BM Farooq issue: Mohiuddin Bava will not betray Congress, says KPCC chief

May 31, 2016

Bengaluru, May 31: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara has extended moral support to Mangaluru North MLA BA Mohiudin Bava, who was warned by chief minister Siddaramaiah for failing to convince BM Farooq to refrain from contesting Rajya Sabha polls on JD(S) ticket.

Mr Bava is the Congress MLA from Mangaluru city north constituency, while his younger brother Farooq, a realtor, has jumped into the RS election fray as the JD(S) nominee.

Responding to CM's statement, Mr Parameshwara said that BM?Farooq was free to take independent decisions though he happened to be the brother of Mr Bava.

The KPCC chief, while finding no fault with Mr Bava, said that just because Farooq was Bava's brother, it didn't mean he was not free to take “independent decisions”.

Mr Parameshwara said he was certain that the Congress MLAs would not betray the party. “All our MLAs are with us, including Mr Bava. We are certain to win,” he added.

Siddu's warning

Earlier on Monday Mr Siddaramaiah warned Mr Bava at the Congress legislature party meeting held at the Vidhana Soudha on Monday that the latter will not get the party ticket to contest the next Assembly polls if his brother – JD(S) candidate Farooq – does not withdraw from the fray.

The Congress legislature party meeting was convened to introduce the party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council polls.

Angered by Farooq's move, Siddaramaiah took Bava to task at the party meeting. When the MLA tried to wash his hands of saying he had nothing to do with his brother's decision, the chief minister curtly retorted asking him why he had recently approached him seeking clearance of Farooq's wind-energy project if he had nothing to do with his brother's affairs.

“The party has been facing embarrassment because of you and your brother. You should ensure that he (Farooq) withdraws. Otherwise, the party will not give you the ticket to contest in the next polls (2018 assembly polls),” sources quoted Siddaramaiah as saying at the meeting.

The Congress would not find it difficult to get its first two candidates – Oscar Fernandes and Jairam Ramesh – getting elected. But the third candidate – K?C?Ramamurthy – would have to get non-Congress votes to win. Sources said the Congress leaders had told Mr Bava that his brother should back out in the interest of his political career. They even went to the extent of accusing him of joining hands with the JD(S) to embarrass the Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Also Read: CM takes on MLA Bava over BM Farooq contesting RS polls on JD(S) ticket

Comments

Dear Saleem , brief here about Mangalore north and south, type of nonsense word use only CongRss always.

@shamshuddin

What is selfish here?? Don't comment nonsense sitting in dammam, come to mangalore north and see what are the progress done by our mla.

MR. BAWA READY TO GO BACK HOME

Good to know Katipalla and Krishnapura will have one MLA and a MP.

Selfish MLA. never thinks about his own party , even if he get ticket for 2018 , he cant win.

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Mangaluru–Kasaragod bus fare rolled back after Kerala protests force NHAI to shut Arikkady toll plaza

coastaldigest.com news network

February 5,2026

Mangaluru: The KSRTC Mangaluru division has rolled back the fare hike on buses operating on the Mangaluru–Kasaragod route following the suspension of toll collection at the Arikkady toll plaza near Kumbala in Kasaragod district.

The fare revision had been implemented after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) began toll collection at the Arikkady plaza on NH-66. As a result, fares for ordinary and Rajahamsa services were increased by ₹7 and ₹10, respectively, raising the bus fare from Mangaluru to Kasaragod from ₹81 to ₹88.

Senior Divisional Controller of KSRTC’s Mangaluru division, Rajesh Shetty, said the fares were reduced after toll collection at the Arikkady plaza was stopped. “The tollgate began operations on January 13, and the toll amount was deducted from the FASTag accounts of KSRTC buses operating on the route. Following an order from the central government to suspend toll collection, KSRTC has also withdrawn the additional fare with immediate effect,” he said.

At present, vehicles travelling on the Mangaluru–Kasaragod route pay toll only at the Talapady toll plaza. The toll for light motor vehicles (LMVs) at Talapady is ₹80 for a same-day return, while heavy vehicles, including buses, are charged ₹250. At Arikkady, the toll rates were ₹130 for LMVs (same-day return) and ₹450 for buses.

Protests against Arikkady toll plaza

The Arikkady toll plaza witnessed widespread protests from January 12, the day toll collection commenced. On the second day, an action committee led by Manjeshwar MLA A K M Ashraf launched an indefinite protest at the site. Except for the BJP, leaders and workers of most major political parties participated in the agitation.

On the night of January 14, a large number of protesters gathered at the plaza and vandalised property, following which authorities temporarily suspended toll operations. The BJP later also expressed opposition to the toll plaza and criticised NHAI’s decision.

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