Former Minister Yogeshwara files nomination for Channapatna Assembly by-poll
Channapatna (PTI): Former Minister C P Yogeshwara, who joined the Congress after quitting BJP, on Thursday filed his nomination as the grand old party's candidate for the November 13 Assembly by-poll from Channapatna, amid a show of strength.
He was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, state Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and district in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy, among other party leaders.
Yogeshwara along with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Reddy, former MP D K Suresh and several other Congress leaders held a massive road show in which a large number of party workers and supporters had gathered.
Yogeshwara on Wednesday quit BJP and joined the Congress, hours before the party fielded him as its candidate from the high profile Channapatna segment.
Channapatna bypoll is necessitated as the seat fell vacant following the election of its representative -- JD(S) state President and now Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy -- to Lok Sabha from Mandya parliamentary segment.
The by-poll will see a straight contest between Congress and NDA partner JD(S), which is in an alliance with the BJP, in the segment.
Addressing the gathering, Yogeshwara said Siddaramaiah's personal presence and blessings, and Shivakumar and Suresh's support and cooperation are a "big strength" for him.
"I have come before you as your candidate to join hands with Shivakumar in his efforts to develop the taluk....I appeal to you to make me win with a record margin to serve you," he said.
Siddaramaiah said Yogeshwara is a popular leader in Channapatna and he has made efforts for the development of the constituency as a five time MLA and a Minister, and people acknowledge his work in filling up lakes in the taluk.
"Let whoever the JD(S) field as its candidate, let Kumaraswamy himself contest or let him field his son or wife, our candidate Yogeshwara will win hundred per cent. He is a winning horse," he said.
Charging Kumaraswamy with "not doing anything for the development of Channapatna," the CM said: "he did not make visits to the constituency. Kumaraswamy is a central minister now, he is not going to any part of the country other than the Mandya segment he represents..."
Shivakumar said, the government is undertaking works to the tune of Rs 500 crore in Channapatna, adding, if the Congress candidate wins here, the segment can witness changes for good. "I request you to give Congress victory with a huge margin."
Hitting out at Kumaraswamy for quitting as Channapatna MLA and contesting Lok Sabha polls from Mandya, he said: "You (people) should ask him -- you were twice MLA from here and also became CM -- what have you done, release the list."
Ahead of joining Congress, Yogeshwara, the actor-turned-politician, had appealed to leaders of the alliance to consider giving him a ticket from the saffron party. He had also said he had plans to contest as an independent if he didn't get the ticket.
There were plans to field Yogeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he was not interested in it, sources said. "Instead, he wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party.”
With this by-poll, "D K Brothers" -- Shivakumar and Suresh -- are hoping to regain Congress' ground in the Vokkaliga dominated region, which is their home turf, after the Lok Sabha poll debacle in which the latter lost to BJP-JD(S) joint candidate and Kumaraswamy's brother-in-law Dr C N Manjunath in Bangalore Rural, under which the Channapatna Assembly seat comes.
According to JD(S) sources, Kumaraswamy did not want to cede the Channapatna seat that he had represented to Yogeshwara or BJP.
Kumaraswamy had won the Channapatna seat in 2018 and 2023. Before that Yogeshwara had represented the seat from BJP and Samajwadi Party. He had earlier also represented the seat both as an independent and from the Congress.
Kumaraswamy's actor-turned-politician son Nikhil Kumaraswamy's name has been doing the rounds as JD(S)-BJP alliance's candidate for Channapatna seat. Nikhil had lost the 2023 Assembly polls from neighbouring Ramanagara.
Kumaraswamy had won Channapatna in the 2023 assembly polls, with 96,592 votes against Yogeshwara (then in BJP) who got 80,677 votes. The Congress candidate had then secured 15,374 votes.
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Karnataka offers extensive incentives in its proposed IT policy
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka has proposed a new Information Technology Policy for 2025–2030, offering extensive financial and non-financial incentives aimed at accelerating investments, strengthening innovation and expanding the state's tech footprint beyond Bengaluru.
The Karnataka Cabinet gave its nod to the policy 2025–2030 with an outlay of Rs 445.50 crore on Thursday after the Finance Department accorded its approval.
The policy introduces 16 incentives across five enabler categories, nine of which are entirely new, with a distinctive push to support companies setting up or expanding in emerging cities.
Alongside financial support, the government is also offering labour-law relaxations, round-the-clock operational permissions and industry-ready human capital programmes to make Karnataka a globally competitive 'AI-native' destination.
According to the policy, units located outside Bengaluru will gain access to a wide suite of benefits, including research and development and IP creation incentives, internship reimbursements, talent relocation support and recruitment assistance.
The benefits also include EPF reimbursement, faculty development support, rental assistance, certification subsidies, electricity tariff rebates, property tax reimbursement, telecom infrastructure support, and assistance for events and conferences.
Bengaluru Urban will receive a focused set of six research and development and talent-oriented incentives, while Indian Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operating in the state will be brought under the incentive net.
Incentive caps and eligibility thresholds have been raised, and the policy prioritises growth-focused investments for both new and expanding units.
Beyond incentives, the government focuses on infrastructure and innovation interventions.
A flagship proposal in the policy is the creation of Techniverse -- integrated, technology-enabled enclaves developed through a public-private partnership model inside future Global Innovation Districts.
These campuses will offer plug-and-play facilities, artificial intelligence and machine learning and cybersecurity labs, advanced testbeds, experience centres, and disaster-resistant command centres.
There will also be a Statewide Digital Hub Grid and a Global Test Bed Infrastructure Network, linking public and private research and development, and innovation facilities across Karnataka.
The government has proposed a Women Global Tech Missions Fellowship for 1,000 mid-career women technologists, an IT Talent Return Programme to absorb experienced professionals returning from abroad, and broad-based skill and faculty development reimbursements.
Shared corporate transport routes in Bengaluru and tier-two cities will be designed with Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other transport entities to support worker mobility.
The government said the policy is the outcome of an extensive research and consultation process involving TCS, Infosys, Wipro, IBM, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, HP, Google, Accenture and NASSCOM, along with sector experts and stakeholder groups.
It estimates an outlay of Rs 967.12 crore over five years, comprising Rs 754.62 crore for incentives and Rs 212.50 crore for interventions such as Techniverse campuses, digital grid development, global outreach missions and talent programmes.
