A group of ten students were detained outside the venue, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the massive BJP rally on Sunday in Bengaluru, for selling pakodas.
Modi will land at the HAL airport in the heart of the city at 3.30 pm in the afternoon, take a chopper to the venue and address the rally around 4 pm, reported Deccan Herald.
In the run-up to the state election, due in late April and early May this year, BJP conducted the yatra, crisscrossing nearly all the 224 constituencies of the Assembly across the state after its national president, Amit Shah, flagged it off in November 2017.
File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI
The yatra, held with a view to bring BJP back to power in the southern state on the plank of transforming Karnataka through development, was led by its state unit president and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and party's other state leaders.
Besides Modi, party's central ministers Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal who are in-charge of the BJP poll campaign in Karnataka, Ananth Kumar, DV Sadananda Gowda and Ananthkumar Hegde who hail from the state and the party's all-state leaders will also participate in the rally and address the public.
No stone left unturned
Elaborate arrangements have been made for Modi's visit to the IT hub. According to The News Minute, 20 LED screens, three helipads and a mini healthcare unit are being set up at the venue, where the prime minister will address the rally.
The report also stated that 40 departments have been created within BJP to make necessary arrangements for the rally. Over four cooking halls with 600 cooks are being set up to prepare food in 250 counters for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Auto-tippers and compactors have also been hired to remove garbage from the venue after the event is over.
All roads leading to the palace grounds have been covered in saffron with a huge 40 x 80 feet stage set up at a height of 20 feet from the ground to accommodate 22 leaders, reported Deccan Herald.
With a focus on attracting young voters and supporters, the BJP had decided to create a separate seating space for techies who wish to attend the event.
"We have invited thousands of youth, especially techies and executives of IT and biotech companies in the city to personally listen to Modi's speech though it will also be telecast live on news channels and available on YouTube," asserted a party official.
The party's state unit has opened an online registration and is using the social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp to personally invite the youth, techies, educated class and prominent citizens to the venue, assuring them of seating arrangements.
"About 30,000 people from across the city have responded, expressing interest in attending the rally and listen to Modi's speech. We hope most of them will turn up as elaborate parking facility has been made for their vehicles at the venue," added the official.
"Even if we take conservative estimates, a minimum of 10,000 to 15,000 of these techies and urban voters will attend the rally on 4 February," a Times of India report quoted a party member as saying. Apart from this, party volunteers will hand-deliver special passes to the registered techies and ply a special bus service to ferry their supporters to the venue from across the city, the report added.
Several workers and supporters from across Karnataka are also expected to attend the rally. According to The Hindu, more than 25,000 supporters from Chitradurga will be transported in 400 buses to the city to attend Modi's rally.
Meticulous security arrangements have also been made for the rally at the sprawling venue in the city centre where the party is expecting at least one lakh people to attend and listen to Modi's speech.
Though Modi was scheduled to address the rally on 28 January, on the conclusion of the three-month yatra that began in Bengaluru on 1 November, it was put off to 4 February, owing to his pre-occupation with other engagements.
"As the Budget Session of the Parliament was beginning on 29 January and the Union Budget was to be presented on 1 February, Modi could not attend the rally on last Sunday as he was busy then," a party functionary told IANS.
Bandh called off, protesters to observe 'black day'
Pro-Kannada organisations called off the bandh in Bengaluru on Sunday, which was meant to coincide with Modi's election rally in the city, after the Karnataka High Court on Friday termed it "unconstitutional".
The high court stayed the bandh, called by pro-Kannada farmers' groups in the city, on Sunday on the Mahadayi water dispute issue. Passing an interim order, a division bench of acting Chief Justice HG Ramesh and Justice PS Dinesh Kumar asked the Siddaramaiah government to take appropriate steps to prevent a breakdown of law and order on that date.
The same pro-Kannada organisations had called for a shutdown on 25 January during Shah's visit to the state. The protesters will instead observe a "black day" on Sunday.
The bandh was called to protest the "inaction" by the central and state governments to resolve the Mahadayi river water sharing row.
