Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislative Council member N. Ravikumar has dismissed speculation that BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs would switch to the Congress, calling it a baseless claim aimed at diverting attention from the ruling party's internal issues.
Speaking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday, Ravikumar said, "Congress is spreading these rumors to cover up its misgovernance. They are daydreaming that BJP-JDS MLAs will join them. Instead of making such claims, Congress leaders should focus on ensuring stability within their own ranks."
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Taking a dig at the ruling party, he pointed out alleged infighting between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. "The Congress should first resolve its internal power struggle for the CM’s chair and address the concerns of its own MLAs. Many of their legislators are unhappy with this government due to lack of funds for development projects. Let them focus on their issues before thinking about our MLAs," he remarked.
Ravikumar reiterated that the Congress was falsely claiming defections to cover up its internal conflicts. "There are no defections from BJP or JD(S). If any issues arise, our senior leaders will address them. No one is leaving the party," he asserted.
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Yellapura (PTI): At least eight persons were killed and 10 others sustained injuries when the truck in which they were travelling fell into a 50-metre-deep valley near here in the wee hours of Wednesday, a police officer said.
The victims, all fruit vendors, started from Savanur and were heading towards the Yellapura fair to sell fruits. They were traveling on the Savanur - Hubballi road when the accident occurred in a forested section, the Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana said.
"Around 5:30 am, the truck driver in a bid to give side to another vehicle went to the extreme left and fell into an about 50 metre deep valley," Narayana told PTI.
He added that there was no protection wall in the road in the valley.
"Eight persons were killed on the spot and two got critical injuries. The injured have been shifted to the KIMS Hospital in Hubballi," the officer said.