Polls - Karnataka '08

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FKCCI hails verdict of Assembly elections

BANGALORE: The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) has welcomed the recent electoral verdict of the people of Karnataka. In a release, the president-elect of FKCCI D. Muralidhar said the FKCCI looked forward to the new Government in providing stability in administration and improving the overall economic climate by bringing in more investments into the State. Mr. Muralidhar said many infrastructure projects in the city were yet to take off.— Staff Reporter


Katta Subramanya Naidu in hospital

BANGALORE: The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu who won the Hebbal Assembly seat in the recent elections has been admitted to a private hospital in Kerala after he complained of severe back pain. Sources close to him told The Hindu that although his name figures in the list of party leaders to be sworn-in as ministers on Friday along with B.S. Yeddyurappa, owing his health condition Mr. Subramanya Naidu would be sworn in at a later date. Doctors attending on him have advised him rest for a fortnight. — Special Correspondent

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Kharge criticised for Congress’s defeat

BANGALORE: The former NGEF chairman V. Shankar criticised the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, on what he termed as the poor handling of the party affairs during the Assembly elections. <b>He told presspersons that he had written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi explaining the reasons for the party’s debacle.</b>

— Staff Reporter

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Independents may be made ministers

B.S. Satish Kumar

Some senior MLAs are likely to be left out

Party leaders met some MLAs on ministry formation

Bangalore city may get six ministerial berths

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might have managed to get the required numbers to form the Government by mustering the support of six independent members.

But the support from the independent members has also given rise to heartburn among some of the ministerial aspirants of the party.

The reported decision by the party to reward some of the independent candidates with ministerial berths is bound to block the opportunity of some aspirants within the BJP. A few senior legislators, who have been elected three times, might lose an opportunity to become ministers as the party wants to accommodate independents in the ministry.

The party leaders reportedly held an informal discussion with a few MLAs and ministerial aspirants on Wednesday and explained the compelling political situation to them.

Speculation was on regarding not only the probable ministerial candidates, but also on their portfolios. Bangalore city, which has elected 17 BJP MLAs, is likely to get five or six ministerial berths (including for MLCs).

Meanwhile, preparations are on for the swearing-in ceremony in front of the Vidhana Soudha.

Several daises are being set up for seating those taking the oath and some of the VVIPs attending the swearing-in ceremony.

Bangalore City Commissioner of Police Neelam Achuta Rao and Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms Secretary Syed Zameer Pasha met the Chief Minister-designate, B.S. Yeddyurappa, at his residence on Wednesday and discussed the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony. Mr. Yeddyurappa had his morning walk on the premises of Vidhana Soudha, especially the venue of the swearing-in ceremony.
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The lobbying for the ministerial posts continued on Wednesday. A group of minority workers staged a demonstration in front of the party office demanding that party vice-president Mumtaz Ali Khan should not be given a ministerial berth.</b>

Instead, they sought the ministerial berth to Altaf Hussein.
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When contacted by The Hindu, BJP Minority Morcha President and former MLA Derrick M. B. Fullinfaw took exception to such a demonstration and said it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to choose a person of his choice for the ministerial berth. He said the protesters were not BJP members. </b>