Siddaramaiah, Bommai spar over delay in allocating portfolios to ministers

The Congress won the Karnataka assembly elections by promising free electricity, free ration and unemployment allowance in its poll manifesto, taking cue from the Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.

He said the AAP has succeeded in its efforts to bring some change in the country's political discourse as other parties are also now seeking votes on issues like education and health.

He was addressing AAP leaders who won seats in just-concluded Uttar Pradesh local body elections.

"The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has tried to change the narrative of the country's politics. If you look at Karnataka polls, the Congress party has won on our manifesto," Kejriwal said.

"We said we will provide free electricity, they (Congress) also said so. We said we will provide unemployment allowance, free ration, and Rs 1,000 (per moth to women, They also said so," he said.

The BJP is also now making such promises, he said, adding, political parties earlier used to seek vote on the basis of caste and religion.

The AAP won three Nagar Palika chairperson seats, six Nagar Panchayat chairperson seats and six Nagar Nigam councillor seats besides several wards in the urban local body polls that were held in Uttar Pradesh in two phases — on May 4 and May 11.

More than half of the AAP's victorious candidates belonged to the minority community, according to the poll results available on the state election commission's website.

Kejriwal congratulated the AAP's Uttar Pradesh unit leaders, saying it was a "difficult" election as the state is considered a BJP stronghold. "You worked hard and defeated the BJP, the SP and other parties."

Kejriwal said the AAP leaders' victory in several seats in the local body elections is an indication that people of Uttar Pradesh "are ready for change". "They want good governance and development in the state," he added.

He said the AAP will now focus on expanding its foothold in Uttar Pradesh and contest the next assembly polls with full strength.

"We will build our organisation with the help of Sandeep Pathak (AAP national organisation secretary). We will form active committees of 10 members in every village and booth. Once our organisation is built in Uttar Pradesh, no one can stop us," he said. 

Kejriwal asked the elected representatives to work for the people in various sectors like health and education so that the AAP is strengthened in the state.  

"All of you have got more responsibility now… If you do good work in Uttar PRadesh that fragrance will spread across the state. We will get an entry in Uttar Pradesh through you," he added.

A student shot dead his woman classmate at Greater Noida's Shiv Nadar University on Thursday, May 18, the police said. He later shot himself dead inside a room at the boys' hostel.

Both were pursuing Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and were in their third year. The man was a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district, while the woman, identified as Neha Chaurasiya, was from Kanpur.

According to eyewitnesses, Anuj and Neha were seen together near the dining hall. They further said that the duo were engaged in a conversation and even hugged each other. However, Anuj pulled out a pistol and shot Neha. He then immediately went inside his hostel room and shot himself.

Neha was immediately rushed to the hospital but was pronounced brought dead.

The family of both the deceased were informed.

Anuj and Neha were good friends for quite a long time, but they were facing a dispute for some time now, sources claimed.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Saad Miya Khan, "A student from Shiv Nadar University shot dead his woman classmate. The woman was immediately taken to a nearby hospital but, on arrival was pronounced brought dead.”

“After the preliminary investigation, it was discovered that both were friends for quite some time now. Today, they got involved in an argument and that the man shot dead his friend. After that he went inside his room and shot himself dead,” the DCP added.

Further investigation is underway.

Udupi, May 20: A 17-year-old youth has been booked by Karkala town police in Udupi district on charge of voting during recently concluded Karnataka assembly polls in the name of another individual, who was in a foreign country.

Police said the youth in conflict with law had voted in the name of Suhas Shetty, who was overseas when assembly elections were held on May 10.

A case has been booked under sections 171(D) (impersonation) and 109 (abetment) of IPC based on a complaint filed by Tharanath Kotian, Congress committee president of Miyar village.

In his complaint, Kotian said the youth had introduced himself as Shetty to officials at the polling station (No 155) at Miyar in Karkala.

The complainant also raised suspicion that one Naveen and another BJP worker Rohith Shetty had abetted the youth to vote illegally. Police said an investigation is on.