1. With a Month to go, Parties in Limbo Over Candidates
With exactly a month to go for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, the three major political parties are still scouting for candidates across the state.
Issues associated with coalition politics between JD(S) and Congress, family politics in JD(S) and lack of winnable horses in the BJP stable are hurting the three major political parties. While most BJP candidates are secure in coastal, North and Central Karnataka, the party is facing an uphill task in fielding winnable aspirants in southern constituencies of Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, Hassan, Mysuru-Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru and Kolar.
Barring Mysuru-Kodagu, where the BJP has a sitting MP in Prathap Simha — he too is said to be on a sticky wicket within and outside the party — the saffron party is facing difficulties in finding the right Vokkaliga candidate to take on the formidable might of the JD(S)-Congress alliance.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. LS Polls: BJP Looks to Make Inroads Into Rivals’ Strongholds
Bolstered by the impact of the surgical strikes, the State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to use the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections to widen its political base in Karnataka by making inroads into the heartlands of its political opponents.
The saffron party is looking to use the Lok Sabha polls to gain a foothold in the strong territories of its rivals, the Congress and the Janata Dal (S).
There is a feeling in the BJP organisation that the party will not have been struck on 104 seats in the 224-member Assembly if it had tried to expand its base, particularly in the JD(S) heartland. The area is characterised by the dominant presence of the Vokkaliga community, among whom the BJP’s percolation is still very poor.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. BBMP to Crack Down on Food Delivery Firms
The BBMP, which recently conducted raids at malls where banned plastics were being used, is targeting online food delivery companies, like Zomato, Swiggy and Foodpanda for using banned plastics.
Surprise raids were conducted across various malls in the city and BBMP teams found banned plastics being used for various purposes. Officials seized more than one tonne of plastic and slapped a total fine of Rs 13.15 lakh.
While this was on, many citizens on Twitter asked BBMP Special Commissioner (Finance, Health and SWM) Mr Randeep to initiate actions against the food delivery companies.
“Please crack down on Swiggy, Zomato, Foodpanda, Fasoos etc, who are the biggest generators of plastic waste these days. I am unable to understand why they are operating freely with such kind of violations," Manan Singla had tweeted.
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
4. Congress Booklet Calls RSS Names, Targets BJP
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sympathises with Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse. RSS ideologue VD Savarkar was an atheist. RSS is irresponsible and has no place for women. Most RSS workers are unaware of its dark side.
It is with these statements printed in its campaign booklet that the Congress plans to attack the BJP’s ideological parent. The 108-page booklet has been prepared by the research department of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for use during the party's Lok Sabha poll campaign.
"The RSS’ biggest conspiracy unfolded right during the freedom struggle when it opposed the Congress’ Quit India movement,” the booklet states.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
5. NLSIU Dalit Student Kills Self
A 22-year-old Dalit student of National Law School of India University (NLSIU) killed himself by hanging himself from the ceiling of his hostel room near Jnanabharathi on Saturday evening, 16 March.
Kanishk Bharti was staying in room number 3 on the first floor of the hostel complex. Police suspect the Uttar Pradesh youth might have taken the extreme step on Thursday, 14 March, as his body was found in a decomposed state. He was an undergraduate student at the premier law school.
The incident came to light around 5 pm, when his parents called his friends in the hostel and requested them to look for Kanishk as he was not responding to their calls since Thursday. On rushing to Kanishk’s room, his hostel-mates found bad odour emanating from the place. They peeped through the window and found him hanging.
(Source: The Times of India)
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