Minister Madhu Bangarappa invites JDS MLA to join Congress during public event
Shivamogga: Shivamogga District In-charge Minister Madhu Bangarappa performed a Gudali Puja on Sunday for the development of Barehalla and Hi Hole Dams in the taluk, along with road development work in Puradalu village.
At the program, Madhu Bangarappa extended an invitation to JDS MLA Sharada Pooryanayaka to join the Congress party, using an English proverb to make his point.
"Sharada Pooryanayaka shows loves towards me. But when elections come, it becomes very difficult. Now we have power. That is why I am calling her to join our party. Our father always said that when it is hot, we should dry the grass. Now that it is hot, my sister should make a decision," he said, extending an open offer to the JDS leader.
Bangarappa emphasized that providing facilities for the Sharavati flood victims is the government's duty. He noted that the dam built for these victims in Puradalu village was damaged due to excessive rainfall. To address this, he announced the launch of development work worth Rs. 3 crore, fulfilling his previous promises.
He stated that while the government is allocating funds for guaranteed schemes, it is also ensuring grants for developmental projects. "As a minister, I am responsible for providing quality education to children. I am working with great emphasis on education. Since the education department is vast, everyone is cooperating," he said.
The minister urged parents to ensure their children's education is not disrupted due to frequent holidays. He also mentioned that a facial attendance system is being considered to monitor school attendance more effectively.
Instead of focusing on building large temples in villages, he stressed the importance of constructing bigger schools, stating that "If schools are built big, God will bless them."
MLA Sharada Pooryanayaka stated that priority is being given to the development of villages in the Sharavati floodplain area. She also acknowledged the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and thanked District In-charge Minister Madhu Bangarappa for securing funds for the Barehalla and Hi Hole Dam development.
Puradalu Gram Panchayat Vice President H.S. Pradeep delivered the introductory remarks.
The event was attended by Congress District President R. Prasanna Kumar, State Bhovi Development Corporation President S. Ravikumar, Guarantee Schemes Authority District President Chandrabhupal, and Congress leaders Kalgodu Ratnakar, G.D. Manjunath, Dr. Srinivas Karianna, Y.H. Nagaraj, as well as Puradalu and Agasavalli Gram Panchayat Presidents and members.
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Tejashwi Yadav to head INDIA Bloc’s coordination committee for Bihar assembly elections
Patna: The opposition INDIA bloc has named Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as the head of its coordination committee for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
The decision was made during a meeting of the six alliance partners – Congress, RJD, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI(ML)), and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) – held in Patna on Thursday, April 17.
While the bloc stopped short of formally declaring Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate, it confirmed that he will lead the key decision-making committee for the election campaign. The committee will be responsible for drafting a common minimum programme, finalizing the manifesto, managing seat-sharing talks, and coordinating campaign strategies.
Congress’s Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, said, “The coordination committee will be the supreme body for the INDIA alliance, overseeing every aspect of the election. Tejashwi Yadav will be its chairman, and members from all alliance partners will be included.”
The meeting followed Yadav’s recent discussions in Delhi with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing the media after the Patna meeting, Yadav said, “There is deep resentment among the people of Bihar due to unemployment, poverty, and increasing migration. Even the NITI Aayog’s report confirms Bihar as the poorest state despite 20 years of rule under the NDA.”
He further criticized both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the central government, stating, “The real double engine in Bihar is crime and corruption.”
In the 2020 Assembly elections, the RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats, while Congress won 19 of the 70 it contested. The CPI(ML) secured 12 of 19 seats, and the VIP, despite exiting the alliance before the elections, won four seats.
The INDIA bloc is now preparing to mount a consolidated challenge to the ruling NDA in the upcoming state polls.
