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Bengaluru: Belagavi district on the Northern tip of Kittur (earlier Bombay or Mumbai) Karnataka bordering Southern Maharashtra is unique in multiple ways. Till recently and only a few decades back it was notoriously known for murders and topped the whole state in such heinous crimes for several years. It is well-known for its cash-rich crops like Tobacco and Sugarcane. Thanks to the mighty rivers Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha, most of the region is facilitated with the luxury of irrigation. An amalgamation of a few cultures: Thanks to the geographical location and proximity to the neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra Belagavi has over some time evolved into an amalgamation of diverse cultures including local, Goan, Portuguese and Maharashtrian. The Maratha Light Infantry traces its lineage to the Bombay Sepoys, raised in 1768 and thereby recording it as the most senior light infantry regiment in the Indian Army. Hence people belonging to almost all states of the country r...

Bengaluru: The water level in all dams and reservoirs of Karnataka has dipped to an alarming low level like never before while Bengaluru the Silicon city and state capital hasn’t received rainfall for more than 150+ days; once touted as a naturally air-conditioned city, pensioners paradise and what not is literally struggling to cope up with the scorching heat to no avail. It used to evince rainfall whenever the mercury crossed 36 degrees centigrade but not anymore and these days, it is even touching 40-41.06 degrees as well! However, all these adverse natural conditions are no barometer when it comes to spending at the hustings as money is flowing like water in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Ministers set to spend crores: Probably, for the first-ever time in the electoral history of the state 11 incumbent cabinet ministers have been roped in through their sons, daughters, wives and relatives to pump in money bags for electoral gains to the Congress party. These minister...

Politics is the last resort for scoundrels- George Bernard Shaw. Bengaluru: Seven more days are left for the first round of polls to 14 constituencies of Karnataka, but a short trip in multiple constituencies of several districts doesn’t indicate that general elections are underway. Thanks to the code of conduct being rigidly adhered to, you don’t even come across wall writings, banners, billboards, cutouts, hitherto a big nuisance during polls. Heatwave feared to affect turnout: Hunaswadi Rajan, Group Editor of Lok Shikshan Trust publications including Samayukta Karnataka, the oldest Kannada daily newspaper feared-“There is a danger of the polling per cent dipping down if the same present heatwave continues until the polling day”. Personal prestige to the fore: Generally and especially in Karnataka, local issues, candidates, and anti-incumbency factors play a vital role at the time of state Assembly elections unlike during Parliamentary polls. Interestingly, it looks to be the other...

Bengaluru: All three major parties in Karnataka namely the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress(INC) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) have a series of issues to spit venom against one another. But, when it comes to sharing party and power positions only family members, and kin matter the most neglecting the loyal workers toiling day and night for the best interests of the party. In this aspect, there is total unanimity among all the three rival parties with no scope of indifferences with one another. Congress tops the list: The ruling Congress party is way ahead in accommodating family members for consideration in gifting party tickets to contest the ensuing Parliamentary elections. Six children of sitting ministers have been announced party tickets while another four including brother, sister, wife and brother-in-law are also in the fray. BS Yediyurappa, former chief minister and a BJP strongman continues to be targetted for promoting family interests in the party....

The ruling Indian National Congress (INC) party looks like having stumbled in implementing the poll promises and guarantees made at the time of the Karnataka Assembly elections 2023. Perhaps, in its hurry to come to power hook or crook the party managers never ever thought of the later consequences in the event of assuming the driver's seat. Not all promises can be fulfilled: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself admitted on the floor of the house that all promises are not meant to be implemented. He also claimed to assure what not before the polls but it doesn't mean that all the promises need to be fulfilled! By admitting that he proved all tall talk before any polls are only for public consumption and not for implementation. A look at the five guarantees: Let us have a glance at the five guarantees made by the ruling party before the polls: *200 Units of Free Power supply. *Rs 2,000/- every month to the woman head of the family. *10 kg of Free rice to all members of a BPL fam...

