Karnataka's resolution against NEET sparks debate
BENGALURU: While Karnataka became the third state to pass a resolution against NEET on Thursday, stakeholders in the field of education have expressed their reservations on how the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) will be able to provide the same uniformity and platform for students, who want admission in medical colleges within the state and across the country. A former vice-chancellor for a medical college in Bengaluru said the resolution passed by the state government is not a wise move, as NEET has proven to be more beneficial to students. He argued that it reduces the stress on candidates and saves time from following hectic schedules of writing multiple entrance examinations so as to secure chances of attaining a seat. If students appear for NEET, they can be eligible to apply for medical colleges across the country and use their NEET rankings, he said. Commenting on the irregularities in NEET, the V-C suggested that A fair evaluation would be to consider 50% of NEET scores and 50% of board results for admissions. For engineering colleges too, only 50% of CET marks should be considered for admissions. He also emphasised the need to digitalise exams as it would prevent aper leaks and scams, which often play with the futures of students. Students have also expressed concerns about not being able to apply to other medical colleges, apart from the ones that come under the ambit of Karnataka. However, many have welcomed the move. Trupthi Shetty, an MBBS student from Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences, said that CET exams often have a limited syllabus, compared to NEET and it makes the competition less intense. The longer duration and higher stakes of NEET add to a lot of stress, sometimes forcing students to drop out, she said. Professors also flagged that the quality of examination and education should be retained not just at the central level, but also with state agencies. Nandini BM, Associate Professor at Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences, emphasised the in-depth knowledge of Physics, Chemistry and Biology required to clear NEET and become reputed medical professionals. The government must make sure that CET exams do not take a political move, keeping the students in mind. They should also uphold the credibility of appearing for a medical entrance, she said.
Final Journey of Fr Anthony Peter, a Priest of Diocese of Shimoga
Final Journey of Fr Anthony Peter, a Priest of Diocese of Shimoga Shivamogga: The funeral ceremony of Fr Anthony Peter, Parish Priest of St. Theresa of Child Jesus Church, Shikaripura held today at 10:00 am at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Shivamogga. Fr Anthony Peter, met with a road accident on Tuesday 23rd July afternoon, at [] The post Final Journey of Fr Anthony Peter, a Priest of Diocese of Shimoga appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Union budget announces internship scheme, raises mixed responses
BENGALURU: The introduction of the Centres internship scheme in the Union Budget 2024, has garnered mixed reactions from students and education experts. While experts welcomed the initiative, it has sparked a mix of praise and criticism among students nationwide. The scheme is designed to provide practical experience, and has been lauded for its potential to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry requirements. The internship scheme will be operational from August 1, and is applicable to students between the ages of 21 and 24, who are not employed or engaged in education. Sudhir Raj K, a corporate trainer, stated, The internship scheme may not yield results immediately, but will yield sustained benefits. He stressed on the implementation of the scheme with clear-cut guidelines, without giving room for ambiguity and delay. Nesara Kadanakuppe, Assistant Professor at Nitte Institute of Communication, said this initiative makes sure that companies work for the development of the country. Proper awareness should be given through media and other platforms so that the students can make the best use of it, he said. Aarya Yadiyal, a second-year medical student at Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences, said the agenda behind the internship scheme is to reduce the countrys unemployment rate. However, he added that this approach is beneficial, as long as it motivates students to improve their skills after the completion of their internships. However, another student believed that the governments internship scheme heavily relies on the selection criteria. If there is a reservation system, it could diminish the programmes values. Internships should be awarded based on an individuals interests, scores, and other factors, said Pritham Jathan, a third-year business student, at Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
ICYM and YCS/YSM members of Basilica of our Lady of Health Harihar Plant Saplings to increase Green Cover and Promote Biodiversity Davanagere: The ICYM and YCS/YSM members of Harihar Parish planted saplings to enhance the local environment by increasing green cover and promoting biodiversity. The Youth Director of the Diocese of Shimoga Fr Franklin DSouza, [] The post ICYM and YCS/YSM members of Basilica of our Lady of Health Harihar Plant Saplings to increase Green Cover and Promote Biodiversity appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Lokayukta raids 13 officials including Mangaluru city Municipal Commissioner Anand
BENGALURU: Mangaluru city Municipal Commissioner C L Anand was among the 13 government officials raided by Lokayukta sleuths in Karnataka on Friday, in connection with disproportionate assets cases. A Lokayukta official said that Anand is a senior grade Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) officer who was posted as Mangaluru city corporation commissioner in June, 2023. The government had transferred him on July 4 after which he appealed to the state government against it. Subsequently, on July 9, his transfer was cancelled. Apart from Anand, the premises of Hebbagodi city Municipal Council Commissioner in Bengaluru Rural district and KAS officer K Narasimha Murthy were raided by Lokayukta sleuths. The Additional Director in the Industries and Commerce Department C T Muddu Kumar, who is on deputation as the Chief Operating Officer in the Invest Karnataka Forum, too was the target of Lokayukta sleuths. Yadgir Zilla Panchayat Project Director Balwant Rathod, Senior Veterinary Officer in Bengaluru Rural district R Siddappa, Commercial Taxes Joint Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, Legal Metrology Deputy Controller Athhar Ali, Antargange Gram Panchayat president Nagesh B Gowda in Bhadravati Taluk of Shivamogga district, Horticulture Department Deputy Director Prakash and Mandya Labour Officer Chetan Kumar were among those raided on Friday. According to the official, the raids were carried out in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Shimoga, Yadgiri and Kalaburgi.
Created unnecessary confusion, says Ex-Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa on POCSO case against him Karnataka BJP leader and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa who returned to Bengaluru on Saturday, a day after the High Court stayed a non-bailable warrant against said that the ongoing POSCO case against him caused ecessary confusion and that he will face the court on July 17. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on arriving at the airport here today, he said, I went to Delhi as part of a scheduled program. I have already informed that I would come for trial on the 17th of this month. The High Court has also issued an injunction. I am going to the trial on Monday. They did the work of causing unnecessary confusion. I am not complaining to anyone. Time will decide everything. People know what the truth is. Those who are doing tricks, the people will teach them a lesson. On Friday, the Karnataka High Court issued an order stating that coercive proceedings of arrest and detention will be kept on hold until the next date of hearing. The order of the High Court followed a letter from the petitioner (Yediyurappa) volunteering to appear before police on June 17. A Bengaluru court had on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against Yediyurappa directing his immediate arrest in connection with sexual assault against a minor girl under the POCSO Act, which deals with sexual assault cases against minors. Everyone knows everything and I have full faith in the judiciary. I will get justice. I will appear before the court on 17 June, the former chief minister said today. BJP leaders have alleged a political conspiracy against Yediyurappa. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, They(Karnataka government) themselves requested the court to issue a non-bailable warrant...They tried to misinterpret the case...High Court slapped the non-bailable warrant issued...It was a conspiracy by the Congress government in Karnataka and they should apologise to the public BJP newly elected MP Basavaraj Bommai said, It's a great conspiracy against our great leader. Forces have been acting against him for the last 10 years. The maximum number of cases on any politician in Karnataka is Yediyurappa. In 20 cases, the court has given him a clean chit. This will also prove that it is a fake case. Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said the Congress government in Karnataka was resorting to hate politics against Yediyurappa. This politics of hatred was not there before. This was earlier in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. But now this politics of hatred has come to Karnataka, he said. Yediyurappa's son and BJP MP from Shimoga BY Raghavendra said, ... We have full faith in the judiciary... It is a political conspiracy... Earlier in March, the mother of the victim filed a complaint against the former Chief Minister at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru, alleging that Yediyiurappa had sexually assaulted her daughter. In this regard, the brother of the victim filed a petition in court against the BJP leader. (ANI)
Karnataka Exit Polls 2024 Live Updates: Will Prajwal Revanna scandal hurt the BJP-JDS alliance?
