Bengaluru, Oct 26: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the drive to demolish unauthorised and dilapidated buildings was underway in Bengaluru.

Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, said the registration of unauthorised properties will be halted and encroachments will be removed.

Further, more powers will be given to civic agencies and planning bodies.

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“We have decided to stop unauthorised construction of buildings. The previous government had curtailed the powers of officials to take action against unauthorised construction,” the Deputy CM told reporters here.

“Our government has decided to give powers to BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) and BMRDA (Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority) to stop unauthorised construction. The registration of unauthorised properties will also be stopped. At the same time, we are also focusing on clearing encroachments,” he said.

On preventing flooding in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said it has been decided to develop 300 km roads alongside the Storm Water Drains (SWD) to prevent flooding.

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Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.

The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.

In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."

"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.

On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.

"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.

Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.

With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.