The normal life in Bengaluru, the headquarters of Karnataka and the adjoining Ramanagar district headquarters was paralyzed following a Bundh call from the Kannada protagonists and a host of farmers and other organizations. By and large, the protest against the state government over the release of 5,000 cusecs of water from the KRS Dam to Tamil Nadu was peaceful but for some untoward incidents. Crux of the problem: The Cauvery Delta region consisting of the Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagar, Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban districts among many a other becomes volatile whenever the issue of the Cauvery river water distribution issue aggravates. This time around, the direction of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days happens to be the crux of the problem. Karnataka attempts foiled: Interestingly the Government of Karnataka tried in vain to violate the CWMA’s directive over the issue of releasing the wat...

People originally from Dharwad and most of whom migrated decades ago elsewhere across the state, country and world in search of green pastures were in for a sudden shock since late evening on Monday. They all shared similar sentiments, fond moments and profound grief in the passing away of Paul Cardoza of the renowned Hotel PAUL’S at Vidyagiri. He was 69 years old and not at all an age for his generation to bid adieu. Walks to Death: Paul Cardoza was a little bit hefty for his height and age; otherwise there were no visible symptoms to hint of any ailments he had been challenged with. Even on the fateful day, he attended to the chores in the hotel until the afternoon before proceeding to neighbour Hubballi for a cardiac test. It is said that he literally walked to the health check-up facility to undergo the examination. No, he was not destinated for it as he suffered a massive stroke and never to recover! A jovial personality: In the passing away of Paul Cardoza Dharwad has lost o...

                                                                                             Image Source Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Indian National Congress (INC) party government in the state of Karnataka appears to have taken off with a series of bumps, to begin with. Many cabinet ministers, even before their portfolios were announced officially started making pronouncements unbecoming of any responsible authority. Some, in a hurry to hit the headlines, also stooped to make a mockery of themselves. K Venkatesh, Animal Husbandry Minister is the latest bright star in this regard. Why not cows slaughter? Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh hinted at the withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter law in his i...

With the declaration of the 10 May general election results today and the Indian National Congress (INC) sweeping the polls upsetting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s apple cart is another reiteration of the state people’s tendency of repeating the history by packing off the ruling party in the dispensation. Although, the wave for change was candid clear by the writing on the wall but not to such an extent taking the Congress itself a big surprise. Oft repeated tendency: Just a few days prior to the polls no one in the political arena ever wondered about such a mandate but the Congress leaders repeatedly made claims of forming the government on their own. The practice of the state voters disowning the party in power began way back in 1978 and it has continued until this day in every other election but for the midterm poll during 1985. Gateway to South lost: By losing Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost its only bastion in the whole of South India as all other remaining s...

“Politics make strange bedfellows’, is quite a common phrase to describe odd, unexpected alliances and agreements caused for a shared political interest. These days the literal meaning of such saying can be evinced in the state of Karnataka. Just three weeks remain for the 10 May 2023 general elections to the state Assembly while political scenario continues to remain murkier every passing day with no signs of the situation changing for better. Every day you hear about politicians with a variety of hues embracing some other color, which they had been fighting tooth and nail all along in their political innings. Well, that is the traumatic condition the state polls have stooped to!                                                                             ...

Bengaluru: The recent pronouncement of the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party government shifting the four per cent reservation status of Muslims to the Veerashiva-Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities in 2B category and transferring the Muslims to the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), has triggered a major controversy in the state. An announcement of Assembly polls is expected any time now and the crucial decision has paved for law and order problems as well. New issue for political tussle: Muslims being stripped from the facility they had been enjoying ever since 2004 under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs’) bracket and placing them on par with forward communities like Brahmins under EWS has added fuel to the ongoing political tussle between the ruling and opposition parties, while the latter is already on a combat mode against the ruling dispensation. CM defends shift in stance: Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Minister has been vociferously defending the change of sta...