Exit Polls 2024 Karnataka News Live: Bagalkot, Bangalore Central, Bangalore North, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore South, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur, Chamrajanagar, Chikkballapur, Chikkodi, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Dharwad, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, Kolar, Koppal, Mandya, Mysore, Raichur, Shimoga, Tumkur, Udupi Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada are in contention in the southern state.
Eshwarappa criticizes BJP leadership in Karnataka
Mangaluru: Former minister KS Eshwarappa expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP leadership in Karnataka and alleged that the party is in the clutches of BS Yediyurappa. Only those close to Yediyurappa and his family hold influential positions within the party. Eshwarappa, who had served in various capacities in the BJP was expelled from the party for contesting as a rebel candidate in Shimoga in the Parliament Election. Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru on Tuesday, Eshwarappa criticized the BJP for adopting what he termed a Congress culture. He pointed out that while Yediyurappa was a member of the National Election Committee, one of his sons is an MP and the other is a state president and MLA. The BJP needs to be freed from family politics. The party needs a purification, he said. He also emphasized his unwavering loyalty to the party. No one can separate me from the party. They have expelled me, but remember, Shettar was also expelled, who later joined Congress and became MLC, only to return to the BJP. I have always been with the BJP, he said.
Joy of voting in booth: Age, physical ability doesnt stop them
BENGALURU: At the ripe age of 100, Gangavva Vastrad of Talewad village in Kohlur taluk, Vijayapura, and Yallubai Venkanna Lad from Ashte village in Chikkodi, proved that if the spirit is willing and will is strong, nothing can stop them from doing their ballot duty. This was also true for Moin M Junnedi, the para-swimmer who came in a wheelchair, beating the scorching summer heat and temperatures of over 42 degree Celsius to vote in Tilakwadi, Belagavi, on Tuesday. Hanumavva, a 95-year-old specially challenged woman, came all by herself to her booth in Kudligi, Ballari district. Similarly, Shivagangamma (98) preferred to visit the booth in Abbalagere, Shimoga parliamentary constituency, as did Radhamma (98) from Sanganakallu village in Ballari, unmindful of heat wave conditions. Participating in Phase-3 of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 parliamentary constituencies spread over Kalyan, Malnad and Kittur Karnataka regions, these voters truly celebrated the festival of democracy. Data from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, showed that a total of 32,433 (95.08%) voters cast their vote from home, of the 34,110 approved voters. CEO Karnataka, Manoj Kumar Meena told The New Indian Express that VFH (vote from home) was introduced for the first time in this election. The staffers approached voters booth-wise, based on the list they had prepared, but many voters preferred to visit polling booths, saying they enjoyed the experience. This was not the case with 85-year old Ganapathi Shinde, though, who came to vote in Hukkeri because officials did not visit his home. A group of 265 mentally challenged people in Vijayapura came to the booth to vote. Similarly, a visually challenged person used the Braille facility in Vijayapura. Specially challenged Praveen and Chaya came in wheelchairs, undeterred by the poor facilities at Maravanthe polling booth.
Phase 3 Polls See 62.45% Turnout
New Delhi : A nearly 62 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories. Assam recorded the highest turnout at 76.13 per cent followed by Goa (74.50) and West Bengal (73.93). While Maharashtra (56.40), Uttar Pradesh (57.34), Bihar (57.27), and Gujarat (57.04) had lower voter turnout, Chhattisgarh (68.15), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (65.23), Karnataka (69.30) and Madhya Pradesh (65.11) witnessed moderate polling. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise in Gujarat, where elections were held in 25 seats. While Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad with his family. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray in this phase along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). After casting his vote, Modi mingled with the crowd waiting outside for him and also held a brief conversation with a visually impaired girl. Later, while talking to media Modi said, Today is the third phase of voting. There is great importance of Daan in our country and in the same spirit, the countrymen should vote as much as possible. Four rounds of voting are still ahead. As a voter in Gujarat, this is the only place where I vote regularly and Amit Bhai is contesting from here as a BJP candidate... However, despite the presence of such bigwigs, the voters in Gujarat did not show much enthusiasm to vote. In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadavs family are contesting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to loot booths in Mainpuri and people from Opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. He also alleged rigging of votes at some places and said, information is coming from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional aarti as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawars daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Karnataka, Pralhad Joshi, Bhagwanth Khuba, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes. Former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa along with sons his B.Y. Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment and B.Y. Vijayendra, partys state chief -- and daughters-in-law cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat.
