Yeddyurappa says he will meet Governor every 15 days

Bangalore:  Perhaps this is a sort of New Year's resolution to bury the hatchet.  Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa drove to Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on Friday morning to meet Governor HR Bhardwaj.  The BJP has repeatedly attacked Mr Bhardwaj for abandoning the basic  impartiality required of his office, and functioning as an agent of the Congress. Mr Bhardwaj in the past has served as India's Law Minister.

Mr Yeddyurappa described the meeting as a courtesy call. The next Assembly session in Karnataka starts on Thursday.

The Governor has been vocal about his belief that the single-largest trademark of Mr Yeddyurappa's government is corruption.  He has suggested that from illegal mining to irregular land scams, the BJP has abused its powers in the state.

Two months ago, Mr Bhardwaj discarded a vote of confidence won by Mr Yeddyurappa after a section of his party seemed on the cusp of switching sides to support the Opposition.  Mr Bhardwaj ruled that the voice vote was not enough for a matter as serious as the survival of the government, so he asked the Chief Minister to undergo another trust vote just four days later - a first for India.

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Almatti height increase welcome, but water share unjust: Karnataka

The verdict of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal has been hailed by irrigation experts, particularly the decision to increase the height of the Almatti dam. However, many are unhappy over the share of water allocated to Karnataka, when compared to Andhra Pradesh, describing it as “unjust”.

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the State Government was not fully satisfied with the award.

Speaking to presspersons in Hubli on Thursday, Mr. Bommai said the permission to increase the height of Almatti dam from 519 ft. to 524 ft. was welcome.

However the demand of Karnataka for 278 tmcft of water had been partially met with allotment of only 177 tmcft, which was a matter of concern, he said.

Mr. Bommai said that the tribunal had mentioned about setting up of a monitoring board.

He clarified that the State was happy but not satisfied with the award.

The former Water Resources Minister and Congress leader H.K. Patil, said in Hubli that while the tribunal's approval to increase the height of the dam was a positive outcome, the water-sharing formula was worrisome.

He said the State had staked its claim for a reasonable 278 tmcft of water in ‘B' Scheme as over 43.8 per cent catchment area of the Krishna fell in the State. Mr. Patil said that even the Bachawat Commission in its recommendations on water-sharing under ‘A' Scheme in the 1970s said that during further adjudication, the issue of Karnataka getting a share of 50 per cent of the surplus water and Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra sharing the remaining equally should be considered. The tribunal had overlooked it, he said.

Mr. Patil said that the State Government should be ready to approach the Supreme Court if things were not set right.

The former Minister Vaijnath Patil, speaking from Gulbarga, said that the allocation for Karnataka was unacceptable because Andhra Pradesh was already using the unutilised waters released by Karnataka.

The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy welcomed the verdict.

“The award will benefit the people of north Karnataka”, Mr. Kumaraswamy said and hailed the contribution of people, who have struggled to secure for Karnataka its rightful share in the river waters.

Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said he would reserve his opinion on the award till he read the contents of the order in detail.

Krishna Water Disputes Advisory Committee member Panchappa Kalburgi, speaking from Bijapur, stated that the decision to maintain a minimum flow of 116 tmcft of water in the Krishna would benefit the region, particularly during summer.

However, Mr. Kalburgi cautioned that Maharashtra should be instructed to release water as soon as it started receiving rainfall as it would be difficult for Karnataka to release water from Almatti dam to maintain 116 tmcft flow if Maharashtra failed to release water from its dams. “The State Government should submit a proposal seeking allocation of more surplus water scientifically,” he added.

Congress MLC Khaji Arshed Ali said the State Government should stop bothering about the utilisation of water by other riparian States and focus on building dams and canals to utilise the allocated share.

Successive State governments had failed to utilise the 734 tmcft of water allocated by the Bachawat tribunal, he pointed out.

“The award had set a deadline of the year 2000 to utilise the water. This was not done and the government sought extension of the deadline by 10 years.

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Karnataka minister resigns over land scam allegations

A day after the Lokayukta filed an FIR against him in connection with an alleged land scam, Karnataka Information Technology and Bio-technology Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu resigned on Friday.

“To facilitate an impartial probe by Lokayukta, Katta Subramanya Naidu has resigned from the ministry today. I have forwarded it to Governor H. R. Bhardwaj for acceptance”, Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa told reporters here.

