Ahead of cabinet expansion, MLC BK Hariprasad gains Siddaramaiah’s backing
The argument is that if Hariprasad wields power, it would also help organise the party, drawing a parallel to Shivakumar, who held both the DCM and KPCC chief’s posts. BENGALURU: As the countdown begins for cabinet expansion, and Chief Minister DK Shivakumar gears up to fill 20 berths, the name of KPCC chief and MLC BK Hariprasad has come to the fore, springing a surprise. According to sources, former CM Siddaramiah has been backing Hariprasad to be made minister and also floor leader in the Council. The argument is that if Hariprasad wields power, it would also help organise the party, drawing a parallel to Shivakumar who held both the DCM and KPCC chief’s posts. It is to be seen whether Siddaramaiah’s plan materialises when he along with Shivakumar and Hariprasad, call on the high command after LOP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi returns from his foreign trip on Sunday. If Hariprasad misses out on becoming minister, Siddaramaiah’s son and Urban Development Minister Dr Yathindra is likely to be the floor leader. Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi was also aspiring to be KPCC chief while keeping his ministerial berth, but the high command turned it down. Now, Satish is feeling let down as Siddaramaiah did not back him to the hilt. Sources said Satish’s relationship with Siddaramaiah began to sour a couple of months before the latter stepped down as CM, after Satish held talks with Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh, former Bengaluru Rural MP, , say political analysts. Meanwhile, DK Suresh, who is now Bamul Chairman, hosted dinner for select Congress MLAs at a hotel in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening. The legislators, who were were vocal in backing Shivakumar’s claim the CM’s post, included Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna, Channagiri MLA Basavaraj Shivaganga, Maddur MLA Kadaluru Uday, Sira MLA TB Jayachandra, Hoskote MLA Sharath Bachegowda, Ranebennur MLA Prakash Koliwad, Srirangapatna MLA Ramesh Bandisiddegowda and newly elected MLC Vinay Karthik, sources said. In fact, Balakrishna hosted the dinner on behalf of Suresh as a goodwill gesture to keep the MLAs in good humour, they added. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
NC invites 52 leaders across party lines for J&K statehood protest at Jantar Mantar
Farooq Abdullah reaches out to INDIA bloc, BJP, regional parties and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling National Conference has invited 52 political leaders of the country within and outside INDIA Bloc including J&K’s Grand Mufti and Hurriyat Conference chairman and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to join the protest at Jantar Mantar for statehood restoration to J&K on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon session. NC president Farooq Abdullah has reached out to political parties across J&K and leaders from across the country, inviting them to join the peaceful, democratic protest at Jantar Mantar on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. “This is not about one party, one region, or one people. It is about defending India’s federal spirit, upholding the Constitution, and demanding the long-overdue restoration of J&K’s statehood as repeatedly promised,” he said. “We hope every democratic voice across the country will stand united in this collective cause”. Among the 52 prominent political leaders invited for the statehood restoration protest include Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Asaduddin Owaisi, Y S Jagam Mohan Reddy, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Arvind Kejriwal, M A Baby CPI(M) General Secretary, D Raja of CPI, Kapil Sibal, BSP chief Mayawati, BRS President K. Chandrashekar Rao, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Apni Party Chief Altaf Bukhari, J&K Congress chief G A Mir, J&K BJP president Satpal Sharma, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone, Hurriyat Conference chairman and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and J&K Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam. In his letter, NC president said the central government had repeatedly assured in parliament that statehood would be restored after abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile State into two Union Territories by centre on August 5, 2019. He said despite successful conduct of Assembly elections in 2024 and formation of an elected government under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the promise of restoring statehood remains unfulfilled. “This is not merely a delay. It is an affront to the democratic will of an entire people,” he said, adding that the continued denial of statehood undermines the federal character of the Constitution and weakens democratic institutions. “Our protest shall be peaceful, democratic, and constitutional — as it must be, and as it shall be. We are not asking for anything beyond what was promised. Our demands shall not transgress from those which have already promised to us. The cause of federalism is not the cause of one party, one people or one region. It is the cause of every citizen of India who believes that the genius of our constitutional order lies in the balance it strikes between unity and diversity,” Abdullah said. He said the stand for restoration of statehood to J&K is to stand