The Karnataka state government on Friday said that it issued an order to form a team under the leadership of KERS Director K G Mahesh to expedite the Mekedatu project in view of "the favourable Supreme Court order".

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he has not been called by the Congress high command to New Delhi, over the leadership issue.

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 opposition BJP on Friday accused Karnataka minister Laxmi Hebbalkar of providing "wrong information" to the state Assembly, and urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to put end to the ruling Congress' "dinner politics" till the ongoing legislature session ends.

The Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told the Legislative Council on Friday that criminal proceedings and departmental action would be initiated against officials and land mafia involved in the illegal grant of 'Bagair Hukum' land.

The state government will establish an industrial park in Belagavi district to encourage investment and industrial growth, Large and Medium Industries Minister M. B. Patil informed the Assembly on Friday.

A 27-year-old two-wheeler rider died after his bike was hit by a car driven by R. Shashank, son of Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee chairman H. M. Revanna. The accident took place at Gudemaranahalli in Magadi taluk on Thursday night.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday dismissed reports of having a political dinner meeting with MLAs, asserting that his visit was purely personal and driven by affection from party colleagues.