check. “Various alternatives are being looked at,” Mr Pradhan said, adding that he would “work out something soon”, news agency Reuters reported.

Ongoing production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pushed crude oil prices to their highest level since late-2014. Brent has broken through $80 per barrel for the first time since November 2014. Also, the rupee has weakened nearly 6 per cent per dollar so far this year. (With agency inputs)

At least 65 people have been killed due to heatstroke in the last three days in Pakistan’s Karachi, where the temperature hit 44 degrees Celsius, media reported on Tuesday.

At least 114 bodies were brought to the social welfare group Edhi Foundation’s morgues out of which at least 65 had died from heatstroke, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the head of the foundation Faisal Edhi.

Edhi said most of the heatstroke victims had died at their home without getting any medical help on time, adding that the youngest victim was a six-year-old, while the oldest was 78.

However, health authorities in the city have denied the claim.

Pakistan Meteorological Department issued a heatwave warning for Karachi saying that the hot weather was expected to stay between 40-43 degrees in daytime throughout the week.

Local reports said that Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar also urged residents to stay indoors during the day to avoid heatstroke.

A severe heat wave in 2015 killed at least 1,200 people in the country.

Karnataka’s Chief Minister-designate H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday said that he had got a chance to serve the people again by God’s grace and his parents’ blessings despite a fractured mandate in the May 12 elections.

“Although the people did not bless me and our party with a clear mandate, I have got an opportunity again to serve them by God’s grace and my parent’s blessings,” Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) state President Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

On a visit to his home town Holenarsipur, about 180 km from Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy prayed at the Ranganatha Swamy and Laskhminarasimha Swamy temples here for the success of the JD-S-Congress coalition government that will come to power when he takes oath on Wednesday.

“A great responsibility is being given to me again to serve the people, especially farmers, women and youths. I am sure I will rise to the occasion with God’s blessings, people’s wishes and the support of the Congress,” said Kumaraswamy.

Clarifying that he was not becoming the Chief Minister for the second time for the sake of power, the JD-S leader said that he accepted the Congress offer to head the coalition government to work for the people’s welfare.

“This is big challenge. As I know the problems of the people, I will strive to address them,” added Kumaraswamy.

Governor Vajubjai Vala invited the 58-year-old JD-S legislative party leader on Saturday to form the coalition government after the fall of the three-day BJP government led by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who resigned even before the trust vote was conducted since his party was seven MLAs short of the halfway mark to prove simple majority in a house of 222 members.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Kumaraswamy will take oath at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday in front of the state Secretariat (Vidhan Soudha) in Bengaluru in the presence of national leaders and about a lakh people.

This is the second time that Kumaraswamy, the third son of JD-S supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Chennamma, will be the Chief Minister, and 12 years after the JD-S formed a coalition government with the BJP on February 4, 2006. He occupied the CM office for 20 months till October 9, 2007, during his earlier stint.

“I am not the only one taking oath tomorrow. There will be others also,” said JD(S) state president and chief minister designate H D Kumaraswamy.

He was speaking to reporters on Tuesday, May 22 here.

He did not give details, but said few including some MLAs from Congress may take oath with him. He is scheduled to take oath as chief minister in front of Vidhana Soudha at 4.30 pm on Wednesday, May 22. More than four lacs of people are expected to witness the event.

Kumaraswamy said that he will finalise the names of MLAs taking oath after consulting Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Siddaramaiah.

Kumaraswamy had earlier said that he is the only person taking oath on Wednesday with others likely to take oath after the trust vote.

Kumaraswamy is visiting Dharmasthala and Sringeri today.

Kumaraswamy said, “his decision to head a JDS-Congress coalition was necessary to ‘correct’ the political situation in the country .”
Karnataka’s chief minister-elect HD Kumaraswamy, says that his decision to head a JDS-Congress coalition was necessary to “correct” the political situation in the country and not to fulfil a personal ambition. He said that BJP was still trying to lure MLAs from the coalition ahead of the vote of confidence that he had planned to take on May 24.

Wanted to become king through the mandate of the people, not like this. The first time, in 2006, I became CM due to political developments. Today also, my situation is the same. It is not because of the blessings of the people. Why didn’t the people of Karnataka understand what I feel? Why didn’t they have belief in me? I am feeling terrible about that. I am not a politician, I am an emotional being. I know what people’s troubles are, what their expectations are. If I have to bring in solutions… people have seen both the BJP and Congress; I thought people will give me a chance. But I (JDS) got lesser seats than last time.
This is not my personal option. Today, the country is in anticipation of a new change, a section of people are expecting a change.

Several opposition leaders also feel that the situation is such that the country and society are being divided. They want to join hands and correct it. I am responding to this feeling and sending a political message to the rest of the country. I was not desperate to become the chief minister. I have already been the CM, no one can take the ‘former chief minister’ tag away from me.

They (Congress) came forward voluntarily and offered unconditional support to a five-year term headed by me. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad called me and said they had taken a unanimous decision on this. I asked for time, but he said I had to decide immediately. I went to my father (former PM HD Deve Gowda) and said these are the two options, and I followed what he decided. In 2006, when I went with the BJP, doubts were raised across the country about Deve Gowda and that ‘father-son’ were doing drama to get the chief minister’s post. It is a black mark I have put on him and I had to make that go away. So, despite pressure on me from multiple sides, I have set out to give a message to the country. At least now, let that black dot be wiped out.

The BJP didn’t get to 104 seats on its own effort. There was a systematic attempt to tell the Muslim community that we (JDS) would go with BJP. It is not that it is Congress party, but some people did. A team of mullahs and retired Muslim officers went all over the state to say don’t vote for JDS. It is irrelevant now who encouraged them to do so. But whom this has impacted is there for all to see. It is because of the Muslim community’s decision that BJP has got 104 seats. It is also the Muslim community’s decision which has brought me to this situation. It has harmed you (the community), not me.

What is the message you are setting out to give the country with a coalition with such bitterness?
During the election (campaign) and otherwise we have mounted agitations, made statements against each other. But the country’s situation is such that a message of secular parties must be sent. There is an undeclared emergency in this country. The central government is misusing institutions and the kind of efforts they have made, nobody has done in 70 years. This has to be corrected. Four years ago, they promised a big change and won. There has been no change. Now they are asking for another five years and that 2024 will see change. We, all regional parties and Congress, have to join hands and fight this, in my opinion. And that is the message we are sending from Karnataka. Several major changes in national politics have come from our state, 100% this (the coalition government) is a turning point for the 2019 election.

He is a youngster. In today’s political environment, he should take the lead. My suggestion is that the decisions he takes should not give any kind of weapon to our opponents. He should work in such a way that people will support and praise him.

Definitely, there will be a role. They have set aside all differences and come forward to hold my hand. I am responding to that. I am asking our BJP friends to keep the welfare of the state in mind, and not party enmity, during the vote of confidence.
They (the BJP) are still trying to lure our MLAs and defeat me. The efforts they made to break us are there for all to see. But we will win.