LS polls: Rebel BJP leader Eshwarappa, Kharge's son-in-law file nominations
Shivamogga (Karnataka) (PTI): Rebel BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa on Friday filed his nomination from Shivamogga for the May 7 Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate to take on official party nominee B Y Raghavendra, who is seeking reelection from the segment.
In Kalaburagi, Radhakrishna Doddamani, son-in-law of Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, also filed his papers. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress chief D K Shivakumar.
Raghavendra is the son of BJP veteran and member of the party's Parliamentary Board and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.
BJP leaders had appealed to Eshwarappa to desist from contesting but he remained steadfast on his decision.
Eshwarappa, who had also served as the party's state unit president, is miffed over his son K E Kanthesh being denied the ticket from the neighbouring Haveri segment.
The 75-year-old had alleged that Yediyurappa had promised to get the ticket for his son but betrayed him.
Eshwarappa, who has raised a banner of revolt against the party's state unit, has repeatedly attacked the Lingayat strongman Yediyurappa, saying the BJP is in the grip of his family.
Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. While 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will vote on April 26, the remaining 14 constituencies in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7.
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Assam: 23,000 people affected by urban floods as IMD forecasts more rain
Guwahati (PTI): More than 23,000 people have been affected by urban floods in Assam as rains lashed several parts of the state, while the IMD warned of more showers, official sources said on Friday.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), in its bulletin, said urban floods have been reported from the three districts of Kamrup (Metropolitan), Sribhumi and Cachar.
Four revenue circles and 12 villages have been inundated in these districts, affecting 23,619 people.
The worst-hit has been Cachar district, where 15,617 people have been affected, followed by Sribhumi with 8,002 flood-hit people, according to the bulletin.
There were no reports of deaths or people missing in the urban floods in the last 24 hours, the ASDMA said.
Fifty-three marooned people and three animals were rescued by a State Disaster Relief Force boat in Sribhumi district.
Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Guwahati, has issued an 'orange alert' for the four districts of Sribhumi, Hailakandi, Cachar and Dima Hasao for the next 24 hours.
An 'orange alert' implies 'be prepared to take action' and is sounded when thunderstorm and lightning accompanied with gusty wind reaching wind speed 30 to 40 kmph, with heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places.
'Yellow alert' to be on 'watch/be updated' has been issued for 20 districts -- Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Bajali, Tamulpur, Nalbari, both Kamrup districts, Udalguri, West Karbi Anglong, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Charaideo, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
Some of the districts on 'yellow alert' are likely to continue receiving heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms for the next couple of days, as per the RMC forecast.
