Karnataka Polls LIVE

Congress releases 'corruption rate card', accuses BJP of looting over Rs 15000 crore

The Karnataka Congress party on Friday unveiled a "corruption rate card" outlining various 'scandals' of the state's governing BJP administration, including '40 per cent commission' charges by state contractors, ahead of the assembly elections. 

The leaders of the Karnataka Congress party said that the state's current BJP administration had "looted" Rs 1,50,000 crore over the past four years while publishing the corruption rate card in both English and Kannada. 

"The cost for the CM post is Rs 2,500 crores while the cost of a ministerial berth is Rs 500 crore," Congress said in its 'Corruption rate card'.

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Amit Shah calls off poll campaign in Karnataka to review situation in Manipur

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has cancelled all his scheduled programmes in poll-bound Karnataka in the wake of clashes in parts of Manipur.

Sources say that Shah is currently monitoring the situation in Manipur closely. He will also hold meetings with authorities in the state, about the prevailing scene and measures being taken to restore normalcy.

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No question of banning Bajrang Dal if it plays by rule-book: Congress leader Veerappa Moily

Senior Congressman M. Veerappa Moily stated on Friday that outlawing the Bajrang Dal is not a possibility if it follows the law and conducts properly, despite the BJP's continued criticism of his party's manifesto's call to do so.

Speaking to PTI, Moily stated that the reference should not be interpreted as the Congress threatening to outlaw the Bajrang Dal if it wins the Karnataka Assembly elections on 10 May; rather, it should be seen as the Congress issuing some sort of notice and warning to the party.

On this issue, the former Chief Minister indicated that the Congress would adopt the approach of the then Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel who, he said, lifted the ban on RSS after receiving an undertaking from the organisation that it would not indulge in "illegal activities".

The Congress in its manifesto for the Assembly polls released earlier this week said it was committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste and religion.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Appeasement politics drowning Congress, says Anurag Thakur

In response to Congress President DK Shivakumar's pledge to build a new Hanuman temple in Karnataka, Union Minister Anurag Thakur claims that appeasement politics are drowning the Congress.

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PM Modi’s Bengaluru roadshow rescheduled for second time due to NEET exams

The 36-kilometre roadshow in Bengaluru of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was postponed a second time in light of the NEET UG examinations on 7 May. The Sunday roadshow has been postponed until Saturday. The roadshow will end earlier than 11:30 am because of this.

PM Modi's one-line order was, "I don't want even a single medical student in Bengaluru to be inconvenienced," according to BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Amit Shah cancels Karnataka poll campaign; to closely monitor situation in violence-hit Manipur

In response to incidents reported in some of Manipur, reports indicated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has postponed all of his events for the forthcoming Karnataka assembly elections.

According to the sources, Shah, who is carefully watching the situation in Manipur, is anticipated to keep meeting with state officials to discuss the current situation and steps being done to return to normality.

On Thursday, Shah called off all his election-bound meetings and held multiple meetings via video conferencing and also spoke to chief ministers of the north-east states on maintaining law and order situation.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Veteran Deshpande eyes winning streak for record 9th time

Veteran Congressman RV Deshpande stated this may be his final election and underlined he is not a man who will battle for the position of Chief Minister. Deshpande is hoping to win the assembly election in Karnataka for the ninth time, which would set a record.

Despande (76) is the oldest candidate running for Congress in the state and is doing so for the eighth time in a row. Additionally, he matches Mallikarjuna Kharge, the president of the AICC, for having won the most state assembly elections.

Initially, Deshpande wasn't a member of Congress. In 1999, he left the Janata Parivar for the Congress. Up to that point, he was chosen by the Janata Parivar in four elections to the legislature.

In an interview to PTI, Deshpande said: "Kharge and I have won assembly elections eight times. If I win this time, it will be a record in the House. Nobody has won nine times."      

Karnataka Polls LIVE

One of BJP's engines will go to scrap after Karnataka Assembly polls, says Moily

Veerappa Moily, a prominent member of the Congress and a former chief minister of Karnataka, predicted that following the state's assembly elections, one of the BJP's "double engines" will be scrapped.

