Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

1. Karnataka leadership change: D.K. Shivakumar loyalists hold dinner meeting to lobby for his promotion to CM post

Amid continued speculation over a possible leadership change in the ruling Congress in Karnataka, loyalists of Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar gathered at a hotel to discuss strategies to promote their leader to the Chief Minister’s post. Among the 30 like-minded MLAs who attended the meeting were C.P. Yogeshwar, H.D. Ranganath, Ganesh Hukkeri, Mantar Gowda, and Nayana Motamma.

A group of MLAs organised the meeting at a private hotel on February 27 night to deliberate on ways to end the ongoing confusion surrounding the alleged power-sharing pact that was believed to have been reached during the formation of the government in May 2023. One more round of meetings of Mr. Shivakumar’s loyalists is likely to be held in Bengaluru before the Karnataka Budget Session, set to begin on March 6.

2. Rohith Vemula Bill, honour killing Bill referred for further review: Minister H.K. Patil

Karnataka Minister H.K Patil said that the State Cabinet has discussed key legislations, including the proposed Rohith Vemula Bill and the honour killing Bill, and decided to seek further inputs before taking them forward. The minister said the proposed legislations were examined in detail, and certain aspects required additional consultation with the home department.

“The Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026, was discussed in the Cabinet. As certain aspects require the opinion of the home department, it has been referred back to it and will be placed before the next Cabinet meeting. This relates to human rights,” the minister said.

3. 20 lakh jobs in 5 years: Make AVGC-XR skills part of mainstream education: CM Siddaramaiah at GAFX conference

Bengaluru is not merely India’s technology capital, it is a city where imagination meets engineering, where art meets algorithms and a city where creativity finds capital, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated after inaugurating the 7th edition of the State-sponsored GAFX (Games, Animation and Visual Effects) Conference in Bengaluru on February 27.

“Today, GAFX represents the next great frontier. The Games, Animation and Visual Effects sector is no longer a small creative industry. In the era of digital revolution, immersive media, streaming platforms, e-sports, and extended reality, GAFX is shaping how humanity experiences stories, culture, education and even governance,“ the Chief Minister said.

4. Tourists get wifi in Yana, Sahasralinga and other remote areas in Uttara Kannada district

Keeping in mind tourists visiting the historical, spiritual, and natural attractions, including waterfalls, in the remote forested regions of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, GNA India Private Limited has launched a wifi facility to illuminate the ‘blind spots’, or remote areas where network signals previously failed to reach.

In the first phase, the Bengaluru-based company has introduced wifi connectivity in Yana and Sahasralinga, two prominent pilgrimage and tourist destinations in the district. GNA has partnered with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Acer India to install small towers and provide digital connectivity in these remote areas.

5. Last rites of former soldier in Karnataka village exposes practice of untouchability

Officials of the Bagalkot district administration held a peace committee meeting in Chinnapur following complaints of the practice of untouchability in the village by some Savarna groups, and also owners of hotels, shops and salons.

Complaints of untouchability arose after all the shops and hotels remained closed on the day of the cremation of Hanumanthappa Harijan, a former soldier who belongs to the Holeya community, which is grouped under Scheduled Castes.