The anti-corruption watchdog had on Thursday registered an FIR against Mr. Naidu and nine others, including his son Katta Jagadish Naidu, a city corporator, over alleged irregularities in Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land purchase and securing compensation for land acquired by it.

The FIR said Mr. Naidu allegedly had a role in allotment of 385 acres to ITASKA Software, a firm set up by one of his aides to establish a SEZ while he was Industries Minister in 2007.

Lokayukta had arrested his son Mr. Jagadish Naidu a few months ago for allegedly trying to influence a witness. He later obtained bail from the High Court.

Mr. Naidu is the third minister to quit this year after H. Halappa, who resigned after rape charges were levelled against him, and R. Ramachandra Gowda following allegations of recruitment scams.

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Yeddy's revenge: Accuses JD(S) of land-grab

Having come out unscathed of land-grabbing charges after he subdued the high command's will with his political clout in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has now trained his guns on the Opposition JD(S) and accused that several of its members had misappropriated land in the state. 
 
Yeddyurappa said he was "seriously" thinking of taking back the land and distributing it among the poor people.
"...our party had taken a decision to advertise in all India newspapers about the land scam in Mysore district and within three-four days we are going to publish Hassan affairs (cases of land grabbing there)," Yeddyurappa told reporters here.
He said this when his reaction was sought on advertisements published by BJP in newspapers alleging land-grabbing during the tenue of JD(S) leaders H D Devegowda and H D Kumaraswamy as Karnataka chief ministers.

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BJP leaders demand recall of Bhardwaj

A BJP delegation led by senior leader L K Advani on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded that Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj be recalled immediately for “being partisan and converting the Raj Bhawan into an epicentre of horse-trading.”

“We seek the recall of Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj. The developments of the last few weeks have clearly demonstrated that notwithstanding his appointment to a constitutional office of a Governor, Mr Bhardwaj has utterly failed to politically detach himself from his political past,” BJP said in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister.

Mr Advani was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu. Home Minister P Chidambaram was present during the meeting.

“Extra-constitutionalism was his (governor’s) firm belief and the use of extra constitutionalism to demonstrate loyalty was always his political strategy,” Mr Jaitley said later during an interaction with the media. “Remaining politically impartial is not in his (Mr Bhardwaj’s) nature,” he added.

BJP had earlier called Mr Bhardwaj an “agent of the Congress” and demanded that the Centre recall him immediately.

“In recent weeks he (Bhardwaj) converted the Raj Bhawan in Bengaluru into the epicentre of political conspiracy to encourage horse-trading and destabilise the state government,” Mr Jaitley said.

He said though the first trust vote was “conclusive”, the party agreed for a second trust vote as suggested by the Governor because it wanted to “avoid a constitutional confrontation rather than precipitate one.”

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Trust vote again on Thursday in Karnataka

The beleaguered Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yeddyurappa will once again seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on Thursday, October 14, as sought by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj.

Mr. Yeddyurappa announced this here late on Tuesday evening after a day-long meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's core committee. After the morning session, party leaders could not arrive at any decision. BJP organising secretary Ramlal said: “We will take a decision after the verdict of the Karnataka High Court on disqualification of rebel MLAs becomes known.” However, after the second round of consultations in the evening, a decision was taken to accept the Governor's offer for, by then it became clear that the court verdict would come the earliest by October 18 and the BJP government had a chance to be home on October 14.

On Tuesday, the High Court declined to pass an interim order permitting the BJP rebels to participate in Thursday's trust vote. As for the five independents, the court adjourned the hearing on their plea to October 18.

Asked about the charges levelled by the Governor that his government was corrupt, the Chief Minister said he would respond “after the vote of confidence.” The party's central leaders are preparing to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to complain about the “partisan stance” of the Governor, who should be “immediately recalled.”

Party leaders here were happy that the delay in the High Court verdict had helped them “upstage” the Governor. It suited the BJP high command to accept the lifeline of a second trust vote offered to its government by Mr. Bhardwaj through a letter to the Chief Minister. Since the strength of the Assembly will remain reduced by 16 — the number of MLAs disqualified — Mr. Yeddyurappa was confident he would pass the floor test.

Initially, Mr. Yeddyurappa was reluctant to answer a question on the strength of his party but later said it stood at 108 in a House of 208 plus the Speaker.

