2023 assembly election in Karnataka will be my last: H D Kumaraswamy
Mysuru, Oct 12: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka will be his last, and sought an opportunity from the people to independently run a government for five years, so as to implement programmes for the larger public good.
"I have been the Chief Minister twice with your blessings. I have decided that the 2023 assembly election will be my last fight. It is not for me to come to power or become the Chief Minister. With the blessings of God, I have already been Chief Minister twice, despite not having a majority," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to party workers and the public, he sought their blessings and support in bringing JD(S) to power independently, for implementing 'Pancharatna', the five fold programme envisaged by him that include quality education, health, housing, farmer welfare and employment.
"I'm marching ahead with a challenge...I request you with folded hands to give us (JDS) an opportunity to run an independent government in this state for five years. I seek your blessings," the former Chief Minister added.
JD(S) has already announced "mission 123" (winning 123 seats in the 224 member assembly) to bring the party to power, after the 2023 assembly polls.
Pointing at farm loan waiver announced by him as Chief Minister of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government and a beneficiary farmer from Hangal inviting him for his housewarming ceremony, Kumaraswamy said... "but our farmers forget Kumaranna (as he is popularly called) while voting, this is the situation we are in."
"Give one opportunity to the party you have nurtured, bless us to form a government on our own strength, believing in me....If I don't live up to my words on implementing Pancharatna, I will never come to you again, seeking votes for my party. Test us, you have seen both BJP and Congress," he added.
Kumaraswamy had headed a coalition government with both national parties in the past, for 20-months with BJP from February 2006 and with Congress for 14-months after the May 2018 assembly polls.
Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters, the JD(S) leader claimed that the recent Income Tax raids specifically on a person who is said to be former CM B S Yediyurappa's Personal Assistant and Water Resources department related contractors, was an attempt by the BJP to "control" Yediyurappa, following his alleged late night meeting with Congress leader Siddaramaiah.
"Anyone with the slightest understanding of politics can understand that the recent IT raids were for what reasons....IT raids were with a political motive...it is to control or checkmate Yediyurappa...as both (Siddaramaiah and Yediyurappa) had a late night meeting about political developments, and the BJP that has government both at Centre and state got to know about it from their sources, and probably have tightened things," he said.
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US SC rejects 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea seeking stay on his extradition to India
New York, Apr 7 (PTI): The US Supreme Court has rejected 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's appeal seeking a stay on his extradition to India, moving him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice.
Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles.
He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. Headley conducted a recce of Mumbai before the attacks by posing as an employee of Rana’s immigration consultancy.
Rana had submitted an ‘Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025, with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan.
Kagan had denied the application earlier last month.
Rana had then renewed his ‘Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan’, and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts.
An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been “distributed for Conference” on April 4 and the “application” has been “referred to the Court.”
A notice on the Supreme Court website Monday said that “Application denied by the Court.”
Rana was convicted in the US of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorist plot in Denmark and one count of providing material support to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashker-e-Taiba which was responsible for the attacks in Mumbai.
New York-based Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra had told PTI that Rana had made his application to the Supreme Court to prevent extradition, which Justice Kagan denied on March 6. The application was then submitted before Roberts, “who has shared it with the Court to conference so as to harness the entire Court’s view.”
The Supreme Court justices are Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
In his emergency application, Rana had sought a stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13.
In that petition, Rana argued that his extradition to India violates US law and the UN Convention Against Torture "because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture."
"The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks,” the application said.
The application also said that his “severe medical conditions” render extradition to Indian detention facilities a “de facto" death sentence in this case.
The US Supreme Court denied Rana's petition for a writ of certiorari relating to his original habeas petition on January 21. The application notes that on that same day, newly-confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on February 12 to meet with Trump, Rana’s counsel received a letter from the Department of State, stating that “on February 11, 2025, the Secretary of State decided to authorise” Rana’s "surrender to India,” pursuant to the “Extradition Treaty between the United States and India”.
Rana’s Counsel requested from the State Department the complete administrative record on which Secretary Rubio based his decision to authorize Rana’s surrender to India.
The Counsel also requested immediate information of any commitment the United States has obtained from India with respect to Rana’s treatment. “The government declined to provide any information in response to these requests,” the application said.
It added that given Rana’s underlying health conditions and the State Department’s findings regarding the treatment of prisoners, it is very likely “Rana will not survive long enough to be tried in India".
During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi in the White House in February, President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.
A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai.
