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Karnataka bypolls: Voting on in 15 seats, BS Yediyurappa needs six or more to retain majority

The make or break bypolls for the BJP government in Karnataka are currently underway in 15 assembly seats. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who is ruling the state with a wafer-thin majority, needs to win at least six of these 15 to save his government and more than six to stabilise the rocking boat.

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Karnataka assembly

The make or break bypolls for the BJP government in Karnataka are currently underway in 15 assembly seats. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who is ruling the state with a wafer-thin majority, needs to win at least six of these 15 to save his government and more than six to stabilise the rocking boat.

Polling began at 7 this morning and will continue till 6 pm. Votes will be counted on December 9. About 37 lakh people are eligible to vote. The bypolls are being held to elect MLAs for the constituencies which fell vacant following the rebellion by 17 MLAs from the Congress and its erstwhile partner Janata Dal Secular (JDS).

The Congress and the JDS had stitched an alliance after the 2018 Assembly polls threw up a fractured mandate.  In the 225-member house, the BJP was the single largest party with 105 seats, followed by 78 (Plus, one of Speaker) for Congress and 37 for JDS. The JDS chief, HD Kumaraswamy, took oath as the chief minister.

However, the coalition government collapsed in July, within 14 months, after the rebel MLAs quit the coalition alleging lack of development in the state and paving the way for the BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa. The Congress-JDS accused the BJP of directing the mutiny. The rebels were threatened, bought and promised ministerial berths, the Congress-JDS combine alleged.

Yediyurappa was on July 26 sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for the fourth time. Interestingly, he has never completed a full term. His longest tenure as CM was between May 2008 and August 2011 before being forced to resign over corruption charges.

The senior BJP man is hoping these rebels will help him break the jinx.

The bypolls are being held in Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, KR Pura, Yashwanthapura, Hirekerur, Ranebennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapura, Hoskote, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagar, KR Pete and Hunsu. Twelve of these were held by the Congress and three by JDS. Two other constituencies — Maski and RR Nagar — are still vacant as bypolls here have been withheld due to separate cases with regard to them pending in the high court.

The BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators — who joined the party last month after the Supreme Court upheld their disqualification by the then Speaker KR Ramesh but allowed them to contest the bypolls — from their respective constituencies.

The Congress and JDS, which had contested the Lok Sabha as allies, are contesting the bypolls independently. But sources don’t rule out a realignment, in case the ruling BJP fails to garner required number of seats to be in majority. If they decide to have a reunion, the combine would need to win at least 12 seats to form the government.

The Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress government in Maharashtra, which has given confidence to non-BJP parties in other states to explore new combinations and possibilities, has also encouraged both Congress and JD(S) leaders in Karnataka who have dropped enough hints for a post-poll alliance.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is Congress General Secretary in charge of Maharashtra, told reporters, “Look at Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have formed a government together. To tell you the truth, our President (Sonia Gandhi) was not in favour of it and wanted us to be in opposition, but the people, parties with progressive thinking told us to look at keeping BJP away from power.”

Former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara too said there was a possibility for Congress and JD(S) coming together if the situation arises.

He said, “When the results are out, if the Congress wins more seats and BJP gets less, the government will collapse, then we will have two options – either stay away or join hands with JD(S) to form a coalition government again.”

Kumaraswamy, too, said there would be a stable government in the state after the bypolls, but not necessarily that of BJP.

However, his father and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda is exercising caution. The veteran said he would rather work towards strengthening his party and keeping both the BJP and Congress at a distance.

“I have had experience (of running a government) with both the BJP and Congress. Keeping both at a distance, saying ‘namasakara’ to both of them, I will work beyond my limits to strengthen my party,” he said.

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Gyanvapi mosque: Allahabad High Court rejects Muslim side’s plea against Hindu women’s right to worship plea

A single bench of Justice JJ Munir announced the verdict in the case.

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Gyanvapi mosque: Allahabad High Court rejects Muslim side’s plea against Hindu women’s right to worship plea

On Wednesday, Allahabad High Court rejected the Muslim side’s plea challenging the maintainability of suit filed by Hindu women worshippers in Varanasi Court seeking the right to worship the Hindu idols  inside the Gynavapi mosque, Varanasi.

A single bench of Justice JJ Munir announced the verdict in the case.

A petition was filed by five Hindu women seeking permission for daily worship of the Hindu idols, claimed to be located in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The Muslim side filed a petition at the Allahabad High Court against the Hindu women’s plea and argued that the hearing on the matter cannot be done under the Place of Worship Act, 1991.

