By-election result not a mandate for the government: Basavaraja Bommai
Bengaluru: The results of the by-elections in three constituencies do not represent a mandate for the state government, said MP Basavaraja Bommai, adding that ruling party MLAs are dissatisfied with the lack of development in the state.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office on Tuesday, he stated that by-elections typically favor the ruling government. "When we were in power, we won 13 out of 17 by-elections. The Congress should not assume that this is a verdict in their favor," he remarked.
Bommai emphasized that these results are confined to the constituencies where the by-elections were held. He also accused the state government of poorly implementing its guarantee schemes without adequate financial preparation, claiming that the schemes are being halted due to financial strain.
He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government has borrowed over ₹1 lakh crore, leading to difficulties in financial management. Bommai pointed out that the state government is yet to release over ₹2,000 crore to local bodies, including village panchayats, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
"Anganwadi workers and contract workers are not receiving their salaries, and contractors are refusing to take up work due to non-release of funds, even after tenders have been floated," he added.
Responding to questions about internal dissent within the BJP, Bommai denied any significant issues, stating, "There is no dissent in the BJP. Everyone is committed to the party. There may be differing opinions on some matters, but I am confident that everything will be resolved within a month." He also noted that a motivated BJP team is actively working for the party.
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PM Modi holds bilateral talks with several leaders
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks with top leaders of Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Slovakia with a focus on shoring up bilateral cooperation in trade and technology sectors.
He also held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and discussed how the global body can play a "constructive role" in making use of artificial intelligence inclusive.
Modi met Guterres and other leaders on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit.
We talked about making AI all inclusive and how the UN can play a constructive role in this regard, the prime minister said on his talks with the UN chief.
"Reiterated India's support towards any effort aimed at harnessing AI for a better planet. We also exchanged perspectives on UN reforms, especially giving greater voice to the Global South," he said on social media.
Following his talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Modi said both sides will continue to work in close cooperation to ensure regional security and prosperity.
"Delighted to meet Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Reaffirmed our shared commitment to take our enhanced Strategic Partnership to new heights in AI, technology, culture and people-to-people ties," he said.
Modi also described Mauritius as a vital partner in India's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.
On his meeting with Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the prime minister said: "We took stock of the progress in India-Sri Lanka relations in the recent times."
"We also discussed avenues of cooperation in areas such as energy, connectivity, infrastructure, healthcare, skilling, culture, blue economy and more," he added.
Modi said he and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini discussed bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, space and digital public infrastructure.
My meeting with Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic was "very productive", the prime minister said on social media.
"The recent India-EU FTA will create several opportunities to boost trade and investment between our nations. Other subjects we discussed included cooperation in digital technology, StartUps, Digital Public Infrastructure, defence, space and more," he said.
