Power tussle for K’taka CM’s chair will intensify after state Budget: Former CM Bommai

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Haveri (Karnataka), March 1 (IANS) The internal power tussle within the Congress-led Karnataka government will intensify and reach its final phase after the state Budget, said former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai while referring to the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

“It will turn into a direct confrontation, and there will be no possibility of reconciliation. We will have to wait and see how it unfolds,” Bommai added.

Speaking to the media in Haveri, the former Chief Minister said that the people have completely lost faith in the state government.

The electorate is waiting to remove this (Congress-led state) government from power in Karnataka, he added on Saturday.

“The heat of public anger is now being felt by the Karnataka Congress MLAs. There is an atmosphere of uncertainty, and many legislators fear they may not be re-elected. Some are going abroad, while others are heading to resorts,” he said while criticising the Karnataka government.

“The Congress high command has no effective control. In the coming days, people will send them home, whether from Karnataka, Delhi, or even abroad, by taking away the reins of the state,” Bommai added.

Responding to a query about the murder of a minor boy in Shivamogga, the former Chief Minister said the incident was deeply painful.

“There are suspicions that ganja use at a young age may have played a role. The BJP had earlier warned that ganja consumption in Karnataka had reached school levels, and that has now proved true,” Bommai added.

“The Karnataka government must take strict action. If communal feelings develop among small children, how can society progress? If leaders remain busy fighting over chairs of power, how will society function?” he asked.

He accused the Karnataka government of failing not only in maintaining law and order but also in preserving social harmony.

“Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is the most senior leader of the BJP in the state. He is a towering leader who built and strengthened the BJP across Karnataka. Whatever he fought for, he implemented while in power, and thus he remains in the hearts of the people,” Bommai said, praising former Chief Minister Yediyurappa.

“Looking at his determination and enthusiasm, age is no barrier for him. He has declared that he will once again tour the state to strengthen the party and bring it back to power,” he added.

“We are all happy to build the BJP under his (B.S. Yediyurappa’s) blessings and guidance. He is an asset and a source of strength for the party, and there is nothing wrong in utilising that strength,” Bommai said.

“Yediyurappa has spent 50 years in politics and has served as the Chief Minister four times. His guidance will be necessary to respond effectively to the present Congress and to provide good governance in the coming days,” he added.

“The celebration of his 50 years of meaningful public service will serve as a prelude to political change in the 2028 Assembly elections, and we are fully prepared for that,” Bommai said.

When asked about bringing back leaders who have left the BJP through a “ghar wapsi” initiative, he added that the matter needs serious consideration.

“It will be discussed in the BJP’s core committee, and senior party leaders in Delhi will take the final decision. The party will take all necessary steps to bring the BJP back to power in 2028,” he said.

–IANS

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ICG holds weapons training camp ‘Hoshiyar-25’ to keep itself prepared

Kolkata, May 30 (IANS) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) district headquarters at Haldia in West Bengal organised its annual weapons training camp ‘Hoshiyar-25′ from May 26-30. ICG units from Kolkata, Haldia and Frazerganj participated in the camp.

“Such camps are very important. Though ICG personnel are armed during operations and all vessels carry weapons, a ‘firing solution’ is seldom reached. The ICG is engaged in both saving lives at sea and preventing smuggling, poaching, piracy or any infiltration attempt. Normally, the presence of an ICG vessel is enough to deter miscreants. They either make a run for it or give up. Under these circumstances, it is important to keep all personnel prepared in the handling of all kinds of weapons at our disposal,” an official said.

The camp involved practice in the use of a variety of weapons as well as a refresher course on how to react to a certain situation.

The camp was of particular importance due to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

India launched Operation Sindoor, as a response, on May 7, causing severe damage to terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. For the next four days, the Indian and Pakistani armed forces were engaged in a military confrontation that ended with an ‘understanding’ on May 10.

Terror outfits based in Pakistan, such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed have threatened to carry out attacks on India. This is where the exercise gains further importance. The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 were launched by the Lashkar-e-Taiba by sea.