High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting
High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting Nearly 65 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories with stray incidents of violence in West Bengal. Assam recorded the highest turnout at 81.71 per cent followed by West Bengal at 76.52 per cent and Goa at 75.20 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the lowest at 57.34 per cent, with Bihar at 58.18 per cent, Gujarat at 59.51 per cent and Maharashtra at 61.44 per cent doing slightly better, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 12.15 am. The overall voting percentage was 64.58 per cent. According to the EC, the figures are an ''approximate trend'' and are likely to rise as data is being collected. While the official time for the voting to conclude is 6 pm, it can go beyond to enable voters who have come in the queue before the end of fixed polling hours to exercise their franchise. Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh recorded 71.06 per cent polling, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 69.87 per cent, Karnataka 70.41 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 per cent, according to the EC. As many as 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore females, were eligible to vote in the third phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials had been set up. With this, voting has been completed in 20 states/UTs and 282 Lok Sabha seats out of 543. The overall voting percentage in the first and second phases was 66.14 per cent and 66.71 per cent respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise in Gujarat, where elections were held in 25 seats. While PM Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). The stakes are high for the BJP in this round as it had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Both the BJP and the INDIA bloc claimed that they had the upper hand after the third phase. ''Across all the states and UTs, voters from all walks of life have placed their faith in the NDA and our development agenda. INDI Alliance is losing even more steam, thanks to their regressive economics and outdated votebank politics,'' Modi said on X. The Congress claimed that the BJP has been wiped out in the south and reduced to half of its strength after the three phases ''Its very clear that for the BJP, it is South mein Saaf, North mein Half,'' Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X. In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family are contesting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to ''loot booths'' in Mainpuri and people from opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. Sporadic incidents of violence marred the polling in the four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. According to state election officials, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout of 80.13 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (76.15 pc), Maldaha Uttar (75.92 pc), and Jangipur (73.71 pc). The TMC, BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. ''The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission,'' Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim said in Murshidabad seat. In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area. In some areas, TMC workers held protests alleging that central forces were assisting BJP workers in ''intimidating'' voters at booths in the Maldaha North constituency. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra witnessed 53.99 per cent polling, Aonla 57.08 per cent, Budaun 54.05 per cent, Bareilly 57.88 per cent, Etah 59.17 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 57.09 per cent, Firozabad 58.22 per cent, Hathras 55.36 per cent, Mainpuri 58.59 per cent and Sambhal 62.81 per cent. ''In Mainpuri, BJP people are trying to loot booths. They are detaining opposition people in police stations,'' SP chief Yadav alleged without elaborating. ''There is information from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths,'' he said. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling to protest against the alleged non-fulfilment of their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Not a single vote was also cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun alleged that his party supporters were not being allowed to vote in some places. ''I have made a complaint in this regard with the EC observer and have given proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances,'' he said. Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa along with sons B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment, and B Y Vijayendra, party's state president, along with other family members cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Two government officials on poll duty died in Karnataka after suffering a heart attack, sources in the Election Commission said. A 45-year-old woman polling officer - Kaushika Babariya- deployed at a polling booth in Amreli district of Gujarat, also died of a heart attack. In Gujarat, the Banaskantha district collector ordered an inquiry after Congress Lok Sabha candidate Geniben Thakor alleged that electors were threatened and asked to vote for the BJP by some youngsters posing as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at a polling station. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional 'aarti' as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. Amid rains, people used different modes of transport, including boats, to reach the polling stations across Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar constituencies. With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat went to polls on Tuesday, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa. Voting was held in two seats in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and nine seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Betul where elections were earlier deferred. Over 1,331 candidates, including around 120 women, were in the fray in the third phase. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.
Karnataka Records Impressive 70% Voter Turnout in LS Polls
Karnataka Records Impressive 70% Voter Turnout in LS Polls Voting was held on Tuesday in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka and a turnout with over 70 per cent was recorded, as the Congress and the BJP locked horns again on the electoral battleground in less than a fortnight. Poll officials said that as per figures available till 10.53 pm, an estimated 70.03 per cent of voters cast their ballots. ''This is tentative. It will vary slightly based on the detailed reports of the PRO (presiding officer),'' an official said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the same 14 segments had recorded a turnout of 68.43 per cent. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. Polling in the other 14 seats was held on April 26, in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The constituencies which went to polls earlier, including those in state capital Bengaluru, witnessed a turnout of 69.56 per cent. ''No violence was reported. The second phase of Lok Sabha polls in the state was peaceful,'' Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena told PTI. Of the 14 segments that went to polls on Tuesday, the highest turnout of 76.47 per cent was recorded in Chikkodi, followed by 76.23 per cent in Davangere. The lowest turnout of 61.81 per cent was recorded in Raichur. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- were in the fray for this phase which covered mostly the state's northern districts. There were more than 2.59 crore eligible voters and 28,269 polling stations. Tuesday's elections witnessed a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP in these segments. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its NDA alliance partner -- the BJP. The segments in northern districts where elections were held are Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had swept all these 14 seats, defeating the Congress and the JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state back then. Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections, the Congress appeared determined to put up a strong show in the Lok Sabha polls, while Karnataka is the most important state for the BJP in south India as it is only here that it had held power in the past. Davangere saw the highest number of 30 candidates in the fray, followed by 23 in Shimoga while Raichur had the lowest at eight contestants. Former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) -- all from BJP; Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga) -- wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S Bangarappa, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga), were among the prominent names in the fray. Also in the contest were MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra, party's suspended leader and former Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa -- both from Shimoga, former speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and ex-minister B Sreeramulu of BJP from Uttara Kannada and Bellary respectively and retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik of Congress from Raichur among others. Stakes are high for several ministers in this phase with their children in fray. Sons of Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Eshwar Khandre - Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar and Sagar Khandre - contested from Belgaum and Bidar respectively, while daughters of Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Shivanand Patil - Priyanka Jarkiholi and Samyukta Patil- are in contention in Chikkodi and Bagalkot respectively. Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is in the fray from Davangere. Veteran BJP leader and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa was among the early voters on Tuesday, accompanied by his sons -- B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment, and B Y Vijayendra, the party's state president. ''Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats, according to me we (BJP) are going to win at least 25 to 26 seats. The atmosphere is very good. Wherever we go people say Modi, Modi, it is going to have its own effect,'' Yediyurappa said after voting. The Lok Sabha poll results will have its impact on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister S K Shivakumar, Vijayendra said. ''Congress is under the illusion of winning more than 20 seats based on their guarantees. They will face a shock on the day of counting on June 4. People have more trust in Modi's permanent guarantees than in Congress' temporary guarantees,'' he added. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge cast his vote in Kalaburagi, accompanied by his wife Radhabai Kharge. The Congress will win in Karnataka with a thumping majority and there is no doubt about it, he said, adding, ''Things are good, good reports are coming from everywhere. Alliance partners (INDI Alliance) are getting strength in this third phase (nationally). Definitely in this phase too we will get good support from the people.'' Meanwhile, the Shorapur Assembly segment in Yadgir district which went for bypoll recorded 66.72 per cent voter turnout. The bypoll is necessitated due to the death of Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik last month.
LS elections third phase: Around 50 per cent polling recorded till 3 pm
New Delhi: A voter turnout of 50.71 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday with sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout at 63.11 per cent followed by Assam at 63.08 per cent, while Maharashtra witnessed the lowest at 42.63 per cent. According to the Election Commission, a voting percentage of 50.71 was recorded till 3 PM. The voting which started at 7 am will continue till 6 pm. A voter turnout of 47.03 per cent was recorded in 25 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat, an Election Commission (EC) official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise the state. While PM Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray in this phase along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family are contesting, close to 46.78 per cent polling was recorded in 10 seats. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to loot booths in Mainpuri and people from opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. Among other states, Assam recorded 63.08 per cent polling, Bihar 46.69 per cent, Chhattisgarh 58.19 per cent, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 52.43 per cent, Goa 61.39 per cent, Karnataka 54.20 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 54.09 per cent, according to the EC. Sporadic incidents of violence marred the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. According to officials, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout with 65.40 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (62.90), Jangipur (62.57), and Maldaha Uttar (61.50). The TMC, the BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. In Murshidabad seat, Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim claimed that he caught hold of a fake booth agent in the Rabinagar area of the constituency. Salim faced go back slogans as he tried to enter a booth there following allegations of CPI(M) booth agents being heckled by alleged TMC goons. The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission, Salim said. In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area. BJP candidate Dhanajoy Ghosh faced protests by TMC cadres in the Jangipur area as he tried to enter some of the booths in the constituency. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra witnessed 43.67 per cent polling, Aonla 46.75 per cent, Budaun 45.44 per cent, Bareilly 45.96 per cent, Etah 48.93 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 46.18 per cent, Firozabad 47.80 per cent, Hathras 44.63 per cent, Mainpuri 46.80 per cent and Sambhal 52.24 per cent In Mainpuri, BJP people are trying to loot booths. They are detaining opposition people in police stations, SP chief Yadav alleged without elaborating. He also alleged rigging of votes at some places and said, Information is coming from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling to protest against the alleged non-fulfilment of their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Not a single vote was also cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun alleged that SP supporters were not being allowed to vote in some places. I have made a complaint in this regard with the EC observer and have given proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances, he said. SP candidate Zia-ur-Rehman Barq also alleged that a circle officer snatched voter slips from SP workers and detained them. He requested the EC to remove the officer immediately. Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes in Karnataka. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa along with sons B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment and B Y Vijayendra, party's state President -- and daughters-in-law cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Two government officials on poll duty died in Karnataka after suffering a heart attack, sources in the Election Commission said. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional 'aarti' as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Assam, people lined up in large numbers across four Lok Sabha constituencies to cast their vote. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. People used all modes of transport, including boats, to reach the polling stations across Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar constituencies to exercise their democratic franchise amid rain. Over 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray in the third phase. Voting was completed in 189 seats out of 543 seats in the first two phases. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.
