Siddaramaiah to get Cabinet rank: Parameshwar
Bengaluru, June 24: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar said that the government has decided to give Cabinet rank to former chief minister and Congress-JDS coalition government Coordination Committee Chairman Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to reporters at his residence at Sadashivanagar in the city on Sunday, the DCM said that as Siddaramaiah is the chairman of the Coordination Committee, the government is planning to give him the Cabinet rank.
“I have placed the demand for a government quarters. But I have not asked for a particular one. Currently, I am finding it difficult to meet the public at the house where I am residing. I have not demanded for the ‘Cauvery’”, he clarified.
He said he does not know about some dissident MLAs who met former chief minister Siddaramaiah and discussed the issues like cabinet expansion, appointment to boards and corporations.
BJP creating confusion
The government has not taken any decision on naming Haj Bhawan after Tipu Sultan. But the Muslim community people have urged the government to name Haj Bhawan after Tipu Sultan. But the BJP is creating unnecessary confusion, he said.
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Gill, Mandhana win top BCCI awards
New Delhi (PTI): Prolific batters Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana were named the Best International Cricketers (Men's and Women's) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 here on Sunday, recognising their outstanding performances in the 2024–2025 season.
Gill won the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award, while Mandhana received the award for the fifth time.
For Gill, it was his second Cricketer of the Year award after first winning it in 2023.
Former stars Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj were honoured with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI's highest honour, recognising their outstanding service to Indian cricket.
India's five trophy-winning sides (2025 ICC Champions Trophy, 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, 2025 U-19 Women's World Cup, 2026 Men's U-19 World Cup, and 2026 T20 World Cup) were honoured as well on the occasion.
Gill enjoyed a stellar 2025 and established himself as one of the team's most dependable batters in the longer formats.
On the tour of England, skipper Gill led from the front in the five-Test series, finishing as the top run-getter with 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries and a top score of 269.
Gill also played a pivotal role in India's Champions Trophy triumph last year, having entered the tournament as the No.1-ranked ODI batter in the world. He made an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh in India's opening match, and finished the tournament with 188 runs.
Mandhana finished 2025 with 1,703 international runs, including 1,362 in ODIs, the most by any woman in a calendar year. In doing so, Mandhana became the first batter in women's ODI history to score 1,000 runs in a single calendar year.
Mandhana also made handsome contributions to India's maiden Women's World Cup title triumph, aggregating 434 runs in nine matches to end as the tournament as India's leading run-scorer and the second-highest overall.
Before the World Cup, the left-hander Mandhana smashed a 50-ball century against Australia in New Delhi to register the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian batter, surpassing Virat Kohli's 52-ball effort.
Shafali Varma (Best Woman Cricketer Senior Domestic One-Day), Ira Jadhav (Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic), Harsh Dubey (Best All Rounder in the Ranji Trophy), and Ayush Mhatre (Best All Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions) too won awards for their strong performances across the 2024-25 domestic season.
