Karnataka to get first batch of Unique Identity cards, says Nilekani

Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) addressed a conference to brief on the progress of the project. People in Karnataka are set to be the first ones to recieve the registrations and cards for the ambitious project of the UIDAI.

Karnataka, with its thriving science and technology edge has been chosen to pioneer the ushering in of the project.

"Karnataka is a very good state, as one of the very first states to roll out, but we welcome all states," the national chief of the Unique Identity Identification project, Nandan Nilekani said.

Many people have doubts, however if the man who voluntarily moved from heading Infosys to head the Government's project from a dingy office in New Delhi will be able to pull it off to the end.

Nilekani minces no words when accepting that it is not a cakewalk but assures that he already has thought of how to carry it through.

"Certainly, it is a challenging job. But we feel that if we can define good standards, package everything and operate everything as a system, as a platform...then I think acceptance will be easier," Nilekani said.

But many fear that this ambitious project may not become a huge success as it is not yet made mandatory. Questions are already being raised over meeting Nilekani's 12-18 months deadline.

The mammoth task will require an expansive sweep of IT database. IT global giants like Infosys and Microsoft have already expressed their interest in bidding for the project. Many wonder if this will bring any clash of interest, however.

Nilekani has a blueprint ready for that too.

"We will have some kind of a vendor conference where we will invite all the companies and in one place present the whole thinking to them so that everybody understands how this is going to go. That will create a very transparent method of selecting vendors," Nilekani said

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Gowda's dreams: From fence-sitter to kingmaker

New Delhi: It's a battle for survival for Karnataka's first political family. After having suffered an exodus of senior leaders, the campaign has been left to the Gowda patriarch and his two sons H D Kumaraswamy and H D Revanna.

It is Kumaraswamy who is drawing the crowds, selling development dreams and spearheading the campaign.

He knows it's a crucial game of staying politically relevant. If the Janata Dal (Secular) is reduced to less than 25 seats, there is little chance to arm-twist bigger parties like last time.

Kumaraswamy puts up a brave front and says he'll get a majority on his own. “I have full confidence that this time around, people will vote for the JD(S),” he said.

In the Gowda fiefdom in Hassan district, H D Revanna is playing on Vokkaliga sentiments. The Gowdas began their politics here and Deve Gowda is almost deified by the community.

Revanna too sounds politically correct and insists that JD(S) will reach the majority mark alone.
But that these are tall claims was proven when Gowda blurted out the truth in an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN.

In a candid admission, Gowda has said that he'd wait to be approached by the bigger parties, either the BJP or the Congress, whichever emerges the largest single party after the Karnataka poll results.

“It depends on how they come forward to seek support from us. I cannot rush,” he told CNN-IBN.

It means that Gowda will wait after the results are announced. If he has enough, he will wait to be approached by whoever is first past the post, the BJP or the Congress.

He will then begin his bargaining as he did last time in 2004 or in the way his son Kumaraswamy managed to ally with the BJP.

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Analysis: How Karnataka 'castes' its votes

CNN-IBN-Deccan Herald–CSDS survey is one of the largest surveys of its kind that allows us to map the political sociology of voting in the state.
Caste has always been recognised as an important indicator of political choice and preference. In recent years it has emerged as a visible political identity and potent form of assertion of political presence.
Karnataka politics has often revolved around the intricacies of dominant caste politics. Though numerically less than one fourth of the states population, the Lingayat and Vokkaliga community have always accounted for more than half the legislators in the Assembly.
The present pre-poll survey indicates that this old understanding needs to be revised. In a quiet way and perhaps without any clear design, the Congress seems to be rebuilding a coalition of the bottom of the social pyramid and recovering what used to be the social base of the Congress in the earlier era.
Congress gains from below
While the upper social bloc is more or less evenly divided between the three major political players, the lower social bloc is clearly polarised in favour of the Congress. This is what appears to be giving the Congress a clear edge in this electoral race.

Robust lead for Cong among non-dominant communities

Congress BJP JD (S)

Upper social bloc 34 33 31

Upper caste 33 41 13

Vokkalinga 35 18 40

Lingayat 25 51 15

Lower social bloc 54 18 18

Lower OBC 38 29 20

Dalit 50 20 18

Adivasis 44 25 23

Muslims 65 11 14

Note: All figures in percent.