for the integrity of that balance — for the proposition that no people should be governed without their consent, and no promise made in parliament should be allowed to lapse into convenient oblivion. “People of J&K have chosen hope — we have chosen the ballot, the Constitution, and the democratic process that all of us in some way or another have been a part of. We deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect,” the NC president said. “Together, let us send an unambiguous message that the people of J&K remain the guardians of the voice of those who have been made to wait too long,” he added. It would be interesting to see how many of the 52 leaders attend the NC leader’s protest for statehood restoration on July 20 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the opening day of parliament’s monsoon session. After forming the government, CM Omar in his first cabinet meeting passed a resolution on restoration of statehood and handed copies of the resolution to PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other central leaders but there has been no forward movement on the issue in over one and half year’s rule of NC government. Fayaz Wani Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Signs of thaw: Will abide by Cong poll strategy, says Channi; pressure won’t work on party high command, warns Baghel, says he’s ready to meet dissidents even if they don’t
Chandigarh: In the first sign of softening of stance, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi signalled on Wednesday that his camp would ultimately abide by Congress’s election strategy. Describing Rahul Gandhi as his leader, Channi said, “Elections are seven months away. Whatever strategy the party adopts, we will work accordingly and contest the elections.” This was preceded by a clear message from Punjab Congress affairs in charge Bhupesh Baghel during the day that “no pressure works on the party high command”. Baghel has been here for three days, trying to resolve the crisis, but Channi and former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa have not yet met him. On Wednesday, Baghel reiterated that he was ready to meet Channi, Randhawa and any of the dissident group members even if they don’t come to meet him. According to sources, the Channi camp is meeting on Thursday to chart its next course of action and decide whether to meet Baghel. They had earlier decided to approach Congress high command directly with their concerns instead of routing them through Baghel. Baghel told mediapersons that he has spoken with Channi and Randhawa over phone. “They told me they were busy with some work and were out of town, but would get in touch with me after they returned. Either I will visit their homes for tea or they can come to the PCC office,” he said. Baghel, however, ruled out any possibility of the high command revisiting its decision under pressure. “No pressure works on the party high command. I do not believe decisions are made under pressure, nor should they be. Therefore, the decisions that have already been taken will remain in effect. Once the high command has taken a decision, it will not be changed. Is it a ‘gudda-guddi ka khel’?” he said. Warring too reiterated his willingness to engage with the dissenting leaders, saying he would personally meet each of them. He said that if anyone was dissatisfied with him, he was prepared to make every effort to win their support. “They are all more capable than me and senior to me,” Warring said. Back-channel efforts to break the impasse gathered pace. Former cabinet minister Razia Sultana, who attended the Channi group meeting in Mohali, met Baghel on Wednesday. Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla also met Channi a day after Punjab Congress working president Raj Kumar Verka had spoken with the former CM. Aujla told TOI that he urged Channi to place the grievances before the senior leadership so that issues be resolved at the earliest. “We are trying to resolve the grievances so that everyone comes on the same page and launches a collective campaign against AAP govt,” Aujla said. Describing the issue as a “family matter”, Verka said there was flexibility in the process of dialogue. “They can come to us or we can go to them. Those who still want to meet Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge or KC Venugopal will have their meetings facilitated. Discussions are on. Our effort is to speak to everyone who has grievances and address their concerns,” he said. However, former MLA Karan Kaur Brar, daughter-in-law of former Punjab CM Harcharan Singh Brar, who hails from Muktsar, Warring’s home district, hit out at him, saying: “Whoever Congress high command appoints as state president, I will accept. However, I believe the current president has created a great deal of discord within the party.” Congress national spokesperson Udit Raj said factionalism has often proved costly for the party and urged leaders to resolve their differences through organisational mechanisms. “The fault lies with us. We lost Uttarakhand election because of infighting and factionalism. Whenever we lose, factionalism is the primary reason. If there are grievances, they should be raised on the appropriate platform. In my view, the leaders should have met Bhupesh Baghel. By taking these matters into the public domain, it’s only strengthening BJP,” he said. Channi On Jalalpur Asked about the showcause notice issued to former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, who attended the Channi camp meetings, the former CM said he would comment only after examining the matter. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Private bank submits details of TMC’s debit-frozen accounts; Calcutta HC adjourns hearing till July 9
