By-poll is semifinal for forthcoming LS poll:CM Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, October 15: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the by-elections to be held for three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies were like a semi-final for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters at the party office here on Monday, the CM said that the BJP leaders have been making false allegations against the coalition government. But people knew how the coalition government was functioning. There was no need to conduct by-elections to three Lok Sabha constituencies at this time. But everyone should abide by the decision of the Election Commission, he said.
Congress and JDS have decided to field Madhu Bangarappa from Shivamogga constituency. He did not expect that Madhu Bangarappa would be defeated in Sorab constituency in the last Assembly elections, he said.
Madhu Bangarappa was an able candidate and he would win this by-election with a huge margin of votes. He would thank the Congress for its support in Shivamogga constituency, he said.
“I was pained for the defeat of Madhu in the last Assembly election. I want to groom him as a leader. So, we have decided to field him in the by-elections. He is like my brother and he treats me as his elder brother. I hope that people of Shivamogga constituency would not repeat the mistake they have committed in the last election and elect Madhu this time. But both Congress and JDS workers should work forgetting the personal enmity in order to defeat the BJP”, he appealed.
Madhu Bangarappa said that “I was disappointed due to the defeat in the Assembly election. But my father too was defeated in the elections. I have accepted that defeat. It is far from truth that I have been to foreign tour as I was not interested to contest the by-poll. I was on foreign tour before the announcement of the elections. Both Congress and JDS have unanimously chosen me for Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency and this has given me more strength. I was defeated in the last Assembly election for various reasons. People are well aware about BJP State President BS Yeddyurappa”, he said.
“I would meet Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and speak to him. I won’t do hide and seek politics as taught my father. I will follow it. I will not believe any time. Since tomorrow is the last day for filing nomination papers, I will file the papers as per the direction of JDS Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda”, he said.
“Fans of my brother-in-law Shivarajkumar are there in all political parties. I will not drag him to the politics. I have his blessings. But my sister Geeta will campaign in favour of me”.
Madhu Bangarappa, Congress-JDS Candidate
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Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat
Washington (AP): Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration's war in Iran.
Kent said on social media Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.
As head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats.
Before entering President Donald Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.
Democrats strongly opposed Kent's confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden.
Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trump's national security team to discuss sensitive military plans.
Still, Republicans praised Kent's counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience.
Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the intelligence committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had "dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.”