“I have requested the honourable Speaker to convene the House again on October 14. I am going to seek a vote of confidence. I am confident of winning the trust vote as I did on October 11. … I am pained that the Governor's report recommended President's rule in spite of my proving majority in the face of serious provocation by the Janata Dal (Secular),” the Chief Minister said, reading from a statement.

The decision came after it became clear that the High Court verdict on disqualification will come later. Party leaders admitted privately that it was decided to grab the chance of a second trust vote. Earlier, some party functionaries did admit privately that the vote of confidence sought and won on October 11 was not exactly in order and not quite in sync with the rule book. That day only party president Nitin Gadkari hailed it as a victory of democracy. Other leaders remained silent.

The core committee meetings were chaired by Mr. Gadkari

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K'taka HC to hear MLAs' petitions; Centre waits

Bangalore, Oct 12: The Karnataka High Court will be hearing the two petitions filed by the 16 disqualified dissident MLAs on Tuesday, Oct 12, after which the Centre is expected to take decision on the recommended President's rule in the state.

A specially constituted bench, comprising Chief Justice J S Kehar and Justice N Kumar, will be hearing the case of the rebel MLAs, including 11 BJP MLAs and five independents, who have accused the K G Bopaiah of siding with the BS Yeddyurappa-led government.

According to a newspaper report, the bench will be looking at the matter as 'purely a question of law'.

"We want to know how the Anti-Defection law is invoked. It is purely a question of law now," a Times of India report quoted the bench as observing on Monday, Oct 12, when it deferred the hearing by a day.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, the core group of the Congress met at the Prime Minister's residence on Monday, Oct 11 to make a decision on Karnataka Governor HR Bharadwaj's recommendation for President's rule in the state.

According to an Indian Express report, the decision has been put off until the Karnataka High Court finishes hearing the case involving the disqualification of 16 MLAs.

Union Cabinet is also scheduled to meet Tuesday, Oct 12 evening. Quoting sources, the newspaper reported that the Cabinet's decision would depend on the “political call” taken by the ruling dispensation after the High Court’s order.

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Rebel MLAs challenge Karnataka Speaker’s order

During arguments, one of the counsels for the rebel BJP MLAs submitted the MLAs had not withdrawn their memembership from the party but had “only expressed lack of confidence in the Yeddyurappa Government because of rampant corruption and nepotism”.

The 16 disqualified MLAs of Karnataka on Monday moved the Karnataka High Court with a petition challenging the action against them by the Assembly Speaker.

The High Court adjourned till Tuesday the hearing on the petition filed by the MLAs, including 11 of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who have sought quashing of the orders of Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, terming it as a “clear violation of statutory rules“.

“The disqualification rules and procedures which have been laid down in the Constitution have not been complied with at all”, they submitted when their petition came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice N. Kumar.

“The government through its widespread corruption has forfeited the confidence of the people”, he submitted, adding “we are concerned with the Constitutional disqualification which can happen only when we (MLAs) resign from the membership. The power of disqualification should be lodged not with the Speaker but with the Election Commission,” the counsel contended.

Former Solicitor General Soli Sorabjee, appearing for the BJP government, submitted the order was in “full compliance with natural justice under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution”.

When Chief Justice J.S. Khehar sought some clarification, Mr. Sorabjee sought time till Tuesday and the matter was adjourned forthwith.

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Karnataka headed for President’s rule?

Karnataka on Monday appears headed for President’s rule with the State Governor is believed to have recommended such a step after Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa won a controversial confidence vote in the Assembly following disqualification of 16 MLAs.

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj is believed to have sent his report to the Centre calling the events and the vote in the Assembly as “unconstitutional” and “farce” and that the State should be brought under President’s rule.

He is understood to have noted that Speaker K.G. Bopaiah’s action in disqualifying 16 MLAs — 11 of BJP and 5 Independents — was unconstitutional and had vitiated the proceedings.

The Union Cabinet is likely to meet and consider the Governor’s report. The Union Home Ministry has expressed concern over developments in Karnataka, especially the “abuse” of the anti-defection law by the Speaker.

Home Ministry sources said there was no question of disqualifying Independents under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution or for that matter the dissident BJP MLAs even before the vote.

On a dramatic day of developments, the Speaker’s decision to disqualify the dissident MLAs and ban their entry into the House came early in the morning in an apparent move to bring down the number required for the ruling party to prove its majority.