Justice Bhattacharyya had on July 2 directed the private bank to disclose the corpus held in those accounts. The court did not open the report because the hearing was adjourned. The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing in a plea filed by the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee-led faction, challenging the debit-freeze on three accounts of the party, even as the private bank submitted details regarding the corpus fund held in the accounts. Taking note of personal difficulty expressed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the Bidhannagar police in this matter, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya adjourned the hearing until Thursday. Justice Bhattacharyya had on July 2 directed the private bank to disclose the corpus held in those accounts. The court did not open the report that was submitted because the hearing was adjourned. Bringing to the court’s notice that a few more bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress have also been debit-frozen, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction’s lawyer Kishore Dutta stated that he will file a supplementary affidavit in this regard on the next date of hearing. Justice Bhattacharyya said he is contemplating appointment of retired Calcutta High Court Judge Subrata Talukdar as a special officer over the debit-frozen bank accounts, but since his son represents one of the respondents as lawyer, he would seek the views of the parties in the matter if appointment of special officer is finally directed. Justice Bhattacharyya had on July 2 said the court is contemplating whether these three accounts can be allowed to be operated by joint special officers, who would be retired judges of the court, during the pendency of the petition. Justice Bhattacharyya, during the hearing on July 2, also allowed the Bidhannagar Police to place records before the court on the next date regarding the complaint and the investigation into the resultant FIR. The debit operations of three bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress have been frozen following complaints by rebel party MLAs seeking a probe into the source of the funds. Some MLAs aligned with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction of the TMC complained to the cyber crime police station of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, seeking a detailed investigation into the accounts. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Jharkhand school teacher accused of asking students to remove ‘kalava’, religious lockets; probe ordered
An inquiry team from the Education Department visited the school and recorded statements from the headmaster, the concerned teacher, students and their parents. RANCHI: An alleged incident at the Upgraded High School in Ramkanda, Garhwa, has sparked outrage after a Muslim teacher reportedly asked students to remove ‘kalava’ (sacred threads) from their wrists and religious lockets from around their necks. The incident triggered protests by parents and villagers. Following complaints from parents, the district administration ordered an inquiry into the matter. Officials said appropriate action would be taken in accordance with the rules based on the findings of the investigation. According to parents, an Arabic teacher at the school allegedly asked some students to remove their ‘kalava’ and religious lockets during class on Wednesday. They also claimed that students who objected were scolded by the teacher. After returning home, the children informed their parents about the incident, triggering anger among villagers. The matter quickly spread across the area. A large number of parents and local residents later gathered at the school and staged a protest, demanding strict action against the teacher. The protesters said it was inappropriate to pressure any student into removing symbols associated with their religious beliefs. They maintained that schools should treat all religions and communities with equal respect. Tension prevailed on the school premises for some time before the situation was brought under control by local residents and the school management. Taking note of the incident, the Garhwa Deputy Commissioner ordered a probe and sought a report. An inquiry team from the Education Department visited the school and recorded statements from the headmaster, the concerned teacher, students and their parents. Officials are examining whether students were indeed asked to remove their ‘kalava’ and lockets and, if so, the circumstances and reasons behind the alleged incident. The team also collected relevant documents and other information from the school. No official statement has yet been issued by the teacher concerned. Officials said a fact-based inquiry is underway and that statements from all parties and other available evidence are being examined before any conclusions are drawn. Garhwa District Superintendent of Education Anurag Minz said the investigation is still in progress and it would be premature to reach any conclusion before it is completed. “If the inquiry report establishes any irregularity or violation of rules, appropriate legal and departmental action will be initiated against the concerned individual,” Minz said. Mukesh Ranjan Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
