RS poll scene hots up in Karnataka as BJP-JD(S) fields second candidate
Bengaluru, Feb 15: The Rajya Sabha election scene in Karnataka heated up with the BJP-JD(S) combine fielding its second candidate, even though the alliance has the strength to win only one out four seats.
The biennial election to fill four vacancies from Karnataka in Rajya Sabha, by the elected Members of the Legislative Assembly, is scheduled for February 27.
The ruling Congress, whose strength is 135 in the 224-member Assembly, along with the support of Darshan Puttanaiah from Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha, and two Independents is expected to retain the three seats.
The BJP and JD(S) with 66 and 19 members respectively are in a position to together win one seat.
According to official sources, each candidate has to get 45 votes to win, if there are only four candidates in the fray, but in the case of more candidates, then preference votes kick in.
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The Congress has fielded Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain and G C Chandrasekhar as party candidates, and all of them filed their nominations on Thursday, accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Former MLC Narayansa Bandage, who is the BJP candidate, too filed his nomination accompanied by state BJP President B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka among others. They were joined by JD(S) president and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
In a surprise move, JD(S) leader and former Rajya Sabha Member D Kupendra Reddy too filed a nomination today, necessitating a contest. He was accompanied by Kumaraswamy, Vijayendra and Ashoka.
Kumaraswamy said Reddy was fielded based on the advice of BJP central and state leaders.
"I know there are doubts about numbers. Everything will be clear after the election results. Our party has 19 MLAs. The BJP, after ensuring one victory, will be left with additional votes. We didn't want opposition votes to go waste," he said.
Vijayendra said Reddy has filed his nomination after discussions between the BJP central leaders and the JD(S) leadership yesterday.
"The JD(S) will also have its own plan of action and both parties will work together for our candidate's win," he added.
Stating that he is contesting as a NDA candidate, Reddy said he needs four additional votes to win. "I'm confident of winning."
Shivakumar, who is also Congress' state president, said the Rajya Sabha elections will be a "display of unity" by the party.
"We have sufficient votes. Our three candidates will get elected to the Rajya Sabha and will work towards getting justice to the state," he said.
To a question on 'conscience' votes, Shivakumar said, "JD(S) has failed, and that's the reason they've tied up with BJP. I'm confident we'll get their conscience votes. Will tell you after voting on the conscience votes we get."
The election is necessitated to fill in four Rajya Sabha seats from the state that are getting vacant due to the retirement of Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar from the BJP, and Congress' Chandrashekar, L Hanumanthaiah and Hussein, on April 2, after the expiry of a six-year term.
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Police inspector suspended over 'involvement' in honour killing in Andhra's' Palnadu dt
Macherla (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): A police inspector was suspended on Sunday over his alleged involvement in an alleged honour killing of a woman in a village under Macherla in Palnadu district, a senior police official said.
According to police, the woman, identified as Chowdeshwaramma, was in a relationship with Nagaraj, both belonging to the same community, and had eloped earlier.
"A police inspector was suspended following allegations of involvement in an honour killing case, including suspected monetary transactions with the victim's family," the official told PTI.
Police said the couple had approached the police station after eloping, where the woman's parents assured that they would conduct her marriage with Nagaraj, following which she returned home.
However, after a few days, when the family allegedly did not show interest in conducting the marriage, the woman expressed her intention to go back with the man again, he said.
Subsequently, she was found dead, with the family initially claiming that she died by hanging and filing a complaint accordingly.
The postmortem report later revealed that the woman was murdered by strangulation, contradicting the family's claim, police said.
Allegations later surfaced that the inspector had taken money from the woman's father and was involved in handing her back to the family earlier.
Based on these allegations and failure to take proper action in the case, the inspector was placed under suspension, said the official.
The woman's death is reported to have occurred on March 18, police said.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and relevant sections may be altered during the course of investigation, he added.
