CM Bommai to visit Delhi on Feb 7 ahead of state budget presentation
Bengaluru, Feb 6: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said he would be flying to Delhi on February 7 to meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Members of Parliament from Karnataka ahead of preparing the state budget.
Bommai's trip to the national capital has triggered speculations that cabinet expansion may be discussed with the BJP's central leadership.
"I am going to Delhi tomorrow to meet all the MPs against the backdrop of the union budget and the budget we are preparing. I have sought an appointment with the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman where I want to discuss budget, financial condition and GST," he told reporters here.
Seeking to downplay the visit, Bommai explained that there had been a convention of Chief Ministers holding discussions with "everyone" ahead of presentation of the budget and he is only following the same tradition.
He said that he has also sought appointment with party seniors and he would get a confirmation this evening or Monday morning. He however, acknowledged that they would be busy with the ongoing Parliamentary proceedings and the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
The CM made it clear that he has not sought any appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
To a query whether cabinet expansion would be discussed, Bommai said he cannot speculate how the situation will be when he gets an appointment with the seniors in the party.
Against the permitted strength of 34 ministers in the cabinet, the Bommai government has a team of 30 while four berths are vacant. Many ministerial aspirants have been lobbying for the positions.
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Human skeletal remains found in Bengaluru outskirts
Bengaluru (PTI): Human skeletal remains, including a skull, suspected to be that of a woman were discovered in and around a lake on outskirts of the city, police said on Saturday.
The matter came to light after shepherds spotted the remains near the lake at Mugalur near Sarjapur while grazing cattle in the area and alerted the police, they said.
During the inspection, investigators found bones scattered across the dried lake bed and nearby areas, a senior police officer said, adding there was suspicion that the remains must be at least three months old.
Police suspect the victim may have drowned in the lake earlier, with the skeletal remains surfacing after water levels receded significantly during the summer.
Officials also suspect stray dogs could have dragged some of the remains to surrounding areas after the lake dried up further.
With pieces of a saree recovered from the spot, police suspect that it could have been of a woman.
Forensic experts and the Scene of Crime Officer team visited the spot and collected the skeletal remains and other evidence for examination.
A case has been registered and the remains, along with other evidence, have been sent for forensic analysis, the police officer said.
The identity of the deceased and the exact cause of death are yet to be established, he added.
