Latest JDS News | Top JDS News Headlines Today | Today India news | Breaking JDS News Today | English JDS News Headlines - TheDailyGuardian

Karnataka BJP and JD(S) to Protest Against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

September 25, 2024, 4:44 pm

Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra has announced that the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] will hold a protest in the Vidhana Soudha premises on Thursday. This decision comes in light of a recent court order directing the Karnataka Lokyukta to investigate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah concerning allegations related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) ‘scam’.

Court Directs Investigation
The Bengaluru Special Court has ordered an investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites valued at ₹56 crore to his wife, Parvathi, by the MUDA. Vijayendra expressed support for the court’s ruling, urging the Chief Minister to resign and transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Legal Proceedings and Background
The Mysuru district police under the Karnataka Lokyukta will conduct the investigation and are required to submit a report within three months. This decision follows the Karnataka High Court’s recent ruling, which vacated an interim stay that had previously delayed proceedings against Siddaramaiah.

Allegations of Illegal Allotment
The allegations against Siddaramaiah involve the illegal allotment of prime sites in Mysuru city to his wife. The High Court’s ruling dismissed Siddaramaiah’s petition that challenged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s approval for the investigation into these alleged irregularities.

Implications of the Ruling
In his judgment, Justice Nagaprasanna stated that the Governor’s sanction for prosecution did not indicate a lack of due diligence. With the High Court’s decision to lift the interim stay, a First Information Report (FIR) is now expected to be registered as part of the ongoing investigation into the matter.

Suraj Revanna, JD(S) MLC, Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault On Male Party Worker

June 23, 2024, 12:13 pm

Suraj Revanna, a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from JD(S) and the elder brother of Prajwal Revanna, has been arrested following serious allegations of sexual assault leveled against him by a 27-year-old party worker. The incident allegedly took place at Suraj Revanna’s farmhouse in Ghannikada, Holenarasipura Taluk, on June 16.

According to reports, Suraj Revanna was brought to the CEN police station in Hassan for interrogation, which extended over several hours before his arrest. He has been booked under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

In response to these charges, Suraj Revanna has vehemently denied the allegations, asserting his innocence. His aide, Shivakumar, filed a counter-complaint against the party worker and his relative, alleging an attempt to extort ₹5 crore from the MLC. The complaint claimed that the duo threatened to falsely accuse Suraj Revanna of sexual assault if their demands were not met, eventually reducing their demand to ₹2 crore.

The complaint further revealed that the JD(S) worker had initially approached Suraj seeking employment, and after the MLC expressed his inability to assist immediately, the extortion threats allegedly began.

This development adds to the legal troubles faced by the Revanna family, known for their prominent political lineage in Karnataka. Prajwal Revanna, Suraj Revanna’s younger brother, is currently in judicial custody on charges of sexually abusing women. Additionally, their father, JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, was recently arrested in a kidnapping case linked to purported sex videos involving Prajwal Revanna, though he has since been released on bail.

JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna Faces Arrest On Arrival In Bengaluru

May 30, 2024, 12:45 pm

Prajwal Revanna, the JD(S) Member of Parliament representing Hassan, Karnataka, is expected to be arrested upon his arrival in Bengaluru tomorrow. Revanna, embroiled in two rape cases, will be returning from Munich, and Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is prepared to detain him immediately.

“All necessary measures have to be taken, as a warrant has been issued against him. He has to be arrested. SIT is waiting, they will arrest him and will take his statement, and their process will start,” Parameshwara stated.

Revanna’s imminent arrest follows his video statement pledging to appear before the SIT on May 31. He left for Germany on April 27, the day after polling in Hassan, and has since been out of the country. The SIT, with assistance from Interpol and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has issued a ‘Blue Corner Notice’ to track Revanna’s whereabouts.

The controversy has sparked criticism within his own party. JD(S) legislator Samruddhi Manjunath condemned Revanna for “bringing embarrassment to all and cannot be forgiven,” and criticized him for leaving the country, calling it a “self-trap.”

Revanna’s legal team has sought anticipatory bail in the cases filed against him, but Special Judge Gajanana Bhat has adjourned the hearing on the petition to Friday. The bail plea pertains to a sexual abuse and rape case in Holenarasipura and two other cases under SIT investigation.

Revanna, 33, maintains his innocence, claiming to have a “valid and tenable defense.” He alleges that the electronic evidence against him has been fabricated to register false cases. Revanna emphasized his amicable relationship with the first informant and expressed shock at the allegations, affirming his readiness to cooperate with authorities.

