Karnataka coalition govt on its last legs? BJP prepares to move in

Politics

BJP insiders say that a few leaders want to go for snap polls and come back with a thumping majority.

Theja Ram

The coalition government in Karnataka is in a precarious situation and the BJP is gearing up to step in and wean away disgruntled and opportunistic MLAs from the ruling coalition. Congress rebel MLA from Gokak, Ramesh Jarkiholi held a midnight meeting with Operation Kamala team members – Kalaburgi BJP MP Dr Umesh Jadav and BJP leader from Channapattana, CP Yogeeshwar. Sources close to MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi say that the leaders discussed two options in the meeting to topple the ruling coalition in the state. The first scenario includes poaching Congress and JD(S) MLAs and giving them incentives to resign. The second scenario includes poaching MLAs from the ruling coalition and moving a no-confidence motion in the state Assembly. “They are preparing for both scenarios. Ramesh Jarkiholi and Umesh Jadav have been put in charge of poaching the MLAs and also arranging for a hotel or a resort where the MLAs can be lodged before the trust vote,” the source said. The Karnataka assembly that has a total strength of 225 MLAs including the Speaker has 105 BJP members. With two independent MLAs in its kitty, the BJP has 107 MLAs and need just 7 MLAs to reach the halfway mark of 113. BJP insiders say that Ramesh Jarkiholi and Umesh Jadav have recommended booking 30 rooms at a five-star hotel in Goa near Fort Aguada, in case the MLAs have to be shifted at short notice. Ramesh Jarkiholi has allegedly been in constant touch with Congress MLAs Basanagouda Daddal from Raichur Rural, BC Patil from Hirekerur, Srimanth Gowda Patil from Kagawad in Belagavi, Shivaram Hebbar from Yellapura, Pratapgouda Patil from Maski, JN Ganesh from Kampli and B Nagendra from Ballari, as well as JD(S) MLA from KR Pete, Narayanagowda. “Yeddyurappa has been advised from making any move until Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is complete. Besides, Yeddyurappa is also busy negotiating cabinet berths for MPs from Karnataka. Once that is done, Operation Kamala will roll out in Karnataka,” a BJP leader said. Party insiders say that the BJP high command is leaning towards going for snap polls rather than a no-confidence motion. “Congress will lose many Assembly segments if we go for snap polls. Party seniors say BJP can easily win 130-150 seats. Then we will be able to elect more Rajya Sabha members, especially if we have more MLAs than the ones we have poached,” the source added.    

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'Medicare for All' backers find biggest foe in their own backyard

Hospitals threaten to derail big and small Democratic plans for coverage expansion.

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Techie trio robbed at scissor-point in Bengaluru's Marathahalli by gang of three

Crime

The techies were walking back home which was only a few metres away around 3.30 am when they were ambushed.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

When Akshay Maji, Abhishek Kumar and Anmoy Banerjee went to a friend’s birthday party in Marthahalli on Monday, they didn’t know how badly their night would end. Bangalore Mirror reported that the three techies were returning from the celebrations in the wee hours of the night when they were accosted by a gang of three persons who threatened them with scissors and iron rods and robbed them of their valuables. The trio has informed the Marathahalli police about the incident, and a case has been registered against three unidentified persons under section 384 of the IPC for extortion. According to reports, the three techies, who are also residents of Marathahalli, decided to come back from the birthday celebrations at a friend’s house which was nearby, on foot. They were walking back home which was only a few metres away around 3.30 am when they were ambushed. Further, the street was pitch dark as there were no street lights. “All three had scissors and iron rods with them and they threatened to stab us with scissors if we did not give them our valuables,” Akshay said. He added that the accused held him and his friends up for at least five minutes and were speaking in Hindi. Frightened, one of victims handed over his mobile phone while the other two handed over their wallets to the gang. Akshay, Abhishek and Anmoy then ran, towards their house. While they feared that the accused would follow them, they turned around to see miscreants speeding away on a white scooter. The three victims then reached home and called the police control room. When the Marathahalli police arrived on the spot, they could not find the accused. They are reportedly going through the CCTV footage in the vicinity to identify the gang as well. Speaking to TNM, an investigating official said, “We are verifying whether the miscreants were locals. We are looking to see if it’s an organised gang. We will know once an arrest has been made.”  

