The infighting between BS Yeddyurappa,state BJP President and leader of the opposition in the state Assembly with KS Eshwarappa,newly elected Shivamogga city MLA and former leader of the opposition in the legislative council doesn’t looks like going to end in the interest of both and the party.
Thanks to the biennial elections to the state legislative council from the state Assembly early next month the selection of party candidates for the same has given rise to a new row now between the warring leaders.
BJ Puttaswamy,DS Veeraiah,Ranganath Malkapure and MB Bhanuprakash,four BJP members are retiring from the upper house while based on the strength in the Assembly BJP can elect five nominees easily.
According to party insiders N Ravikumar from RSS and ABVP quota,Ashwathnarayangowda,party spokesperson and Tejasvini Gowda from Vokkaliga category,Rudregowda,Shivamogga BJP president and Vijay Sankeshwar,former MP and media baron from Lingayat section,MB Bhanuprakash,sitting MLC and Go Madhusudan,party spokesperson from Brahmin community are said to be strong contenders for the five seats.
It may be recalled here that the rift between BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarappa began with the party choice for the Shivamogga Assembly ticket.If KS Eshwarappa was hell bent upon bagging the party nomination for the same BS Yeddyurappa had taken it as a personal challenge to ensure it to Rudregouda.
Rudregouda was narrowly defeated as KJP candidate in Shvamogga constituency during 2013 polls while KS Eshwarappa as a BJP candidate was reduced to 4th position.
So hook or crook both BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarappa had made it a personal prestige.This issue stretched its ugly tentacles to such an extent that KS Eshwarappa went to the extent of forming Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Brigade under the guise of protecting the rights of all backward classes.
He also used the banner as a trump card to beat his own drums as the only savior of downtrodden populace.The platform also soon turned out to be platform for public diatribe against the state party president who was also declared as the party’s chief ministerial candidate by then.
BS Yeddyurappa’s public utterances were no better.He also made use of every available occasion to hit back at his own party’s junior colleague.Even one year before the polls BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarappa started their vocal battle of bashing at each other.
This mutual public bashing didn’t stop in spite of repeated warnings to both from the party higher ups’.KS Eshwarappa also organized a public meeting at Palace grounds as an open violation of the party dictates.He went in open to initiate action against him if at all he had done a crime by remaining loyal to the party ever since he had been a member of it.
The logic was simple:BS Yeddyurappa has ditched the party but has been re accommodated and made the party president and chief ministerial candidate while he has been left in the lurch.
In a way KS Eshwarappa’s frequent outbursts against his own party president and vice versa became a laughing stock in open.Many onlookers wondered whether KS Eshwarappa was leader of the opposition in the legislative council to fight the Siddaramaiah government or a opposition leader to take the party president head on!
Amith Shah,BJP national president had to mediate to put an end to this never ending feud.At last KS Eshwarappa bid adieu to the Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna Brigade reluctantly.
But that didn’t mean everything went very well later.KS Eshwarappa ensured that the Shivamogga ticket is guaranteed to him while BS Yeddyurappa simultaneously took enough care to see that Rudregouda,his protege was assured of the seat to the upper house.
But now the piquant situation is such if Rudregouda has to be accommodated then MB Bhanuprakash from the same Shivamogga district has to be deprived the opportunity for re election which has become an issue of heart burn for KS Eshwarappa.
MB Bhanuprakash had stood all along with KS Eshwarappa during his struggle with BS Yeddyurapa.So it would be unjustified for him to sacrifice his pal’s political interests.
Nor is BS Yeddyurappa prepared to yield.His argument is:DH Srikantamurthy,Chairman of legislative council is from Shivamogga district while KS Eshwarappa himself has served as leader of the opposition in the legislative council.Now he himself is the leader of opposition and state party president.So entertaining two members from the same district may not look a wise move in the present circumstances when there is a big queue of aspirants.
But KS Eshwarappa doesn’t seem to be inclined to listen.He is reported to stay away from the meeting in the state office this evening to take a call on the party nominees.
Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

The delay in cabinet expansion of the Congress-JD(S) alliance government in Karnataka is on account of unresolved issues on power sharing arrangement, including appointment of two deputy chief ministers from the Congress quota.

Congress is insisting on its earlier demand for two deputies to CM HD Kumararaswamy, both from the Congress.

Only G Parmeshwar was sworn in as deputy CM last week along with Kumaraswamy as the two partners clarified the expansion would follow after the floor test in the Assembly.

With BJP walking out, the Kumaraswamy government easily won the vote of confidence on the floor of the House. But it has been one week since and a couple of visits to Delhi since taking oath, Kumaraswamy has not been able to get Congress on board on getting his full cabinet sworn.

Kumaraswamy has already said that he was at the ‘mercy’ of the Congress, not the 6.5 crore people of the state indicating difference over portfolio allocation.