Currently, the women who filed the petition are allowed to worship the deities inside the mosque complex on the fourth day of Chaitra and Vasantik Navratri.

The petition of the Muslim side was file by Anjuman Intezamia Committee that represents in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case that challenged the Varanasi District Court verdict on maintainability of the Hindu worshipper’s case.

Hindu side advocate in Allahabad High Court Hari Shankar Jain after the Court verdict said that the day is not far when a construction of a grand Shiv Temple will take place, removing the mosque, currently in place.

The Allahabad High Court on July 14, will further hear  a petitition filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board and the Gyanvapi mosque management committee that has challenged the maintainability of a suit filed in a Varanasi court that seeks the restoration of a temple at the site where the mosque exists currently.

The High Court rejecting the Muslim side’s plea has now allowed the Varanasi court to hear the Hindu worshippers petition. On July 7, a civil court in Varanasi will hear the plea of the Hindu side.

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WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh hits out at protesting wrestlers, tags medal immersion claims as emotional drama

The protesting wrestlers on Tuesday, in a dramatic turn of events gathered at the banks of Ganga in Haridwar to immerse the medals won by them in Ganga as a part of their protest.

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WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh hits out at protesting wrestlers, tags medal immersion claims as emotional drama

Amid the allegations on him, Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Wednesday, attacked the wrestlers protesting, tagging the medal immersion claims as emotional drama and that this would not hang him.

India’s top wrestlers including Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Mallikh and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat have been protesting since January this marking grave allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI President.

Singh said it’s been four months since the wrestlers are protesting demanding to take action against him and hang him for the sexual harassment of female athletes but no action has been taken by the government yet as the protestors have no evidence to prove their allegations.

Singh said the immersion of medals would not hang him and if they(the protesting wrestlers) want so, they should produce the evidence before the police and the Court and if the Court orders him to be hanged, he will happily accept the punishment.

Singh further challenged that if any allegation is proven against him, he will hang himself.

The protesting wrestlers on Tuesday, in a dramatic turn of events gathered at the banks of Ganga in Haridwar to immerse the medals won by them in Ganga as a part of their protest.

Bharat Kisan Union national chief Naresh Tikait jumped in with other leaders of the khap reaching Haridwar to convince the wrestlers to hold off, giving five days ultimatum to the government.

Meanwhile, a mahapanchayat of the farmer leaders and heads and leaders of khaps from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab has been organised in UP’s Muzaffarnagar tomorrow.

The central issue of the discussion in the huge meeting would be the wrestlers protest, where future steps of the protest would be discussed.

The wrestlers until May 28 were protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding action against Singh for alleged sexual harassment of female athletes.

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Home Minister Amit Shah visits Moreh and other severely violence affected districts in Manipur

Moreh is a town which has been significantly impacted by the ongoing unrest.

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Home Minister Amit Shah visits Moreh and other severely violence affected districts in Manipur

On Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits the Model town of Moreh, located on India-Myanmar border in an effort to restore peace in the violence-hit Manipur as it is witnessing violence for almost a month now that has left over 80 people dead.

Moreh is a town which has been significantly impacted by the ongoing unrest. Shah began his visit to Moreh around 10 am . He will interact with Kuki civil society groups and will access the current security measures in place.

Shah is also expected to visit Kangpokpi district around 1pm, a Kukis dominated area but also is home to many Meitei villages. Kangpokpi is one of the majorly violence affected districts. Reports said, the buildings and religious structures of both the communities have been a point of target in the violence.

Security officials earlier reported, there have been overnight gunfights between insurgents and security forces in Sugnu, Kakching district. Reports also claimed civilian injury during attack in Sagolmang, East of Imphal.

The Home minister arrived Imphal late on Monday night, Shah held a series of meetings with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, senior cabinet ministers, top security officers and various leaders from the Meitei community in pursuit of a resolution to the escalating ethnic clashes that broke out since May 3. He also held an all party meeting on Tuesday, which aimed to restore peace in the state.

The visit of the Home Minister is to ensure the peace restoration and bring back normalcy in the law and order situation of Manipur. Shah was accompanied by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Kumar Deka.

In Shah’s meeting key decisions were taken to curb the violence and bring back normalcy such as announcement of a Centre-state equally contributed compensation worth Rs 10 lakh and a job to the kin of those killed in the violence, set-up of dedicated communication channels to counter the dissemination of rumors, improvement in law and order along others.

The hill state has been in trouble since May 3, a clash broke out after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised to protest the Metei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe(ST) status.

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