Honour to serve in BJP's highest decision-making body, says Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Aug 17: Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leadership for his induction into the party's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee, former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday said it's an honour to serve on the highest decision-making body of the party.
According to Yediyurappa's office, the state BJP strongman spoke to PM Modi over phone thanking him, and the Prime Minister in turn said his service was required to strengthen the party and bring it to power not only in Karnataka, but entire south India.
"I thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, Shri @JPNadda Ji and Shri@AmitShah Ji for giving me the opportunity to serve on @BJP4India Parliamentary Board & Central Election Committee. It is an honour to serve on the highest decision-making body of the party," Yediyurappa tweeted.
Many in the party circles feel that it is an attempt by the BJP leadership to send out a message that it still has high regard for the veteran leader and was keen to utilise his experience and mentorship, amid allegations by some sections, especially opposition Congress about the Lingayat strongman being sidelined.
The move by the party leadership gains even more significance, as it comes following Yediyurappa recently signalling the end of his innings in electoral politics by stating that he will vacate his Shikaripura assembly seat for son B Y Vijayendra, if the party fields him in the 2023 state assembly polls.
Following the announcement about retiring from electoral politics, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had met Yediyurappa earlier this month during his visit to the state, and is said to have held discussions in this regard.
Sources said the leadership wanted to ensure that Yediyurappa doesn't feel sidelined, as it fears adverse implications for the party in the polls, in the event of the veteran leader choosing to remain inactive.
It also puts Yediyurappa at "advantage", as he looks to secure the political future of his younger son Vijayendra, his political heir apparent. Elder son B Y Raghavendra is Member of Parliament from Shivamogga.
"It is certainly an elevation for Yediyurappa when everyone was expecting the end of his politics. The party certainly realises his need and strength and wants to utilise it. The leadership wants to keep him in good books and reap as much benefit as it can in favour of BJP during the assembly polls," a BJP functionary said.
By projecting that Yediyurappa is being sidelined by BJP, the Congress had planned to attract votes of Lingayats, the dominant community which forms the strong vote base of the party in the state, in their favour, a BJP leader said. "Now, by inducting Yediyurappa into top decision-making bodies of the party, it has been completely outwitted now."
Though Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is also a Lingayat, the sway Yediyurappa holds over the community cannot be disregarded, a leader said, adding, "He is still the tallest leader not only from the community, but he is also a mass leader."
In a major shake-up, the BJP on Wednesday dropped Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from its parliamentary board, its apex organisational body, and brought in six new members, including Yediyurappa and Iqbal Singh Lalpura, first Sikh representative.
I thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, Shri @JPNadda Ji and Shri @AmitShah Ji for giving me the opportunity to serve on @BJP4India Parliamentary Board & Central Election Committee. It is an honour to serve on the highest decision-making body of the party.
— B.S.Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) August 17, 2022
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
