Special flight package tours to Hampi

Apart from celebrating the 500th anniversary of the coronation of Sri Krishnadevaraya on a grand scale, the Tourism Department will introduce special flight package tours from major cities to Hampi.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy, who is also chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee to organise the event, said that special flight package tours would be organised from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Goa to enable the tourists, both domestic and foreign, to visit Hampi. The flights, with private-public participation, would start operating from January 15 for a fortnight.

“It will be a two-day package tour, inclusive of all — transport, boarding, lodging and sight-seeing. The tourists will be taken round Hampi to be shown the rich culture, tradition, their engineering expertise and mastery over the art and architecture. The Tourism Department has launched a campaign to publicise the event, which is also clubbed with the annual Hampi Utsav — a three-day mega cultural festival of dance, drama and music — in major cities for which Rs. 3 crore has been earmarked,” Mr. Reddy.

The Minister said the State Government had earmarked Rs. 30 crore for the celebrations of the event, of which about Rs. 15 crore would be utilised for the three-day mega cultural festival to be held at Hampi from January 27 to 29.

A skywalk would be erected temporarily, from the vehicle parking area to the main venue, keeping in view the large public participation.

CBI to probe Gali brothers

The state government on Tuesday decided to conduct a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in mining operations in Anantapur district.

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, consulted the Congress central leadership, his key aides and the chief secretary, Mr P. Ramakanth Reddy, before deciding on a CBI probe.

Sources said the Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was also informed of the decision before it was made public.

Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been charged by the Opposition of having a nexus with the Gali brothers running the Obulapuram Mining Company, welcomed the probe and said it would put all the allegations at rest.

“I did not receive a single rupee from OMC as they allege,” he told mediapersons and dismissed the whole controversy as a dispute between two private firms.

It was the Telugu Desam that first demanded a CBI probe and the Chief Minister’s decision is meant to take the wind from the Opposition’s sails. Sources said the Congress high command was wary of the TD and the Left trying to turn the OMC controversy into a national issue.

“It is also unhappy over the allegations that the Congress government is protecting a BJP minister,” sources pointed out.

The comprehensive probe will look into the activities of the six mining companies in the area. Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy owns four mining companies including Anantapur Mining Company and it is also learnt that the YM mining company has also been sub-leased to him.

His competitor, Mr S.K. Modi, who runs the Bellary Iron Ore Company in 27.12 hectares adjacent to OMC, has accused Mr Janardhan Reddy of illegally encroaching 0.225 hectares belonging to him. OMC, in turn, has accused BIOP of encroachin g upon 2.74 hectares of its land.

Mr Reddy is also facing accusations of illegally constructing a road from OMC land to Karnataka, of demolishing boundary pillars between H. Siddapuram and Obulapuram villages and illegally import and export of iron ore.

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Swami sleeps on fire; an illusion or hoax?

After fire-eating swamis, here come swamis sleeping on fire-beds. When even a match stick singes the skin, is it possible for a human being to lie on fire for four hours, fully clothed and emerge unscathed, body and robe? Even fall asleep in the process?

Ramababu Swamiji, 80, from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu,ostensibly did precisely that on Sunday morning when he slept on a homa fire and prayed for the well-being of the society, say his devotees at the Ghanagapur village in northern Karnataka. Doctors, psychologists and rationalists are dismissive of the incident, believing it to be an ‘illusion.’

Here’s what’s known to have happened. The swami — who incidentally survives on a diet of bananas and water — told local villagers that he would talk to Lord Ganesh about the ills affecting society and pray for their welfare. The visiting swami came to the Dattatreya temple at Ghanagapur village in Afzalpur taluk of Gulbarga district and on hearing of the special homa organised at the temple, expressed his intention of lying on the lit homa kund measuring 3ftX3ft.

Then to the open-mouthed astonishment of the devotees who had flocked the temple, the swami in his orange robes, did precisely that, shut his eyes and apparently slept for the next four hours. His followers told The Times of India that the swamiji had done this four or five times earlier in Tamil Nadu, claiming he had spiritual powers.

