Karnataka cabinet talks comes to fore once again; CM to talk to BJP Gen Secy
Bengaluru: Discussions on the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of Karnataka cabinet have once again come to the fore with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday saying he will hold talks in this connection with BJP national General Secretary in-charge of the state Arun Singh.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "He (Singh) has come, I will discuss with him."
He was responding to a question about the cabinet expansion. The Chief Minister later met Singh, who arrived in the state capital, ahead of their travel to Shivamogga
Singh is on a visit to the state to participate in the special meeting of the state BJP and also its core committee in Shivamogga on Saturday and Sunday.
Yediyurappa will be part of these meetings. There has been talk within the state BJP that the expansion or reshuffle was likely this month.
Yediyurappa has been waiting for some time now to carry out the cabinet exercise, as he was asked by BJP national president J P Nadda during their meeting in New Delhi on November 18, to wait for the clearance from the central leadership.
The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for the Chief Minister, considering that there are too many aspirants, from the party old guard to Congress- JD(S) rebels, who are now BJP legislators.
The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.
Ruling out leadership change, Yediyurappa earlier this week had asserted that he will remain in the post for the remaining over two year period and complete the term, and there was no confusion regarding this within the ruling BJP.
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