Summer heat seems a slight deterrent to voter turnoutin Karnataka
BENGALURU: The rising temperatures seems a slight deterrent for people voting in 14 Parliamentary Constituencies of Karnataka in Phase-3 elections. As of 1.30 pm, the voter turnout stood at 41.59%. Voting at various poll stations in Karnataka had started at 7 am and till 11 am the turnout was 24. 48% till. It was 9.45% till 9 am. As per data from the office of the chief Electoral Officer Karnataka, the highest voter turnout was in Chikkodi -45.69%, followed by Shimoga--44.98%. The election officials said all measures have been taken for the safety of voters to beat the summer heat. Sufficient shade, water, medicines and juices or other liquids have been arranged for hydration. Each polling booth is equipped with ambulances and health centres in case of emergency. A total number of2,59,52,958 voters are eligible to vote in the Phase-3 elections that will decide the fate of 227 candidates. Officials in the office of Chief Electoral Officer Karnataka (CEO) have taken all measures to ensure that people come in large numbers to vote before the temperatures start to rise. The election officials have also taken inputs from India Meteorological Department (IMD) on the rising temperatures as the IMD had issued a heat wave alert for most parts of North Karnataka for May 7, the polling day. The constituencies going to polls inPhase-3 elections are- Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bellary, Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bidar, Koppal, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. The largest number of voters in Phase-3 elections are in Gulbarga parliamentary constituency- 20,98,202 and the lowest in Uttara Kannada- 16,41,156. The second largest number of voters are in Raichur- 20,10,103. There are 6,90,929 young voters, 2,29,263 voters are aged above 85 years of age and 3,43,966 voters are listed as People with Disabilities (PwD). Of the 227 candidates contesting- 206 are males and 21 are females. Nine candidates are from Bahujan Samaj Party and 14 from BJP and Congress each. 117 independent candidates are also contesting in Phase-3 elections. The highest number of candidates (30) are from Davangere constituency, followed by Shimoga (23) and Bagalkot (22). Eight candidates, each, are contesting from Bijapur and Raichur.
Shimoga Lok Sabha seat: What makes the battle in Yediyurappa stronghold different this time
Eshwarappa, a lifelong ABVP/BJP adherent, was denied a BJP ticket in last years Karnataka assembly polls. But this time, when the party overlooked his son K E Kantheshs bid to contest from neighbouring Haveri Lok Sabha seat, he rebelled. Eshwarappa believes Yediyurappa and his sons engineered Kantheshs rejection, so hes contesting to teach them a lesson.
Shimoga Lok Sabha seat: What makes the battle in Yediyurappa family stronghold different this time
Eshwarappa, a lifelong ABVP/BJP adherent, was denied a BJP ticket in last years Karnataka assembly polls. But this time, when the party overlooked his son K E Kantheshs bid to contest from neighbouring Haveri Lok Sabha seat, he rebelled. Eshwarappa believes Yediyurappa and his sons engineered Kantheshs rejection, so hes contesting to teach them a lesson.
High Turnout in Karnataka: 25% Voters Cast Ballots in First Four Hours
High Turnout in Karnataka: 25% Voters Cast Ballots in First Four Hours An estimated 24.48 percent turnout was reported till 11 am since voting began for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in 14 constituencies, on Tuesday. The polling began at 7 am today and will end at 6 pm. About 24.48 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the first four hours of voting, election officials said. Out of the 14 segments, highest turnout of 27.65 per cent was recorded in Uttara Kannada, followed by Shimoga 27.22 per cent, and least 22.05 per cent in Raichur. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase covering northern districts, where more than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations. The Congress and BJP are locking horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka. It's a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP in these segments. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its NDA alliance partner -- the BJP. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in the other 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26. The segments where elections are being held are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had swept all these 14 seats, defeating Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state back then. MP Umesh Jadhav, who is contesting from Gulbarga against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani, Congress' candidates -- Anjali Nibalkar, Prabha Mallikarjun and Samyukta Patil from Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Bagalkot Lok Sabha segments, respectively, and also former Minister and BJP leader G Janardhana Reddy were among the promInents who voted.
Expelled BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa casts vote in Shimoga
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Lok Sabha elections: Royal polling booth with king, queen thrones set up in Shimoga Zilla Panchayat
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Former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa, sons cast vote in Shimoga
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Polling begins in 14 Karnataka constituencies for Lok Sabha elections
Polling begins in 14 Karnataka constituencies for Lok Sabha elections Voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka began on Tuesday in 14 constituencies. Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase covering the northern districts of the state where more than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations. The Congress and BJP are locking horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka. It's a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP in these constituencies in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting these seats and is supporting its NDA alliance partner -- the BJP. The state has 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in the other 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26. The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had won all these seats, defeating Congress and JD(S), who were in alliance and ruling the state back then. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said adequate security arrangements have been made for Tuesday's polling. ''Around 1.45 lakh polling officials have been deployed across the 14 constituencies. In addition, 35,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Paramilitary forces and armed police of other states will be deployed for the polling day,'' he said. Besides this, 4,000 micro observers will also be on duty, and 17,000 polling stations will be covered by webcasting, he added. Davangere has a maximum number of 30 candidates, followed by 23 in Shimoga while Raichur has the least - eight. Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) -- all from BJP; Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga) -- wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S Bangarappa, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga), are among the prominent people in the fray. Also in the contest are MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra, party's suspended leader and former Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa -- both from Shimoga, former Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and ex- Minister B Sreeramulu of BJP from Uttara Kannada and Bellary respectively, and retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik of Congress from Raichur. Stakes are high for several Ministers in this phase with their children contesting. Sons of Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Eshwar Khandre-- Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar and Sagar Khandre-- are contesting from Belgaum and Bidar respectively, while daughters of Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Shivanand Patil-- Priyanka Jarkiholi and Samyukta Patil respectively-- are in contention in Chikkodi and Bagalkot respectively. Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is contesting from Davangere.