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Yeddyurappa spends Rs 1.7 crore to redo home

Last week, in New Delhi, a weepy Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa lamented how his political rivals, the "Bellary Reddys", were preventing him from tending to the hapless flood victims, but a new revelation shows that the chief minister's priority is not just selfless service of his state.

An RTI reply has revealed that Yeddyurappa has been equally committed to improving his own living quarters. He spent a staggering Rs 1.7 crore to renovate his bungalow, Rs 35 lakh of which went into redoing his bedroom. Going by the current austerity norms for politicians, Yeddyurappa's generous spend is unlikely to make him a role model.

This is how the bill for doing up Yeddurappa's residence on Devaraj Urs Road (Race Course) adds up: Renovation and fittings of the master bedroom cost Rs 34.55 lakh. This includes toilet works and interiors at Rs 10 lakh, marble flooring at Rs 10 lakh, a false ceiling and wall designs at Rs 4.40 lakh and Rs 10.15 lakh for gypsum board and wall panelling.

In an earlier report, TOI had revealed that the Karnataka government had incurred an expense of nearly Rs 1 crore for holding a cabinet meeting in Gulbarga last year, of which Rs 28 lakh was spent on floral decorations alone.
The RTI also revealed that another Rs 14.65 lakh was spent to improve "bedroom number 2" in the CM's official residence. This has marble flooring for Rs 10 lakh and Rs 4.65 lakh on imported wall papers. In all, Rs 1.69 crore was spent on renovation.

While Yeddyurappa has preferred to stay in this house after becoming CM, uncertainty over whether he would continue in the Race Course Road bungalow or shift to "Anugraha" (designated residence for CMs) near Sankey Road, saw the government spend Rs 9 lakh for toilet works at the latter, besides spending Rs 10 lakh to paint that house. "Anugraha" has now been occupied by Yeddyurappa loyalist and home minister V S Acharya.

After the BJP government came to power in May 2008, the total sanctioned "estimate amount" for the renovation, repairs and improvements of official residences of all ministers, including Yeddyurappa, has been over Rs 10 crore. Not all ministers are residing in official bungalows, though. While revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy has a flair for wardrobes and has fitted his bedrooms at a cost of Rs 8.08 lakh and put in sanitary fittings worth Rs 7.20 lakh, social welfare minister D Sudhakar went for a modular kitchen, priced at Rs 4.41 lakh.

Even Speaker Jagadish Shettar has not lagged behind. A sum of Rs 4.70 lakh has been spent on the wardrobe and storage cabinet at his residence, "Cauvery" on Kumarakrupa Road.

While Yeddyurappa leads the field, he is followed by Karunakara Reddy at Rs 88.26 lakh. Health minister B Sriramulu and energy minister K S Eshwarappa have turned out be most cost conscious ministers, having spent Rs 3 lakh and Rs 6 lakh, respectively, on their residences.

Fancy tastes

Cost of renovation of Karnataka ministers' homes

* Anugraha (residence of home minister V S Acharya) - Rs 61.30 lakh

* Speaker Jagadish Shettar - Rs 24.83 lakh

* Shobha Karandlaje, former RDPR minister - Rs 38.05 lakh

* Karunakara Reddy, revenue minister - Rs 88.26 lakh

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In Karnataka, Sushma rules

After the truce in the Karnataka BJP, the spotlight may now shift to the senior party leader, Ms Sushma Swaraj, who has emerged a key player in hammering out a formula to bring the two warring factions together and is likely to head a committee to oversee the party affairs.

Mr G. Janardhana Reddy, who became the “face” of the dissidents during the stalemate, has indicated that Ms Swaraj, as head of the new coordination committee, would have considerable clout in decision-making affairs in the BJP-ruled state.

Mr Reddy said the panel under Ms Swaraj’s leadership would “look after all government activity”, adding that she would devote one day a month to oversee Karnataka affairs.

“All the Ministers, MLAs... whatever their problems... whole state... every problem will be sorted out through the coordination committee. The committee will look after every problem of our MLAs. Whatever the committee (decision), he (Chief Minister Mr Yeddyurappa) has to listen,” he told reporters in Hyderabad late on Monday night.