Amid scenes of pandemonium, Mr. Yeddyurappa moved the confidence vote and “won” the trial of strength as high drama marked the proceedings when Speaker Bopaiah declared the motion of confidence passed by a voice vote.

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Karnataka crisis: Speaker to meet rebel MLAs

Bangalore, Goa:  High drama and low politics in Karnataka continues. The rebel BJP MLAs, in a revolt against Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, have now flown to Chennai from Goa and are holed up in a hotel there.

The party has given them a deadline today to come back to its fold, but the MLAs appear to be defiant. Tomorrow, Yeddyurappa has to prove his majority in the Assembly and as of now the rebels claim they are 25 in all.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Assembly Speaker has asked the Government and rebel MLAs to present their case to him by Sunday evening.

The dissident MLAs dumped their leader MP Renukacharya remaining firm in their stand against the BS Yeddyurappa government.

Renukacharya, a former leader of this band of rebels did a U-turn to become a Yeddyurappa loyalist, and he was outraged.

"I have been isolated  because unlike the other MLA's who have made deals involving bribes of around Rs. 20-25 crore and I refused to accept this," Renukacharya said.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said the situation is under his control and the rebel MLAs will vote against their party.

"The 14 dissident MLAs have withdrawn support to the Yeddyurappa leadership. They are not supporting me," said HD Kumaraswamy, Former Chief Minister, Karnataka.

For its part, the BJP says there is no rebellion and it will win the vote of confidence.

"How can these MLAs be allowed at the airport when their identity cards have not been checked. They don't have any boarding passes. It is a breach of security, and it is all happening because of the Congress government in the state and the Centre," said Manohar Parrikar, BJP Leader, Goa. (Read: BJP warns rebels to return or else)

The much sought after rebel MLAs said they were acting of their own accord, and that it was all about the need for good governance.

"We were not forced, we came on our own, and after two years the people have only seen rule of terror, corruption, all we are interested now is good governance. No horse trading, nothing like that, it is not true," said Anand Asnotikar, a minister.
In Bangalore, the bulk of the BJP MLAs were being kept safe at a resort on the city's outskirts, and leaders were still sounding confident of winning the trust vote.

The JD (S) and the Congress have issued whips to their MLAs to vote against the government. And Congress leaders, who are keeping their flock safe at yet another resort near Pune, approached the Governor with this memorandum to say the Speaker should withdraw notices issued to the rebels threatening them with disqualification. They say all MLAs should be allowed to vote.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karnataka-crisis-speaker-to-meet-rebel-mlas-58558?cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karnataka-crisis-speaker-to-meet-rebel-mlas-58558?cp

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Pejavar swamiji on Padayatra

MANGALORE October 5, 2010: Pejavar Swamiji of Udupi HH Vishvesha Thirtha today declared that he will start the padayathra in Mangalore on Wednesday from Kanva Thirtha near Kotekar on Karnataka-Kerala border.

Addressing a press conference here today the Swamiji said he will take up three days in a month each to hold Padayathra in Northern Karnataka, Coastal Karnataka and Old Mysore area. He will hold Padayathras in all localities in the cities towns and villages and try to unify Hindus.

 

  

The seer said that he will also visit the homes of poor people including dalits irrespective of caste or religion. He called on Hindus to abide by their traditions and cultural values and stay united.

When asked by Mangalorean.com that what will happen to the rest of the country and who would continue his work of unifying the Hindus the swamiji said he would form a trust that will look after the continuance even after his time.

He said "I am already 80 and cannot guarantee that I will complete the work of unifying Hindus, but surely I will leave behind a legacy and create enough interest for the young generation to continue it even after me."

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Dissidence puts BJP in fire-fighting mode

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka is again being buffeted in the wake of the Cabinet expansion by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa with a group of legislators demanding that they be made ministers, or chairpersons of government boards and corporations.

The group is led by Minister for Excise M.P. Renukacharya and comprises a few other ministers, some of whom are independent MLAs. All of them are believed to be staying in a resort in Tamil Nadu.

Minister for Tourism G. Janardhan Reddy categorically stating that there is no threat to the government although there is dissent within the party on various issues.

The Chief Minister and State BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa held discussions with senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders to work out a solution to the latest eruption.