The high court bench observed that the bandh calls given by Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha on 25 January and 4 February "violate(s) the democratic rights of citizens".
Meanwhile, the Congress-led state government in Karnataka dismissed allegations of batting for the bandh during the prime minister's visit. "I am not so cheap to back a bandh opposing prime minister’s visit," News18 quoted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as saying.
With inputs from agencies
Published Date: Feb 04, 2018 17:02 PM | Updated Date: Feb 04, 2018 17:03 PM
Highlights
Watch: PM Narendra Modi addresses gathering of supporters at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru
BS Yeddyurappa responds to Siddaramaiah's comment asking Modi to 'find time' to resolve Mahadayi water dispute
Responding to chief minister's tweets, where he asked Modi to "find time" to resolve the inter-state Mahadayi River water row with neighbouring Goa, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa alleged that Karnataka has scripted several firsts like corruption, farmers suicide and the collapse of law and order under Siddaramaiah's regime.
Read more here
Group of students try to sell pakodas outside Narendra Modi's rally venue
According to News18, ten students attempted to sell pakodas outside Palace Grounds, the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak at the BJP rally shortly. Police personnel detained the group, the report stated. Modi had earlier said in an interview, "If a person selling pakodas earns Rs. 200 at the end of the day, will it be considered employment or not?"
WATCH: Why this Bengaluru businessman thinks Narendra Modi is a good leader
Bengaluru-based businessman Govinder Verma feels Narendra Modi is a dyanmic leader. "Modiji's policies are progressive and benefit the nation and the general public. He is a dynamic leader who takes courageous steps with confidence. I think there is no other leader who equals him in his power and precision," he said.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/ 101Reporters
WATCH: Bengaluru businessman on why he supports BJP
Govinder Verma, a businessman from Bengaluru, sits outside the venue under the tents. He won't be going inside but will listen to Modi from right outside the venue, under the shade.
He said, "The BJP works efficiently in a cooperative manner. Moreover, they go for progressive policies and there is no corruption or division within the party."
Speaking of BS Yeddyurappa, Verma says, "He was earlier a chief minister and according to time, he has changed" his approach. "Earlier, had he not left the BJP, Congress would not have come to power. He has learnt from his mistakes and has rejoined BJP again," he added.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/ 101Reporters
Chitradurga farmer hopes Narendra Modi will address the issue of water shortage in the district
Gurudas Ram, a farmer from Chitradurga is at the BJP rally in Bengaluru as he hopes that the prime minister will speak about the water shortage issue in his district. He said that as a farmer, his main concern is water and since Congress government has not been able to solve the crisis, he hopes the BJP can.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Tourism minister Priyank Kharge takes a dig at Modi, says Karnataka is ahead in most sectors
CM Siddaramaiah urges Narendra Modi to help resolve Mahadayi water dispute
Tight security arrangements in place in Bengaluru ahead of Narendra Modi's arrival
Ahead of the prime minister's arrival, more than 3,000 police personnel and an additional 1,200 traffic policemen have been deployed in the city, reported NDTV.
Crowds cheer ahead of Narendra Modi's arrival
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
WATCH: Bajrang Dal sets up stall at rally because CM Siddaramaiah called them an 'extremist organisation'
Govardhan Singh, Convenor of Bajrang Dal, Bengaluru unit says that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called the Bajrang Dal an extremist organisation. Due to this, they set up a stall at the BJP rally and are getting people to sign up to tell them how the chief minister is spreading false information.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
WATCH: 'Hindus threatened under Congress rule,' claims BJP supporter
A BJP supporter at the Palace Grounds venue said that under the Congress rule in the state, Hindus feel threatened. "They are being killed indiscriminately" and hence he wants BJP to come to power in Karnataka.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Karnataka Congress attacks Narendra Modi govt over farm loan waiver
Karnataka Congress hits back at BJP's jibes, says Modi's "Smart Cities 'jumla' remains on paper"
Two techies wearing black denied entry at venue in Bengaluru
These two IT professionals, who did not wish to be named, were not allowed to enter as they were wearing black. They had received special invites but the police personnel denied them entry.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Narendra Modi 'delighted' to interact with people of Karnataka
Visuals from the venue: Fire engine stationed at Palace Grounds
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
Why has the Mahadayi water dispute erupted now?
