South

Sanjay Patil, a BJP lawmaker in Karnataka, has provoked outrage with his comment that the May 12 state election is "not about roads and drinking water but about Hindus vs Muslims". A video of the comments by legislator Sanjay Patil is in wide circulation in the acrimonious lead-up to the assembly polls.

The resignation of a Hyderabad judge who cleared all the accused in the Mecca Masjid blast of 2007 earlier this week has been rejected. Judge K Ravinder Reddy, who resigned hours after his "not guilty" verdict in the high profile case on Monday, has been asked to end his leave and return to his duties.

Rahul Gandhi must apologise to Hindus for labeling them "terrorists", BJP chief Amit Shah said on Wednesday while slamming the Congress president for "indulging in communal and vote bank politics."

Three policemen have been arrested by Kerala Police for their suspected role in the alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old man in rural Ernakulam.

Ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections, a huge amount of cash, liquor, drugs, gold and silver was seized by different agencies.

Family relations between candidates are not important for voters, it is more a matter of "acceptance" Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told NDTV today. Mr Siddaramaiah's party, the Congress, has been facing renewed opposition accusations of dynastic politics after it announced a list of 218 candidates on Sunday.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah -- whose decision to contest from Chamundeshwari seat is seen by many as a risky move -- today said he still has an "option", rekindling hopes of supporters that he may yet contest from a second seat. The Chief Minister's safe seat Varuna is going to his son Yathindra, a doctor making his debut in politics.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit's apology for a cheek-patting gesture that many found offensive has been accepted by a woman journalist, but with a disclaimer.

With less than a month to go for the assembly elections in Karnataka, politics over the state's Lingayat-Veerashaiva votes has found a new flashpoint - the birth anniversary of Basaveshwara, the 12th Century saint revered by both sects.

With Karnataka heading for the polls in May, Facebook has announced a third-party fact-checking programme in the state to fight spread of fake news on its platform.

Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde has alleged a "deliberate attempt on his life" by a truck that he said tried to hit his car and then rammed an escort car on Tuesday night in Karnataka. Posting multiple tweets and pictures, he has asked the police to investigate a possible conspiracy.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has denied having any link with the professor who was arrested today for allegedly making tacit requests for sexual favours to her students on behalf of officials of the Madurai Kamaraj University. Nirmala Devi, 46, of Devanga Arts College, had claimed she knows the Governor, who is the chancellor of the university.

She quit the police two years ago with a Facebook post over alleged interference in her work by a minister in Karnataka. Now she has returned with her own political party, whose symbol the lady's finger or bhindi was approved by the Election Commission in February. "I have entered politics, floated a party to contest the May 12 state assembly election and become a lawmaker to police politicians so that they fulfil their promises and fear any wrongdoing," former Karnataka police officer Anupama Shenoy, 37, told news agency IANS.

Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 will take place on May 12 in all 224 constituencies in the state. The counting of votes and results will be announced on May 15.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's choice of seat for the coming elections in May -- Chamundeshwari, instead of the current Varuna or the much-speculated Badami -- is seen as sending a message of confidence. Chamundeshwari used to be the home turf of Mr Siddaramaiah, who won it five times since 1983. The seat is currently held by GT Devegowda of the Janata Dal (Secular), a former aide turned competitor