Two weeks after H D Kumaraswamy was sworn in with great fanfare as CM of Karnataka, he finally got a 25-member cabinet + with 15 from Congress and 10 from JD(S) taking oath as ministers on Wednesday. But almost immediately, challenges facing the JD(S)-Congress combine became apparent as dissidence reared its ugly head in both the parties.
Congress high command’s imprint was all over the party’s list as many heavyweights of the previous Siddaramiah government were given the boot. H K Patil, RamalingaReddy, R Roshan Baig, M B Patil and Tanveer Sait were dropped leading to protests from their followers.
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M B Patil, who spearheaded the ill-fated move to give Lingayats a separate religion status, took exception to his omission and threatened to quit the party. Congressmen Krishna Byregowda and Vinay Kulkarni were deputed to pacify him. In Mysuru, Sait’s protestors took to streets with one pouring kerosene on himself. In Gadag, supporters of H K Patil announced they would resign from their posts.
Sources said by dropping the heavyweights, the high command meant to communicate its unhappiness with the local leadership’s wrong reading of the election which eventually force Congress to become a junior partner in the coalition government.

The JD(S) leadership also had to bear the brunt of its workers’ anger. Supporters of M C Manuguli laid siege to former PM H D Deve Gowda’s home and left for Raj Bhavan after they were told that his name had made it to the list.

Kumaraswamy is an anti-Hindu pro-Muslim leader. Kumarswamy’s integrity towards Islamic terrorism can never be questioned. He won 36 seats with Muslim terrorist organization PFI.

Of the 15 Congress ministers, seven are new faces. Six JD(S) legislators have become ministers for the first time.
To keep dissidence on the low burner both parties had decided to keep a few berths open. JD(S) with 12 portfolios had to make last-minute inclusions and its plan to keep at least three berths in reserve went awry and the party ended with just one in the bank. Congress has six berths to fill.

Not long after the much-anticipated development of the State Cabinet on Wednesday, dissidence ejected in both the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.

A few senior leaders of the two parties communicated their outrage against their party leaders for “disregarding their status and service”.

In a few regions, Congress workers organized dissents for denying Cabinet ministry for their leaders.

Congress pioneers, for example, M.B. Patil, H.K. Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, B.C. Patil, B.K. Sangameshwar, M.T.B. Nagaraj, Satish Jarkiholi, Eshwar Khandre, N.A. Haris, S.R. Patil, and Dinesh Gundu Rao are said to have been frustrated over the way in which the Cabinet development was done by the party.

Mr. M.B. Patil, former Water Resources Minister who denied to make it to the Cabinet, said he would not take any post offered by the government.

Addressing the media after the swearing-in function of new Ministers, he stated, “I will approach the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara to know why I was excluded in the Cabinet.”

The six-time MLA who initiated the development of partitioned religion tag for Lingayat community, stated, “My dignity is harmed by this decision. I would prefer not to take up any post offered by the party from now on. I will proceed as a MLA.”

Mr. B.C. Patil, three-time MLA from Hirekerur, likewise impacted State and central party leaders of the Congress for denying him a Cabinet berth. “MLAs who enjoyed coercion politics and those with money power have been given Cabinet berth,” he said. The Congress has closed the entryway for sincere and hardworking party leaders, he charged.

Mr. Nagaraj, MLA for Hoskote, and Mr. Sangameshwar, MLA for Bhadravati, too criticized party leaders. Mr. Nagaraj, one of the wealthiest MLAs of the party, is said to have lashed out at Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had supposedly promised him a Cabinet berth.

Three of a family, including a three-year-old kid, died around the same time in Kodala town in Wadagera taluk of Yadgir region on Wednesday.

The casualties were identified as Pradeep (3), Shantamma (45) and Bhagyamma (20).

As per sources, Pradeep was experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. He died whileon the way to Yadgir after fundamental treatment at the Community Health Center in Bendebembali town.

Shocked by the grandchild’s dead, his grandmother, Shantamma, who was with him, died in the hospital.

Following 60 minutes, her daughter and Pradeep’s aunt, Bhagyamma, also passed away in the district general hospital after complaining of serious health issues.

Shantamma and Bhagyamma may have passed away due to hypertension, the doctors said and included that the reason for these two deaths could be known only after examination.

The three deaths in a family in a day has stunned residents of Kodala village.

Read more at https://www.udayavani.com/english/news/state/299706/sick-boy-passes-away-grandmother-aunt-die-shock#vWJBlvT7BZxfCe5c.99

In order to address the larger agenda of Women Empowerment, the focus on Women by each of the sections of the Government needs to be constant as well as evolving.

