Indian MP Prajwal Revanna, who fled the country amid sexual assault allegations and the circulation of incriminating videos, has announced he will return to India to face the charges. Revanna, part of an influential political family, claims the accusations are a political conspiracy. The case has caused significant unrest in his home district of Hassan and sparked a political storm in Karnataka.
PM Modi criticized Congress-governed states, particularly Karnataka, for questioning the tax devolution formula and attempting to create a North-South divide. He accused the Congress of peddling divisive narratives for political gains and urged for unity and solidarity instead. This comes amid Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's protest in Delhi over alleged injustice in tax transfers, with support from opposition-governed states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Monkey fever, also known as Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), has claimed two lives in Karnataka, with 49 positive cases reported in the state. The viral disease is transmitted through tick bites or contact with infected animals, primarily monkeys, and can lead to severe haemorrhagic and neurological symptoms. Preventive measures include controlling tick populations in wildlife, wearing protective clothing, using tick repellents, and vaccination in endemic regions. There is no specific antiviral treatment for KFD, so medical care focuses on alleviating symptoms and providing supportive measures.
Vikram Simha, the brother of BJP MP Pratap Simha, has been arrested in Karnataka for his alleged involvement in the illegal felling of 126 trees worth crores. The arrest was made by the Organised Crime squad of the Central Crime Branch with the help of forest department officials. This incident adds to the controversies surrounding Pratap Simha, who is already facing criticism for a security breach in Parliament linked to a visitor's pass issued by his office. The Opposition is questioning the lack of action against the MP, while he defends his patriotism and anticipates the people's verdict in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Karnataka government has made it mandatory for individuals above 60 years of age and those with comorbidities to wear face masks amid the growing scare of the Covid-19 subvariant JN.1 in neighboring Kerala. The state has increased testing and surveillance in border districts with Kerala, but there are currently no restrictions on movement or gatherings. The JN.1 variant, also known as Omicron subvariant BA.2.86 or Pirola, has mild symptoms and high transmissibility. India has recorded 260 new Covid-19 infections, with the total case tally at 4.50 crore.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has advised senior citizens with co-morbidities in the state to wear masks as a precautionary measure amid a surge in Covid cases in neighboring Kerala. The state government is closely monitoring the situation and has ordered hospitals in districts surrounding Kerala to be alert and equipped. The minister assured that the situation is under control and emphasized the importance of preparedness to prevent a disaster. The Union Ministry of Health has initiated preparedness measures after a case of the JN.1 subvariant of Covid was identified in Kerala.
The Karnataka government has made it mandatory for individuals above 60 years of age, with comorbidities and symptoms of cough, phlegm, and fever, to wear face masks due to the detection of a case of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 in neighboring Kerala. Increased testing and surveillance in border districts, such as Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, and Chamarajanagara, have been instructed, while no restrictions on movement or gatherings have been imposed yet. The government will monitor the situation daily and issue further advisories if necessary. Hospitals and health centers have been instructed to be prepared, and a mock drill has been conducted to check their readiness.
The Congress party has managed to reverse its electoral losses by winning in Telangana, crossing the halfway mark in the state assembly with 65 out of 119 seats. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) won 40 seats. Despite trailing in one seat, KCR is leading in another. The Congress is losing in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, but with this win, it will now be in power in three states on its own - Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continues his visit to Wayanad, Kerala, with plans to launch a power facility and disability management center. In Jharkhand, the NDA alliance will decide on a candidate for the Dumri bypoll, while in Chhattisgarh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attends an event to launch the party's campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls. BJP president J P Nadda criticizes the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and promises to win more than 35 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In Haryana, Congress leader Deepender Hooda addresses a farmers' protest, while other Congress leaders hold a rally against the state BJP government. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Gujarat and praises the BSF's role in guarding the country's borders. In Karnataka, civil contractors become a focal point of politics, potentially impacting the upcoming Assembly elections.
Women in Karnataka were thrilled to ride buses for free on the first day of the Shakti scheme, which was launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Many women eagerly waited for their maiden free bus ride and carried their Aadhaar and other IDs, a mandatory requirement for the free bus rides. The bus conductors issued manual tickets with the Kannada words 'Mahileyarige Uchita' (free for women) stamped on them, and also accepted digital copies of government IDs. Some women chose to pay, especially those travelling short distances.
Despite losing the Karnataka Assembly polls, the BJP is confident of winning the Lok Sabha polls for the third time in a row. The party suffered a major setback in Karnataka, where it won only 66 seats compared to the Congress' 135 seats. However, BJP leaders claim that the Assembly polls' outcome will not affect the party's prospects in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP is preparing for Assembly elections in five states this year and is also running a one-month-long outreach campaign to woo voters.
The Karnataka government has given "in-principle" approval to implement the Congress party's five guarantees, which include 200 units of free power to all households, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family, 10 kilograms of rice free to every member of a BPL household, Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth, Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, and free travel for women in public transport buses. The initial estimates indicate that it would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore annually.
Siddaramaiah took oath as the chief minister of Karnataka while state Congress president DK Shivakumar was sworn-in as the deputy chief minister on Saturday. Besides Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, eight other legislators took oath as ministers. The swearing-in ceremony turned into a muscle-flexing platform for the opposition with the who's who of the political parties joining the event.
BJP lost its base among all prominent communities in Karnataka, including Lingayats, Dalits, OBCs, and Vokkaligas. The party made several self-goals, including denying tickets to senior leaders, experimenting with quota of reservations, and attempting to pit other communities against Muslims. Congress managed to win 44 seats in Lingayat-dominated constituencies, while BJP could only get 20 seats. The Vokkaliga community shifted to Congress as D.K. Shivakumar was projected as the CM candidate. BJP has an uphill task for its survival in the state after the retirement of Yediyurappa.
Karnataka cadre IPS officer Praveen Sood has been appointed as the next director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a two-year term. Sood, who is currently the director general of police (DGP) of Karnataka, was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) based on a panel recommendation. Sood is the third IPS officer of Karnataka cadre to be appointed as CBI chief. The Congress had earlier accused Sood of filing cases against them while protecting BJP leaders.