BJP caught between rebel & old foe in Shimoga
Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha Seats Witness Intense Battle Between BJP and Congress
Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha Seats Witness Intense Battle Between BJP and Congress The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka, as the stage is set for the second phase of elections in the 14 remaining Lok Sabha seats on Tuesday. It is going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner -- the BJP. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase. More than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations where voting will take place between 7 am to 6 pm. The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had swept all these 14 seats, defeating Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then. Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections last year, the Congress now appears determined to put up a strong show. Karnataka is the most important state for the BJP in south India as it's only here that it has held power in the past. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said adequate security arrangements have been made for Tuesday's polling. ''Around 1.45 lakh polling officials have been deployed across the 14 constituencies. In addition, 35,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Paramilitary forces and armed police of other states will be deployed for the polling day,'' he said. Besides this, 4,000 micro-observers will also be on duty and 17,000 polling stations will be covered by webcasting, he added. Davangere has the maximum number of 30 candidates, followed by 23 in Shimoga and Raichur has the least number - eight. Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) -- all from BJP; Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga) -- wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S Bangarappa and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga), are among the prominent names in the fray. Also in the contest are MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra, suspended party leader and former Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa -- both from Shimoga, former Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and ex-Minister B Sreeramulu of BJP from Uttara Kannada and Bellary respectively and retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik of Congress from Raichur. Stakes are high for several Ministers in this phase with their children in fray. Sons of Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Eshwar Khandre - Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar and Sagar Khandre - are contesting from Belgaum and Bidar respectively, while daughters of Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Shivanand Patil -Priyanka Jarkiholi and Samyukta Patil- are in contention in Chikkodi and Bagalkot respectively. Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is in the fray from Davangere. The Congress' performance in the elections, especially in the second phase which covers almost all Lingayat-dominated districts, is crucial, as the party did not win one of them in 2019, and to also check whether the grand old party has managed to retain the support of a section of Lingayats -- considered as the BJP's core vote-base -- which seemed to have somewhat shifted towards it in the 2023 Assembly polls. The Lok Sabha election is being seen as a big test of sorts for Congress state unit chief D K Shivakumar, who has made no secret of his ambition to become chief minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term. The stakes are also high for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as victory in this election is seen as key to strengthening his hands, analysts say. It is also seen as a kind of a ''litmus test'' for state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, who has the onerous task of helping the party retain its supremacy in the Lok Sabha polls, by regaining its traditional Lingayat vote-base. Ensuring a BJP sweep is paramount for the son of veteran leader B S Yediyurappa, to consolidate his position and silence critics who have questioned his selection to the post, overlooking seniors and seasoned hands. The ruling Congress is mostly banking on the implementation of its populist five guarantee schemes while the BJP seems to be leveraging the ''Modi factor'' to the hilt.
Ex Chief Ministers' Children, BJP Rebel To Battle For This Karnataka Seat
The Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka is gearing up for a three-way battle with children of former Chief Ministers and a veteran leader in the fray.
Karnataka: Children of ex-CMs vs Veteran set a three-way battle in Shimoga
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Campaigning for second phase of 14 LS seats ends in Karnataka as 'sex scandal' dominates narrative
Campaigning for second phase of 14 LS seats ends in Karnataka as 'sex scandal' dominates narrative The campaigning for the second phase of polling in 14 Lok Sabha segments in Congress-ruled Karnataka ended on Sunday, with the ''Hassan sex scandal'' wading into the narrative in no small measure. Tuesday's elections (May 7) matter the most for the BJP as it had bagged all those 14 seats in the 2019 polls. Karnataka has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of elections for 14 segments was held on April 26. Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have targeted the BJP over the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan JD(S) MP, Prajwal Revanna, in campaign rallies. Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prajwal Revanna had raped 400 women, and lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for seeking votes for a ''mass rapist'' and sought his apology. Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda, is facing allegations of sexually abusing women. The state government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the charges. Prajwal Revanna was the JD(S)-BJP alliance candidate from Hassan seat which went to polls on April 26. The JD(S) joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year. The BJP, on the other hand, has attacked the government for alleged failure to ''contain anti-national activities'', and incidents of 'Love Jihad' and 'appeasement politics'. The party leaders repeatedly referred to the bomb blast at a cafe here on March 1, the murder of 23-year-old Neha Hiremath on a college campus in Hubballi by Fayaz Khondunaik on April 18 and the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha on February 27. Speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Belagavi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said, ''In the first phase, we will win about eight to nine seats. In the second phase, we will win in 10 constituencies.'' The Congress is also banking heavily on the state government's guarantee schemes and remains optimistic that they will pay the party electoral dividends. Among the candidates in the fray for the May 7 polls is Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who is seeking a fifth straight term from Dharwad. There will be a by-poll to the Shorapur assembly constituency in Yadgir district on May 7 following the death of Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik in February this year. The 14 segments going to polls on Tuesday are: Belgaum (Belagavi), Uttara Kannada, Chikkodi, Bagalkot (Bagalkote), Bidar, Haveri, Dharwad, Koppal, Bellari (Ballari), Raichur, Bijapur (Vijayapura), Davangere and Shimoga (Shivamogga) and Gulbarga (Kalaburagi). According to the Election Commission, 227 candidates are in the fray. The BJP and the Congress have fielded 14 candidates each while the Bahujan Samaj Party is trying its luck in nine seats. There are 117 independents. Also, 73 people are fighting the election from registered unrecognised parties. The 14 constituencies have 2.59 crore voters, the EC said, adding, there are a total of 28,257 main polling stations. Among the BJP contestants are: former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Belgaum), former Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (Uttara Kannada) and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra (Shimoga). Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is contesting from Gulbarga. The Congress has fielded Minister Eshwar Khandre's son Sagar Khandre (Bidar), Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's son Mrinal Hebbalkar (Belgaum), Minister Satish Jarkiholi's daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi (Chikkodi), Minister Shivanand Patil's daughter Samyukta Patil (Bagalkot) and Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is wife of Kannada film actor Shivarajkumar and daughter of former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa (Shimoga). As Congress has fielded Karnataka Minister for Mines and Geology S S Mallikarjun's wife Prabha Mallikarjun from Davangere, the BJP gave ticket to Gayathri Siddeshwara, who is wife of MP G M Siddeshwara. The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to increase voter turnout amid the soaring temperatures in the 14 constituencies. From arranging shamianas and tents, additional fans and drinking water facilities, to keeping ambulances on standby and using adjacent rooms of the polling booth as waiting areas, the Election Commission is making efforts to ensure that the polling percentage is not affected due to the ''harsh summer''. In this first phase, Karnataka recorded 69.56 per cent voter turnout. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said the constituencies where polling will take place on May 7 are in North Karnataka region and the temperature is slightly high there, ''so we have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that people aren't deterred from coming out of their homes to vote.''
