Vijay Mallya reaches out to Indian officials, may want to return: Report

Under this recently promulgated ordinance, the government can immediately confiscate all linked properties of Mallya in the country and abroad

Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya, the main accused in a Rs 9,000 crore alleged bank fraud case, is understood to have sounded out to Indian authorities that he was willing to come back home to face the law, official sources said on Tuesday.

Mallya, who is contesting in a London court the Indian government's action for extradition, is said to have sent feelers to authorities that he would like to join the legal process in India and contest the recent action against him under the Fugitive Economic Offender Ordinance.

Under this recently promulgated ordinance, the government can immediately confiscate all linked properties of Mallya in the country and abroad.

However, top sources in investigative agencies said the final contours of the move are still not clear as they refused to divulge more details.

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Mumbai had last month issued summons to the beleaguered businessman to appear before it on August 27 on the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking action against him under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance in the over Rs 9,000 crore bank fraud case.

The central probe agency, as part of this action, has also sought immediate confiscation of assets worth around Rs 12,500 crore of Mallya.

If he does not appear before the court or respond to its summons on the designated date, Mallya risks being declared a fugitive economic offender, besides properties linked to him being confiscated.

Mallya, his now defunct venture Kingfisher Airlines Limited and others availed loans from various banks during the tenure of the UPA-I government and the outstanding amount, including interest, against him is Rs 9,990.07 crore at present, officials had said.

He had recently said he has become the "poster boy" of bank default and a lightning rod for public anger.

The liquor baron had said that he had written letters to both the prime minister and the finance minister on April 15, 2016, to explain his side of the story.

Both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have filed separate criminal cases of alleged loan default against him.

A hearing in the extradition case is expected to be heard in London this month end where a team of Indian investigators will remain present.

AAI Recruitment 2018: 186 job vacancies for junior and senior assistant

Domicile of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Pondicherry and Lakshadweep can only apply for the AAI's job vacancies

Airport Authority of India (AAI) has invited job applications for 186 Junior Assistant (Fire Service) & Senior Assistant (Electronics) posts in the southern region. The date for the online registration is June 16 and the deadline for the online registration process is July 15 till 11.59pm. The candidates can apply through AAI Recruitment 2018 Notifications or from the official website www.aai.aero.

Candidates who are domicile of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Pondicherry and Lakshadweep can apply for the above-mentioned posts at various airports in these states.

No. of vacancies:

Junior Assistant (Fire service)- 146

Senior Assistan (electronics)-39

Category-wise vacancies:

Junior Assistant (Fire service)

General: 92

OBC: 11

SC: 23

ST: 21

Senior Assistant (electronics)

General: 23

OBC: 08

SC:5

ST:3

IMPORTANT DATES:

Commencement of online registration of application: June 16, 2018

Closure of online registration of application: July 15, 2018 Sunday

Online remittance of application fee: From June 16, 2018 to July 15, 2018

Eligibility criteria:

• The candidates’ Age shall be 18 to 30 years as on 31.03.2017. And the maximum age limit for Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated from their husbands and who are not remarried. Upto the age of 35 years (upto 40 years for member of SC/ST and 38 years for OBC).
• For the Junior Assistant, the Candidates should be 10th pass with 3 years' approved regular Diploma in Mechanical/Automobile/ Fire with minimum 50% marks. Or 12th pass with 50 per cent marks.
• For the Senior Assistant, the candidate must have a Diploma in Electronics / Tele Communication / Radio Engineering (03 years Course) from a recognized institution and two years of work experience in the concerned discipline.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Junior Assistant (Fire service):

• The candidates will have to appear for a two hour written exam which will be a computer-based test. Minimum pass marks will be 50 out of 100 for UR /OBC candidates and 40 out of 100 for SC/ST candidates.
• On passing the online written exam, the shortlisted candidates shall be subjected certificates/ document verification followed by medical examination.
• Further, those cleared in the medical examination will be allowed for driving test.
• Only on passing the driving test, the candidate will be allowed for endurance test. Read more

Sterlite protests: Madras HC stays construction of new copper smelter

For almost 100 days now, agitators had been protesting against the capacity expansion by Sterlite Copper; they claimed that the plant was causing harm to its employees

Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu: The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench on Wednesday stayed the ongoing construction of a new copper smelter at Sterlite Copper's Tuticorin plant.

