LS poll rout; Kumaraswamy calls informal cabinet meet Friday
Bengaluru, May 23: With the Congress-JDS alliance in Karnataka facing a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has called an "informal" cabinet meeting on Friday.
The Chief Minister has also convened a JDS legislature party meeting to review the results, party sources said.
"An informal cabinet meeting has been called tomorrow, May 24, 2019 at 12:30 PM, at cabinet hall in Vidhana Soudha (the state secretariat)," an official intimation sent out to Ministers said.
At the meeting, the Chief Minister, along with his cabinet colleagues from both parties, are likely to discuss the Lok Sabha poll outcome and the way ahead for the coalition, sources said.
As the Congress-JDS government completed one year Thursday, it is on the edge with the Lok Sabha results widely expected to have a bearing on its stability.
The meeting gains significance in the backdrop of both Congress and JD(S) facing a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls by winning just one seat each, indicating that the alliance between the two parties has not worked.
Though coalition leaders decided to jointly fight the polls and reached a seat sharing agreement of 21 and seven seats for Congress and JD(S) respectively,it was not something grass root level workers of both parties were okay with, especially in old Mysuru region, where they are arch rivals.
BJP had contested 27 of 28 seats and supported independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh in Mandya.
According to sources, despite efforts by both parties to pacify their cadres and ensure transfer of votes to each other, the alliance did not work in constituencies of old Mysuru region, that has had implications on the poll outcome and in turn may affect the stability of the government.
Voices have started emerging in the Congress to end the alliance, holding the partnership with JD(S) as the reason for the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls.
The alliance also fears disgruntlement within and possible attempts by the BJP to "poach" its MLAs, aimed at destabilising the government.
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No more street vending on B’luru’s main roads, as govt plans to bring new policy for street hawkers
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has decided to formulate a new policy for footpaths in Bengaluru, under which street vending will not be allowed on main roads and sub-main roads.
Addressing the media after a budget preparation meeting and executive meeting of GBA corporations at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said discussions were held with MLAs from the GBA region regarding the corporations’ budgets and key civic issues.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashok also participated in the meeting and shared his views. Officials from multiple departments, including police, BESCOM, BMRCL, BWSSB and BDA, along with ministers and legislators, were present.
He stated that all five municipalities have prepared their individual budgets, while MLAs have submitted their demands, including calls for ward-wise grants.
“We have decided to bring a new policy for footpaths. Citizens are struggling to walk as footpaths are encroached upon by street vendors,” Shivakumar said.
Highlighting the need to balance livelihoods and public convenience, he added that “a separate space will be provided for street vendors, and specific roads will be designated for their business,” ensuring that pedestrians can use footpaths without obstruction. He noted that there was unanimous agreement among MLAs on this approach.
Issuing a warning to vendors, Shivakumar said that authorities will act against those violating the rules. “If vendors operate during the day and leave their carts on the roadside at night, authorities will clear them. People should be aware of this,” he said.
Providing data on street vendors, he said that around 60,000 vendors have registered so far, of which 30,000 have applied for vehicles, and a tender has already been floated.
“Only those with street vendor identity cards will be allowed to do business. Those without ID cards will not be permitted to operate on the streets,” he added.
