Bangalore:

With a fortnight to go before Karnataka goes to polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its election manifesto.

The party promised free laptops for students and better waste management in the state, 25 kilograms of rice to poor families at Rs 1 per kg, 50 per cent reservations to women in local bodies and compulsory yoga in schools.

The elections will be held in Karnataka on May 5 and counting will take place on May 8.

Pure drinking water to all citizens, 24X7 uninterrupted power supply and a project to teach good and correct English in Kannada medium schools would all be a reality, said BJP seeking the people's mandate for the second time.

The manifesto was released by opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley in the presence of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, state unit BJP chief Prahllad Joshi, party General Secretary HN Ananth Kumar and other state leaders.

Karnataka polls: BJP releases manifesto, promises free laptops Pure drinking water to all citizens, 24X7 uninterrupted power supply and a project to teach good and correct English in Kannada medium schools would all be a reality, said BJP.

Lessons on "cultural nationalism" and moral values are part of promises held out in the field of education on which the party assured the people it would increase the spending from 1 per of GDP to 3 per cent. The party promised 50 per cent reservation of seats to women in local bodies and eradication of child labour.

Priority for Kannada medium students in higher education and employment, free Wi-Fi and internet for all schools and colleges, introduction of Yoga as part of the syllabus in schools and colleges are among the many promises made. Jaitley defended the rice scheme, saying it and the promise to provide laptops could not be construed as populism.

Providing the right to food to the deprived sections would make right to live more meaningful, he said. It was also not populist if students in a state known for IT power were given instruments of IT. He said BJP had succeeded in installing the party's first-ever government in the South five years ago and "we have governed and completed full term taking up challenges for the cause of people."

Jaitley said whenever the party faced difficult challenges, it stood by values and ideals rather than individuals. "Politically, we have emerged cleaner, stronger and more cohesive." "We are now entering with the hope of another mandate to serve (the people)", he said. Shettar said "we have provided good governance and a corruption-free and transparent government", referring his tenure of nine months and 11 months of his predecessor DV Sadananda Gowda.

source:http://ibnlive.in.com

Bangalore:

An estimated 2,295 candidates have entered the fray for the May 5 Assembly polls in Karnataka, as the process of filing nominations ended on Wednesday .

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar (Hubli-Dharwad Central) was among those who filed nominations on the last day.

As many as 586 nominations were received so far on Wednesday, taking the cumulative number to 2,947, with independents accounting for the largest chunk at 1051, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha told reporters here.

Candidates can file multiple nominations. Total number of candidates, who submitted papers is 2,295, a number which is subject to "updation" as Election officials are still in the process of compilation.

April 20 is the last day for withdrawal.

In 23 of the total 224 segments, the number of candidates is more than 16, which means that the authorities would have to deploy additional ballot unit as one can have a total of only 16 names, in the event of them remaining in the fray beyond that number.

As per the report submitted to him by the City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar, there is nothing to suggest that the blast near the BJP office today is linked to elections, Jha said.

He said authorities seized Rs.12 lakh in cash and eight kgs of gold in Tumkur district, Rs.three lakh in Deodurg and Rs.five lakh in Soraba, adding, an investigation is on to find if they were meant for "use" for the polls, in violation of model code of conduct.

source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in

Bangalore:

While the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and local police continue to ascertain the nature of Wednesday’s blast in Bangalore, preliminary investigations have indicated that a pipe bomb was used to trigger the blast in the city.

Reports said on Thursday that the samples collected by the experts of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) from the blast site and their investigation so far have confirmed that the explosive used to trigger the blast was an improvised explosive device (IED) in the form of a pipe (pipe bomb).

The forensic experts have also concluded that the explosive had been planted on a motorbike parked a few metres away from the BJP office in Malleshwaram.

Forensic experts found lithium and alkaline residues scattered around the site, an indication that the bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED) in the form of a pipe (pipe bomb).

Investigators believe that pipe bomb was attached to the stolen motorbike to make it look like a component. The explosive material used was ammonium nitrate, commonly used in stone quarries.According to police, the materials used in making the bomb is easily available in the market.

Forensic officials believe that the explosion was triggered by a battery-operated timer device. They also confirmed that no shrapnels, pellets or ball bearings were packed into the IED, which might have caused major damage.

Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the evidence gathered at the scene of crime and the kind of explosive device used indicate the involvement of an amateur, local module.

One of the eye-witnesses was quoted as saying that the bomb-laden bike was flung several metres high as the explosion was triggered. The two-wheeler was blown to smithereens and its parts were strewn around for 10 metres.

The bike, an old 100cc blue Suzuki, carried a fake Tamil Nadu registration number TN 22 R 3769. Forensic experts said they have, however, found the chassis number - 1108F001568, a crucial clue.

Senior police officials suspect the perpetrators might have procured the motorbike from a scrap market.

They said two teams of Central Crime Branch officers had already been dispatched to the Shivajinagar scrap yard, and another team to JC Nagar and SP Road, as part of the investigation.

Unconfirmed reports said two traders in used vehicles from Shivajinagar were being questioned by the cops. However, senior officers denied it.

The police are reportedly trying to prepare sketches of the culprits based on eyewitness reports.