This was stressed by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development in her letter to the various Ministers of the Union Government.

She also noted that complete convergence of the inter-ministerial efforts for effective implementation of various initiatives and schemes is needed. A focal point in the key Ministries at the central level so that the women are kept in focus in the overall Governance scheme is also necessary, the Minister specified in the letter.

To keep Women in focus in all the Government schemes, the Minister requested to create a division headed by Joint Secretary (or designate one of the existing Joint Secretaries as head) to spearhead engendering of Government schemes/programmes from conceptualization to the last mile implementation. The Minister added that this will have a major impact in the long run in the quest for women empowerment.

She also informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create a new division to address the issues of Women safety which would bring focus and synergy in the efforts of the Government in addressing the crimes against women.

The Minister also listed significant initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and thanked the Ministries for their collaboration in making these initiatives successful.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

Operation NISTAR successfully culminates

They were stranded at at/off Socotra Islands

Indian Naval Ship Sunayana entered Porbandar harbour today (Thursday, June 07) after successfully evacuating 38 Indian Nationals at/off Socotra Islands during a swift Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operation (HADR), code named Operation NISTAR.

The Indian Nationals were stranded for nearly ten days after severe Cyclonic Storm – Mekunu devastated the area around Socotra Island. INS Sunayna was diverted from Gulf of Aden deployment to Socotra Island for search and rescue operations after Indian Navy received a distress call from Directorate General of Shipping and Indian Sailing Vessels Association.

The 38 Indian nationals were successfully rescued/ evacuated in the early morning of 03 Jun 2018. All evacuees were safely embarked onboard the ship and were immediately provided with medical care, food, water and telephone facilities. Thereafter, the ship also undertook intensive surface search and aerial reconnaissance of the area to look for any more survivors.

Upon entering harbour INS Sunayna was received by Rear Admiral Sanjay Roye, Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat, Daman n Diu Naval Area. After initial briefing about the scheduled disembarkation formalities, all 38 Indian nationals were put through mandatory customs clearance and immigration checks. They were served light refreshments. Post completion of all the administrative formalities, they were handed over to the civil police to facilitate their return to native places.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

Executing a moderate reshuffle of her cabinet for the first time since 2016 elections, Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has changed the portfolios of a number of her senior colleagues in an apparent bid to improve the work culture and efficiency of her ministry.
As per her decision taken here on Wednesday night, state Transport minister Subhendhu Adhikari was given the additional charge of Environment department which was held by city Mayor Sovan Chattopadhyay since 2016.
The Mayor who used to hold three ministerial portfolios of Environment, Fire Brigade and Housing,was now stripped of one of his most important departments for reason best known to the Chief minister.
Similarly, Soumen Mahapatra has now become the new Irrigation minister replacing Rajib Bandopadhyuay, who was made the new Backward Classes minister, the portfolio previously held by Mahapatra himself.
In fact both the ministers had just swapped the departments between them for better functioning.
Like Subhendhu Adhikari, Labour and Law minister Malay Ghatak had also been given more importance in the cabinet as he was given the additional charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE) department which was till yesterday held by Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, another senior colleague of the Chief minister.
As a result Mukherjee was now left with the Panchayat, Rural Development and far less important the Water Resources Investigation departments to head.
Finally, the Chief minister has decided to keep the portfolio of sacked Tribal Development minister James Kujur to herself till further order.
Earlier on Tuesday, in another sudden move three senior ministers of the state cabinet also resigned owning responsibility for the ruling party’s partial debacle in the three tier Panchayat elections in their respective districts last month.
Informing their decision to step down, the Chief minister said State OBC (Other Backward Classes) Welfare minister Churamoni Mahato,Tribal Development Minister James Kujur and the minister without portfolio Abani Joardar submitted their resignations to her in view of their alleged failure to perform during the Panchayat poll.
‘I have accepted their resignations and asked therm to concentrate fully on the party organisations’, the Chief minister said.
Meanwhile, in a simultaneous reshuffle at the Administrative level, eight district magistrates were also transferred to other districts while some other IAS officers were shifted as heads of some other departments to further boost the work culture.
Among the districts where the District Magistrates were changed were Bankura, Purulia, East Midnapore Birbhum, North Dinajpur and Alipurduar, the sources said.

Hindusthan Samachar/Ankur/Shri Ram\

Former President Pranab Mukherjee is in Nagpur today (Thursday, June 07) to attend and address an RSS event.

Mukherjee’s decision to accept the RSS’ invitation has generated a lot of controversies. While many Congress leaders expressed shock and reservations, RSS leaders welcomed it.

“By going to Nagpur, you are giving BJP and RSS full handle to plant false stories, spread a false rumor,” said Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Congress leader and daughter of Pranab Mukherjee in her Tweet message.