In December 2017, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar wrote a letter to former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa saying that the state was willing to share water from the river for drinking purposes. On 3 January, he also said that sharing of the Mahadayi river with Karnataka is 'inevitable.'
"One has to understand that 52 kilometres of the river runs through Goa, 35 kilometres through Karnataka and 16 kilometres through Maharashtra. As such, sharing of water of the Mahadayi river is inevitable as it is passing through all the three states," he had said.
His statement promptly met with sharp reactions from the Shiv Sena and the Congress. The Sena said it expected Parrikar to "fight like a real son of the soil" against all the attempts to share even a drop of water from the Mahadayi river.
Read more here
What is the Mahadayi River water dispute all about?
The 77 kilometre-long Mahadayi or Mandovi river originates at Bhimgad in the Western Ghats in Belagavi district of north Karnataka and flows into the neighbouring Goa where it eventually joins the Arabian Sea.
Though the river flow runs 29 kilometres in Karnataka and 52 kilometres in Goa, its catchment area — the area from where water drains into the river — is spread over 2,032 kilometres in the southern state as against 1,580 kilometres in Goa.
Since 2001, Karnataka has been asking Goa to release 7.6 thousand million cubic feet of the river water to meet the drinking and crop irrigation needs of its people in four drought-prone districts.
Karnataka plans to build two canals at Kalasa and Banduri, the river's tributaries in the state, to divert and supply the water to the four districts. However, this diversion of water is being opposed by Goa, which contends that Karnataka should not divert water to the Malaprabha river basin as the Mahadayi river already has a water deficit, according to a report by The Hindu. Karnataka, for its part, claims that the river is water-surplus.
Read more here
Ex-Karnataka CM BS Yedduyurappa takes a dig at Siddaramaiah's tweet 'welcoming' Narendra Modi
Bengaluru street vendors pen open letter to Narendra Modi over approval of 100% FDI
In response to a statement Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently made saying that selling pakodas on the street is employment too, street vendors of Bengaluru wrote an open letter criticising 100 percent FDI in single brand retail. The vendors under AICCTU-affiliated Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyaapaari Sanghatanegala Okkuta condemned the approval of 100 percent FDI in single brand retail, GST, Smart Cities Mission, demonetisation etc.
"Sir, we do not want a ‘Smart City’, we do not want a ‘Digital India’, we do not want ‘Make in India’ or your ‘Swacch Bharath’, if it doesn’t allow municipal workers, construction workers, slum dwellers, and street vendors to live with dignity. We want public education, public health system, and public housing! You are shirking your responsibility to provide us all of this and are instead privatizing our entitlements," the letter read.
Input from 101Reporters
Visual of the invitation and passes handed out to techies
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Bengaluru techies get personal invites from BJP to attend rally
Aakash Verna (right), an IT professional with Ecolite Software got a personal invite from the BJP state unit after he registered for the same on their Facebook page.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Pro-Kannada outfits protest at Freedom Park over Mahadayi water dispute
Pro-Kannada protesters are at Freedom Park agitating over the Mahadayi River water dispute hours before Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit and address a rally in the afternoon, according to News18..
BJP supporters travelling from across Karnataka to watch Narendra Modi speak in Bengaluru
Several workers and supporters from across Karnataka are also expected to attend the rally. According to The Hindu, more than 25,000 supporters from Chitradurga will be transported in 400 buses to the city to attend Modi's rally.
BJP places reading material praising party on chairs at venue
Newspapers with highlighting BJP achievements have been placed on chairs at the venue. The sentiment is high after several high-impact schemes were announced this Thursday. It is expected many of the speakers today would ride through this post-budget rally comfortably as they kick off Karnataka's election season.