A day before, as many as 11 people had been killed and 20 others injured at Thoothukudi, or Tuticorin, as a protest against Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit -- going on for 100 days since the company announced its plans to invest Rs 25 billion in doubling the capacity of its existing facility to 800,000 tonnes per annum -- turned violent. The protesters claimed the plant had been causing harm to its employees and increasing the capacity of the plant would aggravate the problems.

Meanwhile, the Union home ministry has sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government over the incident in Tuticorin.

Following a gas leak in March 2013, the then chief minister late J Jayalalithaa had ordered the plant's closure, following which the company moved the National Green Tribunal. With the tribunal overturning the government order, the state moved the Supreme Court against it, and the petition has been pending since.

Here are the top developments in the Tamil Nadu protests:

1. The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench on Wednesday put a stay on the ongoing construction of a new copper smelter by Sterlite Copper in Tuticorin under its capacity expansion efforts, according to ANI reports.

ALSO READ: Sterlite protests: Govt assures action 'respecting' people's feelings

2. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(MDMK) Chief Vaiko on Wednesday met those injured during protests against Vedanta's Sterlite Copper.

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan also met those who were injured during the anti-Sterlite protests at General Hospital in Tuticorin. The families of the victims said they were facing difficulties because of his visit and asked him to leave, ANI reported.

MNM, along with other Opposition partiesm, had condemned the violence that took place on Tuesday and blamed the AIADMK-led Tamil Nadu government for the unrest and deaths in the state.

ALSO READ: Stalin to miss Kumaraswamy's swearing-in to meet anti-Sterlite protestors

3. DMK has called for an all-party protest on May 25 over the Sterlite protest incident.

4. In a government statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy announced Rs 1 million for those who lost family members, Rs 300,000 for people who were injured severely, and Rs 100,000 for those with minor injuries..

5. In an official statement, Sterlite Copper late on Tuesday expressed regret and sorrow over the deaths that took place during protests against it in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin. The company said it had appealed to the government to ensure safety of the employees of the plant, as well as the surrounding communities.

"It's with great sorrow and regret that we witnessed today's incidents around the protest today at Tuticorin. The company has appealed to government and authorities to ensure the safety of our employees, facilities and surrounding communities. Sterlite Copper plant is non-operational as we await approval for the consent to operate," the statement read.

Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy says have stopped Modi's Ashwamedha horse: Updates

H D Kumaraswamy's swearing-in as Karnataka chief minister saw a show of strength by a galaxy of Opposition leaders who are looking to unite in a bid to take on Narendra Modi in 2019

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said that the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress alliance has succeeded in "tying" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ashwamedha horse (victory horse) in Karnataka, insinuating that the Modi-Amit Shah duo's electoral juggernaut has been halted. On Wednesday, Kumaraswamy was sworn in as the 25th chief minister of Karnataka in a ceremony in Bengaluru that brought together anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (anti-BJP) regional and Opposition parties on a single platform ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"I had said after the Uttar Pradesh election results came out that my aim is to tie the Ashwamedha horse of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah (BJP President). Today, both Congress and JD(S), together, have tied their Ashwamedha horse in Karnataka," said Kumaraswamy, adding, "Probably, in the days to come, Amit Shah has to go to Narendra Modi with lifeless Ashwamedha horse, as we have tied their horse."

The swearing-in ceremony, which also saw Congress' G Parameshwara sworn in as Karnataka deputy chief minister, showcased rare scenes of bonhomie between United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, Nationalist Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India Member of Parliament D Raja, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejaswi Yadav, and former Union minister Sharad Yadav.

The BJP, for its part, decided to abstain from attending the swearing-in ceremony despite seven of its leaders, including former chief ministers Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and S M Krishna, Union minister Ananth Kumar, and officiating Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah, being invited. The BJP emerged as the single largest party after the May 12 Assembly elections and had formed a government with B S Yeddyurappa as the chief minister that lasted for all of three days. Yeddyurappa said they were boycotting the event as BJP was observing a "black day" across the state.

