Karnataka Election LIVE: Denied Ticket, Former BJP Min Says Ananth Kumar Taking Final Call, Not BSY

Bellary BJP MP B Sriramulu visits Yeddyurappa. Insiders say that he was there to discuss the future of Reddy brothers. Meanwhile, a lot of motion seems to be happening in political circles with disgruntled leaders mulling to switch parties. Continuing this trend, former Union minister and Independent MLC Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is now set to return to BJP on Wednesday.

After reports of Yeddyruppa's son Vijayendra being considered as a potential candidate against Siddaramaiah's son in Varuna, the chief minister today said that even if BSY's father suddenly appears to contest election, they cannot win as people will not get fooled. "What's the relationship between Yeddyurappa and my constituency? Don't give much importance to the buzz. Even if his father comes, they can't win because people won't get fooled. They know who has done what for the constituency. Even my son won't win just because he is my son. A candidate can't win just because he is the CM's son. People will look at the development work been taken up by their MLA," Siddaramaiah said.

Kannada superstar Sudeep visits JDS state chief H D Kumaraswamy as a part of "courtesy call". A party member said that the two discussed politics for two hours. Meanwhile, sources said that Congress is eyeing him as he belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community. 

After Congress MLA and former minister Malikayya Guttedar crossed over to BJP, local BJP candidate M Y Patil is all set to join Congress in Afzalpur of Gulbarga district, following B S Yeddyurappa's "betrayal". Patil was earlier tipped to be the BJP candidate from Afzalpur but was later replaced by Guttedar. Disgruntled over the move, the leader has now decided to switch sides and take on Guttedar in Afzalpur.

Four-time MLA and former BJP minister V. Somanna today said that it was Union minister Ananth Kumar who decides his seats, and not BJP-CM face Yeddyurappa. Somanna was irked after he was denied ticket Hanur in Chamarajanagara district. Another BJP leader, Haratalu Halappa, is miffed after being denied ticket from Sagara in Shimoga district. Reportedly, he's "in touch with Congress".

Election Commission has seized a total of Rs 1.12 crore cash in Karnataka so far. Besides cash, gold worth Rs 49.17 lakh and 18 sarees have been recovered.  According to officials, small gold jewellery, including ear and nose studs, rings and dollars, were being transported in a car when it was seized on Sunday by police during checking in Balepura village in Devanahalli. Of the Rs 1.12 crore seizure in the poll-bound state till now, Sunday's recovery include Rs 86 lakh in cash, 10 sarees, and 160 laptops.

After Amit Shah visited Shivamogga a week ago, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is all set to embark on a tour to the region. Gandhi will kick off his tour from Shivamogga, which has been Yeddyurappa's bastion for long. He will then travel to Davangere and Chitradurga, following which he will visit Kolar, Chickballapur and Bengaluru Rural on Saturday. According to report, Congress president is scheduled to hold a massive public rally in Bengaluru on Sunday, which will be the last day of his tour of the region.

CM Siddaramaiah during a road show in Chamundeshwari.

Overwhelmed by the support & affection shown by the people of Chamundeshwari. This is where I began my political journey over 3 decades ago, and I am confident that the people will bless us to continue serving them. #INC4Karnataka pic.twitter.com/tuKAJ95y5c

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 2, 2018

Shiv Sena has announced to contest elections on its own in 50-60 seats. The party will field candidates in Mumbai-Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnataka region. "We will have no plans to tie-up with Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti in Belagavi, Sanjay Raut said, adding that Shiv Sena's only aim is to defeat BJP.

Meanwhile, social activist Venkatesh asks Election Commission not to allow election rallies in cities as he says it disrupts normal life. On the other hand, Karnataka DGP Neelamani N Raju and Chief Secretary Ratnaprabha say that police is fully prepared to conduct elections in the state.

On Day 1 of his tour, the BJP chief will garland a statue of Shivaji in Belagavi and later go to Kittur to garland a statue of Kittur Rani Channamma and to Nandgad to visit the grave of her lieutenant Sangolli Rayanna. He will interact with students in KLE College community hall in Belagavi on March 13 morning, and leave for Nippani where he will speak to members of the Jain community and speak at a women workers’ meeting. He will return to Belagavi after a road show in Gokak. He is also scheduled to speak to businessmen in Bagalkot and participate in 'mushti-dhaanya-abhiyan' of the party, speak to young Lingayat seers in the Shivayog Mandir near Kudala Sangama and leave for Haveri. He is also expected to go to Kaginele to garland the statue of Saint Kanakadasa. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visits Maramma temple in Mysuru's Hutagalli village and campaigns in Chamundeshwari, from where he will contest the upcoming assembly election. Meanwhile, JD(S) state chief H D Kumaraswamy said, "We will defeat CM Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari. He has also realised it in the last two days."

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited Maramma temple in Mysuru's Hutagalli village and campaigned in Chamundeshwari, says, 'people of this constituency love me, they will bless me.' pic.twitter.com/Wa7Ly9Ly5Y

— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018

Police seizes pressure cookers from RR Nagar constituency.

Seizure from  Laggere ward 

Nearly 100 pressure cookers and 350 sarees were seized durind raid in Laggere ward under RR Nagar constituency. The boxes had pictures of contractor-turned-Congress MLA N Munirathna Naidu wishing people on Pongal, which was celebrated in January. Police along with Mangaluru City Corporation official and other officers conducted the raid. A day earlier, a truck carrying pressure cookers with pictures of Laxmi Hebbalkar, president of the State Women's Congress Cell, was seized by police in Belagavi's Sadashiv Nagar area.

