BJP, JDS strike electoral deal for LS, MLC polls in Karnataka

Bangalore, Aug 7: BJP today withdrew its candidates from Mandya and Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat where bypolls would be held on August 21 in an apparent understanding with the JDS, a move that evoked sharp reaction from Congress that launched a frontal attack on H D Deve Gowda-led "family party".

Bangalore South BJP MLA M Krishnappa pulled out from Bangalore Rural, while K S Doreswamy did so in Mandya on the last day of withdrawals, leaving the field to a direct fight between the Congress and JDS.

In a quid pro quo, JDS did not field candidates for August 22 Legislative Council poll from Dharwad, Chitradurga and Mysore Local Authorities constituencies, apparently in favour of the BJP.

JDS was coy about the "understanding" and refused to publicly acknowledge that it has entered into electoral alliance with the BJP, which however has admitted that the former had mooted such a proposal.

While the former Prime Minister Deve Gowda insisted earlier this week that there is no truck with the BJP, his son and state unit President H D Kumaraswamy maintained that his party's primary objective is to defeat the Congress.

After getting elected to legislative Assembly in May, Kumarswamy had resigned his Bangalore Rural seat, while his party colleague N Cheluvarayaswamy from Mandya Lok Sabha seat, necessitating the byelections.

JDS had won three Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the 2009 elections -- Bangalore Rural, Mandya and Hassan, which is represented by Deve Gowda, and sees the byelections as a "prestigious battle" and "question of its survival".

For its part, BJP leaders say in private that the party does not fancy a chance to win in both Mandya and Bangalore Rural and does not want to cut a "sorry figure" if it were to get a poor vote share and terms the move to join hands with the JDS as a "political strategy".

JDS has fielded Kumarswamy's wife Anita from Bangalore Rural and C S Puttaraju from Mandya, pitting them against D K Suresh, brother of former Minister D K Shivakumar, and cine actor Ramya, respectively.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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