Shivakumar appeals Bihari people in Bengaluru to vote for 'Mahagathbandhan'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday appealed to businesses and establishments in the city, employing people from Bihar in their organisations, to grant them three to four days of leave, to enable them to cast a vote during the Assembly polls in their home state.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress President, appealed to people of Bihar, residing in Bengaluru to vote for 'Mahagathbandhan', while pitching it as the only alternative to that state's progress.
The much awaited Bihar Assembly polls, where the opposition bloc -- Mahagathbandhan-- led by the RJD and the Congress is striving to unseat the ruling NDA, will be held over two phases on November 6 and 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.
"People of Bihar are hardworking. I'm happy interacting with them. Many of them reside here and speak Kannada. While many of them have their votes here, some have retained their votes there (in Bihar). I had come here to appeal to them to vote for Mahagathbandhan," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters after addressing people from Bihar residing in Bengaluru, he said, "I appeal to all the businesses, establishments, and contractors in the city that if there is anyone working in their organisation, who has a vote in Bihar, to give them leave for three to four days, to enable them to cast their votes."
Stating that the Mahagathbandhan should come to power in Bihar and Tejashwi Yadav should become the chief minister, Shivakumar said the Mahagathbandhan is the only alternative for the progress of Bihar.
Indicating the possibility of him going to Bihar for campaigning, he said, "I will not meet anyone from the high command, everyone is busy with the elections."
To a question about those at the event wishing a "bigger role" for him in the days ahead, Shivakumar said, "There is no need for it now. Ensuring Mahagathbandhan win is the first priority."
The wish for a bigger role to Shivakumar has come amid speculation about chief minister change in Karnataka in the days ahead with him as the prime contender for the post.
Noting people from Bihar saying that they don't have any office in the city for their association, Shivakumar said, he has assured them a site to enable them to construct an office, and similar demand has come from people belonging to Assam, living in the city.
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Goa nightclub fire: Owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Phuket after tragedy, say police
Panaji (PTI): Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the main accused and owners of the Goa nightclub where a massive blaze claimed 25 lives, fled to Phuket hours after the tragedy, Goa Police said on Monday.
"Goa Police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of the CBI to apprehend both Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra at the earliest," a senior police officer said.
A massive fire at the nightclub, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji, on late Saturday night killed 25 persons. The deceased comprised 20 employees of the nightclub and five tourists, including four from Delhi. Five injured people were undergoing treatment at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
After registering an FIR against them, a Look Out Circular was issued against them by December 7 by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) at the request of the Goa Police.
The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, and it was found that both the accused had taken the 6E 1073 flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, immediately after the fire incident, which occurred around midnight, the officer said.
READ ALSO: Goa nightclub fire: Owner Saurabh Luthra expresses grief, assures management support
He said the Goa Police had immediately dispatched a team to Delhi to conduct raids on the addresses of the accused Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra.
"Since they were not available, a notice under the appropriate sections of law was pasted on the gate of their house. This shows their intent to avoid the police investigation", he said.
Goa Police have obtained transit remand of Bharat Kohli, an employee of the club, and are bringing him to Goa.
He also said that the postmortem on all 25 deceased has been completed and bodies handed over to their families.