Sources told The Hindu that a group of legislators had formed a pressure group to seek a ministerial berth for one of them in the event of Minister for Information Technology Katta Subramanya Naidu being asked to step down. The other demand pertains to appointment of chairpersons of boards and corporations.

The Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress held discussions separately. The two parties have complained to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj about the alleged scams relating to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board and the Bangalore Development Authority.

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6 inducted into Karnataka ministry

BANGALORE: Sending a message to his detractors that he was in command, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa on Wednesday inducted six ministers, including his confidante Shobha Karandlaje, into his cabinet.

A day after axing three ministers loyal to mining magnate and Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, Yedyurappa ensured the return of Karandlaje 11 months after she was dropped at the height of dissidence led by Reddy last year.

On expected lines, A Narayanaswamy, C H Vijayashankar, C C Patil, Karandlaje, V Somanna and S A Ramadas were adminstered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor H R Bhardwaj in Raj Bhavan.

Sensing the brewing discontent among legislators hoping to make it into the ministry , state unit party President K S Eswarappa said the ministry would again be restructured after March next and at least three new faces given a chance.

Janardhana Reddy, who had warned against the sacking of three of his supporters from the ministry and complained to the BJP high command about Yeddyurappa's action, went soft saying they would accept the party's decision.

"We are happy with the party decision. We go by whatever decision the party takes," Reddy, who was unhappy with the sacking of Aravind Limbavali, Shivanagouda Naik and Goolihatti Shekar despite his pleas for their continuance, told reporters.

The softening of stance by Janardhana Reddy and his brother and minister Karunanakara Reddy was being attributed in BJP circles to the on-going probe by the state CID and also by Lokayukta into illegal mining and illegal export of iron ore.

Going in for a major re-structuring of the ministry 28 months after the first ever saffron party government was installed in the South and surviving a major threat to his chair last year, Yeddyurappa has virtually retaliated at the Bellary ministerial trioka by taking them head-on.

Yeddyurappa, who hails from the dominant Lingayat community also chose not to pay heed to the reported insistence by party National General Secretary H N Anantkumar against carrying out the reshuffle now and also his attempts to induct his supporters in the ministry.

"Finally, I have got justice," was the cryptic reaction by Karandlaje, who has been a target among sections of the BJP for wielding influence disproportionate to her status.

Having his way despite reservations within his party, Yedyurappa also inducted Somanna, who had the ignominy of demitting office as a minister after he failed to win an assembly bye-election from Bangalore last year.

With today's induction of ministers, all in cabinet rank, the strength of the Yeddyurappa ministry has reached 34.

Vijayashankar, Ramadas, Narayan Swamy and Patil are first time ministers.

Somanna and Patil are from the majority Lingayat community, to which Yedyurappa belongs, while Karandlaje is a Vokkaliga, the second numerically strong caste in Karnataka.

Ramdas is a Brahmin, Vijayashankar hails from backward Kuruba community and Naryanaswamy from Dalit section.

All the three ministers sacked yesterday were from the Dalit sections.

Seeking to play down the brewing discontent, Eswarappa, said, "When a manthan (churning) takes place, some poison is bound to flow. But subsequently when the nectar flows, all problems are solved".

The ministry expansion and reshuffle was not without drama as Shekhar had spoken about committing suicide, if he was axed, a threat Yedyurappa brushed aside.

Several MLAs aspiring for a ministerial slot had also warned of resigning en masse if they were ignored, but the chief minister shrugged off this threat too.

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Karnataka high court to decide tomorrow on college job scandal

The Karnataka high court will decide the fate of over 400 non-teaching staff of Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) and Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), whose appointments were cancelled, on Wednesday.
On Monday, the high court directed the state government to reconsider its decision cancelling the appointments in the two medical colleges. Justice Ram Mohan Reddy, who heard arguments for over three hours, directed additional advocate-general KM Nataraj to get the government’s response to the issue of withdrawing the cancellation order.
Unsatisfied with the manner in which the appointments were cancelled, justice Reddy questioned the government’s authority in sacking the staff. “You should hear their views. How can the government terminate; what is their right and power?” he asked.
The court suggested the government to consider the cancellation order as a show-cause notice and give the sacked employees time to file objections. “After consideration of objections, the government can take its decision,” it said.
Sandeep Patil, representing former minister Ramachandra Gowda, submitted that mistakes were committed by officers and his client had done nothing wrong.

