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T he forthcoming bye-elections to 15 Assembly constituencies in the state on 05 December are not just like any other bye-elections in nature but a forced one upon the people of the state to ensure that the saffron party romps back to power enabling B S Yediyurappa to become a Chief Minister for the fourth time.The two objectives of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) assuming power and the party's mass leader occupying the hot seat are being accomplished. But these crucial bye-elections have now turned out to be an acid test of political fate for multiple leaders including the incumbent chief minister and three other former chief ministers and an Ex Prime Minister as well. B S Yediyurappa soon after taking the oath of office and secrecy as CM for the fourth time heaved a sigh of relief for making his dream come true. However, the path later on continues to be a stumbling block for him at each and every step so far. He himself admitted during the 100 days in office celebration: Eve...

A ll the 17 Indian National Congress(INC) and Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) Members of state Assembly but for R Roshan Baig(former Shivajinagar Congress MLA) have formally joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on 14 November and have also been gifted with the saffron party tickets to contest the ensuing 05 December bye-polls. But now the moot point haunting the ruling party top brass is: Forget most of them, whether at least a handful of them will be able to emerge victorious? There are multiple reasons and doubts for such a feeling to pervade among all those who matter in the corridors of power under the present dispensation. Probably it’s a strange situation the ruling party has come across wherein it needs to register victory at least in eight out of the 15 constituencies to retain a simple majority. The interesting noteworthy feature and paradoxical turn of circumstances this time around is that the ruling BJP must first win over its own party cadres and leaders much before it ...

A ll the disqualified 14 Indian National Congress(INC) and three Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) Members of Karnataka Assembly today heaved a sigh of relief following the apex court's orders of permitting them to contest the 05 December bye-elections. The Supreme Court's verdict upholding the former state Assembly Speaker's ruling of disqualifying them from the membership of the state Assembly has come as a blessing in disguise to all the 17 legislators. Although the highest court of the country has minced no words in ratifying the decision of Speaker KR Rameshkumar, at the same time it has been gracious enough in allowing the disqualified legislators to recontest the bye-elections.By nullifying the ruling of the Speaker barring these 17 legislators to contest elections till the end of the tenure of the present Assembly, the apex court has given a rebirth to the political innings of these former MLAs'. Now that the desks have been cleared for their contest it's on...

T he political fate of the 17 disqualified state Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs’) is set to be known tomorrow as the apex court is scheduled to pronounce its judgement over the subject. The proposed ruling of the Supreme Court is crucial not to the Indian National Congress (INC) and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislators alone but even to the BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. It may be recalled here that KR Rameshkumar, then Speaker of the state Assembly had disqualified, in all 14 Congress and three Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) MLAs’ on 29 July last, just one day before the crucial trial of strength of BS Yediyurappa led BJP government.By such an action of the former Speaker, the total strength of the state Assembly was reduced from 225(224 elected and one nominated member) to 207. Interestingly this is not the first time that the state is coming across such an instance. The same BS Yediyurappa led BJP government underwent a simi...

The BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) government in the state has managed to complete 100 days in office despite several hurdles all along the way.Looking back at those 100 days will not pave way for a pleasant memory either to partymen nor the onlookers. In fact, from day one itself, the saffron party's mass leader is embroiled into several instances of uneasiness, embarrassment and humiliation! For being the legislative party leader by the virtue of also being the opposition leader there was no necessity for the then party in the opposition benches to reelect him again as the floor leader to be sworn in as the new chief minister. As expected BS Yediyurappa took the oath of office and secrecy as the new chief minister after the HD Kumaraswamy led Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S)-Indian National Congress(INC) alliance government failed to prove its majority in the state Assembly Such a change over was made possible, thanks to the resignation of 14 Congress and three ...

Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar popularly referred as DKShi is back in town after spending 50 days in police lock up and Tihar jail in New Delhi. Thanks to his release following a bail from the Delhi high court, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) for public consumption is in upbeat mood while his detractors within the party continue to remain sore over the development. DK Shivakumar, Man Friday of the All India Congress Committee(AICC), former Power Minister in the short lived HD Kumaraswamy led Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) Indian National Congress(INC) supported alliance government is on the cross roads of his political career now due to the drilling by Enforcement Directorate(ED) officials over money laundering cases. During deliberations in the state Assembly over the crucial trial of strength of BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) government a couple of months back, he himself had expressed apprehension about his imminent arrest sooner or later. He had ...

