Jagadish Shettar's exit will not make a difference to BJP's electoral prospects, says CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Apr 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday the exit of Jagadish Shettar from the BJP would have no adverse impact on the party's prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections, and he was surprised by his decision to join the Congress.
Shettar, a six time MLA and former Chief Minister, parted ways with the BJP after being denied ticket to contest from Hubli-Dharwad (Central), which he represented in the outgoing Assembly.
Bommai dismissed Shettar's charge that he was not given respect in the BJP and there was a conspiracy behind the move to drop him.
Shettar was treated with a lot of respect and the party had given him positions. "In his growth in the last 25 years, the BJP played a main role", the Chief Minister said.
His departure has paved the way for emergence of new leadership in the region, the Chief Minister said.
"There is not going to be any difference (to BJP's electoral prospects)," he said, expressing total confidence that the party will return to power with a clear majority.
Bommai charged the Congress with having a culture of "use and throw."
He said the Congress would honour leaders joining it till the elections; thereafter, within a few months they would face insult. He cited the instances of former Congress Chief Ministers Veerendra Patil, D Devaraj Urs and S Bangarappa, in this regard.
"Despite knowing this, I don't know why Shettar joined the Congress. I am surprised," the Chief Minister added.
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Young woman from MP who shot to fame during Kumbh found to be minor, case registered against husband
Khargone (MP) (PTI): The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes on Friday confirmed that a young woman from Madhya Pradesh who became famous due to her viral videos during the 2025 Maha Kumbh has been found to be a minor after an inquiry.
Citing the findings of an inquiry panel set up by the commission, local BJP leaders alleged that her interfaith marriage in Kerala last month was a case of "love Jihad", and sought legal action.
While the panel had submitted its report in March, ST commission chairman Antar Singh Arya confirmed its findings to the PTI on Friday.
A case for alleged kidnapping and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has already been registered against her husband, a Muslim man, at Maheshwar on the basis of the inquiry findings, police said.
The girl gained national fame after her videos while selling garlands and rudraksha at the Maha Kumbh went viral on social media and also earned her a role in a film.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes set up an inquiry panel after receiving a complaint on March 17 from Pratham Dubey, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, that she was a minor and was being exploited.
Maheshwar BJP MLA Rajkumar Mev and BJP mandal president Vikram Patel, armed with documents, told reporters on Friday that her marriage in Kerala was a case of "love Jihad" and she should be brought back home.
'Love jihad' is a term used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into marriage to convert them to Islam.
Police said an investigation is underway, and further action would be taken accordingly.
The girl, who belongs to the nomadic Pardhi community, got married at a temple in Kerala in March. The interfaith marriage drew angry reactions from rightwing Hindu groups.
Her family members and film director Sanoj Mishra -- who had offered her a film role after she became famous -- too alleged that it was 'love Jihad'.
As per the inquiry conducted by the ST commission, records at the Maheshwar government hospital showed the woman's date of birth as December 30, 2009 which meant she was 16 years and two months old at the time of marriage, said Dubey, the complainant.
On a complaint filed by her father, police registered a case against the girl's husband at Maheshwar police station on March 25 for alleged kidnapping and under the POCSO Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police sources said that a separate case was also registered on March 24 under section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (taking a minor from lawful custody of guardian without their consent) based on the the commission's findings.
