Ahead of K'taka polls, Mallikarjun Kharge calls meeting of state Congress leaders in Delhi tomorrow
Bengaluru, Dec 11: As assembly elections in Karnataka are due in the next few months, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of the party's senior leaders from the state on Monday in New Delhi, to discuss the preparations and the strategy for the polls.
According to a party functionary, 14 leaders from the state, including Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar, and state Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, among others will be attending the meeting at the AICC office in the national capital.
Amid signs of factionalism within the state unit, Kharge is likely to instruct the party leaders to work in a united manner for ensuring victory, the functionary said, adding that discussions are likely to take place regarding preparations, tour plans, preliminary discussions regarding candidate selection, among others.
Confirming former chief minister Siddaramaiah's attendance at the meeting, his office in a statement said the Leader of Opposition in the assembly will be travelling to Delhi tomorrow to attend a meeting of state party leaders called by the Congress President at 2 pm.
Addressing a mega rally of party workers in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Kharge had urged party leaders from the state to unitedly face the election, and asserted that the high command will decide as to who will become the chief minister and ministers, on winning the polls.
He had also asked Congress workers and leaders to travel across the state and attract people towards the party, like the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi do.
The AICC chief's strong call for unity has come, as Congress appears to be faction ridden, especially with its top two leaders -- Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah -- nursing Chief Ministerial ambitions in the event of the party coming to power, and are indulging in a game of political one-upmanship.
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Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticizes Centre for steep hike in commercial LPG price
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has slammed the BJP government in the Centre for the hike in the price of commercial LPG, saying the sudden rise of the fuel rate by Rs 993 a cylinder has hit the common man hard.
Critically commenting that this was expected of the Centre after elections to five states, Rao posted in Kannada on his ‘X’ account on Saturday that the people have been shown only the trailer and, the real struggle is yet to begin.
“Since there is no election in any state, there will certainly be major hikes in the rates of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG in barely a few days,” he has predicted.
The minister has further tweeted, “The rate of commercial LPG has gone up to Rs 3,152 per cylinder, which will hit the hotel industry greatly. Ironically, the direct impact of the hike will be on customers of hotel.”
He pointed out that, earlier, the price used to be hiked by approximately Rs 50 and Rs 100 a cylinder. “This time, the rate has been shot up by Rs 993. What do we call this except daylight robbery? Can this be the ‘Acche Din’ that the BJP has been promising?” Rao asked mockingly.
He also questioned the cause for BJP members’ silence for the rate hike, reminding that the party always ‘threw a tantrum’ when a non-BJP government does so even at a minor level. “Does this reflect their fear of ‘Vishwaguru’ Modi? Is it the party’s sheer disregard for the welfare of the people?” he has questioned.
ಊಹಿಸಿದಂತೆಯೇ ಪಂಚರಾಜ್ಯ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಬಳಿಕ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆಯ ಛಾಟಿ ಬೀಸಲು ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಕಮರ್ಷಿಯಲ್ ಸಿಲಿಂಡರ್ ಬೆಲೆಯನ್ನು ಏಕಾಏಕಿ ₹993 ಏರಿಸುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಮರ್ಮಘಾತ ನೀಡಿದೆ. ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಮುಗಿದ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಒಂದೇ ಭಾರಿ ₹993 ಹೆಚ್ಚಳ ಮಾಡಿರುವುದು ಅನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತದ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆಘಾತ ತಂದಿದೆ.…
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) May 2, 2026