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TCS seeks 100 acres for Karnataka facility

BANGALORE: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services exporter, has approached the Karnataka government seeking 100 acres in Bangalore to build a new facility, reports PP Thimmaya from Bangalore.

A senior state government official said they are keen to provide the land to TCS near the new international airport at Devanahallli, on the outskirts of Bangalore city. When contacted, a TCS spokesperson said: “No comments from our end.”

The state government has been keen on developing a new IT hub in the northern part of Bangalore near the international airport and quite a few IT services majors have already evinced interest in setting up their development facilities.
Besides, the state government plans to develop a dedicated aerospace zone near Devanahalli, which will involve both design and manufacturing.

Along with these plans, moves are already afoot to set up an integrated township for the technology sector called the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) spread over 40 sq km or 12,000 acres in Devanahalli.

ITIR is part of the Centre’s initiative to promote technology industry in the country. Under this, the state government will ensure all the physical infrastructure and utilities while the Centre facilitates the development of national highways, airports and rail links.

The state government has already notified acquisition of 2,081 acres for ITIR and is in the process of selecting a developer for the project.

As many as 58 IT companies have already approached the government seeking 917 acres to start their operations in ITIR. Some of these companies include Infosys, Wipro, Tejas Networks and Cognizant.

Karnataka is the first state in the country to initialise the process of setting up ITIR. Being the largest contributor to IT services exports (with a 35% share) from the country, the Karnataka government is keen to maintain its dominance.

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Bar girls answer CWG call in Delhi

Mumbai's bar girls are off to Delhi to serve as escorts to meet an demand for sex workers during the upcoming CWG

File picture of a dancer at a Kandivali bar. PIC/ RANE ASHISH

It took a while for patrons in Mumbai's bars to figure out where the goodlooking girls have disappeared lately. They have migrated North to meet the high demand for sex workers ahead of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scheduled in October.

Bar owners say over 3,000 dancers and bar attendants have not been reporting to duty, in addition to an estimated 2,000 who have headed for the Gulf in the past ten days. This, to meet the demand for young girls in the UAE after the holy month of Ramadan.

"Most bar dancers have cited visiting their village festivals as reason for leave," says Dilip Shetty, a bar owner from the western suburbs. An agent explains how most girls hail from villages around Jaipur and Agra, and can pass off as locals and hook tourists.

The demand has been further fuelled by agents recruiting them as escorts. Most of them are likely to be deployed on the Mumbai-New Delhi sector. Advertisements have begun appearing appearing in local newspapers and on websites, soliciting customers for escorts. Their job is to seduce a passenger while travelling on a train, before making him cough up cash for sex.

Insiders say the large-scale migration started last week. An estimated 200 girls are heading for New Delhi and Jaipur, both prime tourism destinations. Rafiq Khan, an agent, said he had been scouting for girls for the last five months. He makes around Rs 40,000 per girl after introducing them to brokers.

The girls, called 'artists', are offered between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1 lakh for a three-week contract. "The really beautiful ones demand twice the amount," Khan told Sunday MiDDAY. The girls are subjected to interviews in beauty parlours or at malls. Contacts are signed before they are handed Rs 10,000 as advance.

Another agent, Pappu, admits that about 70 per cent of these girls are below the age of 18. "Nobody wants an old prostitute," he shrugs.

Most girls belong to a particular dancing tribe (Bhedia) from the Rajasthan-Agra belt. About 20 per cent are from West Bengal and Karnataka. They are told they will have to regale patrons during the CWG, but insiders say, it is veiled prostitution.

There are more than 1 lakh girls employed in an estimated 1,000 bars in Mumbai, a majority of them are migrants.

The agent said most girls will be posing as tourists themselves.

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Karnataka BJP to decide who is in, who is out