Times Network has obtained access to his anticipatory bail petitions filed in the MPs/MLAs court, highlighting his contention of innocence and the alleged fabrication of evidence.

JDS Leader HD Revanna Visits Former PM Deve Gowda Residence After Release From Jail

May 15, 2024, 6:41 pm

The JDS leader was detained on May 4 by Special Investigation Team (SIT) officers in connection with a kidnapping complaint that was filed at the city’s KR Nagar police station.

The 66-year-old former minister, son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in an alleged case of abduction of a woman, linked to the allegations of sexual abuse of women by his son and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, on May 4.

He is out on conditional bail by special court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat.

Prajwal Revanna ‘Obscene Video Case’: HD Kumaraswamy Alleges 25,000 Pen Drives Involved

May 7, 2024, 7:02 pm

JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy alleged on Tuesday that 25,000 pen drives containing sexually explicit videos, purportedly recorded by his nephew Prajwal Revanna, were distributed across Karnataka before the Lok Sabha elections last month. Kumaraswamy accused Congress leader DK Shivakumar of orchestrating this “conspiracy.”

Prajwal Revanna allegedly flew abroad on April 27, following the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls. HD Kumaraswamy claimed that the pen drives were initially circulated in Bengaluru Rural, the constituency of DK Shivakumar’s brother, DK Suresh.

Prajwal Revanna, who is the MP and JD(S) candidate in Karnataka’s Hassan, along with his father MLA H D Revanna, faces allegations of molesting their cook, with an additional case of rape registered against him. Earlier this month, Revanna’s father was arrested in a kidnapping case related to alleged sexual assault. In response to these allegations, the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the charges.

Hinting at DK Shivakumar’s involvement, Kumaraswamy criticized the SIT, dubbing it the “Siddaramaiah Investigation Team” and “Shivakumar Investigation Team.” He questioned why action wasn’t taken against individuals named in complaints related to the distribution of the pen drives, despite his party’s polling agent filing a complaint.

Kumaraswamy also raised concerns about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s remarks predicting the defeat of all three JD(S) candidates in the Lok Sabha elections, suggesting a possible conspiracy. JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna, and authorities have issued a Blue Corner notice to locate him as he has been missing since April 27.

Karnataka: Prajwal Revanna’s Father HD Revanna Booked in Woman’s Kidnapping Case

May 4, 2024, 2:41 am

Former Karnataka Minister and JD(S) leader, HD Revanna, faces accusations of kidnapping. The son of a woman involved claims his mother was abducted and abused. She had worked at Revanna’s house before.

On April 23, a man named Sathish Babanna took her away. She returned on April 26. Then, on April 29, Babanna took her again. This time, citing an old legal issue. The son believes her disappearance is linked to a video. It allegedly shows sexual abuse involving Prajwal Revanna.

He confronted Babanna, suspecting foul play. As a result, he filed a kidnapping complaint. HD Revanna and Babanna are accused. They’re charged under relevant sections of the IPC. The FIR was filed just before HD Revanna’s bail hearing. He previously skipped a summons by the SIT.

Meanwhile, the Additional Commissioner of Mysore Police gathered information. HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna are under scrutiny. They’re being investigated by a Special Investigative Team.

It’s over allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation. This stems from a complaint by a former household worker. HD Revanna was booked on April 28. It was based on a complaint lodged with the Holenarasipura Town police. Charges include sexual harassment and intimidation. The victim implicates both Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna.

Prajwal Revanna Sex Scandal: Impact on BJP-JD(S) in Karnataka’s 2024 Elections

May 2, 2024, 7:25 pm

Fourteen parliamentary seats from Karnataka are part of the 94 constituencies set for polling in the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, scheduled for May 7. Karnataka contributes 28 members to the Lok Sabha, with half of its seats already voted upon in the second phase on April 26.

Karnataka holds significant importance for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, and the regional party Janata Dal (Secular).

The BJP won 25 out of the 28 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, marking significant growth for the party in Karnataka, the only state in the South where it saw such success. This makes the political competition in Karnataka important for the BJP. It’s also a key part of the BJP’s “Mission South” strategy because, apart from Telangana and Karnataka, the party hasn’t made much progress in gaining support in the southern states.

Karnataka holds significant importance for the Congress, particularly following its recent triumph in the state assembly elections where it secured 135 out of 224 seats. The upcoming Lok Sabha elections on May 7 will see voting in 14 seats across northern Karnataka, encompassing constituencies such as Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, and Shimoga.

