Kumaraswamy indicates return to Karnataka politics, eyes 'pro-people' govt in 2028
Hassan (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday hinted at his return to state politics, saying he would devote more time to Karnataka in the days ahead to bring a "pro-people government" here.
Expressing confidence that there will be a "pro-people government" in the state after the 2028 Assembly polls, the JD(S) leader said, people want to remove the "corrupt" Congress government here.
He also asserted that no one can "finish off" the JD(S), targeting the ruling Congress party and its leaders in the state.
The JD(S), which has been an ally of the BJP since the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, on Saturday held a rally at Hassan to mark the party's silver jubilee celebrations, which was attended by party patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. Hassan is Gowda's home district.
"I'm not someone who had a desire to enter politics. I came to politics accidentally and became the chief minister of this state twice accidentally, and did pro-people work. I couldn't fulfil the unfinished tasks of (his father) H D Deve Gowda--especially to improve the livelihood of farmers-- during my short stint in power. It is my responsibility to play my role more in the state in the days ahead," Kumaraswamy said in response to a question on his return to state politics.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the rally here, he said Karnataka is a prosperous state and to end various forms of misrule and ensure a peaceful life for its people, there is a need for a pro-people government.
"With this intention, I want to give more time to Karnataka in the days ahead....(however) it is not in my hand, it is the will of God and the people, I will bow down to what people desire," he added.
Hitting out at political opponents, Kumaraswamy said, "They claim that they have finished off the JD(S). Probably, they are afraid of our party; they are not afraid of other parties. So they want to finish off this farming community's party. It has lakhs of loyal party workers, and no one can finish it off."
"There is an uncivilised government in the state. Everyday people are witnessing several kinds of corruption and illegal activities under this government. To remove this government, we want to send a message from Hassan," he added.
Later in the day, addressing the rally, Kumaraswamy said he has already been the CM of the state twice, despite JD(S) not having complete majority. He said correcting the course in which the state is moving, was a bigger challenge before him, than becoming the CM in 2028.
"Party leaders like Nikhil Kumaraswamy (son and party youth wing chief) and others have said (during the rally) that Kumaraswamy should become the Chief Minister in 2028. The bigger challenge before me, than becoming the CM, is -- to correct the direction in which the state today is going and the way in which the government is functioning -- correcting this is the responsibility of all of us," he said.
Noting that the state is prosperous and there is no shortage of funds here, the union minister said still there is no development here.
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Texas halts H-1B visas at state universities, agencies; to affect Indians
Houston (US) (PTI): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to immediately halt new H-1B visa petitions, tightening hiring rules at taxpayer-funded institutions, a step likely to impact Indian professionals.
The freeze will remain in effect through May 2027.
The directive issued on Tuesday said that the state agencies and public universities must stop filing new petitions unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The governor's order, in a red state that is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes as the Trump administration has initiated steps to reshape the visa programme.
“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,” Abbot said.
Institutions must also report on H-1B usage, including numbers, job roles, countries of origin, and visa expiry dates, the letter said.
US President Donald Trump on September 19 last year signed a proclamation ‘Restriction on entry of certain non-immigrant workers’ that restricted the entry into the US of those workers whose H-1B petitions are not accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 1,00,000.
The H1-B visa fee of USD 1,00,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, i.e. all new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, including those for the FY2026 lottery.
Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with China in the second spot. The major fields include technology, engineering, medicine, and research.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with 5,505 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon (10,044 workers on H-1B visas), according to the USCIS. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
Texas public universities employ hundreds of foreign faculty and researchers, many from India, across engineering, healthcare, and technology fields.
Date from Open Doors -- a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US -- for 2022-2023 showed 2,70,000 students from India embarked on graduate and undergraduate degrees in US universities, accounting for 25 per cent of the international student population in the US and 1.5 per cent of the total student population.
Indian students infuse roughly USD 10 billion annually into universities and related businesses across the country through tuition and other expenses – while also creating around 93,000 jobs, according to the Open Doors data.
Analysts warn the freeze could slow recruitment of highly skilled professionals, affecting academic research and innovation.
Supporters say the directive protects local jobs, while critics caution it could weaken Texas’ competitiveness in higher education and research.
The order comes amid broader debate in the US over skilled immigration and state-level interventions in federal programmes.
H-1B visas allow US companies to hire technically-skilled professionals that are not easily available in America. Initially granted for three years, these can be extended for another three years.
In September 2025, Trump had also signed an executive order ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for those committed to supporting the United States; with individuals who can pay USD 1 million to the US Treasury, or USD 2 million if a corporation is sponsoring them, to get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card.