With input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
BJP focus on young, urban voters; separate seating, transport arrangements made for techies attending rally
With a focus on attracting young voters and supporters, the BJP had decided to create a separate seating space for techies who wish to attend the event.
The party's state unit has opened an online registration and is using the social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp to personally invite the youth, techies, educated class and prominent citizens to the venue, assuring them of seating arrangements.
"About 30,000 people from across the city have responded, expressing interest in attending the rally and listen to Modi's speech. We hope most of them will turn up as elaborate parking facility has been made for their vehicles at the venue," added the official.
"Even if we take conservative estimates, a minimum of 10,000 to 15,000 of these techies and urban voters will attend the rally on 4 February," a Times of India report quoted a party member as saying. Apart from this, party volunteers will hand-deliver special passes to the registered techies and ply a special bus service to ferry their supporters to the venue from across the city, the report added.
Visuals from the venue: BJP workers distributing buttermilk packets to those at the venue
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Visuals from the venue: Supporters given BJP caps to beat the afternoon heat
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
Visuals from the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru
People are slowly trickling into the venue. The prime minister is expected to reach the venue at 4 pm.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
10 trucks with 500 boxes of water, buttermilk arrive at venue
Ten trucks with 500 boxes filled with water and buttermilk packets have been brought to the venue. BJP workers have started distributing the same to people to beat the heat. A BJP karyakarta, Sadashiv R said, "It is an open air ground and we have made arrangements so people are not uncomfortable."
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
WATCH: People at venue chant Narendra Modi's name
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
Crowds at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru ahead of Modi's arrival
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/ 101Reporters
BJP installs 20 LED screens across ground so people can see, hear Narendra Modi easily
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
Preparations are on for Narendra Modi's rally at Palace Grounds
Close to two lakh people are expected to attend the mega event.
Inputs from Mahesh Bacham/ 101Reporters
CM Siddaramaiah tweets welcome wishes to Modi, calls Karnataka 'No. 1 in innovation, progressive policies'
Intense preparations for Modi's visit: 20 LED screens, three helipads at venue
Elaborate arrangements have been made for Modi's visit to the IT hub. According to The News Minute, 20 LED screens, three helipads and a mini healthcare unit are being set up at the venue, where the prime minister will address the rally.
The report also stated that 40 departments have been created within BJP to make necessary arrangements for the rally. Over four cooking halls with 600 cooks are being set up to prepare food in 250 counters for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Auto-tippers and compactors have also been hired to remove garbage from the venue after the event is over.
What is the Nava Nirman Parivarthan Yatra?
In the run-up to the state election in Karnataka, due in late April and early May this year, BJP conducted the Nava Nirman Parivarthan Yatra, crisscrossing nearly all the 224 constituencies of the Assembly across the state after its national president, Amit Shah, flagged it off in November 2017.
The yatra, held with a view to bring BJP back to power in the southern state on the plank of transforming Karnataka through development, was led by its state unit president and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and party's other state leaders.
Narendra Modi to address massive BJP rally in Bengaluru today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a massive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Bengaluru on Sunday to mark the conclusion of the saffron party's 90-day Nava Nirman Parivarthan Yatra across poll-bound Karnataka, said a party official on Saturday.
Modi will land at the HAL airport in the heart of the city at 3.30 pm in the afternoon, take a chopper to the venue and address the rally around 4 pm, reported Deccan Herald.
