Mangaluru: BJP District President Satish Kumpala has stated that Puttur leader PG Jagannivas Rao is being expelled from the party for failing to ensure his son, Shrikrishna J Rao, who is charged with impregnating a girl, marries the victim.

Shrikrishna, who was accused of having sexual intercourse with a classmate on the pretext of marriage and abandoning her after finding that she was pregnant, has been released on bail. The DNA test report of the child, meanwhile, confirmed that the blood samples showed Shrikrishna to be the father of the child.

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Speaking at a press meet on Monday, Kumpala said that immediately on learning of his son’s misconduct, Rao was issued a notice and distanced from the rest of the party. “In response, Rao had assured that if the DNA test proved his son to be guilty of sexual intercourse on the pretext of marriage, he would take the initiative of getting the young couple married in Puttur. Rao had also promised to do so to Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai,” he added.

“Rao, however, has failed to fulfil his promise. We have, therefore, decided to expel him from the party,” said Kumpala, adding that the party members would fight till the victim gets justice in the matter.

Former Mangaluru City Corporation Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur and leaders Vasantha J Poojary and Arun G Shet were among those present at the press meet.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.

During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.

Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.

“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.

Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”

The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.

He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.

The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.

He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.