Ex-BJP minister S T Somashekar meets Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah amid buzz about 'Operation Hasta'
Bengaluru, Aug 20: Amid buzz over 'Operation Hasta' doing rounds regarding certain BJP legislators in Karnataka willing to go back to their "mother party", BJP MLA and former minister S T Somashekar on Sunday met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Earlier in the day, party hopper Ayanur Manjunath, currently with JD(S), called on Deputy Chief Minister and Congress state chief D K Shivakumar.
Somashekar said in a statement that his meeting with Siddaramaiah was regarding a discussion on "development of his constituency".
The BJP MLA from Yashwanthpur constituency in the city met the Chief Minister at his residence.
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Later, he said the meeting was regarding the need for a maternity hospital at Sir M Visvesvaraya Layout on a civic amenity plot and a flyover for Kengeri Satellite Town.
Somashekar has been hobnobbing with Congress leaders. Recently, he hailed Shivakumar and called him his "political guru".
Meanwhile, reacting to his meeting with Manjunath, Shivakumar said many people meet him. However, he said he cannot explain why they were meeting him.
'Operation Hasta', meaning 'Operation Palm' is a term that has gained significance now as it is said to be a drive to bring BJP leaders and legislators to the Congress fold.
Palm is the Congress's party symbol and 'Operation Hasta' is said to be in retaliation to the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' in 2019 when 17 Congress and JD(S) legislators jumped ship to join the BJP.
'Operation Lotus' had resulted in the toppling of the short-lived coalition government of Congress and the JD(S).
With rumours doing rounds that many BJP legislators and leaders are said to be in touch with Congress leaders, the BJP has started an exercise to keep its flock together. It is persuading its disgruntled MLAs who are said to have one foot out the door.
Two days ago, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said he had spoken to the BJP MLAs and former ministers Shivaram Hebbar and Munirathna.
"I spoke to them and they clearly said they are not going to quit the party. We have brought the local problems to the notice of our party president. That will be solved. We will remain united," Bommai told reporters.
An angry rebuttal to 'Operation Hasta' came from former minister and BJP national general secretary C T Ravi who said he knew how to "operate the palm".
Reacting to it, Shivakumar on Sunday said: "C T Ravi is giving us a threat that he will chop off the palm. What happened when you (BJP) took away Congress and JD(S) MLAs? When you can threaten others, others also know how to threaten you. You brought down the coalition government to form yours."
He clarified that he is not calling anyone to join the Congress and there was no need now in the party.
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Man held for killing teacher over Rs 13 lakh loan in Karnataka
Kalaburagi (Karnataka) (PTI): A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing a teacher after she repeatedly demanded repayment of a Rs 13 lakh loan that he had taken from her, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, Amar, allegedly attacked the woman with a sharp weapon and later set the body on fire on the Kamalapur-Kalmood road in the district in an attempt to destroy evidence, they said.
Police identified the victim as Jyoti (57), a resident of Kalaburagi city, who was working as a teacher in Bidar district.
The matter came to light after an unidentified female body was found beside the Kamalapur-Kalmood road, they said.
Initially, it was treated as an unidentified body. Based on a complaint from a local resident, a murder case was registered under 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Kamalapur Police Station limits in Kalaburagi district, police said.
The investigation was immediately taken up and her photographs were widely circulated and later, the woman was identified.
During the investigation, police identified Amar, a resident of Kapnoor area, who owns and runs a milk parlour as the accused, Adduru Srinivasulu, Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police told reporters here.
According to him, Amar had borrowed Rs 13 lakh from Jyoti. She had been repeatedly asking him to return the money and had warned that she would lodge a police complaint if he failed to repay the amount. Fearing this, Amar allegedly planned to kill her.
He reportedly took Jyoti towards the Kamalapur-Kalmood road in a vehicle on April 4. On the way, he stopped the vehicle saying that water needed to be poured into the engine. "When she got down, he allegedly threw chilli powder on her face and attacked her with a sharp weapon. After the murder, he allegedly poured fuel on the body and set it on fire before fleeing the scene," the officer said.
Based on the accused's statement, police recorded his confession, collected evidence in the case, arrested him and produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody, he added.