Tents, Fans, and Ambulances Deployed at Karnataka Polling Stations to Aid Voters Amidst Heat on May 7 With just two days left for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to increase voter turnout amid the soaring temperatures in the 14 constituencies that go to the polls on May 7. The first phase of the general elections in 14 of Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha constituencies was held on April 26, and the second, for the rest of the 14 segments, is on May 7. From arranging shamianas and tents, additional fans and drinking water facilities, to keeping ambulances on standby and using adjacent rooms of the polling booth as waiting areas, the Election Commission is making efforts to ensure that the polling percentage is not affected due to the ''harsh summer''. There are 28,269 polling stations in these 14 constituencies -- Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga --which are going to the polls on May 7. In this first phase, Karnataka recorded 69.56 per cent voter turnout. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said the constituencies where polling will take place on May 7 are in North Karnataka region and the temperature is slightly high there, ''so we have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that people aren't deterred from coming out of their homes to vote.'' He further said, ''It is a harsh summer, so we are making special arrangements to mitigate this temperature, (and the possibility of) stroke, dehydration... So, we are making special arrangements for shades, drinking water, fans wherever required at the polling stations.'' The poll body has also roped in ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) workers to handle any medical emergency that may arise at the polling stations. ''We also have local-level health workers including ASHA workers and ANMs from primary health centres, so they will have basic medical kits to ensure that first aid is given to voters and polling officials in case of any medical emergency,'' he said. Ambulances have also been kept ready in a cluster of polling stations so that patients requiring more than first aid can be quickly taken to hospital, he added. The priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of poll officials and voters, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Adequate number of tents and umbrellas for shade, and chairs to seat the officials and voters have been provided at the polling stations to ensure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight. ''All arrangements are being done to ensure that people have a pleasant experience and that the harsh summer will not deter them from coming to vote. We will do our best to see that people will not face any problem,'' the CEO said. There are a total of 2,59,52,958 electors in these 14 constituencies, out of which 1,29,83,406 are male, 1,29,67,607 are female and 1,945 are others.
Children of ex-CMs & firebrand expelled BJP leader spice up poll scene in Karnataka's Shimoga
Known as the heartland of socialist movement in Karnataka, Shivamogga is a part of the 'Malnad' region. The BJP has renominated MP and Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra. The Congress has named Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is the wife of Karnataka film star Shivarajkumar and daughter-in-law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar.
Political heavyweights' offspring, firebrand expelled BJP leader make Karnataka's Shimoga LS poll scene more vibrant The contest between children of two former Chief Ministers and the presence of an expelled BJP leader in the fray has spiced up the poll scene in Karnataka's Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. It is for the fifth consecutive time since 2009, including a bypoll in 2018, the segment is witnessing a straight fight between the families two popular leaders and former Chief Ministers late S Bangarappa and B S Yediyurappa. Known as the heartland of socialist movement in Karnataka, Shivamogga is a part of the 'Malnad' region. The BJP has renominated MP and Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra. The Congress has named Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is the wife of Karnataka film star Shivarajkumar and daughter-in-law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar. Raghavendra has been elected to Parliament from this ''Gateway to Malnad'' three times. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and in the 2018 by-election, he defeated Geetha's brother Madhu Bangarappa, who is now a Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. Madhu was then with JD(S). Raghavendra defeated Madhu by over 2.23 lakh votes in 2019. Raghavendra had in his first Lok Sabha election in 2009 defeated S Bangarappa. Geetha had contested from the seat on the JD(S) ticket in 2014 and lost to Yediyurappa by a huge margin. She had come third in that election behind Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary. While the stage was almost set for a contest between Raghavendra and Geetha Shivrajkumar this time, BJP veteran K S Eshwarappa rebelled against the party over the denial of ticket to his son K E Kantesh from neighbouring Haveri. The former Deputy Chief Minister, who had also served as the party's state unit President, has entered the fray as an independent blaming Raghavendra's brother and state BJP President B Y Vijayendra and Yediyurappa for his son being overlooked. The 75-year-old Eshwarappa has been campaigning vigorously claiming that his fight is not against the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but to ''purify'' the party in the state by setting it free from the clutches of Yediyurappa and sons. He accused them of trying to establish dynasty rule in the party, by sidelining several Hindutva leaders. Eshwarappa was expelled by the party for six years after he refused to bow out of the poll race. There are some apprehensions about Eshwarappa eating into BJP's votes, but party leaders and functionaries insist that it may only have ''marginal impact'' on the three-time MP's prospects, as the latter has established himself politically in the region, and has party's solid organisational strength behind him. Along with his work as an MP, Raghavendra is banking on the ''Modi factor'', Yediyurappa's strong leadership, and alliance partner JD(S)' votes getting transferred in his favour. ''With the support I'm getting, I'm confident of winning with an even bigger margin than last time. I have never thought about who the opponent is and have always concentrated on my work and achievements and that of our government,'' the 50-year-old Raghavendra said. On the other hand, through his sister Geetha Shivrajkumar's win, Madhu Bangarappa is hoping to avenge successive defeats his family faced in Lok Sabha polls, including that of his father 15 years ago. Geetha is relying on her late father Bangarappa's legacy, brother Madhu's political clout in the region being district in-charge Minister, husband Shivrajkumar's star image and popularity with some film stars too campaigning for her, and also Congress' organisational strength and its populist guarantee schemes. Congress is also hoping for the numerically strong Ediga community, of which late Bangarappa was the tallest leader, backing Geetha, along with other OBCs. ''From day one everything has been positive and I'm getting good response even in the remote areas, and I'm confident it will convert into votes as people are wanting change this time,'' Geetha said. While Congress eyes electoral dividends over Eshwarappa's rebellion, the BJP -- with Geetha's other brother and former Minister Kumar Bangarappa on its side - is hoping to bag a significant chunk of Ediga votes. Shimoga Lok Sabha segment has eight Assembly constituencies, out of which four are represented by BJP, Congress in three and JD(S) one. ''Geetha Shivarjkumar comes during elections and goes back, she will not remain here, she comes temporarily only during elections, but Raghanna (Raghavendra) is not like that he is from here and he is always here. Also, he has Modi and Yediyurappa's blessings, he will win,'' said a voter in Tirthahalli. ''Congress' guarantees schemes are definitely helping people, especially the poor, so it will have an impact in the polls, and Geetha Shivarajkumar will win. We want a woman to win. She is also the daughter of Bangarappa,'' a woman student in Shivamogga said.