I t's exactly 56 days since the BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) government came into existence but the plight of tens of thousands of floodwater victims in the Northern districts continues to worsen with no indications of the situation changing for better. The devastation due to incessant heavy rains is not limited to the Northern Karnataka alone. Many districts of the old Mysuru, Coastal and Malnad region have also experienced the fury of rain God in the worst possible manner. But succour to the people in distress continues to elude like a distant mirage. Interestingly and unfortunately this happens to be a sad state of affairs in spite of the same party government, both at the state level as well as in the centre.The state Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) had all along been propagating for the same party governments at the state and centre. Such drum beating was no less during the previous general elections to the state Assembly during May 2018 polls. In spite of...

image:holidify T he name of the historic city Mysuru by itself takes one down to memory lane bringing in fond and rejoicing memories to the fore. The worldwide famous Mysuru Dasara perhaps tops all of them. Dasara is back again and the countdown for the same has already set in. Mysuru Dasara, as most of you, are well aware of is the 10 days' state festival of Karnataka state. The festivities in this connection commence with the beginning of Navratri(Nine days) culminating on the 10th day Vijayadashami. Dasara is also the commemoration of triumph of good over the evil forces. According to local legends, it was the day on which Goddess Chamundeshwari(Durga) killed the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura. The name to the historic and cultural city Mysuru is also said to be derived from the demon's name Mahishasura.The credit for observing the religious festival into a state ritual goes to the credit of Wadiyars of the royal Mysuru dynasty which was founded by Yaduraya during 1...

T he Forest Department, Government of Karnataka has all due reasons to cheer, thanks to a compiled report of the fourth cycle of All India Tiger Estimation titled "Status of Tigers Co-predators & Prey in India", the number of Tigers is increasing in recent times. image: bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com The numerical strength as per the summary report of "Status of Tigers in India-2018", the five Tiger sanctuaries in the state boast of 524 tigers which is not only the highest numbers recorded so far but just short of two to Madhya Pradesh in being numero one to the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while appreciating the efforts that have undergone in preparing the status report has put on record the best tools deployed for this exercise: Tiger status assessment has utilised the latest technology and the best tools for the process. According to the summary of the status report: India's national tiger assessment is the largest biodiversity surve...

U nion Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state Assembly is again in news for not so good reasons to the Kannadigas.Recently she had attracted severe criticism from the Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) and Indian National Congress(INC) leaders including former chief ministers and leaders of pro-Kannada organizations for failing to keep up her promise of conducting Banking examinations in Kannada along with Hindi and English. She had assured several delegations of elected representatives from the state that henceforth banking examinations for recruitment of clerks in nationalized banks would be held in Kannada as well.But for failing to adhere to her self imposed norm she was under attack following which she again had to clarify that henceforth the banking examinations will be held in Kannada as well.                                   This time she is once again at ...

I s   the state   Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) regional party facing a threat of immediate disintegration to start with and ending up into extinction later?     Well, this has been a pertinent question doing rounds in the state political circles since quite a few days and as of now although the thought may appear to be a figment of imagination, the developments in the party do not dispute such a possibility sooner or later! GT Devegowda, Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) leader who trounced Siddaramaiah at Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysuru district during the May 2018 general elections looks to be moving far away from the party fold if his outbursts against the rank and file of the party are to be taken for consideration. He has been repeatedly bashing SR Mahesh, another JD-S leader of Mysuru district. Both were ministers in the previous JDS-Congress coalition government and have fallen apart for various personal and political reasons. SR Srinivas, f...

T he scientific community of Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO), the country's premier space research organization seem to be divided over prospects of reestablishing communication network with VikramLander of Chandrayaan-2 . Although for the official record ISRO sources have put up a brave face in claiming that Chandrayaan-2 orbiter has clicked a thermal image of the lander and efforts are on to establish contact, however, there's another section which has its own doubt about any such success! In fact, things would have been altogether different had the lander were to have a smooth landing which unfortunately is not the case now. Though the lander is not broken or damaged, thanks to the hard landing it is now lying in a tilted position. A Senior scientist on condition of anonymity revealed: As of now persistent efforts are underway to reestablish communication network with the estranged lander but full system functionality is a must for ensuring such contact. Howeve...

V eteran politician Ajjikutteera Kariyappa Subbaiah passed away here today at a private hospital. He was 83 years old. Photo : Deccan Herald He was the first president of the state Bharatiya Janata Party and during his stint as a Member of the state Legislative Council had become a nightmare for the R Gundurao led Congress party government in the state during the early eighties. He had exposed many a corruption scandal of the ministers in the Congress ministry and was responsible for the resignation of many ministers. AK Subbaiah was well-known for his firebrand speeches unleashing terror in the minds of corrupt Congressmen of his time.At a juncture when AB Vajpayee was regarded as Akhil Bharatiya Vajpayee so was AK Subbaiah as Akhil Karnataka Subbaiah. Thanks to his terrific homework in unravelling the hidden undercover deals of those in power, he was responsible for taking the saffron party to a new high in the minds of the people and had almost become a household name acro...

