Civic polls: Month old Bommai govt gets majority in 2 municipal corporations, comes 2nd in third
Bengaluru, Sep 6: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka received a shot in the arm in the elections to the three municipal corporations by getting clear majority in Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad while it finished a close second in Kalaburagi.
An elated Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who dubbed the election results as a clean sweep in favour of the his month-old government in the 'sample test', said the BJP will come to power in all the three municipal corporations.
The elections took place on September 3 and the results were announced on Monday.
According to the Karnataka State Election Commission officials, in the 58-seat Belagavi, the BJP won 35, Congress 10, Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) one and 12 independents.
In 82-seat Hubballi-Dharwad municipal corporation, BJP won 39 seats, Congress 33, AIMIM 3, JD(S) 1, independents six.
In Kalaburagi municipal corporation, the elections took place for 55 seats, out of which Congress won 27, BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and independent one seat.
Going by the indications given by Bommai, the BJP, JD(S) and an independent may join hands, a BJP insider claimed. He also did not rule out the possibility of a breakaway group of Congress emerging to support the BJP.
A jubilant Bommai said, "This was almost like a sample test after one month of my taking charge of the office. Out of the three, we have got a clear majority in two municipal corporations and in the third also we are in the close race but we are going to make a majority there also." He said all the three corporations will have BJP mayors.
Bommai congratulated the BJP ministers, MLAs and leaders who toiled hard for the elections in Belagavi.
"For the first time in history, the BJP is holding the majority and we will have our own mayor. The MES would have controlled it otherwise," the Chief Minister said.
He said this was a good sign for the government as well as Karnataka.
Bommai said Hubballi-Dharwad had been the BJP's fort for a long time while the party is breaking grounds in Kalaburagi.
"It's a clean sweep and a drubbing to the Congress. It also shows that the people have faith in the new government," Bommai said.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
