Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Expelled BJP MLA B.P. Yatnal hints at forming a new regional party, and more

Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who has been expelled by the BJP for six years on the charge of indiscipline, has hinted at forming a new regional party if the dominance of the family of former chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa continues in the BJP unit in Karnataka. He has set a deadline till Vijaya Dashami festival to form his own party.

He told reporters in Vijayapura on March 30 that the new party would focus on Hindutva and comprehensive development of northern Karnataka. “Mr. Yediyurappa and his son B. Y. Vijayendra are not only corrupt, but are also engaged in adjustment politics. They have failed to protect Hindutva activists in Karnataka,” he said.

Minister of Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar has questioned the claim by Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjay Swami of Kudalsangam peetha that over 80% of Panchamasalis are with the BJP.

Ms. Hebbalkar, a Panchamasali Lingayat leader, said, “I felt very bad about it. Being a Congress leader, I joined the Panchamasali reservation agitation committee as we perceived it was a non-political agitation. Also, in this case, the seer is misinformed. The Panchamasali community has supported the Congress in large numbers. The success of several Congress candidates, including those in reserved constituencies, is proof of my claim.”

The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) will be revising the entry fee for the sky theatre show from April 1. As per the revised charges, entry fee for adults is ₹100 per head from the existing rate of ₹75 per head. For children below the age of 16 years, the fee is ₹60 per head from the existing rate of ₹50.

For organised groups of school students, the fee is ₹50 per head from the existing rate of ₹40. For block bookings (210 seats) the revised fees for school students is ₹10,000 from the existing charge of ₹8,000, and, for others, the revised fee is ₹20,000 from the existing charge of ₹ 15,000.

Palakkad division has secured the first position in the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) rankings of Indian Railways, moving upwards from 54th in 2023 and 5th in 2024.