Here are the top ten developments regarding government formation in Karnataka and Kumaraswamy taking oath as chief minister:

1) Kumaraswamy says Congress, JD(S) have buried the hatchet to work together:Kumaraswamy allayed fears over the working and stability of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government. "I would like to convey to the people of Karnataka that they need not worry about the survival or duration of our government even after the trust vote as we (JD(S) and Congress) have buried the hatchet to work for the state's development as alliance partners," the chief minister said.

BJP vs Congress-JD(S): Karnataka's fate now in Governor's hands; highlights Edit

As the fate of politics in Karnataka hangs in balance, the key lies in the fact as to who Governor invites to formally form the government first

As counting for Karnataka Assembly polls has ended, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 103 seats and is leading is one, emerging as the single largest party. The Congress party stood on the second position with 78 seats, while former prime minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) party bagged 37 seats. Apart from this, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party and independents won one seat each.The Karnataka Assembly election results threw up an unexpected suspense today, as a simple majority tantalisingly eluded BJP and the Congress quickly proclaimed support to third-placed JD(S) to keep the saffron party out of power. As the results of the poll in the state have left Karnataka Assembly in hung, the final decision will be taken by Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.All eyes are now on Governor Vajubhai Vala who will have to decide whether to call BJP, the single largest winner of seats, to try to form the government or go with the JD(S)-Congress combine, which together have a clear majority in the 224-member Assembly. Elections were held for 222 seats on May 12. Both sides rushed to meet Vala, their vehicles slowly cutting through the throngs of party workers and supporters assembled outside the Raj Bhavan gates, and staked claim to power.Elections in Karnataka were held at 222 out of 224 seats, on May 12. A party or an alliance needs 112 seats to form the government in Karnataka.

Karnataka election result 2018 highlights:* Siddaramaiah wins Badami assembly seat, but loses in Chamundeshwari.* Yeddyurappa wins Shikaripura seat by a margin of over 35,000 votes.* Kumaraswamy wins both Ramanagara and Channapatna seats.A record 72.36 per cent of the 50.7 million (5.07 crore) electorate cast their votes, with 27,908 electors in defence services exercising their franchise through postal ballots.The Election Commission has deployed 16,662 personnel for counting of votes amid tight security. "Postal ballots will be counted first before the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are opened," Kumar said.Meanwhile, four of the seven polling agencies predicted in their exit polls that the BJP would emerge as the single-largest party today. While most exit polls predicted a hung Assembly with the BJP ahead, two said the BJP would either come very close to or cross the halfway mark of 112 seats, while the India Today-Axis exit poll said the Congress might bag a majority. All exit polls gave the H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) nearly two dozen seats or more, which could make it the kingmaker if there is a hung Assembly.

Top 10 developments on Karnataka election 2018 results:

1. How expressions changed at BJP headquarters with Karnataka swings: BJP leaders slammed the Congress for running a toxic and negative campaign and said the people of Karnataka had chosen the BJP's development agenda over the Congress's divisive agenda.

But the whole scenario changed in the afternoon as TV screens showed the party's count dropping and that of the Congress increasing. With the BJP numbers coming down to 105 from 120, the drum beats and celebrations stopped and the union ministers as well as the party's national spokespersons left the headquarters.

The smiles on the faces of party workers also dimmed but they drew satisfaction from the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 104 seats.

The smiles again returned to the party office after Narendra Modi and Amit Shah came to mark the party's performance.

2. Learning from mistakes, Congress acted swiftly to be in race for power in Karnataka: Learning from past mistakes, the Congress today moved swiftly to remain in the game as it extended support to JD(S) to form a government in Karnataka after the BJP failed to get a simple majority.

The move is seen as an attempt by the beleaguered party to save yet another state from slipping out of its kitty. The Congress currently rules Punjab, Mizoram and Puducherry.

