Key assembly bypolls in Karnataka Sunday
Bengaluru: In key byelections, two assembly constituencies in Karnataka would go to polls Sunday with the outcome likely to have a bearing on the stability of the JDS-Congress government in the state.
A fierce campaign was witnessed in the two constituencies -- Kundgol and Chincholi, both held by Congress.
The bypolls are crucial for both the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance and the opposition BJP with the latter maintaining that a victory for it would boost its numbers in the assembly and have political implications.
By-poll to Chincholi has been necessitated by resignation ofUmesh Jadhav, who quit Congress and joined BJP to contest the recent Lok Sabha polls from Gulbarga, while Kundgol seat fell vacant following the death of Minister C S Shivalli.
There are a total of 17 candidates in the fray in Chincholi and eight in Kundgol segments. The main contest will be between the nominees of the Congress, supported by JDS, and the BJP.
The Congress candidates are Subash Rathod in Chincholi and Kusumavathi, wife of Shivalli, in Kundgol. BJP has fielded S I Chikkanagowdar and Umesh Jadhavs son Avinash Jadhav from Kundgol and Chincholi assembly seats respectively.
There are a total of 1,93,869 voters in Chincholi while 1,89,444 voters in Kundgol, officials said.
Congress is determined to retain both the seats while the BJP has been claiming its tally in the assembly will increase from from 104 to 106.
BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa has claimed the support of three independent and small party MLAs after the polls and said "any kind of political alterations" may happen after that.
"So we have asked for cooperation and I'm confident that peoplewill definitely support us (in the bypoll)," he said.
In the 224-member assembly with two vacancies and excluding the Speaker, the BJP has 104 MLAs, Congress-77, JD(S)-37, BSP (1), independent (1) (both currently supporting the ruling alliance), one KPJP
There have been speculations about possible change of guard in the state after the results of the Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls on May 23.
Coalition leaders airing differences publicly and growing clamour within the Congress for its veteran Siddaramaiah to become Chief Minister once again have added fuel to the fire.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
