BJP making fresh bid to topple coalition govt, alleges Dy CM Parameshwar
Bengaluru, Jan 1: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara Tuesday accused the BJP of making a fresh bid to topple the JDS-Congress coalition government in the state, asserting that it would not succeed.
As the war of words between the BJP and Congress over the alleged toppling game intensified, Parameshwara claimed that efforts were underway to arrange a meeting of his party's disgruntled MLAs with BJP president Amit Shah.
"BJP is an expert in horse trading. They have already proved it last time. This time also they tried (to unsettle the government) but they failed in their attempt. Again, they are making a fresh bid," the deputy chief minister alleged.
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara charged that there were efforts to woo 'some MLAs' from his party, Congress, but he refused to divulge their names.
"Some MLAs are there and attempts are being made to arrange their meetings with the BJP national president.
"We have information that they are making attempts (to topple the government) but they will not succeed," he said.
"Government is safe and there is no need to panic," he asserted.
Parameshwara's charge comes amid reports that disgruntled Congress MLA, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped from the ministry in the recent reshuffle, has been camping in Delhi.
He has remained incommunicado since he was removed from the ministry.
His brother Satish Jarkiholi, a minister in Kumaraswamy government, Tuesday said he too came to know that Ramesh was in Delhi.
He did not rule out the possibility of some other miffed MLAs being with him.
The BJP on Monday had maintained that it was not trying to dislodge the coalition government in Karnataka while the Congress had claimed it has evidence of 'horse trading' of its MLAs, alleging that they were each 'offered' Rs 25 crore to 30 crore.
State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa had demanded that Congress produce proof to substantiate its claim.
Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah had responded, saying he would produce evidence at the "appropriate time."
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