Amid suspense, Rahul veering towards fighting from Rae Bareli
Congress delays announcing Amethi and Rae Bareli candidates. Rahul may contest from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi. Priyanka is unlikely to run, as per the sources. Indecision due to Wayanad's victory and concerns about Kerala optics. Party leaders like KC Venugopal, and Kharge are said to have discussed the subject in Shimoga in Karnataka after a public rally Thursday afternoon
Sources: Rahul Gandhi may run from Amethi; official announcement expected tonight
Sources: Rahul Gandhi may run from Amethi; official announcement expected tonight Amid the suspense over Congress nominees from Amethi and Rae Bareli, sources Thursday indicated that Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest from the seat he lost last time. With Friday being the last date of filing of nominations, the party is expected to announce its candidates from the two prestigious constituencies tonight. The sources said the party has started making preparations for the nomination filing in both the seats in Uttar Pradesh, which have been traditionally held by members of the Gandhi-Nehru family. They added that Rahul Gandhi is the most likely choice of the party for Amethi, a seat he lost to Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi is also likely to attend the nomination filing Friday, the sources said. They also said that the Congress has prepared an alternative plan in case Priyanka Gandhi Vadra does not contest from Rae Bareli, adding a grandson of former Congress leader and Indira Gandhi's aunt Sheila Kaul may be fielded from Rae Bareli. Confidantes of the Gandhi family who held the fort at the ground level are already in Amethi and have prepared the nominations for the both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, even though the party is yet to make any formal announcement. Sources said Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who were both in Shimoga at a joint poll rally in Karnataka, held discussions over his nomination from Amethi. The Uttar Pradesh leadership of the Congress has already called upon the Gandhi family to contest both the seats traditionally held by their family. The members of the central election committee has also urged the party leadership to field both Rahul and Priyanka, but the final call has to be taken by the top leadership and the first family of the Congress. The Amethi seat has been represented by Rahul Gandhi from 2004 and he remained the member of Parliament from the constituency for three consecutive terms till 2019. He currently represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala from where he has contested this time also. Rahul Gandhi had said earlier he will follow ''whatever order'' he gets from his party. The Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections. The Rae Bareli constituency was represented by Sonia Gandhi from 2004 to 2024. Prior to that, Sonia Gandhi had represented the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency after she entered politics and contested for the first time in 1999. The seat has previously been represented by Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The Congress has forged an alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh as part of the INDIA bloc and is contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.
Action now shifts to 14 seats in North Karnataka
BENGALURU: With polling for 14 Lok Sabha seats, including the Old Mysuru region, done and dusted on Friday, the political action now shifts to the remaining 14 seats in the northern part of the state. It will be a straight fight between the Congress and BJP in most of the seats, except in Shivamogga, where former minister KS Eshwarappa has joined the fray, and Davanagere, where Vinaykumar, an educationist, could tilt the balance. Both hail from the Kuruba community. With no candidates in the contest, JDS will play a supporting role for alliance partner BJP. Eshwarappa, who was suspended from the BJP, poses a challenge to former CM B S Yediyurappas son and sitting MP BY Vijayendra. Vinaykumar, who expected a Congress ticket, is likely to create trouble for Shamanur Shivashankarappas daughter-in-law, Prabha, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun.There are a number of big leaders whose prestige is at stake: former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri and Jagadish Shettar in Belagavi, and Union ministers Prahlad Joshi in Hubballi-Dharwad and Bhagawant Khuba in Bidar. In Kalaburagi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharges son-in-law, Radhakrishna Doddamani is testing the political waters. In Ballari, Congress has pitted Sandur MLA E Tukaram against former minister B Sriramulu. Young leaders are taking on veterans: Mrinal Hebbalkar, son of Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, is up against Shettar in Belagavi, while Forest Minister Eshwar Khandres son Sagar Khandre faces Khuba in Bidar. Anand Asuti is pitched against Joshi in Dharwad. The 14 seats going for polls on May 7 are Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bidar, Bijapur, Chikkodi, Davanagere, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Haveri, Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Shimoga, and Uttara Kannada.
Karnataka Election Commission Files 189 Major Election Violation Cases
Karnataka Election Commission Files 189 Major Election Violation Cases As Karnataka gears up for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the Election Commission on Wednesday said all the polling stations in the Bangalore Rural and Mysore constituencies will be webcast. As of now, a total of 189 cases have been booked against political parties or candidates for major violations under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), they said. Addressing a press conference here, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty at the 30,602 polling stations across the 14 constituencies which are going for polls in the first phase on Friday. Besides them, 5,000 micro observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other States will also be deployed for security at these polling stations, he said. ''All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency will be 100 per cent webcast. This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double central parliamentary force for the Bangalore Rural Constituency. Seven companies of central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22,'' Meena said. Out of the 30,602 polling stations --- 19,701 polling stations will be webcast while 1,370 will be covered via CCTVs, he said. Out of the total 189 cases booked against political parties or candidates 23 are related to hate speeches, 28 related to inducement, and 15 related to misuse of religious places among other MCC violations, the official said. Listing out the alleged MCC violations by political parties, he said for hate speech, 12 cases have been booked against BJP or its candidates, nine cases against Congress and two cases against JD(S). In connection with inducement, eight cases have been filed against BJP, nine against Congress, three against JD(S) and eight against independent candidates or unrecognised political parties. For misuse of religious places, eight cases have been booked against BJP, six against Congress and one against an independent candidate. For using children for canvassing, seven cases each have been booked against BJP and Congress and one against an independent candidate, he added. The 14 segments facing polls in the first phase are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur and Kolar. There are a total of 2,88,19,342 electors in these constituencies -- 1,44,28,099 male, 1,43,88,176 female and 3,067 third gender, according to the poll body. Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga will go to polls in the second phase on May 7. In these constituencies, there are a total of 2,59,52,958 electors 1,29,83,406 are male, 1,29,67,607 are female and 1,945 are third gender -- and 28,269 polling stations.
Not scared of expulsion from BJP, says ex-Deputy CM Eshwarappa
SHIVAMOGGA: Former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday said he is not scared of expulsion from the BJP as he reiterated his resolve to contest the Lok Sabha elections as an independent with full vigour. He said his expulsion was on the expected lines. BJP on Monday expelled Eshwarappa for six years for violating party discipline and contesting Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is a violation of party discipline, state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the expulsion order. It said, So, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect. Eshwarappa has remained steadfast on his decision to contest, spurning efforts by party leaders to pacify him. The party's decision to expel the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council came on the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka on May seven. Eshwarappa along with Yediyurappa and late H N Ananth Kumar is widely credited with building the BJP from the grassroots in Karnataka. Ahead of the Assembly polls last year, opting out of the contest, he had asked the party's central leadership that he wished to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him from any constituency. Modi had then dialled Eshwarappa and spoke to him over a video call and expressed appreciation for his move to retire from poll politics, as per the instructions from the party. I have not received any communication from the party regarding my expulsion. The fact is that I was wondering why I was not expelled yet, Eshwarappa told reporters here on Tuesday, in an apparent sarcastic note. He said, I will not be scared of expulsion. My contesting is clear, winning from Shivamogga (Shimoga Lok Sabha seat) is clear and strengthing (the hands of) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also clear, the 75-year-old said. He added that he has been allotted the election symbol of farmer with sugarcane, which indicates blessings for him from the farmers of his constituency. Eshwarappa was eyeing a ticket for his son K E Kantesh from neighbouring Haveri constituency. After the denial of the ticket, Eshwarappa rebelled against former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and BJP's Parliamentary Board member accusing him of scuttling his son's political prospects. Targeting Yediyurppa and his two sons -- B Y Raghavendra who is contesting the election on a BJP ticket from Shivamogga and B Y Vijayendra, BJP state president and Shikaripura MLA, Eshwarappa said BJP has turned into a 'Father-Son' party in Karnataka with nepotism galore.
