Dr Kafeel Khan receives rousing welcome after bail

GORAKHPUR: Dr Kafeel Khan, the nodal incharge of AES ward who was arrested and jailed in connection with the BRD tragedy in which 30 children had died due to ‘disruption’ in oxygen supply last year, got a rousing welcome from people after being released from Gorakhpur jail Saturday. Lodged in jail for past eight months, Dr Khan’s earlier attempts to get bail, including one in special anti-corruption court, were not entertained and pleas were rejected on different grounds. Hundreds of supporters greeted him outside the prison, holding placards which read - ‘Justice for Dr Kafeel’, ‘Dr Kafeel you are a real hero’, ‘you are a real doctor,’ etc.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is 84. He has not been in power since 2007, when his Janata Dal (Secular), or JD (S) was part of the ruling coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. Deve Gowda’s son HD Kumaraswamy refused to keep a promise to transfer the chief minister’s post to BJP’S BS Yeddyurappa, a situation that forced fresh elections and brought the BJP to power on its own for the first time in a southern Indian state.

Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy have become more isolated and the JD (S) more marginalised since. The BJP ruled Karnataka between 2008 and 2013 and the Congress has held power for five years. The JD(S) could not find a place in the ruling coalition at the centre, too. Losses in many by-elections held in the last 10 years has pushed it further against the wall.

THE CRUCIAL BATTLE

The Magadi assembly constituency is part of Ramnagara district on the outskirts of Bangalore and a stronghold of JD (S). It chose a JD(S) candidate, HS Balakrishna, in the 2013 election, when the Congress won Karnataka. Balakrishna has crossed over to the Congress and the latter’s candidate in the previous election, Manju, joined ranks with the JD(S). The political summersault by the two candidates, however,