ED freezes Rs 440 crore in TMC’s bank accounts over aircraft leasing probe
The agency said the frozen funds were held in three HDFC Bank accounts. NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has frozen Rs 440.42 crore held in bank accounts belonging to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) as part of a money laundering investigation into chartered flights used by a senior party leader, the agency said on Wednesday. The ED conducted searches at five locations in and around Kolkata in West Bengal targeting private aviation firm Carewell Aviation, its directors and an electoral trust. The agency said the frozen funds were held in three HDFC Bank accounts. “Investigation revealed that around Rs 160 crore was transferred from AITC bank accounts to M/s Carewell Aviation India Pvt. Ltd. and its related entity, mostly between April 2023 to June 2026,” the agency said in a statement. The federal agency further said that Carewell Aviation Pvt Ltd routed Rs 82.96 crore between 2023 and 2026 to another newly incorporated related entity to purchase an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta 109 Grand helicopter. A total of Rs 112 crore was used to make the purchases. The agency further found that a loan of USD 1.7 million was arranged in 2023 from a Cayman Islands-based entity as an unsecured loan to purchase the helicopter. The Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and the Agusta helicopter were subsequently leased to the AITC, even though they had been purchased using funds from the party’s corpus. Thereafter, substantial amounts were transferred on the pretext of aircraft usage. The ED said the arrangement was under investigation to ascertain the actual beneficial purpose of the transactions. The probe was initiated following a police complaint alleging that chartered flights used by TMC’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and a senior party leader, were funded through improperly collected money, agency sources said. The TMC has not yet issued a public response to the searches. The raids come amid an internal split within the party, which has led to a separate legal dispute over control of the TMC’s finances, now pending before the Calcutta High Court. The court declined on Tuesday to fast-track a related petition, court records showed. The ED said its investigation was continuing. Sumit Kumar Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Futile to expect accountability’: Rahul Gandhi targets PM, Pradhan over fresh UGC-NET leak claims
The Opposition Leader shares allegations of a leaked 100-page PDF, claiming the Sociology question paper was sold for Rs 2.25 lakh across multiple states. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Narendra Modi government over alleged irregularities in the UGC-NET June 2026 examination, accusing it of ignoring repeated controversies surrounding competitive exams and failing to protect the interests of students. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the government continued to “turn a blind eye and sleep soundly” despite allegations of exam-related scams, adding that the hard work of lakhs of students held “no value” for it. Sharing a screenshot of a media report on X, Gandhi referred to allegations by student leaders in Rohtak, Haryana, regarding the UGC-NET examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). “The serious allegations that have surfaced regarding last week’s UGC-NET exam are utterly shocking. Just a few weeks after the NEET paper leak, reports are now emerging that a 100-page PDF was circulated right before the UGC-NET exam,” Gandhi wrote in Hindi. He claimed the PDF was related to the question paper-setting process and alleged that nearly 90 questions in it matched those in the Sociology question paper. Gandhi further alleged that the question paper was being sold for Rs 2.25 lakh in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. He also claimed that the same network had said it could provide question papers for upcoming examinations, including CSIR-NET, HTET and ADA. “Even after the repeated scams in NEET and NET, the Modi government continues to turn a blind eye and sleep soundly, because the years of hard work put in by lakhs of students — who burn the midnight oil — holds no value for them,” Gandhi said. There was no immediate response from the National Testing Agency, which conducts national-level higher education entrance examinations, to the allegations. Claiming that no investigation would be conducted and students would not get justice, Gandhi said, “The only tool for change is our collective voice — the resounding ‘chhatron ki goonj’ (echo of students) across the country, which will bring about an education revolution in India.” Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
NCP (SP)-BJP ties under spotlight after report of confidential Jayant Patil-Vinod Tawde meeting