The BJP appears to have a sight edge over the Congress in the support it draws from the upper castes across the various political regions of the state.
This is not surprising given the fat that the traditional support base of the party has been from among the Upper Castes including those who have migrated to the state in recent decades.
The dominant peasant communities follow their traditional loyalties, but the regional differences prevent these from voting en-bloc for any party. The Vokkaliga community appears to be evenly divided between the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) with the BJP garnering the support of a little less than twenty per cent of the members of that community.

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Why Cong has upper hand in K'taka | Survey Methodology

The Congress appears to be leading the race to form the next government in Karnataka having managed an early edge ahead of the three-round polling for the state Assembly elections, an exclusive CNN-IBN-Deccan Herald opinion poll conducted by CSDS has suggested.
The poll finds the current mood of the Karnataka electorate favours Congress with the party expected to win 114 seats in the 224-seat Assembly, giving it a slender, but a clear majority. This means a gain of 49 seats for the Congress over the last elections held in 2004.
Karnataka voters were also asked who was there preferred chief ministerial candidate. The poll also tracked which way was the wind blowing in urban and rural Karnataka and across the six regions of the state. The issue of spiraling prices and will it affect the Congress's chances was also raised.
To discuss the findings of the poll CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai was joined by Yogendra Yadav, Political Analyst, CSDS; Diptosh Majumdar, CNN-IBN National Affairs Editor and Rajeeva L Karandikar, Executive Vice-President, Cranes Software.
Congress leader SM Krishna, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ananth Kumar and MC Nanaiah of the Janata Dal (Secular) also joined the debate.
Yogendra Yadav set the ball rolling by clarifying that the opinion poll was a fairly comprehensive one.
"For a pre-election survey it is a very comprehensive one. It was conducted in 75 constituencies, which is every third constituency of the newly drawn boundaries. We have gone to 300 villages and urban centers and interviewed more than 5000 people. This is fairly comprehensive and completely representative of Karnataka," Yogendra claimed.
Diptosh Majumdar said the Karnataka elections would be fairly significant in the national context.
"The main poll issues being raised by the Opposition are terror and price rise. BJP is raising these issue and we will soon know if these will have bearing on the other elections that are coming up or not," Diptosh said.

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Karnataka to go to Assembly polls in May

NEW DELHI: Assembly polls will be held in Karnataka by the end of May, the Election Commission on Thursday decided, ending speculation that they may be deferred.
A meeting of the full Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy decided to conduct the elections before the expiry of President's rule on May 28, EC sources said.
The polls would be held as per the re-drawn constituencies, they said, adding the schedule would be announced later.

Sufficient hints on early polls came last week when the electoral authorities in the state said that they had completed the process of delimitation of 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka in a "record period of two weeks".

The polls in the state, which is under President's rule since November 20, will be held before the expiry of the Central rule on May 28, the Commission sources said.

They said the Commission has decided to invoke Rule 24 of Registration of Electors Rules in the Representation of People Act (RPA) for going ahead with the conduct of the polls.

Courtesy:timesofindia.com

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Kumaraswamy ready face allegation made by BJP and Congress

After facing a barrage of criticism from his former coalition partners, the BJP and Congress, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said he was prepared to face any kind of probe into the allegations being levelled against him by these parties.

"If there are any scams during my 20-month rule, BJP and Congress are free to take the complaint to anyone, including Lokayukta, Rashtrapati, Governor or Central agencies. I am ready to face any probe," Kumaraswamy told a press meet.

Kumaraswamy, who is celebrating his 49th birthday on Sunday, sought to counter the allegations reportedly made by former Chief Minister and BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa that several scams had taken place in Mining, Power, Public Works and Urban Development departments during the JDS-BJP government rule.

While Kumaraswamy held the portfolios of mining and urban development, his elder brother, H D Revanna was in-charge of Public Works and Power in Congress-JDS and JDS-BJP governments

He hit out at Congress for forming a five-member fact finding committee to unearth the "scams" that had occurred during Kumaraswamy's regime, saying "let them find out. It is not easy for them to do so now."

"Why did Yeddyurappa and his party appeal to the 'corrupt' JDS to hand over power to BJP?" he asked.

Courtesy:timesofindia.com
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President’s rule approved

Most politicians would have thought twice about attending Parliament on a day when they knew they would be roundly reviled. But former PM H D Deve Gowda is not like most politicians. In fact, it could be well argued that he is unique when it comes to having a thick skin.


