Cong high command will decide by-poll candidates: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Amid hectic lobbying, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the selection of candidates for the April 9 assembly bypolls to Bagalkote and Davanagere Assembly constituencies will be decided by the Congress high command, with consultations underway based on ground reports.
He said a team has already visited both constituencies and a final call will be taken after discussions with senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
“Whether it is Bagalkote or Davanagere, that is a decision to be taken by the high command. Randeep Singh Surjewala is coming to Karnataka on Friday… A team visited Davanagere yesterday and also went to Bagalkote. They will submit a report. Based on that report, I will discuss with Shivakumar and speak to Surjewala before sending my recommendation,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.
Addressing the internal contest for tickets, particularly in Bagalkote, the CM said multiple aspirants from the Meti family have been asked to remain united.
“Three members from the Meti family had sought the ticket—Mallikarjun, Umesh, and Mahadevi. I have told all three of them that whoever is given the ticket, all of you must work together in unity,” he said, adding that they have agreed to the proposal.
On reports of possible rebellion by one of the aspirants, Siddaramaiah downplayed the claims, saying, “I don’t know about that… They have agreed with me,” while clarifying that he had not asked them to hold any joint press conference.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar, who is also the Congress Karnataka unit president, indicated that consultations are ongoing and a report has been submitted to the party leadership. Referring to the situation in Davanagere, he said several aspirants, including family members, have staked claim.
“I have submitted a report. I have discussed with the Chief Minister… Around 80 family members were called for discussions today. Various aspirants have met me… I will submit my report to the high command, and a decision will be taken within a couple of days,” he told reporters in Delhi, noting that time is short with elections scheduled on April 9.
The bypolls were necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, which resulted in vacancies in the Davanagere South and Bagalkote Assembly segments respectively.
The bypolls are likely to witness a keen contest, with the ruling Congress aiming to retain both constituencies while opposition parties prepare to mount a strong challenge.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
