Congress will win at least 12 seats, return to power: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Dec 01: CLP leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday claimed that his party will win at least 12 seats, if not all the 15, in the December 5 bypolls and a political change in the state will then be inevitable.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader also accused the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government in the state of doing nothing for the flood victims.
"We (Congress) are going to win at least 12 seats. No wonder if we win 15 seats. If we win 12 seats, how can the BJP government survive? Yediyurappa has to resign.
Then, political change will be inevitable," Siddaramaiah told reporters at Kokatnur in Athani assembly constituency in Belagavi district.
The former chief minister claimed there was a strong undercurrent in the state in favour of the Congress as the people have made up their mind to teach the defectors a lesson.
He was talking to reporters while campaigning for Gajanana Mangasuli, the Congress candidate from Athani.
The ruling BJP needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to 15 constituencies to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which would still have two vacant seats-- Maski and R R Nagar.
The Congress-JDS coalition ministry had collapsed in July, following the rebellion by 17 disqualified MLAs.
Among 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JD(S).
The BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators who joined the party as its candidates from their respective constituencies.
To a question on Yeddyurappa's warning that defamation case will be filed against him for making statements alleging that the disqualified MLAs were bought over by his party, the Congress leader welcomed it saying it will give him an opportunity to expose them.
"They (BJP) are afraid of me. Whom should anyone target when they know who is causing them damage? That is why they have to target me. I am ready to face all of them.
If the BJP or the JD(S) targets me, then also I am not going to get scared, the former chief minister said.
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Teen dies in car stunt accident in Kerala, driver held
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): A man was arrested on Monday after a 14-year-old boy was killed when a car overturned during a stunt-driving incident at Chamakala Rajiv Road beach in Chentrappinni here, police said.
The arrested accused was identified as Shajeer alias Saddam (36), a native of Kurikkuzhi in Kaipamangalam.
According to police, the incident occurred around 6 pm on Sunday when the accused allegedly performed dangerous drifting manoeuvres with an open-top Gypsy vehicle at the beach, without following any safety norms.
The accused picked up three minors — Mohammed Sinan (14), Mohammed Shafeer (14) and Ameer (12) — who were playing at the beach, and made them sit at the rear of the vehicle before driving recklessly.
While performing the drifting stunt, the vehicle went out of control and overturned, trapping Sinan underneath.
He suffered severe head injuries and succumbed to the impact, police said.
Based on a complaint, Kaipamangalam police registered a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
After completing the preliminary probe, police arrested Shajeer on Monday.
He was later produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody, police said.
The accused is involved in 11 criminal cases.
