BJP to protest JD-S, Congress forming government in Karnataka
Bengaluru, May 23 : Unfazed by the fall of its 3-day government last week in Karnataka, a defiant BJP's state unit will protest across the state on Wednesday against the formation of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S)-Congress coalition government, said a party official on Tuesday.
"As the Congress-JD-S alliance hijacked the people's mandate and formed an unholy alliance to form a coalition government on Wednesday, we are observing the occasion as the 'anti-people's mandate day' across the state," said BJP's spokesman S. Shantaram in a statement here.
State Governor Vajubhai Vala invited JD-S legislative party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy to take oath as the 25th Chief Minister on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. on the grand steps of the state secretariat (Vidhana Soudha) in the presence of national and regional leaders and about an estimated 1 lakh people.
"Thousands of our party cadres and functionaries will stage a black flag demo at cities and districts to draw the people's attention to the opportunistic alliance of the duo to keep the BJP out of power," Shantaram noted.
Party's state unit President and its three-time Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will lead the demo at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the city centre at 11:15 a.m. ahead of the oath-taking ceremony in the evening.
Party's state unit general secretaries Shobha Karandlaje, Arvind Limbavali R. Ashok and N. Ravi Kumar, Lok Sabha member from Bengaluru Central P.C. Mohan will be present on the occasion.
"We have also decided to boycott the swearing-in of Kumaraswamy and Congress state unit President G. Parameshwara as Deputy Chief Minister as they don't have the mandate or moral ground to form the government," another party official told IANS here.
In the May 12 election, voters gave a hung assembly in 222 constituencies, with 37 for the JD-S, including one from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 78 for the Congress and 104 for the BJP, which fell seven less than the 111-halfway mark for a simple majority and passing the floor test.
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PM Modi arrives in Ethiopia on second leg of three-nation tour
Addis Ababa (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday on the second leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali received PM Modi at the Addis Ababa International Airport. In a unique gesture, he also drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
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"Celebrating age-old India-Ethiopia ties! Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Addis Ababa on his maiden bilateral visit to Ethiopia. In a special gesture, PM @AbiyAhmedAli came to personally receive him at the airport. Prime Minister was accorded a warm and colourful welcome," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on social media.
"Ethiopia is a key partner for India in the Global South and a fellow BRICS Member," he added.
Modi will be holding wide-ranging discussions with his counterpart on all aspects of India–Ethiopia bilateral ties.
“As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said before his departure from India.
In his first visit to Ethiopia, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
He will also meet the Indian diaspora during the two-day visit.
Addis Ababa is also the headquarters of the African Union.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