Security still remains tight in the state capital with elections round the corner and the local police have increased monitoring of important installations and public movement at important places.

source:http://zeenews.india.com

Bangalore:

The Centre would start an inquiry into the bomb blast near BJP office in Bangalore which left 16 persons injured, Union Home minister Sushil Shinde said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, sources told Zee Media that Indian Mujahideen may be involved in the blast.

"I came to know of the Bangalore blast and will start an inquiry into the incident. I will also have interaction with the Karnataka government and the police department," Shinde said.

Asked whether it was an act of terror, Shinde replied that this would be made known only after the probe was over.

Live Updates:

4.40 pm Local unit of Indian Mujahideen (IM) may be behind Bangalore blast, sources tell Zee Media

4 pm Don't politicise Bangalore blast: RPN Singh

2.43 pm There is nothing. It is a rumour, everything is calm here, says TR Suresh, DCP North East Bangalore on Hebbal blast reports

Special Secretary of the Home Dept will lead the enquiries into Bangalore blast, says Sushilkumar Shinde

2.30 pm Local news channels quote Police Commissioner denying blast at Hebbal

2.09 pm Official, confirmation on Hebbal blast awaited. Hebbal is around 7 kilometres from Malleswaram

2.07 pm 500 gm explosive used in Malleswaram blast

2.05 pm NIA team rushes from Delhi to Bangalore

2 pm Reports of another blast in Hebbal locality of Bangalore

1.50 pm Motorbike used for planting the IED was a stolen one. Police try to locate the owner

1.36 pm It is a clear case of terror act, says R Ashok

1.30 pm Motorcycle used in the blast had a Tamil Nadu registered number plate.

1.25 pm Appeal to people to remain calm, culprits will be caught and punished. The target was the BJP – Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok

1.17 pm Police confirm use of IED in Bangalore blast

1.13 pm No car hit by the blast had LPG kit installed

1.10 pm Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok reaches the blast site in Bangalore

1 pm The blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), sources to Zee Media

12.40 am Police officials are looking at all possibilities. At this time I would appeal for peace, says RPN Singh, MoS, Home

12.20 am NIA team reaches spot

12.15 am Patients with severe injuries in the Bangalore blast being shifted to Mallige hospital

Panic spread in the sleepy Bangalore neighbourhood after a huge explosion was heard outside the BJP office in Malleswaram. Soon afterwards a number of vehicles parked in the vicinity caught fire.

Eyewitnesses said glass windows of a nearby building were shattered due to the blast.

The injured were initially rushed to KC General Hospital.

The entire area has been cordoned off. Multiple forensic teams are at the spot and are looking for clues.

There was a huge crowd of BJP workers at the party office as today was the last day to file nominations.

source:http://zeenews.india.com/

Bangalore:

The capital of Karnataka once again faced a terror strike when a bomb exploded near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Malleshwaram on Wednesday morning injuring at least 16 people including 11 police personnel.

Two temples are also located near the blast site and at the moment of explosion, several devotees were on their way to the places of worship.

Fortunately there were no deaths even as the BJP claimed that its office and leaders were the target of the terror strike.

According to the police, an improvised explosive device (IED) was used in the blast which damaged several vehicles including cars and a bus. Union Home Ministry and Bangalore Police officials said the bomb was placed on a stolen Yamaha motorcycle with a Tamil Nadu license plate. The police are now hunting for the trigger device.

Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra H Auradkar said five civilians were injured, out of whom two were critical. "This was an explosion. Investigations have begun," he said. The police added that three cars, a bus and two two-wheelers were badly damaged in the explosion.

An eyewitness said, "When I came here, the building was almost collapsing. There was fire everywhere. My mother called to tell me that there's a huge explosion. Something was planted in the two-wheeler. I first heard the explosion. It could be heard even at 4 km. People were scared."

Karnataka BJP spokesperson S Prakash said, "The entire building shook, the intensity was high. We are not sure its a cylinder blast or bomb blast."

Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok said the terrorists had BJP leaders on their radar. "A meeting of the BJP leaders was on at the office. The terrorists have targeted our people.

The government will take strict action. We have already informed the central government. We are in constant touch with authorities. We appeal the people to maintain calm."

BJP president Rajnath Singh said he had spoken to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar about the incident. "I've spoken to the CM to make sure all is well. We never politicise terror activities," he said.

The blast comes weeks ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in Karnataka which are scheduled to take place on May 5. With Karnataka going to polls, the BJP office, located in a residential locality, is crowded with party workers and others.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Bangalore Police have begun their probe into the blast.

Past terror attacks in Bangalore:

July 25, 2008: 2 killed, 20 injured in a series of blasts; Status of case: Police files additional chargesheet against six accused on June 11, 2010.

April 17, 2010: 15 injured in a bomb explosion outside Chinnaswamy stadium; Status of case: 7 of 14 accused arrested. Prime suspect Yasin Bhatkal still absconding.

Congress leader's tweet draws ire:

The Congress on Wednesday found itself in a spot after party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad posted a controversial tweet on the Bangalore blast. Ahmad tweeted, "If the blast near BJP's office in Banglore is a terror attack,it will certainly help the BJP politically on the eve of election."

Reacting to the tweet, BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaaz Husain said, "This is an unfortunate comment. Congress takes benefits from blasts, we don't."

Calling the tweet insensitive, the BJP's Twitter handle BJP Karnataka tweeted, "Congress Spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad's tweet on blasts in Bangalore is insensitive and inhumane."

source:http://ibnlive.in.com