17:03 (IST)
Watch: PM Narendra Modi addresses gathering of supporters at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru
17:16 (IST)
People of Karnataka have not felt benefits of Central assistance: PM in Bengaluru
"Union government has been repeatedly allocating benefits and money to Karnataka. But the city has not received any of it. There has been no positive change since it is the Congress government in the state," Narendra Modi said in Bengaluru
Input by Nivedita Niranjankumar/101Reporters
17:05 (IST)
More visuals from the Parivarthan Yatra rally in Bengaluru
17:04 (IST)
Congress is standing at the exit gate in Karnataka: PM in Bengaluru
"Your enthusiasm shows that the countdown of Congress to make an exit has begun. Congress is standing at the exit gate in Karnataka. It has caused destruction here and Karnataka doesn't need a Congress culture," Narendra Modi said in Bengaluru
16:57 (IST)
Narendra Modi felicitates BS Yeddyurappa at Parivarthan Yatra rally in Bengaluru
16:50 (IST)
"Karnataka will help you realise your dream of Congress-mukt Bharat," BS Yeddyurappa promises Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Input by Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
16:41 (IST)
Visuals of Narendra Modi being welcomed at the 'Parivarthan Yatra' rally in Bengaluru
16:40 (IST)
The crowd fills up to the Parivarthan Yatra theme song at the venue. "We want BS Yeddyurappa as our chief minister," the audience cheers at the rally.
Input by Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
16:37 (IST)
Modi's chopper does a fly by at the venue and the crowd goes wild. The prime minister has now arrived at the venue
Input by Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
16:30 (IST)
Visuals of students attempting to sell pakoras outside the venue of Modi's rally in Bengaluru.
16:29 (IST)
Narendra Modi's Bengaluru rally can be followed live on the @BJP4India and @BJP4Karnataka Twitter and Facebook accounts and via phone on the number 9345014501 as well, BJP states
16:20 (IST)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Palace Grounds, the venue of his public rally in Bengaluru. Follow his speech live here:
16:13 (IST)
Karnataka Congress fires salvo against Modi ahead of his rally in Bengaluru
Ahead of Narendra Modi's public rally in Bengaluru, Karnataka Congress tweeted out a video against the prime minister. "During the 2014 Election Campaign, you made several promises to the people of Karnataka but kept none of it," the party said in the tweet.
16:08 (IST)
BS Yeddyurappa responds to Siddaramaiah's comment asking Modi to 'find time' to resolve Mahadayi water dispute
Responding to chief minister's tweets, where he asked Modi to "find time" to resolve the inter-state Mahadayi River water row with neighbouring Goa, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa alleged that Karnataka has scripted several firsts like corruption, farmers suicide and the collapse of law and order under Siddaramaiah's regime.
Read more here
16:05 (IST)
Crowds seek respite from the searing heat in tents outside the venue of Narendra Modi's rally in Bengaluru
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
16:00 (IST)
Around 2 lakh people are expected to attend the rally, according to BJP insiders
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
15:43 (IST)
Group of students try to sell pakodas outside Narendra Modi's rally venue
According to News18, ten students attempted to sell pakodas outside Palace Grounds, the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak at the BJP rally shortly. Police personnel detained the group, the report stated. Modi had earlier said in an interview, "If a person selling pakodas earns Rs. 200 at the end of the day, will it be considered employment or not?"
15:40 (IST)
WATCH: Why this Bengaluru businessman thinks Narendra Modi is a good leader
Bengaluru-based businessman Govinder Verma feels Narendra Modi is a dyanmic leader. "Modiji's policies are progressive and benefit the nation and the general public. He is a dynamic leader who takes courageous steps with confidence. I think there is no other leader who equals him in his power and precision," he said.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/ 101Reporters
15:34 (IST)
WATCH: Bengaluru businessman on why he supports BJP
Govinder Verma, a businessman from Bengaluru, sits outside the venue under the tents. He won't be going inside but will listen to Modi from right outside the venue, under the shade.
He said, "The BJP works efficiently in a cooperative manner. Moreover, they go for progressive policies and there is no corruption or division within the party."
Speaking of BS Yeddyurappa, Verma says, "He was earlier a chief minister and according to time, he has changed" his approach. "Earlier, had he not left the BJP, Congress would not have come to power. He has learnt from his mistakes and has rejoined BJP again," he added.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/ 101Reporters
15:23 (IST)
Chitradurga farmer hopes Narendra Modi will address the issue of water shortage in the district
Gurudas Ram, a farmer from Chitradurga is at the BJP rally in Bengaluru as he hopes that the prime minister will speak about the water shortage issue in his district. He said that as a farmer, his main concern is water and since Congress government has not been able to solve the crisis, he hopes the BJP can.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
15:06 (IST)
1,000 e-toilets at venue
According to The New Indian Express, the state BJP media coordinator said that 1,000 e-toilets have been constructed at the Palace Grounds.
