Congress survey projects it will win over 140 seats in Karnataka polls: D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Surveys indicate that Congress is projected to win over 140 out of a total 224 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, party state unit president D K Shivakumar claimed on Tuesday, as he also suggested that several sitting legislators of the ruling BJP will be joining the party in the coming days.
He was speaking to reporters after inducting two former BJP MLAs and its former Mysuru mayor into the party.
The three leaders who quit BJP and joined Congress today are former Kollegala MLA G N Nanjundaswamy and Manohar Ainapur, a former MLA from Bijapur, along with former Mysuru mayor Purushottam.
Shivakumar also claimed that the BJP wanted to call for elections in Karnataka soon after the 2022 Gujarat poll results were out but backtracked on the move.
"Former legislators are joining the Congress quitting the BJP. In the coming days, we will also announce the list of sitting legislators who will be joining; discussions are on in this regard. I will not reveal any names for now," Shivakumar said.
He said leaders are joining the Congress without any conditions, and accepting the party's ideology and leadership.
"Like floods, several leaders are joining the party at the district level, some prominent leaders are being inducted here. It is very clear that the public opinion is in favour of the Congress.
"Our earlier survey had projected our seat tally at 136, now our survey is projecting above 140 seats. The change has begun. We are seeing it as we travel across the state," Shivakumar added.
Further stating that only about 50 days are left for polls, Shivakumar claimed that the BJP wanted to urgently call for elections after 2022 Gujarat polls. They had held discussions with officials and had also decided on dates, but it is getting delayed, he further claimed.
"The reason is BJP feels that the more the number of days they get, it will be beneficial for them, so they are making such attempts. Every day short term tenders are happening, mobilisation of advance is happening, tenders are happening and money is being released in haste without looking at anything," he said, adding that the Congress will discuss it and come out with a stand on this to be communicated to the government.
Stating that the Congress is prepared for elections, even if it is held immediately, Shivakumar said the Election Commission, "without giving a chance for all these things to happen", should announce the poll dates immediately, and "stop this large-scale corruption that is happening".
He also challenged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for a debate on any forum, as he hit out at the latter for calling Congress 200 units of free power promise "bogus".
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said the BJP has realised that its "Hindutva tricks" won't help in this election, as people have become aware. They are now attempting to win elections and come to power by "spending crores of ill gotten money they have accumulated through loot and corruption", he said.
He also accused the ruling BJP of trying to protect its MLA Madal Virupakshappa, whose son Prashanth Kumar M V was arrested by Lokayukta for receiving bribes, by not arresting him.
"Madal Virupakshappa is in Bengaluru. He is seeking protection from courts, they are not arresting him....this BJP government is corrupt and it has to be rooted out," he added.
Assembly polls are due in the state by May.
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SEBI must name 'big players' profiteering at expense of small traders in F&O trading: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, Sep 24: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said 90 per cent of small investors have lost Rs 1.8 lakh crore in Futures and Option (F&O) trading in three years and asked the SEBI to reveal the names of the "so called big players" profiteering at their expense.
More than 91 per cent, or 73 lakh, individual traders lost money in the F&O segment in FY24 with an average net loss of Rs 1.2 lakh per person, a study conducted by markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) revealed on Monday.
Further, 93 per cent of over 1 crore individual F&O traders incurred average losses of about Rs 2 lakh per trader (inclusive of transaction costs) during the three years from FY22 to FY24. The aggregate losses of such traders exceeded Rs 1.8 lakh crore during the period.
Gandhi, who is the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on X, "Uncontrolled F&O trading has grown 45X in 5 years. 90% of small investors have lost ₹1.8 lakh Cr in 3 years."
"SEBI must reveal the names of the so called 'Big Players' making a killing at their expense," the former Congress chief said.
The study said in FY24 alone, individuals incurred about Rs 75,000 crore in net losses.
It found the top 3.5 per cent of loss-makers -- about 4 lakh traders -- faced an average loss of Rs 28 lakh per person over the same period, inclusive of transaction costs.
On the other hand, only 7.2 per cent of individual F&O traders made a profit over the period of three years and only 1 per cent of individual traders managed to earn profits exceeding Rs 1 lakh, after adjusting for transaction costs.
Moreover, the number of retail traders, or individual traders, has almost doubled in two years to about 96 lakh in FY24 from about 51 lakh in FY22.
Although such investors contributed about 30 per cent to the total turnover in FY24, they are a clear majority in number terms, as 99.8 per cent of total traders in the equity F&O segment are individuals.
"The availability of sophisticated trading platforms and lower transaction costs have enabled retail investors to actively trade in options and futures contracts, contributing to the surge in market liquidity," SEBI said.
The regulator said rapid growth in F&O trading activity has highlighted the need for investor education and risk management practices, as a significant proportion of retail traders continued to incur losses in the market.
Uncontrolled F&O trading has grown 45x in 5 years.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 24, 2024
90% of small investors have lost ₹1.8 lakh Cr in 3 years.
SEBI must reveal the names of the so called “Big Players“ making a killing at their expense.
