Be ready for sacrifice: Cong, JD(S) leaders tell MLAs amid intense lobbying for ministerial berths

coastaldigest.com web desk

May 22, 2018

Bengaluru, May 22: The lobbying for ministerial berths in Karnataka has intensified after chief minister designate H D Kumaraswamy called on Congress stalwarts Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to discuss the modalities of coalition government.

However, the leaders of both Congress and JD(S) have urged their MLAs lobbying for ministership to be ready for some sacrifices in the larger interest of the Opposition unity at least till the 2019 elections.

The ministerial aspirants from Congress had initially planned to go to Delhi to lobby in their favour. However, they stayed back following a diktat from the high command that no discussions would be taken up till Kumaraswamy faced the floor test.

“We had to cancel the plan at the last moment as the high command strictly told us that nothing will be discussed till the floor test. We have also been told that we should not be insisting on ministerial berths or any other posts now. We should be ready to sacrifice anything in the larger interest,” said a senior MLA.

Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that he will not be the only one taking oath at the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday. If sources are to be believed a Dalit Congress MLA will be sworn-in as deputy chief minister on the same occasion. The Congress also has proposed two Deputy CM posts - one for Dalit and the other for a Lingayat.

Meanwhile, a few Lingayat MLAs have expressed displeasure over Bableshwar MLA M.B. Patil’s name being floated for Deputy Chief Minister’s post. Sources said the MLAs for Indi and Basavana Bagevadi Yeshwanthraygoud V. Patil and Shivanand S. Patil threatened to resign if Mr. M.B. Patil was considered even for a Minister’s post. They alleged that he had divided the Lingayats on the pretext of seeking a separate religion tag.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments