Press "Enter" to skip to content

LIVE! Three JDS MLAs with links to Reddy brothers missing

11:31  Three JDS MLAs with links to Reddy brothers missing:  JD(S) MLAs Raja Venkatappa Nayaka and Venkata Rao Nadagouda are missing from the JD(S) legislative party meeting which is going on in a hotel in Bengaluru. Both the MLAs have links to the Reddy brothers.

Five members of the core group of Reddy brothers, who were given tickets by the BJP, lost the elections while three won.

File image: Karunakara Reddy and Janardhana Reddy

image

11:04  Yeddyurappa leaves for Raj Bhavan :  BS Yeddyurappa has left for the Raj Bhavan to meet the governor, his second meeting in less than 12 hours.

The BJP legislators meeting is over. BJP’s Sadananda Gowda, said they were the single largest party and should form government. “You have seen how Congress & JD(S) were fighting, six months back. Now, they want to come together & make government!” he said. 

image

10:57  JDS legislative party meeting begins:  JD(S) legislative party meeting begins in Bengaluru. The party’s CM candidate HD Kumaraswamy said his party has already decided to go with the Congress. “That’s the reason we called the Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party meeting. There is no question of taking any other decision.”

However reports say that three Congress MLAs are missing and the JDS has confirmed that the BJP has reached out to its MPs.

The numbers are: BJP: 104, Cong: 78, JDS: 38, Others: 2

The Congress says the two independent MLAs are with them, which makes their numbers stand at 118. But with the three Congress MLAs missing, presumably poached by the BJP, that’s down to 115. The BJP just needs three more MLAs over to their side to form government.

image

10:44  BJP likely to meet K’taka governor tomorrow:  BS Yeddyurappa, the BJP’s CM candidate says that during the legislature party meeting which will be held shortly, the leader, will be elected. “From there we will go to Raj Bhavan immediately. We will stake claim to form the govt. Most probably we will ask the governor to give us time tomorrow,” Yeddyurappa said.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar, one of the three observers sent by the Centre to the Karnataka said the people want a BJP govt and the party would ensure it happens. “Anyone can create unnatural tensions, but people of Karnataka are with us. After the meeting, we will take necessary steps. This attempt made by Congress to make a backdoor entry is not appreciated,” Javadekar said.

Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and JP Nadda are the other two observers for the Karnataka.
 

Image: Prakash Javadekar and JP Nadda address the press this morning. Pic: ANI

10:37  Andhra boat capsize: Joint rescue effort being conducted :  Following the capsize of a boat in the Godavari river on Tuesday, a joint-effort by the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Fire Service and Police officials is underway to recover the boat and bodies of the deceased.

According to an official statement, the State Emergency Operation Centre working under the supervision of the Sub-Collector of East Godavari district’s Rampachodavaram, all rescue teams were on the spot and working on the operation.

The statement also mentioned that so far, at least 20 families had contacted Government officials with reports of missing cases. It is noteworthy that 17 people had been rescued so far, while others are still missing.

According to police, the boat sailed from Devipatnam to reach Kondamodalu at 3.30 pm on Tuesday. When the boat was 10 minutes away from the banks, heavy rain and high-velocity winds started during which the small vessel lost its balance and capsized. — ANI

10:36  Sensex plunges 245 pts on political uncertainty, global cues:  The BSE benchmark Sensex tumbled over 245 points in early session today amid uncertainty over government formation in Karnataka and sustained foreign fund outflows.

The 30-share index was trading lower by 245.23 points, or 0.69 per cent, at 35,298.71.

Yesterday, the gauge had soared more than 400 points intra-day after the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka. However, it gave up all gains to end modestly lower after the Congress unexpectedly stitched up a post-poll alliance with the JD(S) and staked claim to form the government. Sectoral indices led by bankex, PSU, oil and gas and healthcare were trading in the red, down by up to 1.90 per cent. The NSE Nifty fell 72.85 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 10,729. — PTI

image

10:16  BJP legislative party meeting begins shortly:  Bengaluru: Observers for Karnataka, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan (not in picture), JP Nadda and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar arrived at the BJP office for the legislative party meeting. Meeting to begin shortly.

image

09:55  JD(S) legislative party to meet begin shortly:  In Bengaluru, JD(S) MLAs wait for the legislative party meeting to begin shortly.

With Karnataka throwing up a fractured verdict, both the BJP and the JD(S)-Congress combine have staked claim to form government.

The Congress and JD(S) now fear horse trading by the BJP.

JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said the party is taking care to make sure its MLAs are not poached. JD(S) leader Saravana said, “I don’t know what they (BJP) are offering but they are trying to call our people, but they are not responding. We are all together, no one can touch our party. Our party MLAs are loyal to the party.” 

Outgoing Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated outright that the BJP may try to poach its MLAs.

Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress who was part of the entourage which met the governor at the Raj Bhavan, said JD(S) has faith in its MLAs. “Nobody is going to go away. Let BJP try, whatever they want to,” Azad said.  

All eyes are now set on Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who will take the crucial decision– whom to call first to form the government in the state.

It is solely up to Governor Vala to take this major decision to whether call the single largest party i.e. BJP or the coalition party to stalk its claims to form the next government in Karnataka.

image

09:31  Madhya Pradesh: Mandatory for students to answer roll call with ‘Jai Hind’ :  Madhya Pradesh government has announced that from now onwards, it is mandatory for the school students in the state to answer their roll-call with “Jai Hind”.

