Wait continues for cabinet exercise in Karnataka, DCM Laxman Savadi says decision by next week
Bengaluru: As the wait continues for expansion or reshuffle of cabinet in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi said on Friday the high command is likely to communicate their decision in about a week's time.
"CM (B S Yediyurappa) has made national president J P Nadda aware about all related matters here.
Nadda ji has informed the CM he will discuss with the Prime Minister and Amit Shah (Union Home minister) and will convey the decision..It will come in four to six days," Laxman Savadi told reporters at Kalaburagi.
Responding to a question on some ministerial aspirants meeting BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, he said, "they (MLAs) have freedom to express their feelings with the president and the Chief Minister.
They have expressed their opinion and the CM and the president will look into it."
Yediyurappa after his meeting with Nadda in Delhi yesterday on the cabinet exercise, had said the party national president has sought a couple of days time to consult other leaders on the matter.
Developments in Delhi on Wednesday was a repetition of sorts for Yediyurappa, as he was sent back with a similar reply by Nadda, when the Chief Minister had gone with a proposal to take up cabinet expansion exercise in September, ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislature.
Political activities have intensified within the ruling BJP camp in the state after Yediyurappa on November 10 indicated that cabinet reshuffle was on the cards after the party's victory in the bypolls to two assembly constituencies.
The Chief Minister had then hinted about reshuffle by dropping or inducting some Ministers.
The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for Yediyurappa, considering that there are too many aspirants. Several legislators have openly declared their aspirations and political hobnobbing is also taking place within the BJP circles.
A few aspirants had met BJP state president Kateel on Thursday, apparently aimed at securing their place during the cabinet exercise this time. On the other hand, 8-time MLA Umesh Katti, who has been sulking on being denied a chance earlier, met Yediyurappa on Friday.
Meanwhile in what is being dubbed as related development, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has met BJP national general secretary B L Santosh in New Delhi.
According to party sources, Jarkiholi is said to have lobbied for Congress-JD(S) rebels who joined the BJP along with him last year and helped the party come to power.
Recently some BJP legislators had met at Jarkiholi's residence and reportedly discussed cabinet exercise.
While several of the old guard like Katti are awaiting a chance to be inducted into the Ministry, Congress-JD(S) rebels like A H Vishwanath, R Shankar and M T B Nagaraj, who helped the BJP come to power and are now party MLCs, are also aspiring for slots.
As per the agreement, Yediyurappa will also have to keep space for Munirathna, following his win from Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat in the bypoll, and also for Pratap Gowda Patil who needs to win the Maski bypoll that is yet to be announced.
The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.
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BJP worker’s 16-year-old son allegedly casts eight votes in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad; Video viral
Lucknow (Farrukhabad): A viral video has surfaced showing a 16-year-old son of a BJP worker allegedly casting eight votes to the saffron party during the ongoing general elections in Uttar Pradesh. The video has sparked controversy, and the opposition has urged for prompt action from the Election Commission of India, reports scroll.in.
The video shared by the Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on micro-blogging site ‘X’, showed the youngster recording himself while casting multiple times in a series of instances. The incident reportedly took place in Khiri Pamaran village, which falls under the Aliganj Assembly constituency within the Farrukhabad parliamentary seat. Mukesh Rajput, the sitting MP, is the BJP candidate in this constituency. Polling in Farrukhabad occurred on May 13 during the fourth phase of the general election.
In the viral video, the youngster is seen casting eight votes in total, all for the BJP, one by one with different clippings.
The youngster in the video has been identified as Rajan Singh Thakur, confirmed his father, Anil Singh Thakur to the Scroll.in. Anil Singh Thakur is the gram pradhan (village head) of Khiri Pamaran and a member of the BJP.
Anil defending his son told the Scroll that the ‘Video misrepresented his son,’ and claimed that the voting was done when the machine was being tested in some instances and other clipping of him voting on behalf of mentally and physically disabled voters was merged and made into a video.
Despite the Anil's caims, the video has drawn significant criticism. Subhash Chandra Prajapati, the additional district magistrate of Farrukhabad, confirmed to the Scroll that the administration will file a case soon. He mentioned that the returning officer is investigating the matter following a directive from the chief electoral officer in Lucknow.
The opposition has been vocal in its criticism, with Akhilesh Yadav demanding action from the Election Commission. In his social media post, Yadav accused the BJP of undermining the electoral process and described the party's booth committee as a "loot committee." The Congress party also called on the Election Commission to take action, in a ‘X’ post the party wrote, “Dear Election Commission…are you watching..a boy is voting 8-8 times ... .at least wake up now.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, took to ‘X’ to express, “Fearing and seeing their defeat, the BJP is attempting to undermine democracy by pressuring government machinery to deny the mandate. The Congress expects all officers performing election duties to remember their constitutional responsibilities despite any pressure from those in power. Otherwise, once the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc government is formed, actions will be taken to ensure that anyone will think ten times before violating their 'Oath to the Constitution'."
Following the video's circulation, Naval Kishor Shakya, the Samajwadi Party candidate in Farrukhabad, filed a complaint with the district election officer. Shakya's complaint alleges that Rajan Singh Thakur cast votes after snatching voter information slips from other voters and that he was assisted by Dinesh Thakur, the local police station's station house officer. Shakya has called for re-polling at the affected polling center.
In a related incident earlier in May, Gujarat Police arrested two BJP workers for allegedly casting bogus votes and live-streaming the act on social media in the Dahod constituency. The Election Commission conducted re-polling at the affected booth following the incident.
The opposition INDIA bloc, including the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, has repeatedly accused the Election Commission of failing to take prompt action against election model code of conduct violations.
अपनी हार सामने देख कर भाजपा जनादेश को झुठलाने के लिए सरकारी तंत्र पर दबाव बना कर लोकतंत्र को लूटना चाहती है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 19, 2024
कांग्रेस चुनावी ड्यूटी कर रहे सभी अधिकारियों से यह अपेक्षा करती है कि वो सत्ता के दबाव के सामने अपनी संवैधानिक ज़िम्मेदारी न भूलें।
वरना INDIA की सरकार बनते ही ऐसी… https://t.co/fk4wXL8QZy
