Bengaluru news live: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (PTI)Bengaluru News highlights: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the first list of the BJP candidates for the May 10 Assembly elections will be released either on Tuesday or Wednesday. He said there is no confusion regarding finalising the list. There is a likelihood of releasing it this evening but since there are more discussions to happen, it could be released on Tuesday or Wednesday, Bommai told reporters in Delhi, news agency PTI reported.
In other news, activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike hit the streets Monday over the recent announcement by Amul to supply milk and curd in Bengaluru. They staged their protest at the Mysore Bank Circle in the city, calling for a boycott of Amul products to protect the Nandini brand of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
The protest came as the issue continued to gain traction on social media platforms, and amid a political slugfest over the issue which has grabbed national headlines. Earlier in the day, Congress state president D K Shivakumar visited Nandini Milk parlour in Hassan. The visit comes amid controversy over Gujarat state milk cooperative brand Amul’s entry into the Karnataka market. The Opposition has alleged Amul’s entry, backed by the BJP, would pose a threat to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) brand “Nandini” which is closely tied to the identity of Kannadigas.
A protester, who did not want to be named, said there was pressure from the local MLA, C N Ashwath Narayan, to curb the protests so that the flyover work could go ahead. (Photo: Twitter/@sukiyer18)
The NGT took suo moto cognizance of The Indian Express report ‘Lakes of Bengaluru: Industrial effluents, raw sewage; stinky tale of Chandapura lake’ that was published on November 21, 2021. (Express Photo)
The Karnataka government in 2021 had announced the construction of a tree park on the lines of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh in Bengaluru by diverting the reserve forest lands of Jarakabande Kaval. (File)
Karnataka High Court refused to stay corruption investigations launched by the Karnataka Lokayukta police against Congress MLA and key Muslim leader Zameer Ahmed Khan. (Facebook/Zameer Ahmed Khan)
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday sought a report of all candidates allegedly involved in the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam. So far, 100 people were arrested in the case and the investigation is going on. (PTI)
The Election Commission has said that cash and materials worth Rs 108.78 crore have been seized in Karnataka in the 11 days since the model code of conduct for the May 10 Assembly polls took effect.
The seized items include Rs 37.24 crore in unaccounted cash, 5.23 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 26.68 crore, 397 kg of illegal drugs worth Rs 11.54 crore, 34.36 kg of gold worth Rs 14.96 crore and freebies worth Rs 15.80 crore. Know more here
BJP Parliamentary Board member BS Yediyurappa said that the party would likely release a list of candidates on Tuesday. He added that except for 15-20 constituencies, the list of candidates for other segments could be released tomorrow. Saying that the list was compiled after two to three rounds of discussions, the BJP leader added that three to four sitting MLAs may not be fielded.
In two separate operations, the police in the Bengaluru South Division recently arrested five Nigerian nationals and seized drugs worth over Rs 8.60 crore. Read more here
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday opposed the alleged decision of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to conduct its recruitment examination only in Hindi and English and not in Kannada.
Terming it an injustice to candidates from the non-Hindi speaking states like Karnataka, the former chief minister said the "double engine" government of the BJP has "failed" the state's aspirants. (PTI)
For the next 24 hours, the local forecast for Bengaluru predicted clear skies, with the possibility of mist during the early hours of morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be 34 and 21 degree Celsius, respectively.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the first list of the BJP candidates for the May 10 Assembly elections will be released either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
He said there is no confusion regarding finalising the list. (PTI)
The Congress is trying to pacify a few seats aspirants who have turned into rebels after failing to make it to the list of 166 party candidates announced for the Karnataka Assembly elections so far. Read how
The Congress took to Twitter and, in a detailed post, said that it was Union Home Minister Amit Shah's plan to 'damage Karnataka's Nandini'.
Addressing reporters, CM Basavaraj Bommai said that Nandini is a great brand in Karnataka. His comments came amid protests in Karnataka calling for a boycott of Amul products -- that had announced its decision to supply milk and curd in Bengaluru.
Amid stiff competition between him and senior leader Siddaramiah for the chief ministerial post in the event of Congress winning the Assembly polls, Karnataka Congress unit president D K Shivakumar's attempts to bring AICC chief M Mallikarjun Kharge's name into the race, has raised eyebrows within party circles.
The KPCC chief's move to endorse Kharge, is being seen by some as an attempt by him to checkmate Siddaramaiah's prospects, by reigniting the debate on 'Dalit CM' and 'native versus migrant' within the party. (PTI)
CM Basavaraj Bommai took to Twitter to pay his tributes to former PM Moraji Desai. Bommai urged people to follow Desai's principles and ideals.
Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike hit the streets Monday over the recent announcement by Amul to supply milk and curd in Bengaluru. They staged their protest at the Mysore Bank Circle in the city, calling for a boycott of Amul products to protect the Nandini brand of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
The protest came as the issue continued to gain traction on social media platforms, and amid a political slugfest over the issue which has grabbed national headlines.