On Monday, when Parliament approved imposition of President's rule in Karnataka and the government declared its intention to dissolve the assembly to facilitate early elections, Gowda presented an incongruous sight in the Lok Sabha. To begin with, it was difficult to spot him as he sat at the back of the House, his head and face partially obscured by a dark muffler, a pair of spectacles resting on his forehead.


Gowda sat still, eyes closed, as Mohan Singh (SP) attacked him for bringing politics to a new low. He drew on his previous association with Gowda and recalled having witnessed the former PM visiting a temple in UP, prostrating repeatedly. "But his actions show that despite being a believer, Gowda has no fear of God."


Gowda was pilloried by both sides of the "communal-secular" divide. He was accused of devaluing politics by his infamous flip-flops. He was told that no one could be expected to repose any trust in him. Tejaswini Gowda (Congress) said people had lost count of how many times he had changed his statements.


Gowda could possibly draw some consolation from the BJP also receiving its share of ridicule. Once again, Mohan Singh made the point by saying: "I was surprised to hear BJP president Rajnath Singh lamenting that he had been betrayed. It just goes to show how people of modest capacities come to occupy high posts. If you deal with an untrustworthy person, what else can you expect?"





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JD(S) – a political untouchable?

Political opportunism in Karnataka hit a new low on Monday when JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda – nortorious as the champion of flip-flops – pulled the rug from under BJP, leaving the future of Karnataka government hanging in balance.

Hours before Karnataka’s seven-day-old Chief Minister Y S Yeddyurappa was to face floor test, Gowda declared his party did not agree with several issues in the 12-point Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties.

This left BJP’s southern dream shattered and Yeddyurappa handed over his resignation letter to the Governor even before the vote of confidence was conducted.
The Governor has recommended President’s rule in Karnataka, a move that could mean some stability for a state that has seen a never-ending political drama being enacted over months.
Even as Gowda touched base with New Delhi and Centre convened a CCPA on Karnataka late on Monday night, CNN-IBN debated a larger question on Face the Nation: Is Indian politics devoid of morality?

On the panel to debate the issue were Congress Spokesperson, Jayanthi Natarajan, Rajya Sabha MP and Editor-in-Chief of The Pioneer Chandan Mitra and businessman Harish Bijoor.

JD(S) – a political untouchable?

At the beginning of the show the public opinion was largely one-sided with 98 per cent of respondents agreeing Indian politics was devoid of scruples. While the BJP – over the past six weeks – bent over backwards to get the alliance going, all it got in the end was betrayal. Conversely, BJP’s desperation to get into an alliance also showed clearly. The political drama has also led many to believe that the JD(S) may now have become a political untouchable.

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Long journey of 24 years for the BJP....

It has been a long journey of 24 years for the BJP to lead a government in the country's southern part.

After the 1993 assembly polls threw up a fractured verdict for the first time in Karnataka, the BJP, with 18 members in the 224-member assembly, played a pivotal role in installing Janata Party government, headed by Ramakrishna Hegde. This was the first non-Congress government in Karnataka.

Though the BJP emerged as a single largest party with 79 seats in 2004 elections — which witnessed a three-way fractured verdict — it could not succeed to rise from opposition ranks to the ruling benches.

The party failed to maintain consistency in the elections held after 1983. BJP's strength was reduced to just two seats in 1985 and to four seats in 1989 elections. In 1994, with the Babri Masjid demolition issue still green in people's mind, the saffron party contested in 223 assembly segments and bounced back gaining 40 seats. This made it the principal opposition party.

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Praying at Vaisho Devi has bore fruit for Yeddyurappa

The suspense and month long drama in Karnataka is finally coming to an end. The Centre today revoked President' s rule in the state paving the way for the BJP to have its first chief minister in any southern state.
B S Yeddyurappa was away praying at Vaisho Devi when he heard the news that his 21-month-wait for Chief Ministership has borne fruit - his passage to the most coveted chair in Bangalore was cleared by the Union Cabinet.
Yeddyurappa now has the distinction of becoming the first BJP Chief Minister in southern India.
"I am an ordinary farmer's son," the new CM modestly said. "For the last 35-40 years, I have been working hard in my village."
For the Centre which had been dilly-dallying and studying each of Governor Rameshwar Thakur's reports carefully, it was a tough decision to take.

