Apurva

DK Shivakumar indicated that though the future of the alliance in Karnataka was fraught with challenges, both parties would work together to keep the BJP at bay, with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

We could not get a clear mandate for the Congress. It was Rahul Gandhi who triggered this entire operation. He gave a direction: plan A, B and C: DK Shivakumar.

The Congress hopes to stem the BJP charge across India and build momentum before the crucial Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, by keeping Karnataka, while the JD(S) hopes power will help it rebuild the party in Karnataka and perhaps even become a larger force in the Lok Sabha in 2019.

While the Congress was all smiles by the afternoon of Saturday, behind it lay many anxious moments, particularly over “missing” legislators.

There were victory signs and cheers in the Congress and JD(S) camps after the Supreme Court ordered the floor test. But the smiles masked the worry and nervousness in the two camps in the run-up to the vote.

Anand Singh of Vijayanagara in Bellary remained incommunicado. While sources in the Congress claimed they were in touch with his family, Singh, who runs a mining business and was arrested by the CBI, was not seen with the party through Thursday. 

JD(S) spokesperson Kunwar Danish Ali said: “Three flights were to arrive in Bengaluru from Hyderabad to take Congress and JD(S) MLAs to Kochi. However, the planes were denied permission. No reason was given. The MLAs will now travel aboard buses to Kochi.”

Karnataka results: Congress leaders alleged that the BJP had “engineered” the defection of three Congress and four JD(S) MLAs, who resigned as legislators forcing bypolls, and subsequently joined the BJP.

Karnataka Assembly Elections: After leading the Congress charge across Karnataka over the last few weeks, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah left Chamundeshwari — one of the two constituencies he is contesting — for the very end.

Karnataka Assembly Elections: The stakes were high. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah vacated this seat for his son, Yathindra, and Varuna was a keenly watched seat. Until late April, when Yeddyurappa announced his son would not contest.

The swap has left Arkere bewildered. “Both candidates have changed sides. I support one candidate and one party, but the same person verbally abused my party for five years. How do I choose now?” said Bhadre Gowda.

Karnataka Assembly Elections: In 2008, when B S Yeddyurappa formed the first BJP government in south India, the party won seven of the region’s 55 seats. And that was its best showing ever.

Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018: Union Minister Gowda, who is on the campaign trail in south Karnataka, also told The Indian Express that no party leader would “share the dais” with mining baron G Janardhana Reddy till he was cleared of all charges.

SM Krishna was brought into the BJP fold to boost its image amid the powerful Vokkaliga community in south Karnataka — a region where the BJP is yet to make inroads.

Karnataka Assembly elections 2018: Ganesh Yahji is among a small team the Karnataka BJP has put together over the last few days. His next assignment with Modi is over the weekend.

Karnataka elections: Siddaramaiah, for his part, said the BJP had repeated schemes and promises mentioned in the Congress manifesto released late last month.

Girl’s father a popular tailor, she was better in studies; boy’s father daily wage labourer, gave up only room for son to study

The Class X girl and Gulshan were reported missing from Jhansa village on January 9. The girl’s body was found three days later in Jind, nearly 120 km away.

Addressing an event organised by the Brahman Yuva Parishad in Koppal district of Karnataka, Anantkumar Hegde also heaped scorn on “secularists”, saying they were like “people without parentage”.