Why Karnataka's new government has a job on its hands despite 8.5% growth

In 2016, Karnataka recorded the second-highest number of farmer suicides-1,212, behind only Maharashtra

Karnataka is grappling with income inequality, an agrarian crisis and child malnutrition even though its economy grew at 8.5%–second-highest among 10 states and union territories in 2017–to a gross domestic product of Rs 9.5 lakh crore ($141 billion) in 2017-18, according to the latest economic survey.

The 2018-19 budget for the state is Rs 2.09 lakh crore ($31 billion), which is 12% more than the budget estimate of Rs 1.86 lakh crore for 2017-18. There has been an increase in the state’s revenue as well. Karnataka’s tax revenue for 2018-19, including goods and services tax (GT) compensation, is estimated to be Rs 1.03 lakh crore ($15 billion), an increase of 13% over the revised estimate for 2017-18.

The economic survey 2017-18 highlights Karnataka’s progress on the per capita income front too. With a per capita income of Rs 142,267 per annum, Karnataka’s citizens are India’s 10th richest, behind Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Kerala in 2015-16 according to national accounts.

This prosperity, however, has not led to equal distribution of wealth, robust agriculture or good access to public health systems.

Bengaluru city earns five times as much as poorest district, Kalaburagi

Income disparity is high in the state. Bengaluru urban is the richest pocket with a per capita income of Rs 320,346 per annum. Kalaburagi in the north is the poorest, with a per capita income of Rs 65,493 per annum, almost one-fifth that of the state’s capital city.

Source: Karnataka Economic Survey 2017-18; Figures in Rs

In primary education (grades I to V), Yadgir in northeast Karnataka suffers a dropout rate–calculated by subtracting the sum of promotion and repetition from 100 in every grade–of 12.3%. In Bengaluru Urban, this rate is 2.9%. Yadgir’s average primary dropout rate exceeds Mizoram’s (10.1%), according to the District Information System on Education (DISE) 2015-16.

Source: District Information System on Education 2015-16; Figures in %

This inequality is evident in health indicators as well. For example, in Dakshin Kannada, nearly 92% households reported improved sanitation in 2015-16. But in Yadgir, this rate stood at 18.1%, according to National Family Health Survey 2015-16.

Why Karnataka's new government has a job on its hands despite 8.5% growth

In 2016, Karnataka recorded the second-highest number of farmer suicides-1,212, behind only Maharashtra

Karnataka is grappling with income inequality, an agrarian crisis and child malnutrition even though its economy grew at 8.5%–second-highest among 10 states and union territories in 2017–to a gross domestic product of Rs 9.5 lakh crore ($141 billion) in 2017-18, according to the latest economic survey.

The 2018-19 budget for the state is Rs 2.09 lakh crore ($31 billion), which is 12% more than the budget estimate of Rs 1.86 lakh crore for 2017-18. There has been an increase in the state’s revenue as well. Karnataka’s tax revenue for 2018-19, including goods and services tax (GT) compensation, is estimated to be Rs 1.03 lakh crore ($15 billion), an increase of 13% over the revised estimate for 2017-18.

The economic survey 2017-18 highlights Karnataka’s progress on the per capita income front too. With a per capita income of Rs 142,267 per annum, Karnataka’s citizens are India’s 10th richest, behind Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Kerala in 2015-16 according to national accounts.

This prosperity, however, has not led to equal distribution of wealth, robust agriculture or good access to public health systems.

Bengaluru city earns five times as much as poorest district, Kalaburagi

Income disparity is high in the state. Bengaluru urban is the richest pocket with a per capita income of Rs 320,346 per annum. Kalaburagi in the north is the poorest, with a per capita income of Rs 65,493 per annum, almost one-fifth that of the state’s capital city.

Source: Karnataka Economic Survey 2017-18; Figures in Rs

In primary education (grades I to V), Yadgir in northeast Karnataka suffers a dropout rate–calculated by subtracting the sum of promotion and repetition from 100 in every grade–of 12.3%. In Bengaluru Urban, this rate is 2.9%. Yadgir’s average primary dropout rate exceeds Mizoram’s (10.1%), according to the District Information System on Education (DISE) 2015-16.

Source: District Information System on Education 2015-16; Figures in %

This inequality is evident in health indicators as well. For example, in Dakshin Kannada, nearly 92% households reported improved sanitation in 2015-16. But in Yadgir, this rate stood at 18.1%, according to National Family Health Survey 2015-16.

Karnataka election: Manmohan attacks Modi for 'economic mismanagement'

With the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 days away, the BJP and Congress are running fierce campaigns. Catch today's latest Karnataka election campaign updates here

As the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 draws closer, top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress leaders are holding back-to-back rallies in the state to boost their respective parties' chances of securing a win in the crucial election.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, too, joined the Congress election campaign in the state on Monday, addressing a press conference in Bengaluru. Singh attacked the Modi government for its economic policies, saying that the country was facing a crisis that was avoidable.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha workers. Addressing Karnataka BJP workers via NaMo app on Monday, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of being against new technologies promoted by the central government.

Looking to dethrone the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Modi kick-started a series of election rallies in the poll-bound state on May 1, with a total of 21 rallies scheduled. On Sunday, he addressed rallies in Chitradurga, Raichur, Jamakhandi, and Hubli.

ADVERTISING

As the Karnataka election inches closer, a political slugfest has erupted in the state, with parties firing a barrage of barbs at one another. Gandhi has advised Prime Minister Modi to "copy" and implement at the Centre the Karnataka government's plan for the welfare of Dalits and Adivasis. Modi, for his part, reminded voters that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party chief Rahul Gandhi were out on bail in connection with a Rs 50-billion (Rs 5,000-crore) scam.

Karnataka will go to the polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 224-member Assembly. The results will be out on May 15.

Here are the top 10 developments in the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 campaign by Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi:

1) Manmohan Singh attacks Modi, BJP: Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, former PM Singh accused the Modi government of hurting the economy with moves such as demonetisation and the hasty implementation of goods and services tax (GST).

" Two major avoidable blunders of the Modi govt have been demonetisation and hasty implementation of GST. The losses the economy suffered due to these blunders have severely hurt our micro, small and medium enterprise sector and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs," Singh said.

Singh also attacked the government over a series of banking sector frauds, saying that swindled money almost quadrupled from Rs 284.16 billion in September 2013 to Rs 1.11 trillion in September 2017.

"Perpetrators of these frauds, meanwhile, escape with impunity. The economic mismanagement of the Modi government, and I say this with great care and responsibility, is slowly eroding the general public's trust in the banking sector," he said.

Long queues again? ATMs go dry as many states face cash crunch: Top updates

Several states are facing a cash shortage despite currency flows in the economy at the pre-demonetisation level

A cash crunch has been reported in several states of India -- Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. People are facing a huge monetary crisis, with a majority of automated teller machines (ATMs) running out of cash. In Bihar's Patna several ATMs have gone 'out of service' causing inconvenience to the locals.

Taking stock of the situation, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said: "We have reviewed the currency situation in the country; there is more than adequate currency circulation and it is available with the banks... a temporary shortage caused by the sudden and unusual increase in some areas is being tackled.

Here are the top developments in the crisis caused by a sudden shortage of cash across several states and what the government is saying:1. Life gets miserable for many Indians, especially traders: Despite the currency flow in the economy going back to the pre-demonetisation level, ATMs are going dry making life miserable for many residents, especially traders. Many are running from one ATM to another in search of currency notes.

ALSO READ: Demonetisation redux? ATMs again running dry across states amid cash crunch

2. Some ATMs not dispensing more than Rs 5,000: Only one ATM at State Bank of India’s branch had cash, but the machine was dispensing only up to Rs 5000 cash and that too only in the form of Rs 100 currency notes, according to The Times of India report.

The people in Delhi, on the other hand, said that most of the ATMs are dispensing only Rs 500 notes.

3.Hyderabad, Varanasi office-goers face troubles: In Hyderabad, office goers have told news agency ANI, that they have been unable to withdraw cash from ATMs in several parts of the city since yesterday. There are reports from Varanasi as well of people saying there is no cash at ATMs since yesterday, said TOI report.

However, people in Madhya Pradesh claimed that they have been facing a cash crunch for the last two weeks.

4. Govt's meeting with RBI on cash shortage across states: The finance ministry held a meeting with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), banks, and state government officials on Thursday to take stock of cash availability after receiving complaints of the dearth of money in some states. The non-release of funds by the Centre is being cited as one reason for the cash crunch.

Maritime India Summit: To invest Rs 1 lakh crore to double port capacity, says PM

The Centre has firmed up a comprehensive plan to increase India's port capacity to 3,000 million tonnes (MT) by 2025 from the present level of 1,400 million tonnes. To meet this target, the government has envisaged an investment of Rs 1 trillion to meet this target, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in his inaugural speech at the maiden Maritime India Summit 2016 on Thursday.

The proposed plan includes development of five new ports in addition to the existing 12 major ports and the ongoing development at three new ports, the Prime Minister said. A slew of initiatives, including the Sagarmala project — which will allow leveraging of the 7,500-km long coastline — will help revive and restore India's position in the global maritime sector, he added.

Speaking about the initial efforts taken by the Centre, Modi said that major ports had added 165 million tonnes capacity with record addition each year in last two years. The traffic in major ports showed 4% growth in the same period despite global slowdown. Operating margins, which were on a decline, also saw an improvement. In the year ended March 2016, operating profit of 12 major ports increased by nearly Rs 6.7 billion, he said.

Read more from our special coverage on "NARENDRA MODI"

• Modi hosts lunch for Prince William, Kate
• Maldives security, stability in Indias interest: Narendra Modi
• PM Modi to visit Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on May 1
• Dear PM Modi, too many U-turns make you dizzy
• PM Modis promise to double rural income leaves farmers, experts cold

Furthermore, he said that the Jawaharlal Nehru Port alone had posted a net profit of Rs 10 billion, helped by 12% increase in efficiency. This is just a beginning as the government wants to do more, he added. “We are enhancing our own capacities of execution and implementation of ports,” Modi noted.

Modi said the Centre is engaging with the immediate and regional neighbours to promote shippingand maritime security.

Assuring assistance on all fronts, the Prime Minister invited investors to come to India with an open mind, “This is the right time to come to India and even better time to come via sea route. Do not miss it.”Read More.

BJP bets its all on Yeddyurappa for its re-entry in South India

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who faces charges of underhand dealings in the state’s biggest mining scam, will lead the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next Assembly election in 2018.

The strongman of the majority Lingayat community is facing a trial in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)  court for receiving bribes from a private mining company.

The decision to make him the face of the Karnataka BJP and perhaps its chief minister candidate was taken by a party high command that is pledged to fighting corruption.

The decision follows pressure by the Lingayat community after Yeddyurappa edged himself out of a slew of cases on illegal denotification of government land. The cases were quashed by the Karnataka High Court on procedural grounds, which the Supreme Court upheld.

In 2011, Yeddyurappa had to step down as chief minister after his name figured in a Lok Ayukta report on a Rs 3,000 crore scam in the iron-ore rich Bellary district. Apart from Yeddyurappa, party colleagues Sriramulu, Janardhana Reddy, Anand Singh and Nagendra were indicted for shipping thousands of tonnes of iron ore to China.

Yeddyurappa, who is now a Lok Sabha member from Shivamogga, will on April 14 take over of the state unit’s reins at an event the BJP plans to use to project itself as a Dalit-friendly party.

On Saturday, BJP leaders thronged Yeddyurappa’s residence in Bengaluru, calling him the only popular face of the party who could lead it in elections two years from now.

The developments were watched warily by the Congress, which has been ruling the state since 2013. “It shows their hypocrisy in appointing a person charged with corruption,” said party spokesperson Dinesh Gundu Rao.

The Congress government has been facing flak over infighting and for not providing development. “In the last three years, there were irritants… Now that is over, we have two years to showcase our performance,” Rao said.

“Yeddyurappa has time and again proven he is inevitable for the BJP. The party’s  calculation is that only he can galvanise the state unit,” said Sandeep Shastri, political scientist and pro vice-chancellor at Jain University.
 

While some would give full marks to the BJP for starting early in the only state in the south where they stand a chance – having given up on Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala – finally, it was a tainted leader that the "party with a difference" has to fall back on.