Struggle for survival for JD(S)

The Janata Dal (S), which suffered significant setbacks in the 2023 state polls, faces heightened stakes due to its existential crisis. The party’s alliance with the BJP holds considerable importance, particularly following its poor performance in the previous assembly elections, where it only managed to secure 19 seats. It seems that the JD (S) has partnered with the BJP in hopes of regaining lost ground in the state.

In the recent third phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the JD(S) contested in three seats as part of its alliance. One of these seats was in Hassan, where JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna won in 2019 despite facing sexual abuse allegations. Interestingly, Hassan was the only seat JD(S) won in the 2019 elections, although at that time, the party was in alliance with the Congress.

Looking ahead, the JD(S) might face challenges in the upcoming elections in North Karnataka, where it doesn’t have strong support. A political analyst, Sandeep Shastri, suggests that unless there’s solid evidence from the SIT probe regarding the allegations, the BJP might dismiss them as fabricated. He also mentioned that if these allegations had surfaced just before the recent polls, they might have had a bigger impact in Southern Karnataka.

On April 16, during the polling day, former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda expressed assurance that the BJP-JDS alliance would triumph in all 14 seats of the state that participated in the first phase of voting.

The potential ramifications of the allegations against Prajwal Revanna regarding sexual misconduct.

Days before the May 7 polls, the BJP and JD(S), alliance partners, faced a dilemma following the sexual abuse allegations involving Prajwal Revanna, who is also the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. Although JD(S) doesn’t hold much sway in the 14 seats of north Karnataka up for election, the scandal is anticipated to influence the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s prospects due to its impact on the parties’ reputation. Both JD(S) and BJP have distanced themselves from Prajwal, with JD(S) suspending him and BJP stating it won’t support him either.

On May 1, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that his party wouldn’t support those who commit crimes against women. Shah criticized Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar for not taking action against Prajwal before the elections ended in the Vokkaliga belt during the first phase. The Vokkaliga belt includes areas in Old Mysore dominated by the Vokkaliga community, along with coastal seats.

In the upcoming voting on May 7, the Lingayat community holds significant influence in the 14 seats. Lingayats are the largest single community in Karnataka, making up nearly 17% of the state’s 5.3 crore voters. Vokkaligas, another important group, make up about 12% of the electorate.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant: “What Congress Couldn’t Do in 50 Years, PM Modi Did in 10”

April 17, 2024, 8:34 pm

Goa Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Sawant criticized the Congress party, highlighting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved in 10 years what the Congress couldn’t in 50 years. He countered Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s remarks about fair elections, asserting that the NDA government led by PM Modi is preferred for the development of India.

Sawant expressed confidence in the NDA’s prospects in Maharashtra and suggested strong possibilities for the BJP-JDS alliance in Karnataka. Additionally, Sawant, along with former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa, supported the BJP’s candidate from Belagavi Lok Sabha seat during his nomination filing. This candidate, Shettar, switched back to the BJP after leaving for the Congress last year.

Shettar is now contesting in place of Mangala Angadi, who was denied renomination. Karnataka’s elections will take place in two phases – April 26 and May 7, as part of the broader Lok Sabha Elections 2024 spanning seven phases, starting from April 19, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.

‘I had promised…will deliver State into party’s fold’, DK Shivakumar

May 13, 2023, 2:01 pm

In key constituency of Kanakapura, Congress’ Karnataka unit chief DK Shivakumar marked a dominating victory with a margin of over 55,000 votes. Shivakumar was up against BJP’s R Ashoka and JD(S)’s B Nagaraju.

An emotional Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar broke down on Saturday as his party looked poised towards forming the next government in the State. He also recalled his stint in jail in 2019.

Shivakumar thanked the party cadre and workers for the results. “I can’t forget Sonia Gandhi visiting me in jail…when BJP people put me in jail,” Shivakumar who was almost choking with emotion said.

Speaking to reporters, the Karnataka Congress Pradesh Committee (KPCC) chief said, “I credit my cadre and all my party leaders, they worked hard. People have lent faith in us, they supported us. It is a collective leadership and we jointly worked. I said in the beginning, joining the party is beginning…the day I took the oath, thinking together is progress, and working together is success”.

