BJP’s decision to field Mangaluru RSS worker Narayan for RS bypolls from Karnataka surprises many

News Network

November 18, 2020

Bengaluru, Nov 18: The central leadership of the BJP on Tuesday picked Mangaluru-based unsung saffron worker K Narayan for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Karnataka that is going for bypoll on December 1.

The BJP national leaders had surprised everyone in June when they picked Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti, both unsung party workers till then, for the Rajya Sabha. Not many knew much about these two leaders then.

Both had been dedicated workers since their student days. Unfortunately, Gasti succumbed to Covid-19 almost two months ago. Since then the BJP leaders in the state strongly felt that the vacant RS seat should either go to Gasti's widow Suma Gasti or to BJP leader Nirmal Surana, whom the party had appointed as national general secretary in-charge of Puducherry.

But the BJP national leaders again surprised all by picking Narayan, who runs a printing unit in Mangaluru, for the RS seat. For the last several years, he has been printing pamphlets of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its various affiliated units for free.

A senior RSS leader said that it was unexpected that he would be picked for the RS seat.

"He has not only helped the RSS and other wings in printing pamphlets, but has also been a dedicated worker for years. He belongs to the Devanga (weaver) community, which is one of the neglected and miniscule backward class communities in the state like the Gasti community, which belongs to Savita Samaj (barber)," the RSS leader said.

Another BJP leader in the state unit told media that such selections at times are done to send a message to the people across the country.

"The media all along focussed on Suma, the widow of Ashok Gasti, and senior BJP leader Surana. But by picking Narayan, the national BJP leaders sent a loud and clear message that they do not encourage dynastic politics by rejecting Suma's candidature, while Surana did not belong to the backward classes, hence his candidature may have been overlooked this time," he said.

Narayan has been working with the RSS and its affiliated wings for more than three decades and his work in tribal areas and with backward classes communities, especially among school students, is what sets him apart from his peers in Mangaluru.

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Who is Ramachandra Rao? Karnataka DGP, actress Ranya’s stepfather suspended over viral ‘obscene’ video

News Network

January 20,2026

Karnataka DGP (Civil Rights Enforcement) K Ramachandra Rao was suspended with immediate effect, as per a state government order issued on Monday, 19 January. The order cited conduct unbecoming of a government servant and causing embarrassment to the state administration.

The Karnataka government suspended Rao after a purported video showed him in a compromising position with a woman inside his official chamber. The video went viral on social media. Rao rejected the videos outright, terming them "fabricated and false".

Who is K Ramachandra Rao?

Rao is a DGP-rank officer who was heading the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement until his suspension. He was promoted to DGP in September 2023 and assumed office in October 2023, the Sunday Guardian reported.

He also served as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.

His stint as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Southern Range was also marred by controversy. In 2014, during a cash seizure near Mysuru’s Yelwal, officials claimed the seized amount was ₹20 lakh, while the accused (Kerala-based merchants) claimed it was around ₹2.27 crore.

Rao, who was present during the seizure, denied all allegations. However, he was transferred soon after.

Allegations of collusion with a businessman surfaced, and a senior police officer was quoted by The Sunday Guardian as saying, “In Rao’s case, the CID has clearly mentioned that there was a great degree of lapse on the part of Rao and a deputy superintendent of police after it was brought to their notice that a few policemen, including a gunman attached to the IGP, were involved in the robbery.”

Rao had denied all wrongdoing in that incident. Despite past controversies, he rose to the state’s top police position, the Sunday Guardian reported.

Ranya Rao’s stepfather

Rao is the stepfather of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over ₹12.56 crore from Dubai to India along with two others — businessman Tarun Raju, and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain.

‘Obscene video’ controversy

A viral video showed Rao behaving inappropriately with a woman inside his office while in uniform.

The Karnataka government said in its Monday order that “vide videos and news reports widely broadcast on public news channels and media platforms, it is observed that Dr K Ramachandra Rao has acted in an obscene manner which is unbecoming of a Government Servant and also causing embarrassment to the Government.”

The order said the matter was examined by the state government, which found that the officer's conduct amounted to a violation of Rule 3 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

The government said it is prima facie satisfied that "it is necessary to place Rao under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry".

During the suspension period, Rao will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per Rule 4 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

The order also places restrictions on his movement, stating that during the period of suspension, the officer must not leave headquarters under any circumstances without the written permission of the state government.

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