ImageSource:  indiatoday.in A run Jaitley , former Union Minister who passed away this afternoon in the capital after a prolonged illness had maintained close ties with the people of Karnataka much before he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and had remained in constant touch with several party leaders from across the state till the end. He was closely associated with M Rama Jois, former Supreme Court judge who hails from the state. Thanks to his expertise on varied subjects like law, finance, corporate affairs among many others he was a frequent visitor to the state and more so to the Bengaluru city for delivering special lectures.During his innumerable visits to the city, he gave special talks on many crucial law issues like the vexed Ayodhya dispute, Uniform Civil Code, Article 370, corporate affairs at the Bengaluru Advocates Association, party fora like workers, legislators' and public meetings. But a beginning of life long relationship with the state started o...

T he 25 days old lone member BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party cabinet in the state has at last been expanded today with the induction of 17 new cabinet ministers. Among them include 11 former ministers including Jagadish Shettar, former chief minister and two Deputy chief ministers , R Ashok and KS Eshwarappa . The other former ministers include S Sureshkumar, V Somanna, Govind Karajol, LS Savadi, Basavaraj Bommai, B Sriramulu, CC Patil, Kota Sreenivas Pujari and H Nagesh.The first time ministers are Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, CT Ravi, JC Madhuswamy, Prabhu Chavan and Ms Shashikala Annasaheb Jolle.15 members of the state Assembly have joined the cabinet while Kota Sreenivas Pujari, leader of the house in the state legislative Council is the lone member representing the upper house. However, Lakshman Sangappa Savadi, former cooperation minister in the DV Sadanandagowda ministry and who is not a member of either of the houses has made it to the cabinet. It may als...

Sushma Swaraj's relations and personal equations with the people of Ballari district in Karnataka were unique in multiple ways, to such an extent that now a feeling persists in their minds as though they have lost their daughter in the passing away of Ms Swaraj! The former Union External Affairs Minister developed a close rapport with the people of Ballari district, notoriously known for the mining mafia and destruction of natural resources, during the late nineties. She came down to Ballari, way back during the fag end of 1999 to take head-on Sonia Gandhi in the Parliamentary polls. Interestingly, Sonia Gandhi had filed her nomination papers from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency apart from Raybareli, the family's traditional bastion in Uttar Pradesh. Ballari district, ever since the country gained independence had transformed itself into a fortress of the Indian National Congress(INC) party. This taken for a granted fact was so much omnipotent that Congressmen used to joke ...

VG Siddarth, founder of Cafe Coffee Day(CCD), was cremated this evening besides his ancestral home at the Chetanahalli coffee estate in Mudigere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district. Amartya, eldest son of the departed businessman lit the pyre and the funeral rites took place in accordance to the Vokkaliga rituals. Ishan, second son assisted his elder brother in the final rites. Sandalwood, mango, jackfruit tree wood was made use of for the funeral. Before the final adieu, the body was placed at the premises of ABC company at Chikkamagaluru for the general public to pay their obeisance to the departed industrialist. SM Krishna, former Union Minister and father in law, Prema Krishna, mother in law, Malavika, wife and family members paid their last respects. They were later followed BS Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister, HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister and a host of political leaders places wreaths on the coffin of the deceased. -Manohar Yadavatti

VG Siddarth, Cafe Coffee Day(CCD) founder's body was traced this morning at around 6.30 am in the backwaters of Nethravathi river backwaters near Mangaluru and thereby ending all the rumours that were set afloat following his missing about 36 hours back.It may be recalled here that the sudden disappearance of the CCD founder on last Monday evening near the same Nethravathi river had led to a pandora's box and intriguing questions about his possible whereabouts and fate? Basavaraj Patil, his driver had complained to the police that his owner had directed him to drop near the river bridge and wait for him at the end of the bridge. Though VG Siddarth walked the distance suggested by him but preferred to return on the same bridge from the opposite side.In spite of waiting for long, VG Siddarth didn't return while his cell phone was getting a switched off tone. It was only after the arrival of some CCD staff and on their persuasion, the driver formally filed a missing complain...

VG Siddarth was an iconic figure during his lifetime for multiple reasons apart from being a ray of hope and inspiration for many a Coffee grower who was on the brink of disaster due to falling prices of the crop in the international market. Thanks to his dream concept of Cafe Coffee Day (CCD), many a coffee grower had a big sigh of relief for their produce. It was a period of the early Nineties when the coffee growers of the state were literally on the crossroads.Cafe Coffee Day, within a short span of its launch, not only witnessed a meteoric rise but developed into a global brand in a time frame unheard of till then. ImageSource:indiatoday.in From a typical middle-class coffee grower's family, VG Siddarth plunged into a business venture by borrowing a handful of lakhs from his father.This small amount of seed money was enough for the once small-time coffee grower to develop into a big entrepreneur running a huge business to the tune of a few thousand crores.He also had a ...