Sources also say the Congress is also insisting on allocation of some plum portfolios, especially after having ‘sacrificed’ the CM’s post despite being the senior partner in the alliance.

The party has been asking for at least 22 ministerial berth, including ministries of Finance, PWD and Energy.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has already briefed senior Congress leaders on the contours of agreement to be thrashed out before the swearing in of the full cabinet.

Rahul had left for the US on Sunday accompanying his mother who has to undergo a medical check-up there.

Among those present during the deliberations on Monday were Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot and K C Venugopal, who is the AICC general secretary in charge of the state. Kumaraswamy was joined by JD(S) leader Danish Ali during the discussions with the Congress leadership.

Later, senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, state Congress leader Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and DK Shiva Kumar joined their senior leadership in the “negotiations”.

After the meeting, Kumaraswamy exuded confidence that an amicable power sharing arrangement will be worked out.

“We discussed the portfolios. The discussions remained inconclusive, but ended on a positive note. Very soon we will sort out the issues,”

PTI

The saffron party’s attack on the JD(S) leader came after the latter’s comments in Bengaluru on Sunday that he was at the mercy of the Congress and not the people of Karnataka as his government had not received the full mandate, which his party had sought in the recently held Assembly election in the state.

The BJP attack on JDs Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday, saying he was the “chief manager (CM)” of the Congress’s ATM in the state and that he was lying prostrate at the feet of the Gandhi family.

“Nothing can be sadder than this. This is absolutely demeaning to the democratic fabric of the country and akin to an abuse of India’s democracy,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters here.

He described the current situation as a fallout of the Congress-JD(S) alliance’s mockery of the popular mandate in the southern state for petty political interests.

The BJP had emerged as the single-largest party in the Karnataka Assembly election by bagging 104 of the 222 seats that went to the polls, but fell short of a majority, allowing the Congress and the JD(S) to join hands and form the government in the state.

Patra alleged that for the Congress, Karnataka was its ATM and it had found a chief manager in Kumaraswamy, while the government in the southern state would be run from Janpath — a reference to the residential address of former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

“The Congress has found a new manager for its ATM in Karnataka. We can say this after his (Kumaraswamy’s) statement. People are asking who is their chief minister,” the BJP spokesperson said.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words, he said for the BJP, the country was family, while for the Congress, the “first family” of the party was the country.

“Kumaraswamy is lying prostrate at the feet of a family,” Patra said.

He added that former prime minister Manmohan Singh used to blame the compulsions of coalition politics in the face of allegations of corruption in his government and said there was a feeling of deja vu in Karnataka.

Patra also claimed that various opposition parties were not accepting Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the leader of an anti-BJP coalition.

To a question, the BJP leader claimed that the saffron party would form the next government in Odisha, where Assembly polls will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election in 2019.

Nearly 45 per cent polling was reported on Monday in the bye-election to the Shahkot assembly seat in Punjab, a poll official said.

With the prevailing heat wave in Punjab, voters started queuing up early in the day to caste their votes. Voting began at 7 a.m.

Long queues of voters, including women, were seen at some polling stations, especially in rural areas in the constituency located in Jalandhar district.

Chief Electoral Officer S. Karuna Raju said earlier that 1,72,676 voters will decide the fate of 12 candidates in this constituency.

The main contest is between the ruling Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making it a three-cornered one.

Over 1,000 security personnel, including Punjab Police and Border Security Force (BSF), have been stationed in the constituency for a smooth process.

The seat fell vacant following the death of sitting Akali Dal legislator Ajit Singh Kohar in February. Kohar, a former minister, was elected five times from this seat.

His son Naib Singh Kohar has been fielded by the Akali Dal.

The Congress candidate is Hardev Singh Ladi, who had lost to Kohar by nearly 5,000 votes in the assembly elections in February 2017.

The AAP has fielded Rattan Singh as its candidate.

Counting of votes will take place on May 31 (Thursday).

The BJP on Monday termed as “absolutely demeaning” the remarks of Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that he was at mercy of Congress and not of the state’s 6.5 crore people, saying he has become “chief manager of the Congress’ ATM machine” in the state.

Talking to media persons here, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Kumaraswamy’s remarks were akin to abusing democracy.

“This is absolutely demeaning to the democratic fabric of the country. This is the fallout when you play with the mandate of the people for your petty political reasons. The kind of statement that Kumaraswamy has made is completely against from the essential tenets of the democracy,” he said.

He said BJP chief Amit Shah had already expressed apprehension that the way “people’s mandate has been ignored” in Karnataka, the state government will be run from 10 Janpath – the address of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Noting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally at Baghpat on Sunday, had called for government should be run through “janmat (people’s mandate)” and “not from Janpath”, he said that this message should reach Kumaraswamy and the Congress.

“Today, Congress is celebrating, JD-S is celebrating but the people of Karnataka are not celebrating, they are sad,” he claimed.