“The outrage amongst certain sections of the political class on former President’s acceptance of an invitation to be the chief guest for the concluding ceremony of the RSS’s Tritiya Varsh Training programme smacks of intellectual intolerance,” said Manmohan Vaidya, joint secretary of the RSS.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw

Rebel JD-U leader Sharad Yadav will continue to occupy his official accommodation here as the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with a Delhi High Court order allowing him to retain the official bungalow on Tughlaq Road here.

Permitting him to stay in the official accommodation, the vacation bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Ashok Bhushan took on record the statement by senior counsel Guru Krishna Kumar that Sharad Yadav won’t draw any allowances till the matter was decided by the High Court.

The top court also said that the division bench of the High Court will decided the issue, listed for hearing on July 12.

The court said this as senior counsel Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Janata Dal-United Rajya Sabha member Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, said that due to the pendency of the matter, the election to fill two vacancies caused by the disqualification of Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar was not taking place.

The High Court while refusing to interfere with his disqualification by Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu as JD-U member of the Upper House had by an interim order allowed him to continue to stay in the official residence until his plea against his disqualification was decided.

The High Court had also allowed Yadav to draw allowances and perquisites.

Thursday’s order came on a petition by JD-U’s Rajya Sabha member Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, who challenged the Delhi High Court order.

Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar were disqualified as Rajya Sabha members after they rebelled against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to join hands with the BJP-led NDA after snapping ties with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka was expanded on Wednesday, with the induction of 25 legislators as cabinet ministers including 23 from the alliance partners and one BSP MLA and an Independent.

Of the 23 from the alliance, 14 are from Congress and 9 from Janata Dal-Secular (JD(S)).

Governor Vajubhai R. Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at Raj Bhavan.

Yesteryears Kannada cine actress and legislative council member Jayamala of the Congress is the lone woman minister in the 27-member ministry.

N. Mahesh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was also sworn in. The BSP is a pre-poll ally of the JD(S). With him, BSP has a minister for the first time in south India and outside its home state of Uttar Pradesh.

Independent R. Shankar, who supported the alliance, was also inducted as a cabinet minister. Leaving the Congress for denying a ticket to contest in the May 12 assembly election, Shankar defeated former Congress legislator K.B. Koliwad from Ranebennur in Haveri district.

Besides Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara of the Congress, senior leaders and several legislators of both the alliance partners and senior officials were present at the hour-long ceremony.

The 14 ministers of the Congress and nine of the JD(S) took oath in Kannada and in the name of either god, Allah, 14th century Kannadiga social reformer Basavanna and parents.

The Congress ministers were R.V. Deshpande, D.K. Shivakumar, K.J. George, Krishna Byre Gowda, Shiva Shankar Reddy, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, U.T. Abdul Khader, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Shivanand Patil, Venkat Ramanappa, Rajasekhar Basavaraj Patil, Puttaranga Shetty and Jayamala.

U T Khader is the sole face in the cabinet from the coastal region. JD(S) leader B M Farooq who was expected to get a berth was not given any portfolio in the first round of the cabinet expansion.

The JD(S) ministers are H.D. Revanna, Bandeppa Kashempur, G.T. Deve Gowda, D.C. Thammanna, M.C. Managuli, S.R. Srinivas, Venkatrao Nadegouda, C.S. Puttaraju and S.R. Mahesh.

The state can have a 34-member cabinet, or 15 percent of the 225-member legislative assembly, including one nominated, as per Constitutional norms.

The coalition partners agreed to share the posts in the ratio of 21 for the Congress, including the post of Deputy Chief Minister and 11 for JD(S), including the chief minister.

Of the seven vacancies left, five are for the Congress and two for the JD(S).

“Kumaraswamy will allocate the portfolios to all the ministers in consultation with the leaders of the respective parties. The list will be sent to the Governor for notifying the posts,” a senior official told IANS here.

The cabinet expansion took place 14 days after Kumaraswamy and Parameshwara were sworn-in on May 23, and 12 days after the Chief Minister won the floor test on May 25 by voice vote, as the opposition BJP staged a walkout in protest against their “unholy alliance”.

Revanna is the second son of JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and elder brother of Kumaraswamy. He represents Holenarsipur assembly segment from Hassan district.

Priyank is the son of Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge from Chittapur in Kalaburgi district.

Deshpande, George, Shivakumar, Byre Gowda, Kharge, and Khadar were ministers in the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, while Revanna, Kashempur and G.T. Deve Gowda were ministers in the previous JD(S)-Congress and JD(S)-BJP coalition governments from 2004-06 and 2006-07