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Hundreds protest in Bengaluru, join global movement against inaction on climate change

Environment

Nearly 400 people, many of them college students and youngsters, participated in the protest at the Town hall on Friday.

Anusha Itnal

On Friday, next to the bustling traffic during the evening rush hour at Town Hall in Bengaluru, stood hundreds of people. Protesting and demanding action on climate change from the government, the protesters carried placards and banners reading “I want you to panic”, “Denial is not a policy”, “Winter won’t come anymore”. This protest was called for as part of a global movement, #FridaysForFuture, by the 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg. The movement started when the teenager started skipping school every Friday to protest against inaction on climate change.  The protesters in Bengaluru mostly consisted of students, some parents, and concerned activists and citizens. One of the protesters was Rajini a member Extinction Rebellion India’s Bengaluru Chapter. “We ask for three things from the government: the first is truth to be told to media and people about climate emergency. Second, act now, otherwise it will be too late as per the IPCC report. Third, we have to go beyond the current political equations to create a new scenario united towards sensible decision making." Supritim (24), a scientist who works for environmental protection and conservation, told TNM said that it is high time we come out and address climate change issues and that more such Fridays must be organised. "Educating one another is extremely crucial - what’s the point of educating yourself if you don't educate others?" he argued. Disha, a college graduate from Mount Carmel College and the FridaysForFuture coordinator for Bengaluru said, "Even in the recent Lok Sabha elections, none of the parties had any environmental plans or policies to implement as campaign points. It is clear that the government has turned a blind eye towards the climate emergency. We are currently under the 6th mass extinction and we have less than 12 years before the climate change becomes irreversible”. Disha added that this protest is an attempt to involve people at the grass root level and catch the government’s attention to make some changes. The protesters made the following demands to the government: 1. Declare a climate emergency and the government will have to prioritize climate and ecological conditions while making policies and decisions 2. Commit to the Paris agreement (dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation); the government has signed it but nothing yet is legally binding the government to follow it thus a law implemented that compels the government to follow the set measures 3. Follow the IPCC guidelines to introduce policies more carbon neutral so serve climate justice to keep the global temperature within 1.5 degree Celsius. Protesters also individuals to take steps to reduce climate change. Some of the suggestions were: 1. Use more public transport. 2. Reduce consumption of plastic and carry water bottles everywhere to reduce the purchase of new bottles. 3. Increase segregation of waste and composting. 4. Be wary of animal agriculture, which is practiced unethically and is the leading cause of climate change.  5. Stop fast fashion, i.e., buying and shopping unnecessarily all the time, it causes landfills. 6. Actively participate in public decision making by voting and be aware of personal resource utilisation. According to the organisers, people from 14 different locations in India participated in this protest for climate. This was the second such protest in Bengaluru; the first one happened on March 15. Organisers had then said that they would protest every Friday until the central and state governments implement politics to tackle global warming and climate change. Fridays for future is also petitioning Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change to declare a national climate emergency, and for the Indian government to implement rigorous policies to address the issue. See the petition here. To sign a petition, you can give a missed call to 910-850-7191.

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Don't fell trees: Bengaluru residents urge Namma Metro officials

Civic Issues

The project is estimated to destroy around 615 trees near Vellara Junction.

