CM Basavaraj Bommai reaches out to Ministers unhappy with their portfolios
Bengaluru, Aug 8: As discontent brews among a section of ministers a day after the allocation of portfolios, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Sunday said he has spoken to them on the issue.
Days after Bommai carried out the Cabinet expansion, the portfolios were allotted on Saturday.
While many ministers retained their portfolios, which they held in the previous B S Yediyurappa government, some new entrants secured the weighty ones -- Araga Jnanendra got Home Department and V Sunil Kumar Energy, Kannada and Culture.
However, the portfolio allocation did not please Environment, Ecology and Tourism Minister Anand Singh and Municipal Administration Minister N Nagaraj (MTB).
Both the ministers, who had joined BJP in 2019 after quitting the Congress, called on Bommai and expressed their dissatisfaction.
Speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of a function, Bommai said, "I have spoken to him (Anand Singh) and he too has expressed his views.
I have told him that I am aware of his sentiments. I will make every effort in a manner to retain his honour. He too agreed with it."
The Chief Minister said he has also spoken to Nagaraj.
On these ministers claiming that he and Yediyurappa did not keep their promise, Bommai said "this is not a matter of discussion," Singh and Nagaraj have been insisting that they should be given a "better" portfolio.
After calling on Bommai, Nagaraj told reporters that he would continue with the same portfolio for the time being.
However, he said he had aspired for a "better" portfolio such as public works department, rural development and transport.
Anand Singh too said he would not speak before the media on these issues and explained to the CM about it.
Sources in the BJP acknowledged that some senior MLAs, who have been "part of the BJP since the beginning", were upset with the cabinet expansion as they were left out and the 'outsiders' got the preference.
The term 'outsiders' within the BJP circle refers to those Congress and the JD(S) MLAs who quit their party in 2019 and joined BJP.
They were disqualified from the assembly, contested the assembly bypolls and got elected on the BJP ticket.
"A majority of the 'outsiders' got the ministerial position while some of those who have been serving the party for decades were left out", a BJP leader said.
Some of the senior BJP legislators who were in contention for ministerial berths were: Bommanahalli MLA M Satish Reddy, Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath, Bengaluru South MLA M Krishnappa, Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramadas, Hubli-Dharwad west MLA Arvind Bellad and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yanal.
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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.