Members of the pro-Kannada organisation threw Amul products on the road as a mark of protest and condemned the ‘conspiracy’ of the Union government to merge the state-run cooperative with the Gujarat-based Amul. Read more here
Karnataka Horticulture Minister Munirathna was Sunday booked for allegedly distributing sarees to voters in an alleged violation of the model code of conduct ahead of the Assembly elections. Other than Munirathna, who represents the Rajrajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency, the police have also booked BJP leader V C Chandru and two unknown persons.
On Sunday, a team leader of the Election Commission of India’s flying squad, Manoj Kumar, filed the complaint after they found five sarees with Munirathna’s photo on it. The sarees were thrown on the roadside near the Global Academy of Technology in Bengaluru’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar. (Read more)
The Karnataka police Sunday arrested three men who allegedly assaulted and murdered a 16-year-old farm worker in Bengaluru who refused one of them to mount a horse and take a ride, officials said.
The body of the teenager, identified as Satish, was found on a railway track near Lingarajapuram on April 2. The arrested have been identified as Samiullah Sharif, Sohail Sharif and Mohammed Hussain. (Read more)
Amid calls to boycott dairy giant Amul’s products in Karnataka, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Managing Director Jayen Mehta said the company’s entry into the state’s dairy market is not to compete but to coexist with the local Nandini brand.
Mehta told The Indian Express in an exclusive interaction, “It is not about Amul versus Nandini but it is Amul and Nandini. Both are farmer-owned cooperatives working on similar interests. We are not here to compete with Nandini”.
Responding to the criticisms and slogans like ‘BoycottAmul’ and ‘GoBackAmul’, Mehta said, “We cannot comment or criticise the reactions coming our way. Even those who are opposing us are also our customers. They are free to speak their mind. But nothing will change the good relationship we enjoy between Nandini and Amul.” “We work closely with Nandini on several accounts. For the last decade, we have been packing Amul ice cream using Nandini milk in the Mother Dairy plant in Bengaluru. Even when we had a shortage of cheese, we bought cheddar cheese from Nandini while they were in surplus.” (Read more)
Dry weather is very likely to prevail over Bengaluru city premises till 8 am tomorrow. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 33 and 21 degrees Celcius respectively.
Pro-Kannada groups today staged a protest in Bengaluru calling for a boycott of Amul products in the state and to promote the use of Karnataka Milk Federations Nandini brand dairy products.
On Saturday evening at the Aashirvad Centre on St Marks Road in Bengaluru, a family, like many others across the world during Ramadan, organised an Iftar dinner. But what set this one apart is that it was organised by a Hindu family in an effort to bring communities together for the second year in a row.
According to Venkat, one of the organisers, the impetus for the event came during a family trip to Tamil Nadu’s Yercaud in 2022 around Ram Navami, when a riot had erupted. According to Venkat, this had deeply affected his mother Meenakshi Sreenivasan, a devotee of Lord Ram. (Read more)
Amid the political slugfest over Amul’s entry into Karnataka’s dairy market, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Association has urged hotels in the capital city to use the products of local brand Nandini.
P C Rao, President, Association, has directed all hotel owners to support the Karnataka Milk Federation’s famed dairy brand Nandini and the state’s dairy farmers by using their products.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Rao said, “We are not completely against Amul, but only opposing their move to sell milk and curd products in the Karnataka market, which can threaten our local Nandini brand. Amul already has a big market across India. It is the Association’s social responsibility to protect the interests of the dairy farmers, especially women, by using Nandini’s milk and curd products.” (Read more)
In light of the IPL cricket practice match in Chinnaswamy Stadium, traffic restrictions are in place in certain parts of the city from 4 pm to 10 pm today.
No parking is allowed in Queens Road, M G Road, M G Road to Cubbon Road, Rajbhavan Road, Central Street Road, Cubbon Road, St Marks Road, Museum Road, Kasturiba Road, Ambedkar Veedi Road, Trinity Jn, Lavelle Road, Vittal Mallya Road, and Nrupathunga road.
Parking is allowed in the UB City Parking lot, Kings Road, BRV Ground below the metro lane, Kanteerava Stadium, BMTC TTMC Shivajinagar first Floor and OLD KGID Building.
BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa said that he was confident that the first list of candidates will be released by today evening. "There is one more meeting, which will finalise candidates and the list will be released by today evening," he told reporters.
Around 170 to 180 candidates will be released today, Yediyurappa said.
FOR ALL THE political brouhaha over the “entry” of Amul into Karnataka’s milk market — amplified in the run-up to the state Assembly elections, the economic reality is simple: No dairy concern, including the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), is in a position to take on the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (KMF) today.
