BJP candidate KC Ramamurthy elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka unopposed
Bengaluru, Dec 5: BJP candidate K C Ramamurthy was on Thursday declared elected unopposed to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka, for which bypoll was necessitated following his resignation as the Congress member.
"With other political parties not fielding any candidates, and nomination of two independent candidates being rejected as it had no proposers, Ramamurthy had no opponent to contest the bypoll scheduled for December 12; so he has been declared unopposed," Karnataka Assembly Secretary and the returning officer for the election M K Vishalakshi told PTI.
The Congress and JD(S) had not fielded candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypoll.
Congratulating Ramamurthy on his election, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in a statement said his unopposed election would not only increase BJP's strength in the Rajya Sabha, but also will strengthen the party.
Ramamurthy, who represented the Congress in the Upper House and whose term was up to June 2022, tendered his resignation as a member on October 16 to the House Chairman and Vice-President M Venkaiah Nadu, who accepted it.
The former IPS officer had also resigned from the Congress and subsequently joined the BJP.
Following Ramamurthy's resignation, the Congress in Karnataka had alleged that BJP has made it an "industry" to lure everyone to the party, and people were joining it out of "fear" or for the sake of "allurements."
However, stating that he resigned as Rajya Sabha member and from the Congress as he wanted his experience to be "used properly in the the path of progress and development", Ramamurthy had rubbished claims he quit the party under pressure or fearing Income Tax raids.
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Nitish launches programmes worth Rs 405 crore in Jehanabad, Arwal districts
Jehanabad/Arwal (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday launched several development projects and schemes valued at around Rs 405 crore in Jehanabad and Arwal districts during his ‘Samridhi Yatra’.
Of the programmes, Jehanabad received programmes worth Rs 252 crore and Arwal govt projects valued at Rs 153 crore, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Kumar also reviewed ongoing schemes and development projects in both districts.
“The CM launched development projects/schemes worth Rs 252 crore in Jehanabad district. These included the inauguration of 88 programmes costing Rs 70 crore and laying the foundation stones for 73 others worth Rs 182 crore,” the statement said.
Kumar inaugurated a stitching training-cum-production centre for Jeevika Didis at the old block office premises in Jehanabad.
The state government, through the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), an autonomous body under the Department of Rural Development, is spearheading a World Bank-aided rural livelihoods project with the objective of social and economic empowerment of the poor. Women associated with the project are called Jeevika Didis.
Encouraging Jeevika Didis associated with the centre, the CM said, “The government is providing all possible facilities. We are making every effort to promote self-employment among you.”
Later in the day, Kumar launched 272 development projects/schemes worth around Rs 153 crore in Arwal district. These included the inauguration of 250 programmes valued at Rs 90 crore and laying the foundation stones for 22 projects worth Rs 63 crore, said the statement.
The CM also inaugurated and inspected the upgradation work carried out at the government’s higher secondary school at Itwan. During the inspection, he reviewed the astronomy laboratory and smart learning hub at the school.
The chief minister directed officials to complete the work of all ongoing projects on time. He also reviewed the land identified for the Government Medical College and Hospital at Belkhara.