After an FIR was registered against BJP MP Pralhad Joshi for his alleged derogatory remarks against mosques of Hubballi, the MP on Sunday said that he has full faith in the judiciary. A group of Muslims staged a protest on Friday evening, following which the action was taken on Saturday.

I made the statement on the basis of the conditions in the area, I have full faith in judiciary & will fight it out: Pralhad Joshi, BJP MP on FIR against him for alleged communal statement. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/KP5URxe0Fj

— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018

Prime Minister Modi also wishes Sri Sri Sri Shivakumara Swami on his birthday. People of Karnataka revere the pontiff as 'Nadedaduva Devaru' or 'Walking God'.

ಪರಮಪೂಜ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀ ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ ಸ್ವಾಮೀಜಿಗಳ ಸುದೀರ್ಘ ಆಯುಷ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಆರೋಗ್ಯಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಸದಾ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ತಮ್ಮ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯದಿಂದ ಭಕ್ತರನ್ನು ಅನುಗ್ರಹಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಸಮಾಜಕ್ಕೆ ಅವರ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶನ ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿರಲಿ. pic.twitter.com/fUaTnKBIVM

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 1, 2018

Amit Shah posts a tweet on 111th birthday on Siddhaganga Mutt's seer Sri Sri Sri Shivakumara Swami. Shah had visited the mutt earlier this week during his two-day tour of poll-bound Karnataka. BJP chief's meeting with the seer was seen as an attempt to reach out to the Lingayats/Veeshaivas, who are numerically and politically powerful in the state and form a major voter base for the BJP. The visit assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the Siddaramaiah government’s move to recommend to the Centre to accord a religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats in an attempt to wean away a section of them from the BJP. In fact, the Siddaganga Mutt was among the first to welcome the Siddaramaiah government's decision to accord minority status to Lingayats. 

Greetings to Nadedaduva Devaru Sri Sri Sri Shivakumara Swami ji on his 111th birthday. May almighty bless him with a long and healthy life and he continue to guide us with his wisdom. pic.twitter.com/krNLNzx6gf

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 1, 2018

Former Union minister and Congress veteran C K Jaffer Sharief is unhappy over his grandson's name not being considered for Assembly ticket. Sharief's grandson, Abdul Rehaman, had suffered defeat for two consecutive terms. During the bypolls in Hebbal, there was a fight within the Congress, with Siddaramaiah wanting to give a ticket to an Independent MLC, but it was opposed by leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge. And finally, Sharief's grandson managed to get the ticket, only to lose it to BJP candidate. Meanwhile, senior Sharief has criticised Siddaramaiah government's move to rake up minority religion tag for Lingayats and alleges that "whoever has money, has the command in Congress".

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda confirms that Janata Dal (Secular) will not share seats with Nationalist Congress Party. "Sharad Pawar is advising  Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti. He is pro-Maharashtra and anti-Karnataka. We will not get into an alliance with them," Gowda said. 

About increase from 88583cr to 219506cr, you are comparing 2 different periods. Due to inflation & tax growth,revenues rise by 10-15% every year. Plus devolution % was changed from 32 to 42%. But center reduced its share of central schemes. So, it is an apple to orange comparison

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 1, 2018

Factually incorrect. Out of 8165cr waived, Rs 5307cr is released to Coop Banks,taking care of all loans due so far. In the 2018-19 budget rest of the money is provided.

Farmers know their loans are waived. These false reports are used only to mislead people in election season https://t.co/sRhDTfruTk

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 1, 2018

Was the Karnataka BJP sleeping for 5 years? Did they sleep through the 15 Legislature sessions where all these accounts were presented, debated & approved? So, please stop fooling the people. Repeating a lie does not make it true.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 1, 2018

Where did the money go? The answer is it went into irrigation, schools, hospitals, roads & highways, railway lines, crop insurance, farm loan waiver & the list goes on. Account for every rupee is presented before the legislature. The leader of Opposition Jagdeesh Shettar is aware

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 1, 2018

On Saturday Amit Shah had said, "Siddaramaiah asks what has the Modi government done for Karnataka. I would like to remind that when there was the 13th Finance Commission during UPA regime, funds worth Rs 88,583 crore were allocated for the state of Karnataka. But when the 14th finance commission was implemented after the BJP came to power at the Centre, funds for Karnataka were increased to Rs 2,19,506 crore." Calling the statement a lie, the CM said, "These funds are not a special grant to Karnataka. All states receive it. Funds so received go into our state budget. I have presented 5 budgets with a total outlay of about 9,00,000 crores. This outlay is funded by FC grants, own tax revenue & borrowing (sic)."

After Amit Shah addressed issue of alleged discrimination being meted out to southern states while allocating funds, CM Siddaramaiah took to Twitter this morning to demystify what he calls "Shah of Lies". "Finance Commissions decides the formula for fund sharing & the states get the funds. It is not a gift of UPA or NDA. This has been the practice since 1950 (sic)," he said.

Devolution of central funds to states is a constitutional duty of the center & the funds are a right of all states. Finance Commissions decide formula for fund sharing & the states get the funds. It is not a gift of UPA or NDA. This has been the practice since 1950.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 1, 2018

A total of Rs 97 lakh was seized in cash by the Election Commission on Saturday in Belgaum, Hubli and Bagalkot area. 

Rs 54 lakh being transported from Ilkal to Bagalkot in a car seized by a special team of Election Commission. The vehicle lacked proper documents.

BJP denies ticket to former minister Haratalu Halappa from Sagara in Shimoga district. He alleges party deciding tickets based on fake surveys.