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President's rule in Karnataka revoked, BJP make south debut

After days of uncertainty, hectic lobbying and political flip-flops, President’s rule was finally revoked in Karnataka on Thursday. The end of stalemate means BJP-JD(S) coalition will form government in the state yet again.

The reunited coalition paves the way for the formation of the first BJP government in South India.“It’s a happy Diwali not only for BJP but for all people who didn’t like Congress in Karnataka. We are hopeful this government will last for remaining 20 months. Both parties have understood the necessity of continuing for a longer period,” said BJP state spokesperson Suresh Kumar.

While BJP spokesperson Prakash Jawadekar said that this news is the best birthday gift for L K Advani.“It is good news, though a little late. The Centre should have considered the political situation and done it earlier. But it’s okay. All parties should now understand the ground reality. This is the message of the one-month drama and the coalition will complete its term. It’s a birthday gift for L K Advani,” Jawadekar said.

The decision to withdraw President's rule was taken by the Union Cabinet two days after Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur submitted his "final" report on the BJP-JD(S) demand for invitation to form the government.

The Karnataka Governor had told the Centre that the JD(S) and BJP command a majority in the Karnataka Assembly, but doubted whether the two-party coalition could provide a stable government.

Thakur's report, which was sent to President Pratibha Patil on October 31, said constitutionally there is no bar on the JD(S)-BJP coalition coming back to power but recommends an investigation into the charges the two parties leveled against each other after their first government fell on October 9.

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Electronic media unnecessarily targeting me and my party:Kumaraswamy

Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said his party would not impose conditions while forming a government with the BJP, and would extend



'unconditional' support to the saffron party. "A section of electronic media has been portraying my party badly in the eyes of public after JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda mooted a 12-point suggestion. Hereafter, we will not set any condition. Our support will also be unconditional" Kumaraswamy said in a hurriedly convened press conference.


Taking a dig at the media, which drew his ire frequently during the press meet, the former Chief Minister said: "Henceforth, I will take advice from electronic media." Alleging that media had distorted the remarks he made after calling on the Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Wednesday, Kumaraswamy said: "I have decided to surrender to silence in the wake of electronic media unnecessarily targeting me and my party".


The former Chief Minister, however, cautioned that his party will not be responsible for any untoward incident that would occur after the BJP-led government assumed office and declared "neither the media nor people should blame it". "A wave of confusion had swept the political scene in the state since September 30, when senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha called on Deve Gowda," he said, adding there were attempts to project JD(S) as the party responsible



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BJP-JD(S) set deadline for Governor

Pushing for their second term in Karnataka, the BJP-JD(S) combine on Tuesday urged the Governor to invite them to form a government by Tuesday evening, failing which, they threatened to launch a state-wide agitation and a march to Raj Bhavan from Wednesday.

"If the Governor fails to invite us to form the government by this evening, both parties will launch 'Raj Bhavan chalo' and a state wide agitation," state unit presidents of BJP and JDS, D V Sadanada Gowda and Merajuddin Patel respectively, announced at a press conference here.

Gowda said he wrote another letter to Thakur pointing out that the combine enjoyed a clear majority of 129 legislators in the 224-member state assembly. He also drew the Governor's attention to his recent statements made in Delhi that there was scope for formation of a government if any party approached him.

Gowda alleged that the Congress was trying to block formation of the BJP-JDS government in an obvious reference to that party's demand for dissolution

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Rebel JD(S) MLA revolts against BJP, spoils party

The JD(S) in Karnataka on Monday headed for a vertical split with rebels led by party leader M P Prakash rejecting the former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's truce offer and deciding to petition Governor Rameshwar Thakur not to allow the BJP-JD(S) combine to form the government again.

Two rounds of crisis defusing parleys held by former Transport Minister N Cheluvaraya Swamy with Prakash failed to make headway, sources in JD(S) said.

Swamy, accompanied by JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda's elder son H D Balakrishna, met Prakash but the talks failed to fructify as the rebel leader stuck to his opposition to JD(S) reviving snapped ties with the BJP, the sources said.

"Yes Cheluvaraya Swamy and Balakrishna met me. But I do not want to say anything on the outcome of the meeting," Prakash told reporters before heading towards Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor.

