Civic polls: Month old Bommai govt gets majority in 2 municipal corporations, comes 2nd in third
Bengaluru, Sep 6: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka received a shot in the arm in the elections to the three municipal corporations by getting clear majority in Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad while it finished a close second in Kalaburagi.
An elated Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who dubbed the election results as a clean sweep in favour of the his month-old government in the 'sample test', said the BJP will come to power in all the three municipal corporations.
The elections took place on September 3 and the results were announced on Monday.
According to the Karnataka State Election Commission officials, in the 58-seat Belagavi, the BJP won 35, Congress 10, Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) one and 12 independents.
In 82-seat Hubballi-Dharwad municipal corporation, BJP won 39 seats, Congress 33, AIMIM 3, JD(S) 1, independents six.
In Kalaburagi municipal corporation, the elections took place for 55 seats, out of which Congress won 27, BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and independent one seat.
Going by the indications given by Bommai, the BJP, JD(S) and an independent may join hands, a BJP insider claimed. He also did not rule out the possibility of a breakaway group of Congress emerging to support the BJP.
A jubilant Bommai said, "This was almost like a sample test after one month of my taking charge of the office. Out of the three, we have got a clear majority in two municipal corporations and in the third also we are in the close race but we are going to make a majority there also." He said all the three corporations will have BJP mayors.
Bommai congratulated the BJP ministers, MLAs and leaders who toiled hard for the elections in Belagavi.
"For the first time in history, the BJP is holding the majority and we will have our own mayor. The MES would have controlled it otherwise," the Chief Minister said.
He said this was a good sign for the government as well as Karnataka.
Bommai said Hubballi-Dharwad had been the BJP's fort for a long time while the party is breaking grounds in Kalaburagi.
"It's a clean sweep and a drubbing to the Congress. It also shows that the people have faith in the new government," Bommai said.
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Six arrested in Bengaluru drug racket; narcotics worth Rs 20 crore seized
Bengaluru: Six persons have been arrested for allegedly procuring banned narcotic substances at low prices and selling them for profit, with college students among the buyers, police said on Tuesday.
Police seized 8 kg 58 g of MDMA, 5 kg 700 g of hydro ganja, four mobile phones, and a car used to transport the drugs. The total value of the seized items is estimated at Rs 10.05 crore, while the market value is around Rs 20.10 crore, The Times of India reported.
The arrests followed searches carried out at various locations based on specific intelligence inputs.
Police said information had been received about the sale of banned drugs, including MDMA and hydro ganja, within the limits of Yeshwanthpur and Nandini Layout police stations.
“During these operations, six individuals were detained on different dates, two from other states and four locals,” a statement issued by the office of City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.
“Upon interrogation, the accused confessed that they were purchasing banned drugs such as MDMA and hydro ganja at low prices from unknown inter-state and local suppliers and selling them to the public, with college students among the buyers, for profit,” the statement added.
Police said efforts are underway to identify and trace the suppliers involved in the network.
All six accused have been produced before a court on different dates and remanded to judicial custody, police said.