The reason is price. KMF milk, marketed under the Nandini brand as opposed to GCMMF’s Amul, is the cheapest in India. Consumers in Bengaluru currently pay only Rs 39 for a litre of Nandini toned milk containing 3 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF (solids-not-fat). Compare this with the Rs 54 per litre price for Amul toned milk in Delhi and Rs 52 per litre in Gujarat. (Read more)
FOR ALL THE political brouhaha over the “entry” of Amul into Karnataka’s milk market — amplified in the run-up to the state Assembly elections, the economic reality is simple: No dairy concern, including the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), is in a position to take on the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (KMF) today.
The reason is price. KMF milk, marketed under the Nandini brand as opposed to GCMMF’s Amul, is the cheapest in India. Consumers in Bengaluru currently pay only Rs 39 for a litre of Nandini toned milk containing 3 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF (solids-not-fat). Compare this with the Rs 54 per litre price for Amul toned milk in Delhi and Rs 52 per litre in Gujarat. (Read more)
With Assembly elections due within a month, the political row over the entry of Amul, the Gujarat state milk cooperative brand, in the Karnataka market has political implications for the ruling BJP as it stands to alienate a crucial electoral vote bank. The Opposition has alleged Amul’s entry, backed by the BJP, would pose a threat to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) brand “Nandini” that is closely tied to the identity of Kannadigas.
As the row intensified on Sunday, following Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s allegation that the Basavaraj Bommai-led government for destroying the “state’s pride”, the state government got into damage-control mode. Minister for Cooperatives ST Somashekar said there was no proposal to merge KMF and Amul and hit out at the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) for turning the entry of Amul “into a political issue ahead of elections”. (Read more)
Congress state president D K Shivakumar visited Nandini Milk parlour in Hassan today. The visit comes amid controversy over Gujarat state milk cooperative brand Amul’s entry into the Karnataka market.
The Opposition has alleged Amul’s entry, backed by the BJP, would pose a threat to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) brand “Nandini” that is closely tied to the identity of Kannadigas.
When Union Minister Amit Shah launched the BJP’s Karnataka election campaign last December from Mandya in the southern part of the state, the underlying message for party workers was clear. They were told to make inroads in the Old Mysuru region that has so far only seen close contests between the Congress and the Janta Dal (Secular). Across all of the state’s Assembly polls, the BJP has struggled to cross the double-digit mark in the 48 constituencies in the region’s eight districts.
These eight districts, excluding Bengaluru Urban, are Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan, Mandya, Ramanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, and Chikkaballapur. The region is turning out to be a battleground for the Congress and the BJP to expand their tallies. For the JD(S), these seats will be a litmus test of the party’s relevance in a region considered its primary base. Read more here
Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology. The project at Cambridge Layout in Ulsoor is being implemented by Larsen & Toubro, which has experience in constructing 3D-printed buildings.
According to S Rajendra Kumar, chief postmaster general of the Karnataka circle, the Ulsoor Bazaar post office is being relocated to Cambridge Layout with the aim to reduce the construction cost. The 1,100 sqft building is expected to cost 30-40 per cent less than conventional buildings because of the technological intervention. The post office is being built at a cost of Rs 23 lakh. Know more here!
The election-related seizure in Karnataka on Sunday touched close to Rs 100 crore, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said.
According to the daily bulletin, the CEO said Rs 99.18 crore worth seizure were made ever since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect in the State from March 29. (PTI)
JD(S) leader YSV Datta, who recently had joined Congress, has announced that he will contest as an independent candidate. His decision came after Congress denied him a ticket from Kadur assembly constituency.
The number of tigers in India has increased by 6.74 per cent from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022, according to the figures of the 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census, which was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in Karnataka’s Mysuru to mark 50 years of ‘Project Tiger’ on Sunday (April 9).
The PM also released the government’s vision for tiger conservation during ‘Amrit Kaal’, and launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA). IBCA will focus on the protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world, including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah, with membership of the range countries harbouring these species.What is Project Tiger? Read here
After the release of the tiger census in Mysuru today, PM Modi took to Twitter saying that the numbers of the tiger census proved to be 'encouraging'.
Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said people in Karnataka were tired of "40 per cent commission" and wanted "100 per cent commitment" that the Congress party would give if it were voted to power in the upcoming Assembly election.
He also said that the Congress was prepared to tackle the "serious deficiencies" in state-level and urban-level governance in Bengaluru and the entire state of Karnataka. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India did not believe in conflict between ecology and economy but gave importance to coexistence between the two.
Protection of wildlife was a universal issue, Modi said, launching the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) that endeavours to protect and conserve big cats.
