On Day 1, Karnataka Cabinet clears 5 promises, to cost Rs 50k crore per year
In its first Cabinet meeting Saturday, the new Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accorded in-principle approval to the five guarantees announced by the party during the campaign ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.
The implementation of the schemes is provisionally estimated to cost Rs 50,000 crore a year, Siddaramaiah said. He expressed confidence the state would be able to generate the resources to cover the cost.
Congress turns Karnataka swearing-in into a show of strength and Opposition unity
Apart from Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states such as Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh) and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren were present at the occasion.
As has been said a million times, a year is an eternity in politics. Any one of a hundred different things can upend the calculations of the smartest visualiser of the 2024 election scene. All, however, will agree that Karnataka has pumped life into speculation about 2024. Moreover, speculation is leading to serious discussion.
Those with proven records of political success in different parts of India, people like Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar and Arvind Kejriwal, seem to have concluded from the Karnataka verdict that defeating Modi in 2024 may now be a distinct possibility. Simultaneously, the cry for Opposition unity in 2024, which was heard much before the Karnataka polling, has become louder. (Read More)
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In its first Cabinet meeting Saturday, the new Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accorded in-principle approval to the five guarantees announced by the party during the campaign ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.
The implementation of the schemes is provisionally estimated to cost Rs 50,000 crore a year, Siddaramaiah said. He expressed confidence the state would be able to generate the resources to cover the cost.
The five guarantees are: provision of 200 units of free power to below-poverty-line homes, Rs 2,000 per month allowance to the women head of households, Rs 3,000 for graduates unemployed for up to two years after graduation and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, 10 kg of free rice to all members of BPL homes, and free bus travel for women. (Read More)
(PTI Photos)
Before the Siddaramaiah-led Congress Karnataka government was sworn in on Saturday, a television debate took the rare turn of discussing the question of the state missing out on a Dalit chief minister once again. With the state never having had a Dalit CM, the debate veered to the topic of whether political parties were going by the caste playbook in keeping Dalits away from the post or whether Dalit leaders were not strong enough politically to stake claim.
While there has been a demand from Dalit communities in Karnataka to appoint one of their own as CM, the Congress, the BJP, and the Janata Dal (Secular) have passed up many opportunities to fulfil the demand and preferred to stick to the members of more dominant castes that seem far more united. (Read More)
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday demanded the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state to prove with evidence that there was 40 per cent commission during the previous BJP rule.
The saffron party leader also urged the government to investigate alleged scams or irregularities that took place during the previous BJP and Congress governments, and let the truth come out.
"I want to clearly say -- let them probe. They have alleged 40 per cent commission, they have to prove it with evidence now. I demand that the Congress, being in the government, to give us all the proof and show there was a 40 per cent commission," Bommai said in a response to a question on the Congress government reportedly planning to probe the alleged scams during BJP rule. (PTI)
New BJP MLA from Dakshina Kannada region, Bhagirathi Muruliya, takes oath in the name of her family dieties.
Channagiri Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj takes oath in the name of God and his political guru KPCC chief D K Shivakumar.
At the beginning of the session, pro-tem Speaker Deshpande had said, "We have all been elected and come here with the blessings of people of Karnataka. There are some senior leaders and I can also see some new faces. We have to put efforts for the all-round development of the state."
"Despite political differences, for the sake of the state's development and progress, we will all have to work together to build a model Kannada naadu, a Kannada state, which is prosperous, and all sections of people live with peace and harmony," he added.
BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal takes oath as a member of the 16th Karnataka Assembly in the name of Hindutva and Gaumata.
Congress leader U T Khader and Shivanagouda Patil also took their oaths in the name of God.
Senior leader Malikarjun Kharge's son, Priyank Kharge took oath as a member of the 16th Karnataka Assembly in the name of the Constitution of India.
Senior Congress leaders G Parameshwara, K H Muniyappa, K J George, M B Patil, and Satish Jarkiholi took oaths as members of 16th Karnataka Assembly in the name of the Constitution of India, and God.
Pro tem Speaker R V Deshpande advices newly elected legislators to take oath in the name of the Constitution of India or God, and not in the name of individuals which is not as per norms.
New Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah takes oath as member of 16th Karnataka Assembly in the name of God. Meanwhile, New Karnataka DCM takes oath in the name of Gangadhar Ajja, his religious guru, whom he says he regards as God.
Karnataka Congress cabinet expansion will only occur after conclusion of three day Assembly session on Wednesday, says senior Congress legislator and former law minister T B Jayachandra.
Senior most Karnataka Congress MLA R V Deshpande to be pro tem Speaker for special Karnataka Assembly session where newly elected legislators will take oath. The term of the previous Assembly (15th) ends on May 24.
We are happy that we could make a difference in Karnataka," says Indian Overseas Congress chairperson Sam Pitroda, addressing Congress suporters in Chicago.
Prominent leaders of Opposition political parties converged on Bengaluru for the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as the Congress leadership turned the event into a show of strength.
Apart from Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states such as Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh) and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren were present at the occasion.
Read the full report here.
Bangalore will witness cloudy skies, with light to moderate rain/thundershowers very likely in the next 24 hours. Maximum and Minimum temperatures are predicted to be around 33 and 20 Degree Celsius, respectively, the IMD said in its forecast.
In the Congress party’s Karnataka ministry, eight ministers were sworn in along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar on Saturday.
The Congress had initially planned to get its virtually full ministry sworn in on the first day itself, looking to induct as many as 28 ministers, but the list was pruned to eight due to last-minute differences between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar as they batted for the induction of their respective loyalists.
The first batch of eight ministers inducted showcase the rainbow coalition of castes and communities that helped the Congress win the polls. Of them, four are Siddaramaiah loyalists, one is close to Shivakumar and three chosen by the high command.
Click here to see the list of 8 new ministers.