15:04 (IST)
Tourism minister Priyank Kharge takes a dig at Modi, says Karnataka is ahead in most sectors
15:02 (IST)
CM Siddaramaiah urges Narendra Modi to help resolve Mahadayi water dispute
14:54 (IST)
War of words between BJP, Congress on Twitter ahead of Narendra Modi's speech
14:39 (IST)
Tight security arrangements in place in Bengaluru ahead of Narendra Modi's arrival
Ahead of the prime minister's arrival, more than 3,000 police personnel and an additional 1,200 traffic policemen have been deployed in the city, reported NDTV.
14:28 (IST)
Crowds cheer ahead of Narendra Modi's arrival
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
14:27 (IST)
Visuals from the venue: Crowds gather at Palace Grounds
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
14:23 (IST)
WATCH: Bajrang Dal sets up stall at rally because CM Siddaramaiah called them an 'extremist organisation'
Govardhan Singh, Convenor of Bajrang Dal, Bengaluru unit says that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called the Bajrang Dal an extremist organisation. Due to this, they set up a stall at the BJP rally and are getting people to sign up to tell them how the chief minister is spreading false information.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
14:12 (IST)
WATCH: 'Hindus threatened under Congress rule,' claims BJP supporter
A BJP supporter at the Palace Grounds venue said that under the Congress rule in the state, Hindus feel threatened. "They are being killed indiscriminately" and hence he wants BJP to come to power in Karnataka.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
14:05 (IST)
Karnataka Congress attacks Narendra Modi govt over farm loan waiver
14:03 (IST)
Karnataka Congress hits back at BJP's jibes, says Modi's "Smart Cities 'jumla' remains on paper"
13:58 (IST)
Two techies wearing black denied entry at venue in Bengaluru
These two IT professionals, who did not wish to be named, were not allowed to enter as they were wearing black. They had received special invites but the police personnel denied them entry.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
13:55 (IST)
Narendra Modi 'delighted' to interact with people of Karnataka
13:52 (IST)
Pro-Kannada activists demand Narendra Modi's intervention in Mahadayi dispute
13:47 (IST)
Visuals from the venue: Fire engine stationed at Palace Grounds
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
13:45 (IST)
Why has the Mahadayi water dispute erupted now?
In December 2017, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar wrote a letter to former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa saying that the state was willing to share water from the river for drinking purposes. On 3 January, he also said that sharing of the Mahadayi river with Karnataka is 'inevitable.'
"One has to understand that 52 kilometres of the river runs through Goa, 35 kilometres through Karnataka and 16 kilometres through Maharashtra. As such, sharing of water of the Mahadayi river is inevitable as it is passing through all the three states," he had said.
His statement promptly met with sharp reactions from the Shiv Sena and the Congress. The Sena said it expected Parrikar to "fight like a real son of the soil" against all the attempts to share even a drop of water from the Mahadayi river.
Read more here
13:41 (IST)
What is the Mahadayi River water dispute all about?
The 77 kilometre-long Mahadayi or Mandovi river originates at Bhimgad in the Western Ghats in Belagavi district of north Karnataka and flows into the neighbouring Goa where it eventually joins the Arabian Sea.
Though the river flow runs 29 kilometres in Karnataka and 52 kilometres in Goa, its catchment area — the area from where water drains into the river — is spread over 2,032 kilometres in the southern state as against 1,580 kilometres in Goa.
Since 2001, Karnataka has been asking Goa to release 7.6 thousand million cubic feet of the river water to meet the drinking and crop irrigation needs of its people in four drought-prone districts.