Harshitha AB

Following protests and requests from activists and citizens regarding reckless felling of trees for the purpose of phase 2 of  Metro construction, the BMRCL co-ordinated a public consultation on Friday. Journalists, Activists and common citizens gathered at the Jayanagar Fire Station ground on Bannerghatta road between 3PM and 5:30PM to express their concerns to the authorities. The authorities present included BMRCL chief engineer Subramaniam N, Divisional Forest Officer Cholarajappa and his junior officers. Speaking about the legality of cutting down trees for the project, environmental activist Leo Saldana said “It is illegal for the BMRCL to go ahead with butchering of trees according to Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. As per Sections 9, 30, 31, 32, if any infrastructure project is not there in the existing Comprehensive Development Plan, they have to go under Section 14A and seek a change in land use plan for which there is a procedure. This procedure involves giving a notification to the public, considering objections from them and then proceeding with the plan. Going against the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act is considered a breach of the constitution.” Leo also pointed out that the drawings of the plan that were displayed by the BMCRL at the gathering did not contain a seal from an authority. “According to the KTCPA act, the BMRCL has to propose the plan to Bangalore Metropolitan Committee with details about the areas to be acquired, trees to be cut and so on. Only after getting the approval of the Bangalore Metropolitan Committee can they go ahead with the project”, he added. Some other key issues were raised by members present such as the minimum number of trees to be felled in order to hold a public consultation. Currently, The BBMP tree cell can hold public consultation only if the number of trees being cut for a project is above 50. Activists demanded this law to be changed because cutting even one tree affects the environment. Another issue that was discussed was BMRCL’s false claim that the All Saints Church has 40 trees that are going to be cut down for metro construction. However, members of the church argued that the church is home to around 180 trees which will be destroyed if ever the authority goes ahead with their current plan. When attendees brought up this miscalculation, Cholarajappa promised to visit the premises himself and make sure that accurate counting of trees takes place. Leo referred to a Karnataka High Court order dated 7th August 2014 which reads, "We deem it necessary to direct that felling of trees would be undertaken as an exception rather than a rule and further that tree office or tree authority would fully satisfy themselves and certify that all other alternatives have been considered regarding the feasibility of the felling of trees. If any objections are received from the public, due consideration shall be given by assigning reasons." The Karnataka High Court order has also mentioned that the authorities should implement a web-based system wherein information will be made available to the public in a transparent manner. Activists present at the public consultation however argued against the feasibility of the online facility in providing transparency. Priya Chetty Rajagopal, an activist said “As far as the online application is concerned, there is no option to know if any alternatives have been investigated at all. It only asks for the application and reason why. There is no scope to know if people have objected the project, if legitimate permission has been sought and so on. The online application was meant for transparency but what it has unfortunately created is ease for authorities to cut trees’.” DFO Cholarajappa responded to the concerns of the citizens by assuring to present these issues before the Tree Authority of Bengaluru which is the appealing authority since he cannot take decisions individually. Depending on the decision taken by the tree cell, further public consultations would be held. He also said that no felling of trees would take place until a consensus is reached regarding the issue.    

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The lotus blooms in Karnataka: How the BJP changed the traditional vote bank formula

For the first time in the state, the BJP secured a 51.4% vote share, while the Congress scraped through with a negligible 31.9%.

