JD(S) will not contest upcoming by-polls in Karnataka: H D Deve Gowda
Raichur: JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday said his party will not contest by-elections for Belgaum Lok Sabha segment, and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats.
The by-poll schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.
"JD(S) will not field its candidates for bypolls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats. We don't have money to fight these elections," Gowda was quoted as saying to reporters by his office in a release.
The former Prime Minister said he will completely involve himself towards organizing or building the party for 2023 assembly polls.
"... I will put all my efforts to save and build the regional party, with the support of leaders and workers," he said.
While by-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan Assembly seats are necessitated following the death of Union Minister Suresh Angadi and MLA B Narayan Rao respectively due to COVID-19 in September last year, Maski seat fell vacant following the disqualification of MLA Prathapagouda Patil.
Patil had won the Maski assembly seat in 2018 from Congress and is now with the BJP.
Sindagi MLA and senior JD(S) leader M C Managuli's death last month, due to age related ailments, has necessitated the by-polls there.
With an aim to win these seats, the ruling BJP and opposition Congress have already begun the process of shortlisting the candidates, party sources said.
Noting that BJP will face a setback in elections to four states this year, Gowda said according to him the saffron party will not get much seats in Tamil Nadu, and lauded the "courage" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Despite getting less votes, Mamata may retain power...
the whole BJP team is camping in West Bengal.
Legislators and Ministers quitting the party may cause a setback to TMC to an extent, butMamata Banerjee will become CM (of West Bengal) for the third time," he added.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states-Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry end on different dates in May and June and the elections are likely to take place in April.
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Car driver alleges assault by auto drivers after minor road incident in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a suspected case of road rage, a car driver was allegedly chased and assaulted by two autorickshaw drivers following a minor road incident on Sarjapur Road here, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 25 around 8.20 pm when Shriraj Bhardwaj, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, and his colleague were driving on Sarjapur Road and allegedly encountered an autorickshaw coming from the wrong side of the road, they said.
The victim later lodged an online complaint regarding the incident on March 26.
A senior police officer said that in this connection, a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) has already been registered at the Bellandur Police Station and further investigation into the matter is underway.
Registration of NCR means the complaint has been noted in the station diary, but a formal FIR and investigation will require further legal steps or magistrate approval, police said.
Following the incident, Bhardwaj took to 'X', recalling the episode and claiming that it began with a negligible touch between the vehicles that caused no damage.
"What followed was not an argument, it was a chase. The auto driver started aggressively chasing us, trying to block our car multiple times in moving traffic, hitting the vehicle, and attempting to open the doors. We chose not to engage and instead tried to reach a safe place," he alleged.
According to him, the situation escalated when another autorickshaw joined the chase. Together, they allegedly blocked their path near Sarjapur Bridge, and one of them picked up a concrete stone and smashed the windshield of his car while they were still inside.
"We somehow managed to reach RGA Tech Park, thinking a gated office space would mean safety. It didn't. Both drivers followed us inside. Before I could even step out of the car, I was physically assaulted, repeatedly hit in the face, leaving me injured," he alleged.
"Only after things calmed down did the main accused flee. When the police arrived, the second driver apologised in front of them," Bhardwaj further alleged.
He said that following the incident, he has made up his mind to leave Bengaluru and never return.
Bellandur police said they have registered a non-cognisable report and traced the autorickshaw driver.
"The complainant is yet to record his statement for further action. We have been trying to contact him but he informed us that he is out of state. Further inquiry into the matter is underway," the officer said.
The auto driver, however, has alleged that his vehicle was damaged and that he was asking them to stop the car to resolve the issue, but they did not stop, which led to the incident.