BJP expels rebel Karnataka leader KS Eshwarappa for six years
BENGALURU: The BJP on Monday expelled rebel leader K S Eshwarappa for six years for violating party discipline and contesting Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. The former deputy chief minister who had also served as the party's state unit president, has entered the poll fray, blaming state BJP president B Y Vijayendra and his father and veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa, for his son K E Kantesh being denied the ticket to contest from Haveri. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has got BJP's Haveri ticket, while Vijayendra's brother and MP B Y Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga. BJP expelled KS Eshwarappa from the party for 6 years for embarrassing the party by contesting as an Independent from Shivamogga constituency: Karnataka BJP pic.twitter.com/t66oNJDe4p ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2024 Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is violation of party discipline, state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the expulsion order. It said, so, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect. BJP leader KS Eshwarappa refuses to back off from contesting amid pressure from party's high command The 75-year-old Eshwarappa, had remained steadfast in his decision to contest, spurning efforts by party leaders to pacify him. He had even filed his nomination as an independent candidate. The party's decision to expel the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, came on the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka on May 7. Eshwarappa, along with Yediyurappa and the late H N Ananth Kumar, is widely credited for building the BJP from the grassroots in Karnataka. Claiming that the party in the state is in the clutches of its Parliamentary board member Yediyurappa and his family, with his one son as MP and other son Vijayendra as MLA and the state BJP president, Eshwarappa, has repeatedly accused Yediyurappa of sidelining those who espoused the cause of Hindutva like Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pratap Simha, C T Ravi and D V Sadananda Gowda. He has, however, stressed that he is not against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ahead of the Assembly polls last year, opting out of the contest, he had asked the party's central leadership that he wished to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him from any constituency. Modi had then dialled Eshwarappa and spoke to him over a video call and expressed appreciation for his move to retire from poll politics, as per the instructions from the party. Modi doppleganger shines in KS Eshwarappa's roadshow in Shivamogga
BJP rebel Eshwarappa slams state party prez on whip threat
Bengaluru: A day after Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra warned about the party cracking the whip against him, rebel leader K S Eshwarappa, who has decided to contest as an independent in Shimoga Lok Sabha segment, on Tuesday said he is independent and no more with the party to face such disciplinary action. Eshwarappa, Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Man-of-the-season: BJP once again falls back on Yediyurappa to deliver for party in Karnataka
Man-of-the-season: BJP once again falls back on Yediyurappa to deliver for party in Karnataka BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa is out of power and electoral politics for sure, but his clout in the party's affairs in Karnataka remains undiminished as its central leadership seems to be once again falling back on this seasoned oarsman to deliver in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Whether it is selection of candidates or quelling dissidence in multiple constituencies, the party's 81-year-old central election committee member is seen to be ''man-of-the-season.'' Stakes are indeed high for the BJP Parliamentary Board member as he will have to ensure that his son B Y Vijayendra consolidates his position as the party's state President and silence critics who have questioned his selection for the post ignoring the claims of experienced hands. The octogenarian, who has already announced his retirement from electoral politics, is sought to be put on the pedestal by the BJP's central leaders, making him a key poll mascot in the state, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The reasons are not far to seek as to why Yediyurappa has been pushed to the top of the party's election plank. The four-time Chief Minister, who built the party from grassroots level, has a mass appeal and connect particularly among the politically influential Lingayat community that no other party leader in the State commands. Its now quite evident from the BJPs scheme of things that the party is keen on leveraging the ''Yediyurappa factor'' and putting him up as the poster boy to reap rich electoral dividends. No less than the Prime Minister himself had a lavish praise for Yediyurappa in his home district of Shivamogga during his public meeting earlier this month. ''Shivamogga is a special land -- that when no one knew about us during the Jana Sangh days, when we had no members even at the municipality level -- at such a time Yediyurappa ji spent his prime here. This is his 'Tapobhoomi','' Modi had said. According to some political observers and BJP insiders, the party sought to sideline Yediyurappa in the Assembly elections in May last year. The BJP was ousted from power by the Congress and able to win only 66 seats in the 224-member Assembly. Corruption issue, consolidation of minority votes behind the Congress and a section of Lingayats drifting away from the BJP were seen to be among the key factors for its defeat. Vijayendra was appointed as State unit President in November last year, with the party once again reposing faith in Yediyurappa. Yediyurappa's imprint is clearly visible in selection of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, as he got tickets to his elder son B Y Raghavendra in Shimoga, and several loyalists including Shobha Karandlaje in Bangalore North, Gayatri Siddeshwara, wife of MP G M Siddeshwara, in Davangere, former CM Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri and Govind M Karjol in Chitradurga. It is also said that he played a key role in picking scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for the Mysore seat, replacing MP Prathap Simha. However, Yediyurappa also had to face backlash from a number of aspirants, who did not get the ticket. Several senior leaders like J C Madhuswamy from Tumakuru, former MLAs M P Renukacharya and S A Ravindranatha from Chitradurga, MP Karadi Sanganna from Koppal, and some party leaders from Belagavi had openly expressed their angst against him for not backing their candidature. The party also faced dissidence in constituencies like Bidar and Chitradurga among others. Veteran party leader K S Eshwarappa has revolted and announced that he will contest as an independent from Shivamogga, where Raghavendra is the candidate. He has blamed Yediyurappa for his son K E Kantesh not getting a ticket from neighbouring Haveri. Yediyurappa has reached out to disgruntled leaders, personally meeting some of them. According to a party functionary, ''the Yediyurappa factor has been largely beneficial to the BJP, but it has also adversely affected at times. It is like a double edged sword. His clout and appeal within the party and among voters, especially the Lingayats, cannot be denied. At the same time, this has also led to conflicts and rifts within the party, amid accusations of nepotism and favoritism.'' ''Yediyurappa factor obviously means, strong leadership and mass appeal, but too much dependence on it, with focus on Lingayat votes has somewhat limited the party from broadening its social base among other communities like Vokkaligas,'' he said. ''The party has seen its negative effects electorally, as it has never been able to get majority on its own in the state.'' Pointing out that Yediyurappa is undisputedly the ''chief architect'' of BJP in Karnataka, with support of other leaders like Eshwarappa and late H N Ananth Kumar, another party leader said: ''controversies and corruption allegations apart, under his leadership, the party has performed well in successive elections and whenever he is sidelined, the performance has been weak. This may be in the mind of the central leadership to fall back on him time and again.'' During the 2023 Assembly polls too, BJP initially tried its best to secure Lingayat support without Yediyurappa, but were not very confident about it, and at the later stages it had to rope in the veteran leader, a party leader noted, adding that efforts to cultivate support from some other communities also did bear desired results. Yediyurappa resigned as Chief Minister on July 26, 2021. Age was cited as a primary factor for his exit from the top job, with an unwritten rule in the BJP of keeping out those above 75 years from elected offices. Also, the BJP central leadership wanted to make way for new leadership ahead of the Assembly polls. Ahead of assembly polls, Yediyurappa announced retirement from electoral politics. The BJP had swept the 2019 general elections to Lok Sabha, bagging 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent backed by the party had also emerged victorious.