Senior leaders reportedly discussed a possible alliance; NCP (SP) denies reports of extending support to the BJP. MUMBAI: Following a report by The New Indian Express indicating that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) is initiating talks with the BJP, it has emerged that senior party leader Jayant Patil and BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde reportedly held a confidential meeting to discuss the blueprint of a potential alliance. It was reported that Sharad Pawar has initiated parallel tracks of discussion: one with the Congress regarding a potential merger, and another with the BJP-led NDA over extending legislative support.. The NCP (SP) has eight Lok Sabha MPs and 10 MLAs in Maharashtra. According to sources, the BJP is keen to secure the party’s support in Parliament for the smooth passage of key legislation. A source familiar with the discussions claimed the NCP (SP) had sought one Union Cabinet berth for Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule and two ministerial berths in the Maharashtra government for Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad. “NCP (SP) majority of the MPs and MLAs are in the opinion of joining hands with the power to get the development fund and survive in competitive politics. The party is keen on important ministerial portfolios. Once that is finalised, an official announcement of support to the NDA will be made,” the source said. However, both Jayant Patil and Supriya Sule denied reports of any such meeting or alliance discussions. Patil said political leaders routinely interact across party lines, while Sule said, “We are also part of various government-constituted committees where different party MPs are members. We do attend such meetings and meet the MPs of ruling and opposition parties; that does not mean we are joining them.” NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar also dismissed speculation about supporting the BJP. “The NCP (SP) is a secular and progressive party while the BJP harps on a communal agenda. Therefore, there is no question of extending support to the BJP and being part of the NDA,” he said. Meanwhile, Congress leaders have reportedly begun internal consultations on the possibility of an NCP (SP)-Congress merger. According to party sources, Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal have spoken individually with senior Maharashtra Congress leaders to seek their views. Some leaders, sources said, expressed concern that an NCP (SP) merger could allow its leaders to dominate the party’s organisational affairs and decision-making, and urged the leadership to deliberate carefully before taking a call. Sudhir Suryawanshi Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Khawaja Asif: ‘Rahul Gandhi too,’ Pakistan’s Defense Minister furious over India’s counterattack, spews venom over PM Modi’s award
Khawaja Asif: Pakistani leaders are unable to digest the highest honors bestowed upon Prime Minister Modi by countries around the world. Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif have criticized Modi’s international honors. Khawaja Asif targeted the honors bestowed upon PM Modi India called the Pakistani Defense Minister ‘mentally unstable’ Khawaja Asif mentioned Rahul Gandhi and The Guardian in his post Khawaja Asif enraged after India called him ‘mentally unstable’ Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif is furious after India called him ‘mentally unstable’. He said on Sunday that personal attacks on him by India will neither solve the problems facing New Delhi nor restore Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “sagging” credibility at home and abroad. The Defense Minister of this Islamic country, which failed to stop Indian missile attacks, has once again lied and talked about defeating India. Accusing them of spreading “propaganda,” Asif said that the attacks on him are an attempt to divert attention from questions about Modi’s international image and the credibility of foreign honors received by the Indian Prime Minister. In his post, Khawaja Asif referred to Indian leader Rahul Gandhi, who had criticized PM Modi’s award. Khwaja Asif enraged by India’s response Khwaja Asif also referred to a report in the British newspaper “The Guardian,” saying that both had questioned the credibility of some awards received by Modi. He wrote, “Hounding me will not solve the problem.” Calling me mentally unstable will not stabilize Modi’s woefully declining credibility at home and abroad, especially after last year’s defeat to Pakistan. He further wrote, “Rahul Gandhi is making the same claim about Modi’s awards, saying they are AI-generated or manually managed to project the image of a global statesman. This has actually enhanced his reputation as a global fraud.” He further added, “Even a respected newspaper, ‘The Guardian,’ raised this issue and questioned the credibility of those awards.” He said that Modi’s desperate attempts to obtain fake honors from abroad are an attempt to stabilize his credibility, which is “woefully shaky at home.” Pakistan is unable to digest Modi’s awards Pakistani leaders are unable to digest the highest honors bestowed upon Prime Minister Modi by the world’s nations. Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused Modi of turning international honors into a deliberate public relations campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the highest civilian and state honors from 34 countries and international organizations since 2016. He is the Indian leader with the most international honors in history. PM Modi has received the highest honors from countries such as Norway, Sweden, Israel, Russia (Order of St. Andrew the Apostle—Russia’s highest civilian honor), France (highest civilian and military honors), the United States (Legion of Merit—Chief Commander Degree), Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the Maldives, Palestine, and Afghanistan. Curated by: Abhijat Shekhar Azad About the Author Abhijat Shekhar Azad is an international affairs and defense journalist at Navbharat Times Online. He has nearly 17 years of experience in various news channels and digital journalism. Courtesy: Hindi News
