Bypoll results will not have any bearing on government, says CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Nov 3: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the bypoll election results have no connection with the general election in 2023 and would not have any bearing on the State government.
In the October 30 bypolls to two Assembly constituencies counting for which was held on Tuesday, BJP's Ramesh Bhusanur won the Sindgi seat while in Hangal, which is in Chief Minister's home district of Haveri, Congress candidate Srinivas Mane won by defeating BJP's Shivaraj Sajjanar.
Replying to a query on Congress's statement that this result would prove to be an indicator to the 2023 general Assembly elections, the Chief Minister said the opposition has to say like that.
He said the Congress too had lost many bypolls in the past.
"The fact is that the Congress also had lost many bypolls. However, the bypoll results have no connection with the general election. It will not have any bearing on the government," Bommai said.
He sought to know why the Congress leaders were not talking about Sindgi.
"What do they (Congress leaders) have to say about Sindgi where they lost with a margin of 38,000 votes?" Bommai asked.
Stating that various factors are responsible for election results, Bommai said comparing the bypoll results with the State-level election is inappropriate.
He added that the Congress leaders themselves had said the results would not be an indicator of the general elections but now they were saying otherwise.
According to him, it was normal that the BJP lost at one place and won at another place.
"I take victory and defeat equally. I greet our party leaders and workers for our victory in Sindagi. We are introspecting the reason behind our defeat in Hangal," Bommai said.
He reiterated that the BJP would review the reasons behind the defeat in Hangal and rectify the mistakes in the coming days.
To a query on his government completing 100 days soon, he said the duration is too short to make big achievements.
He, however, said his government would inform people about the aims, objectives and major decisions taken for public good.
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.
Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
ALSO READ: Budget session: Law Min. HK Patil introduces Microfinance bill in Karnataka assembly
“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
