Yediyurappa says will not allow Karnataka bandh against Maratha body, warns of action
New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday said his government will not allow the "forced bandh" called by some pro-Kannada outfits on December 5 against its decision to set up the Maratha Development Board.
Yediyurappa, who arrived in the national capital this afternoon to discuss with top BJP leadership the expansion of his cabinet, warned of action if the bandh is called.
"We have set up the board for the welfare of Maratha communities living in the state. Marathas are also Hindu followers," the chief minister told reporters here.
"We will take strict action if the forced bandh is called," he said.
The government's decision to set up the Maratha Development Board comes ahead of the announcement of bypolls to the Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency, as well as Basavakalyan and Maski assembly constituencies, which have a sizeable Marathi-speaking population.
Yediyurappa also lashed out at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for "unnecessarily stoking" the border dispute between the two states.
He said the Mahajan Commission's decision is final.
Pawar had on Tuesday said Maharashtra's all-round growth and incorporating Belgaum (Belagavi), Karwar and Nipani into the state were dreams of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
"Let's resolve to fulfil Balasaheb's dream," he had said.
Karnataka and Maharashtra have been at loggerheads for decades over the border issue.
Maharashtra lays claim to the border district of Belagavi on linguistic grounds.
Karnataka has built the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, modeled on the Vidhana Soudha, the state legislature building in Bengaluru, in Belagavi to assert its claim that the district is an integral part of the state.
The legislative assembly's session is held in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha once a year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
