Stage set for Council Chairman election; Basavaraj Horatti and Naseer Ahmed file nominations
Bengaluru: The stage is set for the February 9 election to the post of Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman, with JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti, supported by BJP and Congress' Naseer Ahmed filing their nominations on Monday.
According to the official notification, today was the date for filing of nominations.
Horatti, flanked by BJP and JD(S) MLCs, including Ministers Kota Srinivas Poojary and MTB Nagaraj, filed his papers before the Council Secretary, while Ahmed was accompanied by Congress legislators.
The election was necessitated following the resignation of Congress' K Prathapachandra Shetty as the Chairman on February 4 to pre empt a no-confidence motion against him by the ruling BJP, and JD(S) extending support to it.
Though Horatti is most certain to win as the numbers are clearly on his side, the opposition Congress, with the aim of ensuring a contest, has fielded Ahmed.
During the Council Deputy Chairman election too, Congress has fielded its candidate and had said it was with an intention to "expose" the JD(S) and its secular credentials.
Both BJP and JD(S) have joined hands for the Council Chairman and Deputy Chairman's posts.
As per the arrangement, BJP MLC M K Pranesh was on January 29 elected as the Deputy Chairman with the backing of JD(S), and now the ruling party will return the favour by supporting the regional party nominee, Horatti.
BJP sources said the party agreed to support Horatti as Chairman instead of seeking the post for itself in return for JD(S)' support in its move to oust Shetty and ensure passage of certain key bills.
The earlier move by both parties in December to remove Shetty as Chairman did not succeed as their notice of no- confidence was rejected on technical grounds.
The House had witnessed high drama that day with BJP-JDS and Congress members hurling abuses and pushing each other.
Amid the ruckus on December 15, the then Deputy Chairman Dharme Gowda, who is now no more, was even pulled down from the Chair.
Currently the ruling BJP is the single largest party in the Council with 31 seats, followed by Congress with 29, JD(S) 13, one independent and one vacant (due to death of Dharme Gowda).
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Retired Army brigadier killed in cross firing in Dehradun road rage
Dehradun (PTI): A retired Army brigadier was killed here after he was caught in cross firing between two car occupants during a road rage incident on Monday, police said.
The incident took place in Johri village on Mussoorie Road when an argument broke out between the occupants of a Delhi-registered Fortuner and a Scorpio N over giving way, they said.
As the argument escalated, the occupants in the Scorpio allegedly chased the Fortuner and opened fire at its tyres, but a bullet struck retired Army brigadier Mukesh Joshi (74), who was out for his morning walk, police said.
Joshi was taken to a hospital, where he died during treatment, they added.
According to the police, after a bullet hit the Fortuner's tyre, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into a roadside tree near the Government Primary School in Johri.
The occupants of the Scorpio then assaulted the people inside the Fortuner and vandalised the vehicle, police said.
Two occupants of the Fortuner were injured in the incident and were taken to a hospital by their co-passengers After the incident, all the accused travelling in the Scorpio fled the scene, a senior police officer said.
Upon receiving information, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Singh Dobal, along with other officials, visited the spot to take stock of the situation and then visited the hospital to gather details from the victims.
Dehradun Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar said roadblocks have been set up across the entire district, and an intensive search operation is underway to arrest the accused.
He added that footage from CCTV cameras installed at the crime scene and on surrounding routes is being scrutinised.