One month in, CM Shivakumar’s government faces cabinet expansion test
Congress will be counting on the new government’s performance for the 2028 polls, but how those left out respond will also be crucial. Earlier this week, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s government completed one month in office. Although it is a short period to judge a government’s performance, the change of guard seems to have brought fresh energy to the administration, which looked jaded, especially in the last few months of Siddaramaiah’s tenure. After recovering from the initial shock of the portfolio allocation, with two senior ministers sulking, the CM has managed to keep the spotlight on his government rather than on the political uncertainty in his party. Unlike his predecessor, the CM has avoided open confrontation with the Union government, and has so far refrained from joining his party leaders in the state in aggressively criticising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). However, it is just the beginning, and the Congress government has a long way to go. Maintaining the same tempo and cohesiveness in the government is a Herculean task, especially after the expansion of the cabinet. The government presently functions with just 13 ministers out of a 34-member-capacity cabinet. Of these, only two are new faces, and the rest were part of the previous cabinet. If the Congress leadership decides to give a majority of the remaining berths to new faces, the seniors hoping to return to the cabinet would be aggrieved. However, if most seniors are accommodated again, it would leave new aspirants disappointed. Either way, it’s a tricky situation. Congress will be counting on the new government’s performance for the 2028 polls, but how those left out respond will also be crucial. It would be interesting to see how the party strikes a balance between the loyalists of Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in the cabinet expansion. On the administrative front, key portfolios like agriculture and education do not have full-time ministers, with the portfolios vested with the CM. Several districts in the state are staring at a drought-like situation, and water levels in the reservoirs are low. The government has asked farmers to temporarily avoid cultivating crops relying on dam water. While the CM holds multiple meetings in the state capital, the ministers are hardly seen in action on the ground. If they fail to make amends, the government risks being branded as Bengaluru-centric. That apart, some of the decisions, like the tightening of guarantee schemes and the ambitious plan to develop Bidadi township on the outskirts of Bengaluru, need to be handled deftly. The Bidadi township issue should not be seen merely as a Congress against JDS/BJP issue, but concerns of all farmers must be taken into account, while also keeping in mind plans to develop townships to decongest Bengaluru. However, the state capital’s development cannot come at the cost of farmers, who depend solely on agricultural land for their livelihood. As for the flagship guarantee schemes, it is never a bad idea to fine-tune them. The exercise to weed out ineligible beneficiaries has started. The state government must be prudent with spending and ensure that the schemes benefit the most needy. At the same time, this should not merely become a cost-cutting exercise that amounts to the Congress government going back on its 2023 election promise. The departments handling the revision exercise should be sensitive not just to the letter, but also to the spirit of the government’s direction. Meanwhile, the CM has also announced the formation of guarantee committees with five members in each of the 7,000 panchayats and 4,000 wards. This will be in addition to the existing guarantee committees at state, district and taluk levels. The committees are tasked with the effective implementation of the schemes. On one hand, the government is tightening the schemes to avoid unnecessary expenditure, but at the same time, it is adding thousands of members to guarantee committees. What will their role be in each panchayat or ward when the benefits are directly reaching citizens, and officials are mandated to ensure that? It may be a good move to strengthen the party cadre at the grassroots, but at whose cost? Also, the CM’s announcement of forming 10,000 ‘Bharat Jodo’ youth associations in each panchayat and ward with a grant of Rs 10 lakh has faced flak from the BJP, which terms it as an attempt to put taxpayers’ money into Congress workers’ pockets. Although the government claims that guidelines would be issued for the formation of associations without political interference, it is anybody’s guess as to what extent they will actually be non-political. In the last 30 days in office, the new CM has given ample indication that he is a man in a hurry, unwilling to let go of any opportunity to put his stamp on the administration and consolidate his position within the party. Ramu Patil Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights