BJP leadership asks Karnataka ministers to start talking about development
Bengaluru, Apr 9: Amid the recent communal issues in Karnataka, the BJP central leadership has asked leaders of its state unit and ministers to bring the development agenda to the fore and showcase the achievements of the government, in the wake of assembly polls next year.
Several ministers are holding press conferences at the party office to list out their achievements.
Holding one such press meet on Saturday, senior minister K S Eshwarappa, who is in-charge of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department, accepted that it is being done as per the directions of the party leadership.
"Yes... (there is a direction from the high command)," he said in response to a question on ministers presenting their progress report to people through the media.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "When I go to my village or constituency, I have to tell people what was promised and what was delivered. Similarly, we are telling the people about our achievements, and asking them to give us their votes."
Accusing the opposition of trying to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims and only trying to create a propaganda out of it, the minister said, "Even Al-Qaeda got involved now..." in reference to the video in which the terror group chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri praised a Karnataka college student for confronting a group of students opposing hijab in her college.
He said the BJP is now using the media to showcase the government's achievements known to the people of the state.
Asked, amid communal issues, whether the focus has shifted to development after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state in the run-up to 2023 assembly polls, Eshwarappa said, "I have openly accepted...we are purposely placing development works before the people as elections are coming."
On the Congress accusing the BJP government of bringing out communal issues, as the ruling party has nothing to speak about development, he said, "Take down, we are listing out (our achievements). We are placing it department wise... we are not 'mouni babas' to keep quiet. When Congress raises communal issues like hijab, we will respond to them."
Shah, who was recently in the city, had set a target of winning 150 seats to Karnataka BJP leaders for the 2023 assembly elections in the state, where the ruling party is eyeing a successive term.
The state has been witnessing a series of communal issues from hijab issue to a call for banning loudspeakers at mosques for the last couple of months.
Amid such developments in the state, the central leadership has asked Karnataka leaders and ministers to also showcase developmental works and achievements, while responding to opposition's allegations on communal issues, a senior BJP functionary said.
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.
Health minister Wes Streeting's resignation piles pressure on UK PM Starmer
London (PTI): UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the Cabinet on Thursday, declaring that he had lost confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
As a frontrunner to replace Starmer at 10 Downing Street, Streeting is expected to launch his bid to be elected Labour leader if he can secure the backing of the party's requisite 81 members of Parliament.
It piles further pressure on Starmer, who has been attempting to quell an internal rebellion over the devastating results for the governing party in last week’s local elections.
“It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism," Streeting said in his resignation letter addressed to Starmer.
“It needs to be broad, and it needs to be the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope you will facilitate it,” he said.
The former minister accused his boss of lacking any vision and overseeing a power “vacuum” and also went on to highlight his own record of leading the Department for Health and Social Care and state-funded National Health Service (NHS).
Streeting added: “The National Health Service is the embodiment of all that is best about Britain and our values. Thanks to our Labour government, it is on the road to recovery: lots done, but so much more to do.
“These are all good reasons for me to remain in post, but as you know from our conversation earlier this week, having lost confidence in your leadership, I have concluded that it would be dishonourable and unprincipled to do so.”
His words are being interpreted as paving the way for a Labour leadership contest, with former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband among his other expected rivals.
While some indications are that this process may not be triggered any time soon, Starmer's future as Labour leader is looking extremely tenuous if the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) gets involved in a formal election process.
Meanwhile, Rayner issued a statement earlier to confirm that she had been cleared by the UK tax authorities of any wrongdoing over her financial affairs that had forced her to step down from the Cabinet last year.
"I took reasonable care and acted in good faith, based on the expert advice I received, and HMRC [His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs] has accepted this," she said.
This is seen as her declaring her intention to be ready to join the fray, should a Labour leadership election be launched.
The latest turmoil at the top of the British government comes after a series of junior ministerial resignations, with Starmer staying the course by announcing their replacements. Earlier his ally, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, cautioned her colleagues to refrain from plunging the country into chaos and putting the UK’s economic recovery at risk.
“We shouldn’t put that at risk by plunging the country into chaos at a time when there is conflict in the world, but also at a time when our plan to grow the economy is starting to bear fruit," she said.
However, the deep divisions within the Labour Party ranks are only expected to escalate further in the coming days and weeks.
