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With cabinet expansion on hold, dissent back in Congress

TNN
October 8, 2018

Bengaluru, Oct 8: The lull was brief. Dissent is again brewing in the Congress following the Election Commission’s announcement of byelections to the three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in Karnataka. Leaders are peeved since the announcement has provided an opportunity for the party high command to postpone the much-awaited cabinet expansion.

While some leaders, who were aspirants for ministerial berths, are openly expressing dissatisfaction over the postponement, others are miffed over the pact with JD(S) for the byelections.

B C Patil, Congress MLA from Hirekerur, was the first to react. In a tweet on Sunday in which he tagged AICC president Rahul Gandhi, KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and former chief minister Siddaramaiah, the actor-turned-politician said: “Dragging the expansion of cabinet in Karnataka is an act of insult (sic) to legislators, killing democracy, upholding the dictatorship in the name of party.”

Earlier too, Patil had openly castigated the party for overlooking him the first time the H D Kumaraswamy cabinet was expanded.

The cabinet was set to be expanded between October 10 and 12. Several other leaders are aspiring to head boards and corporations. These posts were to be filled immediately after the cabinet was expanded.

Adding fuel to the fire, Congress leader and former minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said the Congress should not have a pact with the JD(S) for the Mandya Lok Sabha bypoll. “The party should look to fight independently in the best interest of the Congress,” he said.

Former Congress MLA C M Lingappa, who is sulking over the party’s decision to ally with JD(S) for the Ramanagara bypoll, is reportedly in talks with the BJP. Sources say he could switch to the saffron party in case it gives him the ticket.

However, Congress party sources say Lingappa will not join the BJP since he is a loyal Congressman, but he could ask his son Shekhar to support M Rudresh, the BJP’s likely candidate.

The opposition BJP is trying to exploit the trouble that has erupted in the Congress, following its decision to give up the constituency for JD(S), but is finding it hard to field a strong candidate.

JD(S) is likely to field Anita Kumaraswamy in Ramanagara. A bypoll has been necessitated following the resignation of chief minister Kumaraswamy, who was elected from two seats — Ramanagara and Channapatna.

Senior Congress leaders, who were upset with the party’s decision to postpone the cabinet expansion, reportedly met Siddaramaiah on Saturday to vent their anger.

“I will meet Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in New Delhi soon to convince them to go ahead with expanding the cabinet without worrying about the bypolls,” Siddaramaiah is reported to have assured them.

AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal will be in Bengaluru on Monday. He is scheduled to meet senior Congress leaders on Tuesday where a decision on whether to appoint chairpersons to boards and corporations will be taken.

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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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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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