QBengaluru: Decision on Cabinet Expansion on 5 Dec & More
Latest news updates from Karnataka
1. Coordination Committee Will Decide on Cabinet Expansion, Says Siddaramaiah
Amid speculation over the expansion of the State Cabinet before the legislature session starting in Belagavi on 10 December, chairman of the coordination committee of the Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress coalition government Siddaramaiah on Sunday said a decision on the issue would be taken on Wednesday when the committee meets.
“We are thinking of expanding the Cabinet before the legislature session. But a decision will be taken as to when it has to be done. Nobody has set a deadline [for expansion]. The deadline is a media creation,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here. “The decision has to be taken at the coordination committee and ultimately the Chief Minister will recommend [names] to the Governor,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah termed as media’s creation the reports claiming that a few disgruntled Congress leaders held a meeting at a private hotel in Bengaluru and decided to complain against him to the party central leadership.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. JD(S) Corporator Bhadregowda Likely to be Deputy Mayor
The Nagapura ward corporator, B Bhadregowda from the JD(S) is most likely to be the next Deputy Mayor of Bengaluru. Senior leaders from the JD(S) held a meeting with the former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to finalise the candidature for the deputy mayor’s post on Monday, after Gowda returned to Bengaluru from an international tour.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition in the BBMP council agreed upon a Congress corporator for the Mayor’s post and a JD(S) corporator for the Deputy Mayor’s.
Accordingly, Jayanagar ward corporator from the Congress, Gangambike Mallikarjun was elected Mayor on September 28. The post of Deputy Mayor is reserved for a general candidate this time.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
3. Fear of Coalition Fissures Returns as Disgruntled Congress Leader Inspects Karnataka Resort
The media in Karnataka went into a tizzy on Monday when Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi was spotted inspecting a resort in Belagavi district, raising suspicion that all was not well in the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government whose stability has been in question ever since it was formed six months ago.
Jarkiholi, whose brother, Ramesh Jarkiholi, is a minister in the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy-led government, has on earlier occasions raised suspicion of whisking away legislators to display his displeasure of being left out of the first cabinet list.
Jarkiholi dismissed questions about the resort saying that he had casually visited the place but there were no other intentions. Jarkiholi’s presence in a resort that came a day after local news channels repeatedly played up a telephone conversation allegedly between a close aide of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman, B Sriramulu and a Dubai-based man, discussing the defection of Congress legislators.
(Source: Livemint)
4. Murder Suspect Dies in Police Custody
A 55-year-old murder suspect died while being escorted to the scene of the crime for a spot inspection, in Ramamurthy Nagar on Monday morning.
The deceased, Krishna Murthy, was a lift operator. He was arrested on the charge of killing his 50-year-old wife Makaka Devi on 20 November.
According to the police, Makaka Devi was found in her home with her throat slit. Her gold chain was missing. Initially, Ramamurthy Nagar police registered a case of murder for gain. During the course of the investigation, the police found that the deceased had filed a complaint against her husband and his family over a domestic row.
(Source: The Hindu)
5. Karnataka to Reconsider Decision to Cancel Hampi Utsav
The Karnataka government is planning to re-consider its decision to cancel the Hampi Utsav amid growing demands for the annual three-day celebration.
Less than a week ago, water resource minister DK Shivkumar had announced that owing to the drought conditions in many districts, the government would not be celebrating the annual festival. However, the announcement led to mounting pressures from various fronts.
The Opposition BJP immediately gave it a communal spin by criticising the government for going ahead with Tipu Jayanti celebrations but cancelling Hampi festival. BJP MLA CT Ravi tweeted, “Tipu Jayanti was celebrated by ‘Unholy Alliance Government’ few days ago on a grand scale. At that time, Karnataka was a prosperous State. Suddenly same Government has decided not to celebrate prestigious Hampi Utsav citing drought in the State. Why this hatred against Hindus?”
(Source: News18)
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