"One engine will be sent to scrap after the assembly elections, and the other one will follow suit in 2024," he stated in a Thursday press conference.

He mocked the BJP, claiming that the organisation added a second engine since the first one was ineffective.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Bommai junks pre-polls surveys giving Cong an edge; says BJP will come to power with 'comfortable majority'

Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, professed confidence that his party, the BJP, will maintain power with a "comfortable majority" and without the aid of the JD(S) on Friday, dismissing pre-election polls that gave the opposition Congress an advantage in the state's upcoming Assembly elections.

In an interview with PTI, Bommai stated that the BJP high command and its Parliamentary Board would determine whether he would remain the chief executive officer in the event that the saffron party won the election.

He said that former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who switched to the Congress when the BJP refused to give him a ticket to run from Hubli-Dharwad Central once more, will lose this election. The 14 defectors who were instrumental in the BJP's 2019 overthrow of the Congress-JD(S) government will triumph in their respective constituencies.

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BJP 'sold governance' in Karnataka, alleges Congress

On Friday, the Congress called the departing BJP administration in Karnataka "corrupt" and charged that it had "sold governance" in the southern state.

The Congress issued a series of posters outlining the "corruption rates" in the state between 2019 and 2023 while branding the BJP-led administration as a "trouble engine" in advance of the May 10 Karnataka assembly poll.

The "40 per cent commission sarkar" jab by Congress has been used to criticise the BJP administration in Karnataka.

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As Manipur burns, PM is busy electioneering, says Congress

According to the Congress, PM Modi is busy campaigning in Karnataka as Manipur burns.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Cong slams Shah over 'BJP stands for promotion of all languages' remark

The BJP is said to support the advancement of all languages, according to Home Minister Amit Shah, who was criticised by the Congress on Friday. The Congress said that the Modi administration spent Rs 640 crore to promote Sanskrit but just Rs 3 crore to do the same for Kannada.

In an interview with The Hindu, Shah stated that the BJP supports the advancement of all Indian languages and that any claims to the contrary are 'politically driven'

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Small section of Karnataka voters impacted by Bajrang Dal issue: Congress survey

According to a poll conducted internally by Congress, just a tiny portion of Karnataka residents believe the potential banning of the Bajrang Dal is an election issue, despite the BJP making it a major campaign topic.

Only 7 per cent of Karnataka voters are even aware of the issue, and "of this, less than 10% thought it was an election issue," they claimed, citing the survey.

Congress sources withheld information on the survey's sample size, geographic scope, and target age group.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to address election rally in Hubballi tomorrow

On Saturday, former Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will speak at her maiden election rally in Hubballi. She will be accompanied by former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who joined the party when the BJP refused to give him a ticket to run in the polls.

Karnataka Polls LIVE

PM Modi to address rallies in Bellary, Tumakuru districts today

In the Karnataka districts of Bellary and Tumkaru on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver speeches at two public gatherings. Bellary's rally will start at 2:00 PM, while Tumkaru's rally will start at 4:30 PM. 

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Over Rs 4.5 cr unaccounted cash seized in poll-bound Karnataka

Over 4.5 crore rupees in unaccounted cash were taken from a villa in this election-bound Karnataka, according to the police.

The cops raided a realtor's car after receiving a tip, and they discovered cash in gunny sacks there. More cash was found after the village was searched.

Voters were to get the funds in preparation for the assembly elections in May.

Since the model code of conduct went into effect in the state on 29 March, there have been seizures of Rs 331 crore, including Rs 117 crore in cash, Rs 85.53 crore in gold, and Rs 78.71 crore in spirits. 

Karnataka Polls LIVE

PM Modi’s 36km roadshow in Bengaluru split over two days

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a part of a gigantic 36-mile mega roadshow in Bengaluru by the BJP only four days before the May 10 Karnataka Assembly election. The BJP declared that it will hold it over two days after receiving negative feedback on social media about Bengaluru's traffic restrictions.