South

In the middle of "gatbandhan" politics as parties prepare for the national election, Andhra Pradesh leader Jaganmohan Reddy's meeting with Telangana's ruling TRS today has drawn attention.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has questioned YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and his sister YS Sharmila over their faith in the state police, saying how they would even think of contesting elections if they didn't trust the police in the state. Mr Naidu went on to ask them to behave like responsible citizens of Andhra Pradesh.

The political turmoil in Karnataka in the wake of two lawmakers withdrawing support to the coalition government of Congress and JD(S) led to a Twitter war between Congress leader Siddaramaiah and the BJP.

Senior BJP leader and party's in-charge for Karnataka P Muralidhar Rao Tuesday said the JD(S)-Congress government in the state "cannot survive" its full five-year term and will fall on its own due to internal conflicts.

Brushing aside any threat to the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in Karnataka after two MLAs withdrew support, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday said the alliance government would continue despite the BJP's "ugly and dirty" horse-trading attempts.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading of MLAs after two Independent lawmakers in the state withdrew their support to the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress government headed by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today ripped into Kerala's Left government and the opposition Congress over the handling of the Sabarimala temple issue. In Kollam today for the launch of two projects, PM Modi said, "The CPM government's conduct on Sabarimala will go down in history as most shameful action of any government in power".

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kerala today for the launch of two projects, there was much trolling on Twitter. What amused his critics, mainly supporters of the state's ruling Left government, was the prime minister's "long" journey for the opening of the 13 km Kollam bypass.

YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila has complained to the police that people with vested interests were carrying out false propaganda on social media, linking her name to that of Prabhas, actor who played the central role in blockbuster Bahubali. Ms Sharmila said it was the result of a conspiracy by to defame her ahead of elections to get political mileage by the ruling Telugu Desam Party.

Two Independent lawmakers of Karnataka-- H Nagesh and R Shankar -- have withdrawn support from the HD Kumaraswamy government. The move comes amid drama over the BJP accusing Mr Kumaraswamy of attempting to poach on their lawmakers and shifting more than a hundred of them to a resort in Gurgaon near Delhi.

Two Independent lawmakers -- H Nagesh and R Shankar -- have withdrawn support from the government of HD Kumaraswamy amid a huge political churn in Karnataka. Pointing to the numbers, Mr Kumaraswamy said he was "totally relaxed". Their defection brings down the numbers of the ruling alliance from 120 to 118 - the halfway mark stands at 113. Over the last two days, there have been tit-for-tat allegations of attempted poaching from the Congress and the BJP camps. The Congress says several of its lawmakers have gone "missing". The BJP has shifted its 104 lawmakers to Gurgaon near Delhi.

Happy Pongal: Tamil Nadu celebrated Pongal, a major harvest festival, on Tuesday with traditional fervour.

This comes at a time of new political turbulence in Karnataka after the BJP flew its 104 lawmakers to a luxury resort in Gurgaon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala today to inaugurate a road project in the state. The 13-km Kollam bypass on the National Highway 66 - built at a cost of Rs 352 crore - is expected to reduce travel time between state capital Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha, a distance of 150 kms.

YSR Congress Party President YS Jaganmohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila on Monday met the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, urging him to act against those maligning her on the social media.