I-T raids on close aides of two more Congress MLA candidates

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Adding to speculation over a possible power tussle in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday shared a cryptic message on social media platform X.

In a Kannada post accompanied by his photograph, Shivakumar wrote, “Even if the effort fails, the prayer does not fail.”

The post came a day after his brief meeting with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the Mysuru airport runway, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also present.

According to sources, Gandhi spoke separately with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for a few minutes each, before holding a short joint interaction with both leaders.

A Congress leader said Siddaramaiah discussed preparations for the upcoming state Budget and the need for a Cabinet reshuffle during his interaction with Gandhi. The leader added that Shivakumar may have raised the issue of the government completing two-and-a-half years in office and the alleged promise of making him Chief Minister.

However, Siddaramaiah denied that any political matters were discussed during the meeting. Responding to speculation about a possible leadership change, he dismissed it as media conjecture, saying there was “no such issue within the party,” while adding that he would abide by whatever decision the party high command takes.

Al Jubail: Fighters Jubail emerged champions of the B-Human Cup 2026 (Season 3) after a thrilling high-voltage final against Ascent at the Al Falah Floodlight Cricket Stadium on Friday, January 2, 2026. The packed venue witnessed a top-class six-over contest, marking a memorable conclusion to the two-day cricket mega event.

After winning the toss, Ascent opted to field, sending Fighters Jubail in to bat. Fighters posted a competitive 85 runs in the allotted six overs. Chasing a target of 86, Ascent fell short, handing Fighters Jubail a well-deserved victory. Anwar of Fighters Jubail was adjudged Man of the Match as well as Man of the Series for his outstanding performance throughout the tournament.

Semi-Final Results

Earlier, two exciting semi-final matches set the stage for the grand finale.
•    First semi-final: Ascent defeated Clusters
•    Second semi-final: Fighters Jubail outplayed Amplitude Avengers

Tournament Highlights

The two-day knockout tournament featured 10 teams and was organized by Team B-Human, Jubail Unit, with Al Muzain and Raqwani Group as the main sponsors.

Closing Ceremony

The post-match closing ceremony began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Fawaz Ullal. Mr. Basheer, President of the B-Human Jubail Unit, welcomed the gathering.

The event was moderated by Salim Udupi, who invited the dignitaries to the dais, including:

•    Mr. Asif Deal, Founder of B-Human (Chief Guest)
•    Mr. Sharif Bolar, Chairman of B-Human
•    Mr. Deepak, GM, Al Muzain
•    Dr. Arun Rai, CEO, Yenepoya School, Al Khobar

They were joined by co-sponsors and guests:

Mr. Shakeel (CEO, Makhavi), Mr. Farooq Ahmed (CEO, Arab Energy), CR Aboobakker, Mr. Hitesh (E-Manager, Al Muzain), Mr. Mohammed Farooq (CEO, Portway Travels), Mr. Muqthar Noor (MD, Shield Sensor), Mr. Shahul Hameed (Trustee, B-Human), Mr. Yunus (Trustee, B-Human), and Mr. Ansaf (CEO, Unified Inspection Company).

All were honoured with mementos by the organizing committee.

A short documentary showcasing the activities of Team B-Human was presented by Founder Asif Deal. Appreciation mementos were also presented to sponsors in recognition of their support for the dialysis care initiative.

Guest Speeches

Dr. Arun Rai praised the tournament and remarked that the day’s success belonged not just to the two finalist teams, but also to B-Human, which won the hearts of the people through its service.

Mr. Deepak and Mr. Shakeel commended the organizers for conducting a wonderful event and urged continued support for B-Human’s charitable initiatives.

In his address, Mr. Asif Deal spoke about the founding of Team B-Human in 2016 and highlighted its mission of providing free dialysis support. He thanked all members, donors, and volunteers for their tireless dedication.

Felicitation & Special Attractions

Three individuals were felicitated for their exceptional service during emergencies:

1.    Mohammed Malebettu
2.    Dilawar Hussain
3.    Heena Firoz Khan

Family games for children and women, along with free lucky draw coupons, added to the festive atmosphere.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Br. Younus, Trustee of B-Human, who expressed gratitude to all participating teams, sponsors, spectators, and organizers for making the annual B-Human Cup a grand success.

New Delhi: Setting speculation to the rest, the CPI(M) has made it clear that it is open to have an electoral understanding with the Congress “to defeat” the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal Assembly election even as it is all set to take on the grand old party in Kerala accusing it of “found wanting” in fighting the Hindutva forces.

The CPI(M) also said that it will contest the Tamil Nadu election “with DMK and its allies to defeat the BJP and its allies”, amid a section in the Congress triggering confusion about its participation in the M K Stalin-led coalition over demand over power-sharing and more seats. It is also willing to join hands with Congress and others in Assam and Puducherry to defeat the BJP.

The decisions came at a three-day meeting of the CPI(M) Central Committee in Thiruvananthapuram, which ended on Sunday after reviewing the poll preparations in the poll-bound states.

The CPI(M)'s decision came even as a section led by West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar is averse to tying up with the Left Front, claiming that their party is not benefitted by the electoral understanding. Both Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front had electoral understanding in 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress and the Left Front fought together for the first time in 2016 when Congress won 44 seats and the CPI(M) got 26. In 2021, the Left Front and the Congress drew a blank. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress managed to win one seat while the Left did not win any. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, both fought against each other with Congress winning two and the Left none.

“In Bengal, the party will work for the defeat of both the TMC and the BJP, which are trying to polarise the society. We will try to rally all the forces that are ready to work against them,” the CPI(M) said in a statement without naming Congress by name. Senior leaders said there is no change in its strategy of pooling all non-BJP, non-TMC votes.

However, the party was critical of the Congress in Kerala where both will fight against each other.

The CPI(M) said it would "expose the BJP-led Union government’s denial of rightful dues to Kerala, the fiscal constraints imposed and the overall attack on federalism" as also "expose the failure of the Congress to effectively counter this attack on federalism, as the largest opposition party in the Parliament".

"The Congress, especially in Kerala, was found wanting in the fight against communal RSS-BJP, ideologically and this will also be exposed before the people," it added.

In Assam, it said, the CPI(M) will work for the mobilisation of all the anti-BJP parties and forces and defeat the rabidly communal and divisive BJP government. The Left parties are cooperating with Congress in the north-eastern state. In Puducherry, it said it will work for the defeat of the BJP alliance government.