Karnataka plans to build two canals at Kalasa and Banduri, the river's tributaries in the state, to divert and supply the water to the four districts. However, this diversion of water is being opposed by Goa, which contends that Karnataka should not divert water to the Malaprabha river basin as the Mahadayi river already has a water deficit, according to a report by The Hindu. Karnataka, for its part, claims that the river is water-surplus.
Read more here
13:38 (IST)
Ex-Karnataka CM BS Yedduyurappa takes a dig at Siddaramaiah's tweet 'welcoming' Narendra Modi
13:36 (IST)
Bengaluru street vendors pen open letter to Narendra Modi over approval of 100% FDI
In response to a statement Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently made saying that selling pakodas on the street is employment too, street vendors of Bengaluru wrote an open letter criticising 100 percent FDI in single brand retail. The vendors under AICCTU-affiliated Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyaapaari Sanghatanegala Okkuta condemned the approval of 100 percent FDI in single brand retail, GST, Smart Cities Mission, demonetisation etc.
"Sir, we do not want a ‘Smart City’, we do not want a ‘Digital India’, we do not want ‘Make in India’ or your ‘Swacch Bharath’, if it doesn’t allow municipal workers, construction workers, slum dwellers, and street vendors to live with dignity. We want public education, public health system, and public housing! You are shirking your responsibility to provide us all of this and are instead privatizing our entitlements," the letter read.
Input from 101Reporters
13:31 (IST)
Visual of the invitation and passes handed out to techies
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
13:28 (IST)
Bengaluru techies get personal invites from BJP to attend rally
Aakash Verna (right), an IT professional with Ecolite Software got a personal invite from the BJP state unit after he registered for the same on their Facebook page.
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
13:23 (IST)
Pro-Kannada outfits protest at Freedom Park over Mahadayi water dispute
Pro-Kannada protesters are at Freedom Park agitating over the Mahadayi River water dispute hours before Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit and address a rally in the afternoon, according to News18..
13:21 (IST)
Visuals from the venue: BJP flags dot the landscape at Palace Grounds
Input from Mahesh Bacham/101reporters
13:17 (IST)
BJP supporters travelling from across Karnataka to watch Narendra Modi speak in Bengaluru
Several workers and supporters from across Karnataka are also expected to attend the rally. According to The Hindu, more than 25,000 supporters from Chitradurga will be transported in 400 buses to the city to attend Modi's rally.
13:14 (IST)
Papers highlighting BJP leaders placed on chairs for crowds to read
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
13:11 (IST)
BJP places reading material praising party on chairs at venue
Newspapers with highlighting BJP achievements have been placed on chairs at the venue. The sentiment is high after several high-impact schemes were announced this Thursday. It is expected many of the speakers today would ride through this post-budget rally comfortably as they kick off Karnataka's election season.
With input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
13:03 (IST)
BJP focus on young, urban voters; separate seating, transport arrangements made for techies attending rally
With a focus on attracting young voters and supporters, the BJP had decided to create a separate seating space for techies who wish to attend the event.
The party's state unit has opened an online registration and is using the social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp to personally invite the youth, techies, educated class and prominent citizens to the venue, assuring them of seating arrangements.
"About 30,000 people from across the city have responded, expressing interest in attending the rally and listen to Modi's speech. We hope most of them will turn up as elaborate parking facility has been made for their vehicles at the venue," added the official.
"Even if we take conservative estimates, a minimum of 10,000 to 15,000 of these techies and urban voters will attend the rally on 4 February," a Times of India report quoted a party member as saying. Apart from this, party volunteers will hand-deliver special passes to the registered techies and ply a special bus service to ferry their supporters to the venue from across the city, the report added.
13:00 (IST)
Visuals from the venue: BJP workers distributing buttermilk packets to those at the venue
Input from Nivedita Niranjankumar/ 101Reporters
12:58 (IST)
Visuals from the venue: Supporters given BJP caps to beat the afternoon heat
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters
12:57 (IST)
Visuals from the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru
People are slowly trickling into the venue. The prime minister is expected to reach the venue at 4 pm.
Input from Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters