New Delhi: There are speculations that the old Jogi Siddaramaiah will finally be elected as Chief Minister in Karnataka. JK Siddaramaiah is said to have assured from the front that he would step down as Chief Minister after two years and install Shivakumar on the throne. Three Congress observers took the opinion of Karnataka MLAs and submitted their report to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

100 crore defamation case against Khadge

A defamation case has been filed against Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge for calling the Bajrang Dal an anti-national force. The Sangrur Court of Punjab has sent a summons to Kharge due to a defamation case of Rs 100 crore against Kharge. The Sangrur court has ordered Khadge to appear before the court on July 10. Hindu Security Council and Bajrang Dal Hind founder Hitesh Bhardwaj filed a defamation case against Khadge.

Hitesh Bharadwaj has alleged that Mallikarjun Kharge compared the Bajrang Dal with anti-national elements during the Karnataka assembly elections. Khadge said that Bajrang Dal and other anti-national organizations like it spread hatred in the society when the Congress government came.

In Karnataka, the Congress promised to ban the Bajrang Dal if it won the elections. Bajrang Dal protested across the country on this issue. BJP has also raised this issue but without success.

Sarma's comment to close madrassas is unconstitutional

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has created a controversy by denying the closure of all madrassas in Assam. Sarma declared in Telangana that we don't want madrassas, we want schools, colleges and universities. We are working towards closure of Madrasas in Assam. After becoming Chief Minister, I have closed 600 madrasas and this year I will close 300 more madrasas. Sarma also claimed that we are working to stop love jihad in Assam.

Sarma's statement is being considered unconstitutional. Madrasas are opened by Muslims under the right given to minorities by the country's constitution and no government can close them. Sarma himself is making claims that are above the constitution. Constitutional experts also accept that Sarma as the Chief Minister of a state does not like such things.

The job of the officer who helped Jain is in jeopardy

Former Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain is again involved in controversy. Accepting Satyendra Jain's demand, Tihar Jail authorities sent two prisoners to their cell along with Jain. A show cause notice has been issued to the Jail Superintendent for this decision.

Jain requested the Superintendent of Jail No. Seven, Tihar, that two other inmates should be kept with him as he suffered from depression due to isolation in his cell. If they communicate with them, their depression will go away.

The superintendent granted their demand and sent the two prisoners to their cells but on receiving the notice, he sent both the prisoners back to their old cells. The superintendent of jail number seven transferred both the inmates without informing the jail system. The superintendent's move also raised questions about Jain's safety, which could lead to the superintendent's dismissal.

Karnataka Pattern of Congress in three state elections

The Congress is buoyed by its resounding victory in Karnataka and has started preparations in earnest for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The Congress has asked the leaders of the three states to decide on a major issue against the BJP on the pattern of Karnataka. In Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah assured that if the Congress does not win, they will make room for new leadership. The high command will also seek similar assurance from the leaders in these three states. It is certain that the Congress will fight under the leadership of Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh. In Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath holds the reins but there are doubts whether Kamal Nath can give such an assurance.

Congress believes that out of these three states, at least two states i.e. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are in a good position and can win. Given the Gehlot vs. Sachin Pilot battle in Rajasthan and the history of power changes every five years, the Congress is skeptical.

Karnataka Vs CBI battle ready

In Karnataka, the Congress is ready to form the government, while in CBI, Pravin Sood is also ready to take over as director from May 25. Praveen Sood, a 1986 batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre, is currently the Karnataka Police Chief, but due to his very bad relationship with the Congress leaders, the Karnataka government and the CBI have been at loggerheads ever since.

During the Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress ran a PCM campaign against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bomai. Following this, a number of cases were registered against Congress workers. Following this, Sivakumar alleged that Sood and his officers are deliberately targeting Congress workers and turning a blind eye to the activities of BJP workers in the state. Shivakumar called Sood a BJP worker. Shivakumar also promised to take action. The Congress also wrote to the Election Commission to remove him.

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Who is the opposition leader of BJP: Congress question

BJP is yet to announce the name of the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka. Controversy over the post of Chief Minister continues in the Karnataka Congress Responding to the BJP's attack on the matter, the Congress on Tuesday said that the people of Karnataka want to know who will hold the opposition post in the state. In a tweet, Congress Media and Publicity Department Head Pawan Khera said that if the BJP is worried about who will be the CM in Karnataka, the people of the state must also want to know who will be the Leader of the Opposition of the BJP.

Tipu's play writer resigns as BJP loses

Adanda C Cariappa, director of the Theater Institute of Karnataka Mysuru, resigned from his post as a moral obligation after the defeat of the BJP in the recent assembly elections. He said that the government that appointed me as director in Rangayan has lost. I respect the people's verdict and accept my moral responsibility and resign from the post of director, Cariappa said in a circular addressed to the secretary of the Kannada culture department on May 14. Cariappa courted some controversies during his tenure as director. These include the play Tipu Kanasugalu (Real Dreams of Tipu) written and directed by him.

Tussle over leadership of Afghan mission

Diplomats at the Afghan embassy in Delhi have been at loggerheads over the former republic and the current administration in Kabul. The Taliban are choosing leaders close to the Haqqani network. After the fall of Ashraf Ghani's government in 2021, the Afghan embassy is being managed by Farid Mahmudezi. He was appointed in September 2020. There has been no official objection from the Indian side regarding their differences. The Indian side considers it an internal matter of Afghanistan. Not all countries of the world, including India, have approved the current structure of the Taliban.

RPCC report sought against pilot group threat

Rajasthan Congress in-charge Sukhjindersingh Randhawa termed the threat issued by Sachin Pilot and his group during the Jansangarsh Padayatra on Monday as extremely unfortunate, anti-partisan and bordering on indiscipline. He said that he should not talk in public like this. I will ask RPCC President Govindsingh Dotasara to report on the meeting of the pilot group held on 16th May. He said he would visit Jaipur to take up the matter and verify the statements made by Congress ministers and MLAs present at the pilot meeting. If anyone wants to raise such issues, he should raise them before me, the party high command, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Do not eat in public.

- Inder Sahni