Shivakumar will become CM after ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature: Cong MLA
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain on Friday claimed that D K Shivakumar will become the chief minister after the ongoing winter session of the state legislature here.
The MLA from Ramanagara was among the ministers and legislators, who met for dinner, along with Shivakumar, late last night.
"MLAs from various constituencies have come for the session; it is a rare opportunity for all of us to meet. During the session, we meet each other. We had dinner together. What's there in that? Can having food together be called a show of strength?" Hussain told reporters here in response to a question about the dinner meeting.
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Asked whether only those close to Shivakumar were invited for the dinner, he said, all are friends and close to each other.
To a question whether Shivakumar gave any good news during the dinner, the MLA, who is considered close to the Deputy CM said, "I'm giving the good news. He will become (CM) after the session, he will become. What's wrong with it?"
He said, "....Shivakumar will get a chance, he will become the chief minister now."
Replying to a question about statements that Shivakumar will become if it is written in his fate, Hussain said, "Everything will happen if the god has written in one's fate....We are all confident that Shivakumar has a chance for his efforts, struggle, and organising the party. We have told the same to the high command, the high command will decide."
According to Hussain 50-55 Congress legislators met for dinner late last night.
Though leaders term it a casual dinner meeting, speculation is rife as it had taken place amid a power tussle in the ruling party, over the CM post.
Stating that the Congress is a disciplined party and no one is above the high command, Hussain said, the leadership will take a final decision on the CM issue.
"Numbers are not important here. We should be committed to the decision they (high command) make. They have said that everyone should abide by the party discipline and abide by their decision. This is the party culture, too. We will abide by their decision," he said.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each other's residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session. The legislature session that began on December 8, will go on till the 19th.
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In its 90th year, TISS to unveil two missions to strengthen India, global presence
Mumbai (PTI): The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on Friday said it is planning to start academic expansion through two missions to strengthen its global as well as domestic presence.
On global front, the deemed to be university and grant-in aid institute under the education ministry is looking to collaborate for joint research with universities in western countries and also become a global hub for rural innovations.
"We are going to start Mission Bharat and Mission Global as part of TISS Navati. This will be part of TISS 90-year celebrations in February 2026," Vice-Chancellor Badri Narayan Tiwari told reporters.
TISS is completing 90 years in 2026, and these initiatives will be part of the institute's decade-long preparation for centenary celebrations, he noted.
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As part of Mission Bharat, TISS is planning to create awareness among students about the institute and opportunities it presents in states from where student intake is less, Tiwari said.
"Our focus will be in the northeast, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhy Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, among others. For this we are going to form a strategy and our professors will visit colleges in these areas, especially in marginalised areas, and present all aspects of the institute. Through this, we want to project that TISS is for everyone and not just for the elite," the VC stated.
Under Mission Bharat, TISS will also focus on skilling.
"We are also expanding our skill education network, which is already operational in 67 locations globally. On this, we will not only work in India but also in countries where there are skill gaps like in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America," he informed.
Tiwari stated that the prestigious institute is planning academic expansion covering a range of courses, including under-graduate, post-graduate and executive PhD programmes.
Under Mission Global, TISS will collaborate for joint research with universities in western countries.
"Besides collaboration, we also looking at expanding our dual degree programme, which we currently have with four universities," the VC noted.
TISS is also looking at becoming a global rural innovation hub as part of Mission Global, he said.
"Under this, we will record rural and grassroots innovations and present them to global audience. For this, our Tuljapur campus in Maharashtra (Dharashiv district) will be the hub. Similarly, we will extend the same in countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, among others," Tiwari maintained.