BANGALORE: Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and the state BJP leadership began the exercise pertaining to the long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle by holding consultations at the former's private residence in Dollars Colony on Saturday. "Nothing has been decided yet. Perhaps, we will be able to come to some conclusion and finalise the list by Sunday evening," Yeddyurappa and state unit president KS Eshwarappa told reporters after the 150-minute meeting.That the consultation would run into rough weather on Sunday could be made out from the seemingly contradictory statements made separately by Eshwarappa and Yeddyurappa. While the former said some ministers could be dropped from the Cabinet in order to bring in new faces, the CM said that no discussion had taken place to that effect. Sources told Express that Yeddyurappa is keen only to fill up three vacant slots by inducting Shobha Karandlaje (Vokkaliga), V Somanna (Lingayat) and CH Vijayashankar (Kuruba) and not to go for a major surgery due to the sensitivities involved. However, another section is insisting that it is high time the ministry undergoes a major and drastic change, to give new fillip and dynamism to the government.In the event of undertaking a major surgery, those who are likely to be dropped include Shivanagouda Naik, Mumtaz Ali Khan and Sudhakar, while those who are likely to be inducted include A Narayanaswamy (SC), Jeevaraj or CT Ravi (Vokkaliga), Appu Pattan Shetty or SK Bellubbi (Lingayat).If all goes well, then the reshuffle could take place on Monday or Tuesday. But many would be reluctant to take oath on Tuesday and would prefer Monday. Moreover, the inauspicious "pithru paksha" is to commence from September 23, during which no auspicious programmes are held. "We will decide the date tomorrow," Yeddyurappa said.Yeddyurappa also told a delegation of BJP corporators from Davanagere that there is no proposal before him to drop Agriculture Minister SA Ravindranath from the Cabinet. About 32 party activists including 21 elected members led by mayor Vasanth Kumar and deputy mayor Pushpa Durgesh called on him at the venue of the meeting and urged him not to drop Ravindranath. M Venkaiah Naidu and MP DV Sadananda Gowda were present.

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Yeddyurappa to expand ministry in two days

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today said that he would expand his ministry in the next two days.

He, however, refused to divulge the names of those who would join his ministry.

Mr. Yeddyurappa who has been mulling over cabinet expansion to fill-up three vacancies was speaking to the press here prior to his departure to Bangalore.

Since the BJP Government came into being in May 2008, four ministers - Shobha, Somanna, H Halappa and Ramachandra Gowda - had quit. One vacancy was filled with the induction of Renuka Acharya, who is the Excise minister.

Party sources said Mr. Yeddyurappa was keen on re-inducting Shobha Karandlaje and Somanna, considered to be his confidants.

However, a section of the partymen have been opposing their return to the cabinet, particularly that of Mr. Somanna, who crossed over to BJP from the Congress.

Meanwhile, a team of BJP MLAs have communicated to the party leadership that they would oppose giving ministerial berth to Mr. Somanna.

Of the 25 MLAs who are on the US visit, at least ten of them plan to return to the city shortly to register their protest against the possible induction of Mr. Somanna, one of the MLAs told PTI over phone.

Mr. Yeddyurappa paid his last respects to Puttaraj Gavai, a doyen of Hindustani and Carnatic music who passed away yesterday following illness. He announced a grant of Rs. five crore for constructing a memorial in the name of the renowned singer.

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Abdul Karim Telgi gets 7 years' imprisonment in fake stamp paper case

A special court today sentenced prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a 2001 case relating to the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam.
Special court judge Chandrashekhar Patil sentenced 16 other accused to five years rigorous imprisonment each.
Telgi was also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each for the two charges registered under sections 256 and 259 of the IPC against him (for possession of material for printing fake stamp paper), while the 16 others were imposed a fine of Rs10,000 each.
On September 14, Telgi, the kingpin in the scam, and the 16 others were convicted by the special court in the case registered in Madiwala police station in 2001.
Telgi has been convicted in 46 such other cases across the country, including seven in Bangalore.

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'Don't accept to Siddaramaiah's Resignation': KPCC Working President

Hubli, Sep 18: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President D K Shivakumar today appealed to party supremo Sonia Gandhi not to accept the resignation of Opposition leader in the legislative assembly Siddaramaiah.
Siddaramaiah, owing moral responsibility for the defeat of party candidates in the byelections to Kadur and Gulbarga South legislative Council seats.
Speaking to newsmen here, Mr Shivakumar said that he had written a letter to Ms Gandhi appealing not to accept the resignation submitted by Mr Siddaramaiah. He said that he would oppose any such move. Instead he wanted Siddaramaiah to work hard for strengthening the party.
He denied reports that the recent Congress padayatra from Bangalore to Bellary demanding CBI inquiry into the illegal mining was with an eye on the byelections. "The padayatra was a movement against illegal mining in Bellary and other parts of the state." Replying to a question, Mr Shivakumar clarified that he was not aspirant for the post of KPCC President. He would remain a humble worker of the party throughout and serve for its betterment.

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