Politics

In an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Shiv Sena alleged that the BJP was damaging the image of Maharashtra.

Vijai Sardesai, president of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), a constituent of the BJP-led Goa government, had yesterday said that the BJP will land in "trouble" if the mining activities in the state don't resume immediately.

The Visva Bharati academic council had recently cleared the names of actor Amitabh Bachchan, painter Jogen Chowdhury, lyricist Gulzar, author Amitav Ghosh, writer Suniti Kumar Pathak, singer Dwijen Mukherjee and scientist Ashok Sen for the honour.

HD Kumaraswamy, who was sworn in at a grand assembly of opposition leaders on Wednesday, is in a comfortable position given the strength of the JD(S)-Congress-BSP coalition in the House.

Rashtriya Lok Dal which has fielded Tabassum Hasan as the joint opposition nominee to take on BJP's Mriganka Singh in the Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll got the boost, when Lok Dal candidate Kanwar Hasan embraced the party and pulled out of the electoral race.

The show of strength by the galaxy of national leaders and regional satraps is being seen as a strong signal to the BJP about the possibility of formation of a broad-based front to take on the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Orders have been issued to ensure that Ganga is not polluted in any form from Garhmukteshwar to Kashi. The CM’s order means that all the 264 tanneries in Kanpur will be closed during the period of the Kumbh.

A BJP leader said the JD(S) and the Congress are the main political rivals of each other, and their alliance is bound to be unsuccessful at the ground level because of the "competing interests" of their support groups.

The Congress-JD (S) combine is contemplating approaching the Supreme Court to challenge Governor Vajubhai Vala's decision to appoint Bopaiah as the pro tem speaker, arguing that he is not the senior most MLA.

The pro tem speaker will oversee the floor test in Karnataka Assembly. Mukul Rohatgi, representing BS Yeddyurappa, had sought reasonable time, something that the apex court refused.

The MLAs had to leave the Eagleton Resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru after Yeddyurappa ordered the police to withdraw security at Eagleton and Shangri-La hotel. The Congress MLAs were staying at Eagleton Resort and the JDS were sheltered at Shangri-La.

The senior leaders were asked to mislead the media claiming that they would go to Kerala or Punjab. But they had made all arrangements in Hyderabad for the stay of their MLAs through friendly government there.

"The Constitution is under severe attack in the country... In Karnataka, the MLAs are on one side and the Governor on the other and you know what attempt is being made," Rahul Gandhi said.

The top level reshuffle includes the transfers of the advocate general of the state, senior police officers and the additional chief secretary to the chief minister.

Yadav will be the mentor and guide at the party and not an official member since his legal claim to represent the JD(U) was still sub judice.

In all, Vokkaliga chief ministers ruled the state for just 92 months or less than eight years since 1956. Whereas, the Lingayat chief ministers have ruled the state for over 27 years during the same period.