Patra said Modi and Shah had raised questions over Congress intentions in Karnataka, alleging
that the Congress looks at Karnataka “as their ATM machine”.

“After the statement of Kumaraswamy, we can say that the Congress has found a new manager for its ATM machine in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy has become the CM i.e. the Chief Manager of the Congress’ ATM machine. The question is who is the Chief Minister of Karnataka?”

He also referred to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks about “coalition compulsions”, saying that Kumaraswamy’s remarks had reminded of those words.

Kumaraswamy, who was in Delhi on Monday, sought to clarify his remarks, saying ally Congress had numbers that made its voice stronger in the coalition government.

“What mercy? They supported my party. According to their direction, I have to work. That is my responsibility,” he told reporters here.

Back to index2018-05-28 A | A- | A+
Have to work as per Congress direction: Karnataka CM
(15:48)
New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) A day after sparking a storm over his remarks that he was at the mercy of the Congress, JD-S leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday said his ruling ally had numbers that made its voice stronger in the coalition government.

“What mercy? They supported my party. According to their direction, I have to work. That is my responsibility,” the Chief Minister told reporters here.

He was replying to a question related to his Sunday remarks that said he was at the “mercy” of the Congress and not the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka because his government had not received the full mandate which his party had sought in the May 12 elections.

Kumaraswamy is in Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other union ministers to seek financial assistance for farm loan waiver — a “priority” for his government.

Before leaving Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi to meet Modi, a visibly angry Chief Minister told the media that he was of course “at the mercy of the Congress because of their strength. I have become the Chief Minister because of them.

“I have also the responsibility to protect the interest of the Karnataka state.”

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said India was ready for talks with Pakistan if it stopped aiding terrorism.

“We are always ready for talks with Pakistan. We have never said we are not ready for talks. But there is a caveat. Terror and talks don’t go together,” she said at a press conference.

“This is our position and there is no change in our position. We are ready for talks even before the (2019) elections. Election has nothing to do with this. We are ready for talks even before elections only if Pakistan leaves terrorism and is willing to come to the table for talks.”

She said a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan was not possible when attacks were being carried out and people killed.

Replying to a question about engagement with Pakistan at other levels, Sushma Swaraj said the Coast Guard and the Border Security Force continue talking to their Pakistan counterparts.

On Pakistan’s controversial Gilgit-Baltistan order that alters the status of the northern region of the parts of Jammu and Kashmir under Islamabad control, the minister said India had lodged its protests over the order and “the answer we got… is laughable”.

“As for Gilgit-Baltistan being named by Pakistan as its fifth state, the same day we expressed our opposition, and the reply came more as a lesson on history and geography. I felt while reading their answer was, ‘look who’s talking’,. They need not give us gyan on it.”

As for Saarc minus Pakistan, she said the South Asian bloc would not remain a grouping if a country went out.

one of the cars of a giant wheel came loose and crashed into the ground during the ride, killing a 10-year-old girl and severely injuring the six others who were in the car on a tragic incident on Sunday night, in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh
A shocking video of the incident has surfaced in which it can be seen how the trolley car of the giant wheel came crashing down due to a loose nut bolt.

A nut bolt came out and to the horror of the on-lookers, the trolley car came tumbling down from a good height with children in it.

The ride set-up was done in a local fair organized named ‘Robo Animals Exhibition’, at a junior college ground in Anantpur. The ground was jam-packed with people owing to the weekend and holiday season.

As per local media reports, the witnesses said that when they alerted the wheel operator about the loose bolt but he could not act instantly because he was in an inebriated state.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi on Monday May 28 said that the differences among the Congress and the JD (S) over sharing of portfolios has been resolved.

Kumaraswamy who is in New Delhi for the first time after becoming the chief minister met Congress leader Azad at an undisclosed venue and discussed the issue of sharing of portfolios.

Speaking to media persons, Kumaraswamy said that the portfolio sharing would be finalized by Tuesday morning. “Discussion over which party would get the finance portfolio was also held. By tonight or tomorrow morning (Tuesday), portfolio sharing issue will be finalized. We have already discussed all issues. The Congress leaders will discuss with their president Rahul Gandhi and communicate their decision. All differences will be resolved. No confusion, No problem in portfolio allocation. Both the Congress and the JD (S) will work together in the allocation of portfolios,” he said.

“Our government will complete five years without any problems. Both the parties will work in tandem in the formation of the coordination committee as well as preparing the common minimum programme. Both the Congress and the JD (S) leaders will work for giving a stable government,” he said.

Clarifying his earlier statement that he is obliged to the Congress, the chief minister said, “Since our party failed to get a full majority I said I am in the obligation of the Congress for implementing welfare programmes. I made this statement in the context of waiving farmers’ loans and other welfare programmes. No need to give political colour to this statement.”