C M Ibrahim retains Planning Board post after threatening to join JD(S)

January 3, 2017

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Disgruntled Congress leader C M Ibrahim on Monday succeeded in retaining his post as vice chairman of the State Planning Board after driving a hard bargain.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who on Monday met Ibrahim at his residence over lunch, agreed to allow him to continue in the post. Ibrahim, who is known as a party-hopper in political circles, had been threatening to quit the Congress and join the JD(S).

Ibrahim was supposed to resign as vice chairman in October last year. The ruling Congress had nominated its functionaries, including Ibrahim, as heads of various boards and corporations for only two years.

Though almost all the functionaries quit their posts, Ibrahim refused to do so. Instead, he threatened to quit the party, sources in the Congress said.

Ibrahim has been a close associate of Siddaramaiah. He had identified himself with Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) movement led by Siddaramaiah in 2005 and subsequently quit the JD(S) and joined the Congress.

Later, Ibrahim told reporters he has no plan to quit the Congress. The next Assembly election in 2018 will be fought under Siddaramaiah's leadership, he said. He, however, evaded a question on whether he would join the JD(S) in future. Siddaramaiah said Ibrahim will not leave the Congress.

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Mangaluru NRI returning from Saudi Arabia arrested over Instagram post

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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