It’s no secret that Mr Re-ddy’s group — the “stro-ngmen” of Bellary district — enjoy an excellent rapport with Swaraj, ever since she contested against the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in Bellary 10 years ago.


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Big brother Karunakar still an unhappy man?

The coming together of the BSY and Reddy camps could have made the MLAs holed up a Hyderabad hotel a much happier lot as they could soon be home. But what about revenue minister Karunakar Reddy, elder brother of Janardhan Reddy who struck the truce with Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa in New Delhi on Sunday?

The big brother’s discontent was more than obvious when he returned to his Bellary residence at around 11 am on Sunday from Bengaluru in a chopper even as Janardhan Reddy and health minister B. Sriramulu were holding talks with ‘Thayee’ Sushma Swaraj in Delhi. A source at the Reddy residence said Reddy senior shut himself in his room at around 3 pm and seemed pretty disappointed as he talked on the phone.

He sent a message to reporters waiting on the lawns at around 5.30 pm that he would not like to react to the developments after channels telecast visuals of Janardhan and Yeddyurappa joining hands. Sources in the Reddy camp said that though he was consulted at every stage, Karunakar was annoyed that their main demand—the CM’s removal— had not been met. He was also upset that Jagadish Shettar whom they had projected for the CM’s post, had gone ‘silent’ after his visit to Delhi.

BSY faces show of Reddy power today

It’s the moment of truth. the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, will come face to face with his worst nightmare on Wednesday when the rebel Reddys plan a “show of strength” by flying in an as yet undisclosed number of MLAs, MLCs and MPs to the national Capital.

They will include not just the 21 MLAs they have holed up in Hyderabad and Goa, but several senior BJP state leaders with an axe to grind against the beleaguered Chief Minister, with sources on the inside of the Reddy camp saying they hope to have at least 71 BJP elected representatives with them, including the BJP MLCs, Mr D.H. Shankaramurthy, and Mr Mukhyamantri Chandru, who have openly arrayed themselves against the Chief Minister.

Sources close to Mr Yeddyurappa said they do not expect to see more than 38-40 at best. The BJP leadership, caught between its need to show that it stands by its man while not giving in to the wealthy Reddys who bankrolled the Assembly and parliamentary elections that gave the saffron party its first government in the South, is caught in a cleft stick.

The BJP top leadership has repeatedly made clear that there will be no change of Chief Minister in the state and certainly no parading of supporters. But the unrelenting Mr Janardhan Reddy said he would not leave the national capital until his demands were met. “I will not leave the Capital until our demands of removing Yeddyurappa are met,” he told the media, as the Karnataka Chief Minister is set to arrive in Delhi late Wednesday night after he tours yet another flood-hit district. With his meeting with the senior party, leader Ms Sushma Swaraj, for the second time in the day also running aground, Mr Janardhan Reddy said he was drawing on “state BJP leaders with similar views as mine, who are already on the way to New Delhi to apprise the top leadership in the party on the changes we want (in the state government) in the best interests of Karnataka. Some leaders have already arrived.”

The Reddy brothers have told Ms Swaraj, that of the 65 legislators in their camp “only some of them are coming to Delhi, and that if needed we can provide a video of the other MLAs and MLCs supporting our stand,” sources disclosed ahead of a crucial meeting on November 6 being brokered by the party top brass between the two warring sides.

During their meeting with Ms Swaraj, sources said the brothers had flayed the Chief Minister and accused him of being “jealous of their good performance in flood relief work.”

They also charged Mr Yeddyurappa with “jeopardising the interests of flood affected and indulging in petty politics.” The Reddy brothers also told the party high command that they collected more funds than the Chief Minister.

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Karnataka crisis deepens, Yeddyurappa supporters meet top brass

The deadlock between rival camps in the BJP government in Karnataka persisted today with chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's emissaries claiming the party's top brass gave an assurance of no change of guard while the dissidents kept the leadership issue still open.

The BJP's top leadership stepped in to attempt to defuse the crisis in its government and met the emissaries, as the war of words between the two sides continued unabated.

Yeddyurappa attacked the dissidents of trying to destabilise his government at a time when the state was grappling with the worst floods while the rival camp led by his ministerial colleagues - the powerful Reddy brothers from Bellary - accused him of "cheating" the people.

