BJP-JD(S) claim 'Randeep rule' in Karnataka, call Surjewala 'super CM', as he meets Ministers
Bengaluru, Jul 16 (PTI): As AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala continued to hold one-on-one meetings with several ministers on Wednesday, opposition BJP and JD(S) took a dig at the ruling Congress, calling him "super CM".
They also asked whether "Randeep rule" has been imposed in the state.
While Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and BJP leader R Ashoka claimed that the Congress high command, which has completely lost confidence in CM Siddaramaiah, has imposed a "Randeep rule" in Karnataka.
Surjewala's one-on-one meetings with ministers entered the third day on Wednesday. These meetings are said to be aimed at understanding their grievances, assessing their performance, and addressing the complaints shared by the party MLAs against the ministers.
Earlier, the AICC General Secretary had held two rounds of one-on-one meetings with party legislators in the state.
"Is Randeep rule implemented in the state? Will Thursday's cabinet meeting also be chaired by Surjewala?" Ashoka asked in a post on 'X'.
"The Congress high command, which has completely lost confidence in the lottery CM Siddaramaiah, has imposed a "Randeep rule" in Karnataka," he claimed and said said, "It should not be surprising if Surjewala, who is listening to the complaints and grievances of dissatisfied MLAs in the KPCC office and five-star hotels and reviewing the performance of ministers, comes to the cabinet meeting to be held at the Vidhana Soudha on Thursday and presides over it himself."
"CM Siddaramaiah has no control over the administration, and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar does not have the support of the MLAs, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi does not have the power to appoint whoever he wants as the Chief Minister," Ashoka alleged.
"Overall, the Congress party in Karnataka is in a state of "limbo" without a single leader who can handle the post of Chief Minister effectively," Ashoka claimed.
Meanwhile, JD(S) State Youth President Nikhil Kumaraswamy in a post on 'X' sarcastically said, "Congratulations to Surjewala on his silent elevation as the Super CM of Karnataka."
"Looks like the elected CM has handed Surjewala a GPA to run the government," he slammed.
"Democratically elected MLAs are now forced to bow before a 'Surjewala Sarkar' for constituency development funds," he claimed.
"Siddaramaiah is outgoing (as CM), D K Shivakumar is incoming, but Surjewala is already ruling," Nikhil Kumaraswamy claimed, pointing at CM change speculations within the ruling Congress.
The Congress has reduced Karnataka to a puppet state, he said, calling it "a total mockery of federalism and democracy."
❓ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ "ರಣದೀಪ್" ಆಡಳಿತ ಜಾರಿ ಆಗಿದೆಯಾ?
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) July 16, 2025
❓ಗುರುವಾರದ ಸಂಪುಟ ಸಭೆಯೂ ಸುರ್ಜೆವಾಲಾ ಅವರ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಾ?
ಲಾಟರಿ ಸಿಎಂ @siddaramaiah ಅವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ವಿಶ್ವಾಸ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಹೈಕಮಾಂಡ್ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ''ರಣದೀಪ್ " ಆಡಳಿತ ಹೇರಿದೆ.
ಕೆಪಿಸಿಸಿ ಕಚೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಪಂಚತಾರಾ ಹೋಟೆಲ್ ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/oqLwyQ70MY
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Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases
Dhaka (PTI): A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment — five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment — two years in each case — while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