Shivakumar recalled his time in jail in the year 2019 for over 50 days in ED custody in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

“I had promised Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge that I will deliver the state to their fold. When these BJP people put me in jail, I remember Sonia Gandhi came to meet me there. Such is the faith the party, the Gandhi family and the whole country bestowed on me,” he said.

Shivakumar said that he will again address the media and party workers after some time.
“I thank all the MLAs in the state, including Siddaramaiah. Every leader who worked from block to the booth level, including my AICC leaders and general secretaries. I have a lot of things to tell, but I will come later and meet you all at Bharat Jodo Bhavan,” the senior Congress leader said.

Will not form alliance with JD(S)”: Karnataka Congress chief Shivakumar

May 10, 2023, 2:00 pm

Karnataka Congress DK Shivakumar on Wednesday dismissed a post-poll alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) JD(S) expressing confidence that his party will get an absolute majority in the 224-seat assembly.

“Here the issue is price rise, corruption, good governance and development. There are no chances of alliance with JD(S). We will form the government on our own,” Shivakumar told reporters after casting his vote here in elections to Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Earlier in the day, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah too expressed confidence that the Congress will secure an absolute majority, saying it could get 130-150 seats.Shivakumar further appealed to the people of Karnataka to consider “inflation” in the BJP-ruled state and come out and vote.

“I am appealing to everyone, please cast a vote by looking at our gas cylinders. I have advised all my leaders to put a gas cylinder outside the booth and put a garland on it,”Shivakumar said.The Karnataka Congress chief had a day ago performed aarti of a gas cylinder., a video of which was posted on the Congress Party handle.

KUMARASWAMY WARMS UP TO BJP, BUT REFUTES JDS’ MERGER RUMOURS

December 23, 2020, 3:05 am

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy put out statements late on Sunday night that talks of a BJP and JDS merger are baseless and that the latter is supporting the saffron party on an issue-to-issue basis only.

The camaraderie between the two political leaders had led to speculations of a merger, especially after the unruly scenes on the floor of the upper house when the BJP and JDS came together to placate Congress’s chairman Prathap Chandra Shetty. However, the changing political weather in Karnataka has prompted all the big leaders to jump into the issue with their own takes on the unfolding developments.

On Monday, both BSY and HDK clarified again that there was absolutely no truth to rumours about any kind of a merger. While BSY maintained that it is insulting to talk about a merger, as both former Chief Minister HDK and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda were striving to preserve the JDS, HDK, on the other hand, said that the JDS, which is the only regional party in Karnataka, prides itself of being a party of Kannadigas and to merge JDS with BJP would be a display of plain stupidity. Going a step ahead, HDK said that his real politicking will begin in 2023, when the state goes to the polls, and that he is preparing the ground for the all-important elections.

The Chief Minister, in a statement, dismissed reports, describing them as ‘’pure lies’’. “The confusing news that JD(S) MLAs will join BJP or the JD(S) merging with BJP is pure lies. There is nothing like that,” he said. Yediyurappa said that the JD(S) had extended support only on the issue of removing the legislative council chairman from his post. The JD(S), he pointed out, had not supported the BJP on bringing the anti-cow slaughter bill due to which the government had to take the ordinance route.

“I want to clarify that for Janata Dal Secular, the situation of committing suicide by merging with another party has not yet come. I don’t foresee such a situation gripping us in the future too,’’ HDK tweeted.

Stating that JD(S) is a party of Kannadigas with self-esteem and would never think of such a move, former chief minister HDK said that his party “will never display such stupidity.” “At the most, we may extend issue-based support to the BJP, if needed in the coming days, in public interest. No importance needs to be attached to any imaginary reports in this regard,’’ HDK said.

“Didn’t the Congress party withdraw support for the IK Gujral-led government citing DMK link to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and later entered into an alliance with the same party for over a decade? Didn’t DMK join hands with both NDA and UPA? Didn’t Nitish Kumar tie up with RJLD and then dump it and join hands with BJP? There are dozens of such examples. We are supporting BJP on select issues and we will do whatever it takes to support BJP as long as it benefits the people. Wherever we feel the people will get adversely affected, we will oppose them,’’ said HDK, adding that his father’s secular credentials was the only reason why he agreed to a JDS-Congress coalition government. He also said that it was only because of Congress’ double standards that he has been forced to take such steps.

About talks of JDS being the B-team of the BJP, he shot back at Siddaramaiah, stating that it was the Congress which came to his doorstep with the proposal and if JDS was indeed the B-team, the question of agreeing to Congress’ proposal wouldn’t have arisen.