CM’s wish is to field charismatic Ramya from a BJP bastion in Bengaluru

coastaldigest.com news network
November 30, 2017

Even though speculations are rife that Congress may field actor-turned-politician Ramya from Mandya Assembly constituency in 2018 Karnataka polls, chief minister Siddaramaiah’s wish is to field her from one of the 28 constituencies in Bengaluru.

An open-minded Siddaramaiah believes that fielding Ramya would add charisma to the campaign and will boost the morale of the workers in Bengaluru, particularly in the Bharatiya Janata Party-dominated constituencies.

Political pundits opine that shifting Ramya to Bengaluru is a better option for Congress as the Mandya is being represented by another actor-turned-politician M H Ambareesh.

Mr. Ambareesh is said to be keen to contest from Mandya, projecting himself as the “son of the soil”, though he declared, in filmy style after the meeting with the Chief Minister recently, that he “does not care whether a Soumya or a Ramya or a Suma” contests from the constituency.

Former MP Ramya, who heads the Congress’ social media outreach, lost in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Mandya. The fans of Ms Ramya still hold Mr Ambareesh camp responsible for this defeat. Both the stars, who have a similar trajectory in politics and belong to the same community, have been on a cold war in the heartland of Vokkaliga politics.

Various top Congress leaders are on a different page with regard to where Ms Ramya will contest from. According to D K Suresh, Bengaluru Rural MP, “Ramya has not sought ticket from Mandya, but the people in the constituency want Ramya to contest as she is active both in State and national politics.” On Ms Ramya renting a house in Mandya, he said it had nothing to do with her electoral ambitions.

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar has said that Ms Ramya would play “an active role in State politics”. She will contest either from Mandya or from Basavanagudi, he said, adding that she would be the “star campaigner” of the party for the coming polls in the State. Basavanagudi is considered as a BJP bastion in Bengaluru.

However, the party’s working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said Mr Ambareesh is the party’s senior leader and he plays an important role in decision-making. “There is no question of sidelining him, and the party high command will take a decision on whom to field in Mandya,” he said.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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