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Mangaluru: In a notable political maneuver, the Congress party has clinched the presidency of Bantwal Town Municipal Council (TMC) with the support of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). 

This strategic alliance not only enabled Congress to secure the top post but also saw the SDPI securing the vice-presidency in a power-sharing arrangement.

Vasu Poojary Loretto, representing the Congress, emerged victorious as the President, while Moonish Ali of the SDPI was elected as the Vice-President, solidifying the collaboration between the two parties.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put forth A. Govinda Prabhu as its candidate for President and Hariprasad for Vice-President. However, despite the backing of Dakshina Kannada MP K. Brijesh Chowta and Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik, both from the BJP, the party was unable to surpass the Congress-SDPI alliance.

The 27-member Bantwal Municipality presented a balanced field, with both the BJP and Congress holding 11 seats each. The SDPI held 4 seats, with one seat remaining vacant. Despite BJP's attempts to bolster their numbers to 13, the well-timed alliance between Congress and SDPI ultimately proved decisive.

Mandya: Accusing the opposition BJP of attempting 'Operation Kamala' to destabilise the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka, a ruling party MLA on Sunday claimed that efforts were on to entice Congress legislators, by offering Rs 100 crore.

Congress MLA from Mandya Ravikumar Gowda (Ravi Ganiga) alleged that though attempts are on by the BJP to destabilise the government by luring MLAs, no legislator will fall for it, and the government was stable and strong.

‘Operation Kamala’ (Operation Lotus) refers to an alleged attempt of the BJP to engineer defection of its opponent party legislators to install its own government and to ensure its stability.

"Even today I'm saying, they (BJP) have now raised the offer to Rs 100 crore from Rs 50 crore, someone had called day-before-yesterday saying hundred (crore) ready, (wanted) to purchase 50 MLAs. BJP people have gone from Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore," Gowda said in response to a reporter's question.

Addressing media here, he said, "Someone had called me, I told him to keep Rs 100 crore with himself, I thought of complaining to ED." "Everyday they (BJP) are planning to dislodge our government, from Rs 50 crore, they have now gone to Rs 100 crore offer, but our government is stable, the Chief Minister is also strong," he added.

Earlier, in October last year too, Gowda had claimed that a team was trying to lure Congress legislators with offers of Rs 50 crore and ministerial positions. He had said that four legislators have been contacted, and there is evidence to support this claim.

Gowda today accused BJP national General Secretary Organisation B L Santhosh, Union Ministers Shobha Karnadlaje, Pralhad Joshi and H D Kumaraswamy (of JDS) of working as a "gang" to destabilise the Congress government in the state.

With 136 MLAs the Congress government is "strong like a rock", there is a popular CM, who is pro-poor, and no one can dislodge it, he further said. "But these people have promised PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and are walking around with an aim to topple the government."

Alleging that BJP's "brokers" are contacting Congress MLAs every day, Gowda said, "none of our MLAs will fall for it... they (BJP)want to dislodge the government, by purchasing MLAs. They want to destabilise, as Congress is strong in Karnataka."

"We are collecting evidence, we will give it to ED, CBI, we want to catch them with the bag of cash...I have the audio of the person who had called me, he should be feeling his heart beat now, we will release it at the right time," he added.

Bengaluru, Aug 28: Amid rumours that he may be the new Chief Minister, Karnataka Home Minister and prominent leader from the Dalit community G. Parameshwara said on Wednesday that he is a disciplined soldier of Congress and whenever the party gave him an opportunity he delivered honestly.

The statement comes amid speculation that he may be made the Chief Minister in case of the growing legal troubles of CM Siddaramaiah. The rumours have gained weight after Parameshwara met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on August 23.

However, Parameshwara refuted the speculation saying, “The question of me becoming the Chief Minister does not arise at all...That question won’t arise and I will not answer any such question,” he stated. When asked about his separate meeting with Rahul Gandhi, he said, “Rahul Gandhi had spoken to me separately and it is true. However, the media can’t speculate about the subject matter. I am also a Congress’ disciplined soldier. Whenever the party gave me an opportunity to work, I did it with full honesty. Rahul Gandhi has spoken to me about the matters of the party. There was no discussion as such.”

Talking about the pending court’s verdict on the prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah on Thursday, he stated, “We are hoping that the court in any way won’t consider the Governor’s decision because no material is there to substantiate. There is nothing to prove CM Siddaramaiah’s involvement such as his signatures, orders, involvement and his name is not there in the registration. When this is the case, the court will observe all this and give its verdict.”

“We will stand with CM Siddaramaiah as the high command has announced. The development can’t be predicted. The high command is of the opinion that once the court's decision comes, the future course of action would be discussed,” he stated.

When asked about the Congress government approaching the Supreme Court against the Governor for sending back 11 bills, Parameshwara stated, “The legal team is verifying on approaching the Supreme Court regarding the sending back of 11 bills by the Governor. We will have to see about that. We will first send the bills back to the Governor with the clarifications he had sought. If he is not satisfied, we will have to approach the President for that matter as well.”

Asked whether the Governor will heed to the demands of the Congress party, Parameshwara stated, “It is a different matter whether the Governor will oblige the demands of the Congress party. There is a need to organise the agitations ... Tomorrow one might state that if the legislators had to meet and brief him about the situation, he would have taken a different call. We want to explore the opportunity as well.”

Answering a question on BJP planning to stage protests at the national level, he said, “If they are planning a national level agitation, then we will also have to organise the protests at the national level. The high command will decide whether the Congress party alone is going to stage the agitation or it will be staged through the INDIA bloc. If BJP takes it to the national level, we will also certainly do it.”

On the issue of land allotment by the Karnataka Industrial Development Board (KIADB) to Minister for RDPR and IT and BT Priyank Kharge, Parameshwara stated, “Let the Governor examine the complaint and if there is anything against the law, let him take appropriate action. The application was submitted for the land allotment for a project. Anyone can make the submission after coming up with a company, project report and investment. The land will be allotted.”