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G. Kumar Naik, a retired IAS officer, has made a successful debut in electoral politics by winning the Lok Sabha election from the Raichur constituency on a Congress ticket. In his maiden parliamentary contest, he defeated Raja Amareshwar Naik, the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party, by a decisive margin of 79,781 votes. The victory marks a significant political milestone for Indian National Congress in the Raichur Lok Sabha constituency, a region that has witnessed intense electoral competition over the years. Mr. Kumar Naik’s win is being widely attributed to his administrative background, clean public image, and grassroots outreach, which resonated strongly with voters across urban and rural segments of the constituency. During his campaign, Mr. Kumar Naik focused on issues such as regional development, irrigation, employment opportunities, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, particularly highlighting the long-pending needs of the Kalyana Karnataka region. His experience as a senior bureaucrat was projected as an advantage, assuring voters of efficient governance and informed policymaking. The defeat of the BJP candidate is being seen as a setback for the party in Raichur, while the Congress has described the result as a vote of confidence in its leadership and agenda. Supporters celebrated the victory across the constituency, terming it a mandate for change and development-oriented politics. With this win, G. Kumar Naik enters Parliament for the first time, carrying expectations of effectively representing Raichur’s interests at the national level and translating his administrative experience into meaningful legislative action.

Terming corruption the biggest enemy, Veerappa says action against inefficient and corrupt officers will be very harsh Upalokayukta B. Veerappa sharply attacked inefficient government officers and warned them of initiating action during his three-day visit to Raichur district which concluded on Saturday.

Yellow alert has been issued for Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir districts, warning of cold wave conditions and advising heightened preparedness North-interior Karnataka is bracing for a spell of severe cold wave, with the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) warning that minimum temperatures are likely to remain 4 degress Celsius to 6 degrees Celsius below normal across large parts of the region between December 19 and 23.According to the latest district-wise weather data released by the KSNDMC, Bidar recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the State at 5.5°C during the 24-hour period from 8.30 a.m. on December 18 to 8.30 a.m. on December 19. Other districts in the region also reported sharp drops in night temperatures, with Kalaburagi recording 7.5°C, Vijayapura 6.9°C, Belagavi 6.4°C, and Dharwad 6.7°C, indicating intensifying cold conditions across North Karnataka. Yellow alert: The KSNDMC has issued a yellow alert for Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir districts, warning of cold wave conditions and advising heightened preparedness during the period. The alert indicates a moderate risk of cold-related impacts, particularly during night and early morning hours. In an extreme weather index forecast issued on Thursday evening, the KSNDMC said severe cold wave conditions are likely at isolated places over north-interior Karnataka on December 19, 20 and 21, while both north and south-interior Karnataka may experience minimum temperatures significantly below normal levels till December 23.Some parts of the Malnad region are also expected to witness similar cold wave conditions during the same period, while Coastal Karnataka may see a dip in temperature by 2°C to 3°C below normal between December 20 and 22.Despite relatively high daytime temperatures, with maximum temperature crossing 34°C in districts such as Kalaburagi and Vijayapura, the sharp fall in night temperatures has resulted in a wide diurnal variation, aggravating cold stress, especially during early morning and late night hours.

Urban Development Minister B.S. Suresh said that the State government, with the aid of the Union government, has been constructing ground-plus-3 model houses in the State, and around 2,419 houses are under construction at the outskirts of Raichur city (near Yarmaras village).These houses are being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme, which aims to construct houses under the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) sub plan with the Raichur City Corporation’s Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC).The houses will be allotted to the eligible beneficiaries belonging to the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, other backward classes and general categories after completion, he said, and added that the government is committed to ensuring houses for the houseless with all basic facilities. The houses are being constructed on 44 acres of the area. Of the 2,419 houses, 951 are for SC, 1053 for ST, 187 for OBC, and 187 for the general categories. The construction cost of each house is ₹9 lakh, and beneficiaries of SC and ST will get a ₹3.50 lakh subsidy (including ₹2 lakh from the state and ₹1.50 lakh from the Centre), and the beneficiary should pay the remaining cost, Deputy Commissioner Nitish K. explained to the Minister.