1. Balancing Act: BSY, Rival Get Say in Cabinet of 17 Ministers
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who had been single-handedly running the government for the past 26 days amid devastating rain and floods in the state, heaved a sigh of relief as 17 ministers took oath on Tuesday. The respite is likely to be short-lived as the CM has to quell rebellion among those left out and keep ministers from his rival camp in check.
The final list of cabinet picks, released well past midnight on Monday, appeared to be a work of consensus, including loyalists of Yediyurappa and his bete noire BL Santosh, BJP’s national general secretary. The high command left 16 berths vacant to accommodate malcontents and some of the disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs, should the Supreme Court restore their status in the assembly. Several BJP legislators have expressed resentment and announced efforts to pressure the state and central leadership.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Karnataka Government Hands Over IMA Case to CBI
The Karnataka government on Monday handed over the I Monetary Advisory (IMA) multi-crore deposit scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The order was issued “considering the seriousness and the widespread ramifications of this illegal activity in the State.”
The Congress-JD(S) coalition, which lost the trust vote last month, had formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the pyramid scam in which over 40,000 people were duped largely in Bengaluru and across Karnataka
The BJP which was in the opposition had demanded the coalition government to hand over the case to the CBI. The state government’s order handing over the case to the CBI apprehends a nexus between persons/companies within and outside the state and patronage of several persons for the continuation of the fraud.
(Source: The Economic Times)
3. BBMP Engineers to be Fined Rs 1,000 Per Pothole
Intermittent rains have brought back the problem of potholes in southern and eastern Bengaluru.
Holding engineers responsible for the poor maintenance of roads, BBMP’s engineering chief M R Venkatesh on Tuesday warned that for every unscientifically filled pothole, the concerned assistant executive engineer (AEE) will be fined Rs 1,000.
“All wards shall be pothole-free. If any pothole is filled unscientifically, the jurisdictional AE and AEE will cough up a fine of Rs 1,000,” Venkatesh warned.
Directing the engineers concerned, mayor Gangambike said: “AEEs should list issues in the wards and alert concerned officials. If there are any lapses on the part of the engineers, I will recommend their suspension.”
(Source: Deccan Herald)
4. Nalin Kumar Kateel Replaces BS Yediyurappa As Karnataka BJP Chief
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP from Dakshina Kannada, as the new Karnataka state president of the party. He takes over from BS Yediyurappa who was sworn in as chief minister of Karnataka for the fourth time last month.
The party tweeted: "Congratulations to Shri @nalinkateel ji on being appointed as president of Karnataka BJP. The party will scale to new heights under his guidance & leadership."
Kateel was an unexpected choice with many believing the post would go to any of the senior leaders who were not picked for Tuesday's cabinet expansion.
Kateel would also be seen as a controversial choice because of some of the comments the 53-year-old MP, was has an RSS background, has made before.
(Source: NDTV)
5. Policewoman Among 2 Cops Attacked for Doing Their Job
A 24-year-old woman constable was abused and assaulted in full public view as she went to rescue a woman attempting self-immolation in Chikka Mavalli in Kalasipalya on Sunday.
Ramya and fellow cop Bhagyamma were on security duty at the flower show when she received a wireless message that a woman was trying to douse herself with petrol and threatening to set herself on fire.
The control room asked Ramya to proceed to the spot. Ramya and Bhagyamma rushed to the spot and found the woman, later identified as Nirupama, holding a can of petrol and a matchbox, creating ruckus in the street.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)