"The central leadership, especially (BJP's pointsman for resolving the crisis) Arun Jaitley, made it very clear that there will be no change in leadership," Karnataka BJP unit chief Sadanand Gowda, who led the emissaries comprising state MPs and ministers for a series of meetings with central leaders including BJP chief Rajnath Singh and L K Advani in New Delhi.

Admitting that there were some "small differences" between senior colleagues in the cabinet, he told reporters these will be sorted out in "a day or two". Home Minister V S Acharya was among the emissaries.

"We met L K Advani, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj and all of them were of the same view that the leadership in Karnataka will not be changed. They have a firm view on this," Yeddyurappa's emissary and former MP Dhananjay Kumar said.

However, sources in the dissident camp said the change in leadership issue is still open. The Reddy brothers - Janardhan Reddy and G Karunakar Reddy - are expected to arrive in the capital tomorrow.

A day after indicating his willingness for a patch-up with the rebels led by Ministers Karunakara Reddy, Janardhana Reddy and Sreeramulu, who have been spearheading a campaign to oust him, Yeddyurappa said "some politicians" were "fighting for the chair".

"In this hour of crisis when lakhs of people have been rendered homeless in the flood havoc and are suffering, some politicians are trying to destabilise the government which does not befit them. They are fighting for the chair. The interests of the state cannot be pledged. I will never allow it", he said.

In Bellary, Janardhana Reddy kept up the tirade without taking the chief minister by name, "Our senior is cheating and lying to the people. If I even mention his name, this function will be tainted."

To a question on whether the Reddy brothers - who are raising the banner of revolt against Yeddyurappa - were emerging very powerful, Gowda said, "I don't think so. I am not ignoring them but just because they own some mines does not mean they are very powerful."

Karnataka Speaker Jagadish Shettar - who is considered close to the Reddy brothers and is camping here - sought to side-step the issue, saying his role was very limited. "This is a crisis between the Chief Minister and the Reddy brothers."

The emissaries also met Arun Jaitley. Acharya said that Jaitley took stock of the political situation in the state and was confident the issue would be resolved soon.

When pressed further on whether there is any possibility of change in leadership in Karnataka, Acharya shot back, "There is no change. This I have said hundred times. That is what my perception is."

"Whatever grievances the other party (dissidents) has, the leadership is open to listening to them and arriving at an amicable solution," Kumar added.

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A nightmare of a ride on Mysore Road

Travelling on the busy Mysore Road in the city is a nightmarish experience these days.

Commuters have to not only manoeuvre through the many potholes, but also put up with dust emanating from mud-filled potholes.

A large number of potholes dot the stretch between Sirsi Circle Flyover and KIMCO Junction on this arterial road that was re-laid one-and-a-half years ago. Even a fortnight after the rain stopped, the work on repairing the road is yet to commence.

While Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities promised to release Rs. 50 crore to fill potholes across the city, no effort appears to have been made to hold contractors who executed “shoddy work” responsible for the upkeep of the roads, a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar told The Hindu.

The potholes are also leading to traffic pileups on this busy road. The stretches near Toll Gate and Bapujinagar are the most affected. The stretch of road from Gali Anjaneyaswamy Temple and Mysore Road Satellite Bus Terminal has been completely damaged. The stretch in front of a petrol bunk at Toll Gate has completely lost the bitumen cover. The bus bay at the Toll Gate bus-stand is filled with mud, giving a bumpy ride to commuters.

With the BBMP looking the other way, the traffic police had to pitch-in as it was their responsibility to ensure smooth flow of traffic. One of the officers in the Byatarayanapura Traffic Police Station said that constables had filled some potholes with construction debris. At Bapujinagar, the police had asked the owner of a hotel to sprinkle water on the road to prevent dust from rising, the officer said.

BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena said that the process of filling potholes was on across the city. When it was brought to his notice that the Mysore Road has not been attended to, Mr. Meena said he would issue instructions to those concerned to carry out the work. Chief Engineer (Major Roads) Chikkarayappa said that the road could not be restored only by filling the potholes. Restoration would be taken up immediately and completed in a week, he added.