BJP has a fighting chance; in Mandya too saffron party will spring surprise: SM Krishna

News Network

February 4, 2018

The BJP has “a fighting chance” in the coming Legislative Assembly elections in Karnataka, according to former Chief Minister S M Krishna, who believes that the saffron party will spring a very big surprise even in regions like Mandya where it couldn’t find a base so far.

In an interview on Saturday, Mr. Krishna, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP about 11 months ago, said, “We (BJP) have a fighting chance in the ensuing Assembly elections in Karnataka.”

While admitting that the election results are difficult to predict, especially in Karnataka, Mr. Krishna said the BJP had a bright future, considering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personality and his “purposeful governance”. Also, the BJP had “a united face” under the leadership of its State president B.S. Yeddyurappa, he claimed.

To a question on whether identity politics raised by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah around issues such as Kannada flag and Kannada language will benefit the Congress, Mr. Krishna said, “I don’t think so. The people of Karnataka have graduated above that.”

Hitting out at the various ‘Bhagya’ schemes of the Siddaramaiah government, he said the present Congress government lacked fiscal discipline.

On the BJP’s prospects in Mandya district, where the party has no significant vote bank, Mr. Krishna said, “Now a large number young men and women are attracted by the personality of Mr. Modi, so they are joining hands. I think the coming elections will spring a very big surprise even in those districts where the BJP traditionally has not been established.”

Comments

SMK its hard time to get yourself out of politics & retire. I dont know why did u join BJP after serving Congress for so long. You have stepped on to two boats at same time. Now you are not counted in BJP nor Congress. You have done so much for our Karnataka, but very sad for taking this decision.

Very sad nobody s listening and caring, you are speaking to your own self only at last stage of your political career.

You must be day dreaming sir...

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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