The Prime Minister was speaking after inaugurating the programme 'Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger' organised at Karnataka State Open University. (PTI)
The scent of charcoal smoke in the air, bright colours and scents, stall-keepers advertising their wares—these are the hallmarks of Fraser Town’s Mosque Road during the holy month of Ramadan as it turns into Bengaluru’s hub for Muslim cuisine from all over the country. With people of all faiths and backgrounds descending from every part of the city to sample these iftar treats, the street turns into a miniature cross-section of Bengaluru itself in the evenings.
The mushrooming of stalls and roadside hawkers is a relatively new phenomenon, however. According to Fraser Town local and hospitality professional Aslam Gafoor, Mosque Road has taken over as a Muslim cuisine hub from the nearby Shivajinagar in the last decade or so. Arnav Chandrasekhar writes
Amid the political slugfest over Amul’s entry into Karnataka’s dairy market, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Association has urged hotels in the capital city to use the products of local brand Nandini.
P C Rao, President, Association, has directed all hotel owners to support the Karnataka Milk Federation’s famed dairy brand Nandini and the state’s dairy farmers by using their products. Read here
Days after arresting him on murder charges, police have booked Hindutva activist Puneeth Kerehalli for allegedly assaulting a cattle transporter and using a stun gun to torture him. The incident took place 11 days before Kerehalli and other cow vigilantes allegedly killed Idrees Pasha on Bengaluru’s outskirts.
The complainant against Kerehalli, Aleemulla Baig, was arrested on charges of illegal cattle transport under the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act 2020 after being intercepted and handed over to police by the cow vigilantes. After his release on bail, Baig lodged a complaint against Kerehalli for the torture he allegedly suffered. Know more here
GAIL Gas Limited has announced a reduction in its domestic PNG as well as CNG Prices by Rs 7 per unit in Bengaluru Urban and Rural District as well as in the Dakshin Kannada District. The PNG Prices is Rs 51.50 per SCM and CNG Price is Rs 82.50 per kg with effect from April 9, 2023.
The new guidelines aim to establish a stable pricing regime for consumers. The usage of CNG and PNG as a preferred fuel will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint and improve the quality of life.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the latest tiger census figures on Sunday (April 9), to mark Project Tiger completing 50 years earlier this month. As of 2022, India has 3,167 tigers, up from 2,967 in 2018. The census data on the big cats was last released in 2018.
Project Tiger, launched in 1973 by the Indira Gandhi government, completed its golden jubilee on April 1. To mark the occasion, at an event ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’, PM Modi launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA), which will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world — Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar and Cheetah — with membership of the range countries harbouring these species. Read here
Ahead of the declaration of the schedule of the Karnataka Assembly polls by the Election Commission on March 29, the Congress leaders from the state’s dominant Lingayat community went into a huddle and came out to demand at least 55 poll tickets for the members of the community out of the total 224 seats.
The Congress has released its two lists of candidates so far for the May 10 polls — the first list of 124 candidates on March 25 and the second list of 42 candidates on April 6. Of these 166 tickets, 43 have been given to the members of the Lingayat community, with the Congress thus already equalling its total 43 tickets allotted to Lingayats in the 2018 Assembly polls. Read here
A veteran Karnataka BJP leader, Union minister Shobha Karandlaje is heading the poll management committee of the party in the state. She tells Liz Mathew from The Indian Express that the coming polls are all about development, and that party leaders have been asked to focus on that.
Congress leader BN Chandrappa has been appointed as the working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect, news agency ANI reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a "safari" at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka on Sunday, as part of programmes to mark 50 years of "Project Tiger ''. He is scheduled to interact with frontline field staff and self help groups involved in conservation activities later.
The Tiger Reserve is located partly in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district and partly in H.D.Kote and Nanjangud taluks of Mysuru District. (PTI)
To mark the completion of 50 years of ‘Project Tiger’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and is expected to release the tiger census data at 11 am. PM Modi, who is on a two-day south India tour in Telangana, Tamil Nadu and poll-bound Karnataka, will also release the government’s vision for tiger conservation during ‘Amrit Kaal’, and also launch the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA).
Good morning! Welcome to today's Bengaluru Live Blog. We bring to you the latest updates from what's happening across the city and the poll-bound Karnataka state. Stay tuned
The Karnataka Election Commission today organised 'I Ought to Vote' fest at MG Road in Bengaluru to spread awareness about state polls scheduled next month.
Express Photos by Jithendra M
PM Narendra Modi was received by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav upon his arrival at Mysuru airport on Saturday.
CM Basavaraj Bommai welcomed PM Narendra Modi to Mysuru for golden jubilee celebration of 'Project Tiger'.
rime Minister Narendra Modi reached Mysuru today evening. He will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Sunday and release the latest tiger census data marking the completion of 50 years of ‘Project Tiger', news agency PTI reported.
According to his itinerary, the Prime Minister will stay in Mysuru tonight and he will visit the Bandipur Tiger Reserve at 7.15 am tomorrow and release the tiger census data at 11 am. This is his eighth visit to poll-bound Karnataka this year.