CM Bommai says BJP's Karnataka unit focusing on RS, MLC elections
Hubballi (K'taka)(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the BJP is focusing on the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections and held a core committee meeting in this regard.
He also said the cabinet expansion will also be taken up following instructions from the party high command.
"We are currently preparing for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections. Yesterday itself, we had a core committee meeting in this regard. Seniors are monitoring it," Bommai told reporters on arriving in Hubballi.
Biennial elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka and two graduates' and teachers' constituencies each of the state Legislative Council will be held on June 10 and 13, respectively.
Also, biennial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council for seven seats will be held on June 3.
The Chief Minister said during his visit to Delhi he had said that after the Supreme Court verdict on holding elections to local bodies, many governments may declare polls and several decisions are likely to be taken in this regard.
The reply was in reference to local body elections in some places, including Bengaluru civic body, which may be announced soon.
Regarding the state cabinet expansion, Bommai said he will once again contact the party high command over phone and based on the instruction, a cabinet reshuffle may be taken up.
There are five ministerial posts against the 34 sanctioned posts that are lying vacant in Karnataka and many ruling BJP legislators are aspiring to become ministers, BJP sources said.
To a query on reports that former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's son and BJP state vice president B Y Vijayendra may make an entry to the legislative council and become a minister, he said everything is left to the party high command.
Regarding Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar meeting JD(S) MLA from Chamundeshwari constituency G T Deve Gowda to gain foothold in the old Mysuru region, the Chief Minister said many changes take place in politics.
To a question on opposition parties charging him as being a weak chief minister, Bommai said, "It's only you (journalists) who say this. We resolved the hijab issue, azaan issue and halal issue in a harmonious way. The azaan case was also resolved based on the Supreme Court guidelines. The hijab case was also resolved as per the court directions."
"We were able to solve disputes within the framework of law and as per the Supreme Court guidelines. We performed our duty in a perfect way," the Chief Minister said.
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Anti-Dalit mindset: Rahul Gandhi slams BJP after leader 'purifies' Rajasthan temple
Ahmedabad (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP of having an "anti-Dalit mindset" after its leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Rajasthan's Alwar to "purify" it following Congress' Tikaram Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
He also asserted that the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by 'Manusmriti' "which considers Bahujans as second class citizens".
The Congress on Tuesday had accused the BJP of being "anti-Dalit" and demanded an apology from its top leadership after a party leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Alwar to "purify" it following Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
Referring to the incident, Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, "Another example of BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuvadi thinking! BJP has been continuously insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution."
"That is why it is important not just to respect the Constitution but also to protect it. Modi Ji, the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by Manusmriti which considers Bahujans as second class citizens," Gandhi, who is here to attend the AICC aession said.
Congress leaders, including Jully and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, have termed Gyandev Ahuja's act an insult to Dalits, but the BJP leader denied the charge.
Maintaining that there was no caste angle to his act, Ahuja, however, defended his action, saying Congress leaders have "no moral authority" to attend such ceremonies as the party's leadership had questioned the existence of Lord Ram and "boycotted" the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya last year.
The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in a residential society of Alwar was held on Sunday on the occasion of Ram Navami and Jully was in attendance.
On Monday, Ahuja said the consecration ceremony was a "good programme", but there were some "discrepancies".
"I went there today and sprinkled Ganga water to purify the temple premises," he told reporters in Alwar.
"The Congress' former president Sonia Gandhi had got affidavits submitted in court, calling Lord Ram mythical. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi boycotted the historic Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. So the party leaders have no moral authority to attend such programmes," he said.
When contacted, Ahuja told PTI that he took the step because of Congress leaders' view and approach towards Lord Ram and not because Jully is a "Dalit".
Jully, on the other hand, claimed that Ahuja's act was indicative of the BJP's mentality towards Dalits. He claimed it was not only an attack on his faith but also an effort to promote the crime of untouchability.
