BJP issues Raghupati Bhat show-cause notice for contesting Vidhan Parishad poll as rebel candidate
Udupi: The State Disciplinary Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a show-cause notice to senior BJP member and former Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat for filing his nomination as Independent candidate for the Karnataka Legislative Council election.
Bhat filed his nomination papers from the South West Graduates constituency of the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) as a rebel candidate of the BJP as his request for the party ticket from the constituency was rejected. The elections to the Legislative Council will be held on June 3.
In a letter dated Wednesday, May 22, Lingaraj Patil, President of the BJP State Disciplinary Committee, has informed Bhat that he had violated the party rules by filing his nomination papers as a rebel candidate for the election to the Legislative Council, thereby competing against the official candidate of the party.
Patil has also directed Bhat to give the Committee a clarification in the matter within two days of receiving the notice.
The Udupi district unit of the BJP had recently appealed to the Karnataka state unit of the party to take disciplinary action against Bhat for contesting the Legislative Council election as a rebel candidate from the constituency.
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.
Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
