NEWS

Just a after three people were arrested for allegedly conspiring against the coalition government in Jharkhand, a Congress MLA Sunday claimed that a few unknown persons had approached him multiple times and offered Rs 1 crore and a ministerial berth to topple the JMM-Congress-RJD government.

Kolebira MLA Naman Bixal Kongari told The Indian Express that he was approached by three people around half-a-dozen times.

“Three people had approached me through my party workers stating that they worked for some companies. Despite me asking them to go away, they used to find a way to come back.... Once, they offered me more than Rs 1 crore in cash. I immediately informed CLP [Congress Legislature Party] leader Alamgir Alam, and Congress Jharkhand in-charge R P N Singh. I also informed Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji about it,” the MLA said.

As strong indications of a change of guard in Karnataka over the last two weeks, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa is likely to step down from the post of Chief Minister after his government completes two years on Monday.

On Sunday, Yediyurappa said he was waiting for a communication from the party high command to move on his resignation. In Panaji, meanwhile, BJP president J P Nadda praised Yediyurappa and dismissed suggestions of a crisis in Karnataka.

“He (Yediyurappa) has done good work. Karnataka is running well. Yediyurappaji is handling things in his own way,” Nadda said. Asked if there was a political crisis in the state, he said: “Aisa aapko lagta hai, humko nahi lagta (That is what you feel. We don’t feel so).”

Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that he does not like mangoes from Uttar Pradesh, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday said, “If he (Rahul) does not like mangoes from UP, does he then like a pint of foreign liquor?”

Maurya was addressing party workers and media persons at the Meerut Circuit House after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating development projects worth over Rs 1,200 crore in the district.

“We can understand why he (Rahul) does not like UP mangoes. This is because it was from UP's Amethi that our sister, Smriti Irani, had defeated him at the party's citadel in the previous Lok Sabha elections. While Smriti has become a minister at the Centre, Rahul Gandhi had to save his honour in a distant state.”

At a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on July 9, Niti Aayog member of health V K Paul has told the Delhi government to remain watchful as the next three months are important and unlocking activities can lead to an increase in coronavirus cases. 

"Unlock activity could lead to an increase in cases, though at present the positivity rate of cases is at its lowest point", Dr Paul said, according to the minutes of the meeting made public on July 20. "The next three months are important; we need to be watchful," the Niti Aayog member said. He also suggested that the Delhi government consult the Centre before imposing any travel restrictions in the capital, reported a news agency.