“All participants were trained with due impetus on hostile boarding norms, buddy operations and weapons handling. For the first time ever, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) participated in the training, focusing on tactical integration and safe practice sharing. Live firing at the Barrackpore range, a musketeer competition and seamanship activities were integral part of the camp. The camp was aimed to boost crew competency and steer ICG in safeguarding maritime, environment and national interests of our nation within the EEZ,” the official added.

The CISF is in charge of security at vital installations in West Bengal, including the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port facilities at Haldia and Kolkata and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. The joint training was therefore crucial, an official said.

The camp focused on team building, self-management, command and control orders for ICG to maintain its ready, relevant and responsive posture.

–IANS

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J&K: Cong leaders favour pulling out of alliance with NC

Srinagar, Oct 12 (IANS) As a crucial meeting of Congress leaders in Jammu and Kashmir chaired by State Congress President, Tariq Hameed Karra, was still underway on Sunday in Srinagar, top party sources said that a consensus has emerged among the Congress leaders that the party should pull out of its alliance with the ruling National Conference (NC).

The Congress with six MLAs in the 90-member State Assembly is supporting the Omar Abdullah-led NC government from outside without joining it.

Cracks appeared in the NC-Congress alliance after the NC announced its three candidates for the three Rajya Sabha seats and offered the fourth seat to the Congress in which the BJP has a clear edge over the alliance.

As per the distribution of votes for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, the BJP has 28 votes against the NC-Congress alliance, which has only 24 votes.

The BJP has on Sunday nominated its Jammu and Kashmir Party President, Sat Sharma, for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat and unless cross-voting takes place by the BJP members, Sharma is all set to win this seat.

The Congress was offered this seat by the NC, which the former called a ‘risky’ seat asking the NC to provide a safe seat for the Congress to contest.

After the NC General Secretary, Ali Mohammad Sagar, and Chief Minister’s advisor, Nasir Aslam Wani, announced that Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi for the three ‘safe’ seats and with the NC refusing to part with any one of these three seats for the Congress, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress President called a meeting of all its six MLAs and senior party leaders to discuss the future course of action.

Top sources in the Congress said that nearly all the party leaders spoke during the meeting, which is still underway in Srinagar.

“A consensus has emerged during the meeting that the party should pull out of the alliance with the NC,” top Congress sources said here.

Karra is likely to speak to the media after the meeting with NC ends.

Whether the decision to pull out of the alliance is announced by the Jammu and Kashmir Congress President or it is left to the party high command now needs to be seen.

–IANS

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BJP slams AAP govt as liquor, cash seized from Punjab govt vehicle in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government after a huge amount of cash, liquor bottles, and election pamphlets were recovered from a government vehicle bearing a Punjab registration plate which was parked at the Copernicus Road near Punjab Bhawan here.

Reacting to this incident, BJP’s IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya wrote on X, “Yesterday a huge consignment of liquor from Punjab was seized. Today, a vehicle with a Punjab number plate with ‘Punjab Sarkar’ written over it was found parked at the Copernicus Marg near Punjab Bhawan. Upon searching this vehicle, a huge amount of cash, several liquor bottles, and Aam Aadmi Party pamphlets were recovered inside the vehicle. AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal wants to rig these elections with the use of money and liquor. What a disgusting man he is.”

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also criticised the AAP government and said: “Till now we thought that Arvind Kejriwal has institutionalised corruption in Delhi government. They (AAP) have polluted the water of Yamuna river and the air of Delhi, but today we understand that the AAP has also polluted the political system of Delhi.”

Sachdeva also added that in the last 35 years of being in public life, he has never seen such an incident in which such a huge amount of money and liquor bottles were recovered from a government vehicle.

He asked Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to give a clear answer to the people of Delhi on this matter.

Earlier on Wednesday, BJP candidate from the New Delhi Assembly seat, Parvesh Verma, alleged that AAP workers were visiting various constituencies in private vehicles with “Delhi Government” stickers and distributing money and liquor.

“In large numbers, AAP workers were visiting various areas in private vehicles with Uttar Pradesh registration numbers, distributing money and liquor. These vehicles had ‘Delhi Government’ stickers on them,” Verma charged in a press conference.

He said that complaints had been filed with the Election Commission and Delhi Police and called for strict action against his AAP rival.

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal is the party’s candidate from the New Delhi seat. Delhi will vote on February 5 and the counting will take place on February 8.

–IANS

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