The JD(S) rebel faction has decided to urge the Governor not to invite the BJP-JD(S) combine to form the government as they have already ruled the state and broken apart.

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Emergency meeting of the JD(S) Legislature Party

With a section of his party MLAs opening talks with the Congress to form a government in Karnataka, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has decided to convene an emergency meeting of the JD(S) Legislature Party.

"I will be convening the meeting of the Legislature Party either tomorrow or day after," Kumaraswamy, who was irked by the fresh developments that threatened to split the JD(S), said.

Annoyed by senior leader M P Prakash's visit to Delhi and his parleys with Congress leaders, including Union Minister Prithivraj Chavan, Kumaraswamy said "we will hold frank discussions with MLAs and proceed accordingly".

The JD(S) Legislature Party meeting on October 15 and 16 had authorised Kumaraswamy, Prakash and state unit President Merajuddin Patel to decide on whether to explore the possibility of forming a new government or face fresh polls.

Courtesy:The Times of India
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Anju Bobby George Indian long jumper ready for Beijing Olympic

Bangalore: The Beijing Olympic Games are getting closer and from India long jumper Anju Bobby George will be one of the athletes on whom all hopes will rest.

Even though she hasn't had a great year, Anju is looking forward to begin the next season with renewed vigour After a final appearance at the World Athletics Championship in Osaka, Anju has decided to take a month's break from training.

"We won't get any time to meet our parents. They are coming here and our relatives are also coming here. They will get only one month. My niece and cousins are also coming," Anju said while justifying her decision to take a break. Even as the 2008 Olympics approach, Anju still remembers the Athens Olympics four years back.

"Last Olympics, I missed badly in the last moment. I have not recovered from that," she said.
The focus now is to once again to get back into the rhythm and launch another assault at that coveted Olympic medal and also break the seven-metre barrier.
"I have that experience. I have been in so many competitions with top athletes. With that experience we can do (well) and plan accordingly," she added.

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Nano-laboratory in IISc get Rs 110 core grant

BANGALORE: The IISc here has received a Rs 110-crore grant for a state-of-the-art nano-laboratory. The facility is expected to be ready in about 14 months. While the ministry of communication and information technology (MCIT) has given Rs 50 crore, the department of science and technology (DST) has chipped in with Rs 20 crore. IISc has mobilised around Rs 40 crore from the five-year plan allocation.

MCIT is the largest sponsor of nano-research projects in the country. As per its focus, this facility will have not only a central fabrication unit, but small labs to make micro- and nano-electronic devices. The central unit will house a clean room over 1400 sqm.

The plan includes characterisation labs, which will meet the needs of material science, electronic, mechanical and electrical departments. DST will be involved in both electronics and nano engineering sciences given the new initiative launched by the ministry of science and technology.

The ministry will set up almost 14 labs in universities, although its major focus will be IISc.
IISc plans to mobilise an additional Rs 20 crore to speed up construction of these labs. A proposal with the DST is expected to be approved soon. The IISc facility will offer doctoral programmes in "nano-engineering for integrated systems", which will allow students to work in at least three to four disciplines. Plans are afoot to create a fund to offer fellowships in nano-engineering to encourage more students to take up basic research.

Courtesy:The Times of India
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Gowda say no transfer of CM

Transfer of power in Karnataka looks unlikely. As the final countdown starts for handing over the reins of power in Karnataka from the JD(S) to the BJP on October 3 under the 20-month-each power-sharing formula, Deve Gowda expresses that he wants his son to remain the Chief Minister of the state.


JD(S) sources told CNN-IBN, the party has virtually decided against handing over chief ministership to BJP. The ruling JD(S) is not ready to hand over power to coalition partner BJP on October 3. Upbeat after JD(S) victory in the Karnataka civic polls, party chief Deve Gowda has told the BJP that his son HD Kumaraswamy must be allowed to continue as chief minister for now
.
Gowda is reported to have consulted some advocates on the possibilities of a constitutional crisis arising in the event of his son’s resignation. Kumaraswamy is contemplating to put in his papers at the JDSLP meeting. However, the party is likely to reject it.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha met H D Deve Gowda late Sunday night. Sources say the 10 minute meeting proved to be inconclusive with Deve Gowda hardening his stand on a transfer of power, and even indicating that he was prepared for a snap poll.



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Yashwant