Theja Ram

May 23 was a day of historical significance for the BJP in Karnataka. The party accomplished what seemed like an unachievable feat just a couple of decades ago – the decimation of the Congress in Karnataka. It was a washout for the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka, as the BJP won 25 out of the 28 constituencies in the state. The results came as a massive embarrassment to the Congress, which had prided itself in reigning over Karnataka for decades at a time. The tables have turned and the status quo has been demolished. For the first time in the state, the BJP secured a 51.4% vote share, while the Congress scraped through with a negligible 31.9%. Even a decade ago, the BJP in Karnataka could not have achieved such a monumental feat. So what changed in Karnataka in 2019? The traditional Congress voters shifted to BJP One of the reasons why the Modi wave swept Karnataka and demolished traditional vote banks is due to the pre-poll alliance the Congress forged with the sub-regional party – the JD(S). The vote base of the Congress – comprising the OBC, minority and Dalits ended up voting for the BJP. One of the most shocking turn of events was the BJP’s victory in the Old Mysuru region, which was a fortress of the Congress and JD(S). The Old Mysuru Congress strongholds comprised the Mysuru-Kodagu, Mandya, Hassan, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru and Chamarajanagar constituencies. This time around, in Kolar and Chikkaballapura, two Congress heavyweights KH Muniyappa and Veerappa Moily conceded defeat to the BJP candidates. This was because the members of the Chalavadi community along with the Marasu Vokkaligas voted for the BJP.  The situation was the same in Chamarajanagar, where the votes of the OBC community went to BJP’s V Srinivas Prasad. In Mysuru, Tumakuru and Mandya regions, the Congress vote base, including a certain section of Vokkaligas and the members of the Kuruba community voted for the BJP. This sudden shift in vote base is purely because of the coalition, says political analyst Mahadev Prakash. “See, the people belonging to backward communities and certain sub-sects of the Dalit community have been unhappy with the Congress. This is because the Vokkaligas were traditionally the community which oppressed and humiliated those belonging to backward castes. There is history of violence and humiliation perpetrated by Vokkaligas that the minorities and OBCs cannot forgive. They will never vote for the JD(S) or anyone who supports the JD(S) simply because it is a party of those belonging to the feudal class. The alliance was a big mistake,” he added. How the BJP gradually eroded the Congress voter base. Since the first Lok Sabha election in 1951, when Karnataka was still the state of Mysore, the state has been a bastion of the Congress. Unlike its other southern counterparts, Karnataka has never had a strong regional leader or party that could withstand the might of the national parties. The Congress’ winning streak was first broken in 1998 when the party won 13 Lok Sabha segments. Apart from its traditional vote bank comprising the Brahmin and upper caste communities, the BJP had managed to take away the support of the Lingayats from the Congress and Janata Dal. In addition, the BJP consolidated the votes of the Valmiki Nayak and Madiga communities in Central Karnataka and parts of the Maratha belt. This was done by wooing disgruntled and neglected Congress leaders belonging to these communities. By 2004, the Congress and JD(S) had effectively managed to alienate leaders from the Lambani, Bovi, Koli and Idiga communities, which are prominent in Northern Karnataka and parts of Hyderabad-Karnataka. “Congress did not give importance to leaders from these communities. These leaders were time and again neglected. Congress adamantly gave preference to the issues of southern Karnataka and the political power too was consolidated by people from down south. This worked in favour of the BJP,” Mahadev Prakash added. By 2014, the BJP had made inroads into several constituencies of Old Mysuru including Mysuru-Kodagu, Tumakuru and Kolar. “Those belonging to the Ganiga, Kumabar, Vishwakarma, Madiga and Chalavadi and Devanga communities in Old Mysuru shifted loyalties to the BJP because they never got adequate representation in the Congress. The party did have so many prominent local leaders who just defected to BJP because they were not given the importance,” he added. This time around, the ill-conceived Congress-JD(S) coalition, coupled with decades of political dissatisfaction and the Modi wave broke the vote bank formula that has worked in Karnataka for decades. “The Congress did not think beyond the age-old vote banks. They did not expect people to shift loyalties and vote against them. The Congress also overlooked one important thing – their vote bank would never support JD(S) come what may. They did not vote against the Congress but voted against the JD(S),” he said.  

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Two held after Bengaluru’s Namma metro work seriously injures senior citizen

Accident

An 81-year-old man was left injured when BMRCL barricades had collapsed on the autorickshaw he was riding in.

TNM Staff

The Bengaluru city police arrested two men on Friday after a senior citizen who was travelling in an autorickshaw was seriously injured on May 22 due to the construction of the city’s metro. Sharath and Shivakumar, who work for URC Construction Private Limited, were in charge of overseeing part of the Namma Metro construction work, currently underway between JP Nagar and Central Silk Road. On May 22, BMRCL barricades which had been placed at the construction site collapsed on an autorickshaw in which an 81-year-old man was travelling, seriously injuring him. The incident took place near the Silk Board flyover. 81-year-old Anand Rao, a retired BEML employee, was travelling in the auto when the barricades fell and crushed the vehicle leaving him seriously injured. His wife, Sowbaghya, who was also travelling with him, was also reported to be injured. She had sustained minor injuries, while Anand is currently admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after having been found to have multiple fractures, a head injury and a lung injury. His wife has filed a complaint with the Suddagunte Palya police. According to reports, BMRCL officials stated that a crane at the work site had led to the barricade getting tipped over. According to the police, the construction firm had given a portion of the contract to the Tarachand company, a company in charge of shuttering — the work that was taking place when the accident occurred. Shuttering is a term which is used to refer to the structural or foundation formwork which takes place in construction. The company was in charge of shuttering and had been working on the same when a sudden jerk from the crane hitting the barricades which then, in turn, damaged the auto rickshaw which was passing by.

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