The education department stated that this step will instill a sense of patriotism among the students, read an official statement.

Earlier in November 2017, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Vijay Shah said now students would answer to roll-calls by saying “Jai Hind” instead of “yes sir” and “yes ma’am”.

He had said that the step would be enforced in all 1.22 lakh government schools, and an advisory in this regard would also be issued to all private schools. – ANI

Representational image

image

09:25  BJP leader says party in touch with Cong, JD-S MLAs:  

BJP leader K S Eshwarappa says his party is in touch with “some” Congress and JD-S MLAs as the saffron party hopes to stitch together a majority.

The Janata Dal-Secular is scheduled to hold its Legislature Party meeting where all its newly-elected MLAs will be present at Le Meridien Hotel in Bengaluru. 

Government formation in Karnataka is a tricky affair now with the Karnataka assembly election results 2018 throwing up a hung assembly, giving 104 seats to the BJP, 78 seats to the Congress and 37 seats to the JD-S.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Kushtagi Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur alleges that he was offered a ministry by the BJP in lieu of support and claims to have rejected the offer.

image

08:49  West Bengal panchayat elections: Re-polling to be held in 568 booths:  

As violence was reported in a number of places during panchayat polls in West Bengal, which was held on May 14, re-polling will be held in 568 booths across various districts today. 

This development came after a number of candidates who were contesting the panchayat polls met State Election Commission, demanding re-polling in their booths.

The panchayat elections in West Bengal saw huge-scale clashes on Monday between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress workers, resulting in the death of at least 12 people.

Taking note of the incident, the ministry of home affairs also sought a report from the state government regarding incidents of violence during the elections in the state.

The voting took place for 621 zilla parishads, over 6,000 panchayat samitis, and nearly 31 thousand gram panchayats.

The counting of votes will be held on May 17.

— ANI

image

08:33  Varanasi flyover collapse: 4 officials suspended:  

After 18 people lost their lives and several others are feared trapped after a portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed near a railway station in Varanasi on Tuesday, four officials — Chief Project Manager HC Tiwari, Project Manager KR Sudan, Assistant Engineer Rajesh Singh & engineer Lal Chand — have been suspended with immediate effect.

An official of the UP State Bridge Corporation said that the body was set to pace up the work in order to complete the flyover by October. The piece of the flyover which fell was laid two months ago and interlocking work was being done, said K R Sudan, an official of UP State Bridge Corporation. 

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced compensation of Rs 500,000 for kin of those killed in the incident, Rs 200,000 for those who have been injured. CM Adityanath has also set up a three-member committee to probe flyover collapse. 

image

08:17  Pradhan, JP Nadda appointed as BJP observers in Karnataka:  

Union Minister for Oil and Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda will attend a party meeting in Karnataka on Wednesday as Bharatiya Janata Party’s observers.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 11 am on Wednesday to discuss the state assembly election results announced a day before.

The BJP which managed to gain a hold on 104 seats has emerged as the single largest party but has failed to cross the half-way mark of 112 in the 224-member assembly.

On the other hand, Congress and Janata Dal-Secular, with 78 and 38 seats respectively, are staking claim to form a government in the state.

On Tuesday, outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah even said JD-S leader HD Kumaraswamy, son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, will be the next chief minister.

Further, Bharatiya Janata Party chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa said he is going to meet the state’s governor to request him to allow his party to form the government.

All eyes are now set on Karnataka’s Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala. As per the constitutional provision, the single-largest party is invited to form the government in the case of a fractured mandate.

— ANI

image

07:53  JD-S to hold meeting of new MLAs at 5-star hotel; Cong meeting at 8:30 am:  

The Janata Dal-Secular is scheduled to hold its Legislature Party meeting where all its newly-elected MLAs will be present at Le Meridien Hotel in Bengaluru. 

Government formation in Karnataka is a tricky affair now with the Karnataka assembly election results throwing up a hung assembly, giving 104 seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party, 78 seats to the Congress and 37 seats to the JD-S. 

The Congress has dramatically backed the JD-S for chief ministership and both parties are likely to parade their MLAs before Governor Vajubhai Vala this morning. 

The Congress is likely to hold a meeting before that at 8:30 am. 

The BJP, too, has staked claim to form the Karnataka government, but is nine seats short of the majority mark. All eyes are now on who the Governor will invite first to form the government in Karnataka.

image

00:13  Karnataka: BJP legislature party to meet today:  The Bharatiya Janata Party that has emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka, where assembly polls has thrown up a hung verdict, has called a meeting of its newly-elected legislature party today.

The meeting under the presidentship of its state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa is likely to elect him as the new leader of the BJP legislature party, party sources said.

Much before the polls, BJP had announced Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.

With the magic figure of 113 seats to form the government elusive for the BJP, Congress and JD-S leaders met governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form JD-S-led government in Karnataka.

Yeddyurappa also met the governor and staked claim to form the government.

The governor is said to have told both delegations that he will take a decision once he receives communication from the election commission about the poll results.

Meanwhile, the Congress legislature party is also meeting today, party sources said.  — PTI

Source: Rediff