Israeli minister to discuss Pegasus on visit to France

Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz will meet his French counterpart in Paris this week for talks that will include an “update” on the Pegasus spyware scandal, his office has said.

JERUSALEM:

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar congratulated Bommai on his selection as the new chief minister. “Congratulations to Sri @Bsbommai for being selected as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka. Congress party and the state hopes that the focus will be back on governance now,” Shivakumar tweeted.

The selection of Bommai, who is from the Lingayat community, comes after several pontiffs from Lingayat mutts in the state advised the BJP central leadership against removing Yediyurappa, a tall leader of the community.

The Lingayat community forms close to 16% of the state’s population and has been a loyal vote base for the party. Even though there was speculation of the BJP appointing a leader from a different community, eventually, it zeroed down on the Lingayat leader.

The new chief minister was announced after Yediyurappa’s resignation ended months of speculation amid growing dissidence within the BJP in the only southern state.

The 78-year-old made the announcement in an emotional speech at an event celebrating two years in power before submitting his resignation to governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.

“I’m not sad. I’m happy. I can’t thank in words PM Modi, Amit Shah, and JP Nadda to let me be the chief minister even though I was over 75 years,” said Yediyurappa. “There is no question of political retirement for any reason, I’m with the karyakartas and the people.”

Arun Singh, incharge of party affairs in Karnataka, along with Pradhan and others held the crucial meeting of the MLAS in Bengaluru. Bommai was informed about the party leadership’s decision to appoint him as the CM about half an hour before the legislative party meeting, the second leader said.