Did JD(S) reach secret pact with BJP to defeat Siddaramaiah, his son in 2018 polls?

News Network
April 6, 2018

Bengaluru, Apr 6: After pre-poll surveys predicted clear majority for Congress under the leadership of chief minister Siddaramaiah in Karnataka in 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) appeared to have forged a secret alliance to defeat him and his son in Chamundeshwari and Varuna Assembly segments respectively.

If sources are to be believed, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, who intend to bring an end to the prolonged political career of Siddaramaiah, are masterminds behind such a secret pact.

A series of secret meetings between three friends-turned-enemies of Siddaramaiah (V Srinivas Prasad of BJP and A H Vishwanath and G T Devegowda of JD-S) has also given rise to the speculation of clandestine agreement between two parties.

Political pundits predict that it is inevitable for the leaders of the BJP and the JD(S) to join hands to ensure the defeat of Siddaramaiah. While Siddaramaiah is preparing to contest from Chamundeshwari, his son, Dr Yathindra is likely to be fielded from Varuna by the Congress party. Devegowda would take on Siddaramaiah and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra would contest against Dr Yathindra.

Vishwanath and Prasad quit the Congress party last year, accusing Siddaramaiah of ill-treating them. Both have declared that their aim is to ensure the defeat of Siddaramaiah in the upcoming election.

Although, the leaders of both the BJP and the JD(S) have been claiming that they will not form an alliance under any circumstance, it has become inevitable for them to enter into an understanding to defeat their common foe. Hence, the BJP may field a weak candidate in Chamundeshwari. The JD(S) may reciprocate with a similar candidate in Varuna, say analysts.

Sensing trouble, Siddaramaiah, who is in a Catch-22 situation after opting for Chamundeshwari, toured several villages under the constituency, trying to woo the voters. During the course, he also studied the mindset of the voters.

The situation is similar in Varuna Assembly constituency also, which was formed in 2008. Siddaramaiah had won from Varuna in the 2008 and 2013 polls.

Comments

Vinod
 - 
Friday, 6 Apr 2018

Cant predict these politicians.. They will jump if they are getting more oppurtunity. For cheating also. They will make people fools.

Hari
 - 
Friday, 6 Apr 2018

JD(S) should contest independently. 

Danish
 - 
Friday, 6 Apr 2018

It wont help them. It may help to divide votes, thats it

Suresh Kumar
 - 
Friday, 6 Apr 2018

Media simply spreading thier imagination. Till yesterday it was, sudeep has decided to join jds. Yesterday stopped all rumours by meeting CM

Ganesh
 - 
Friday, 6 Apr 2018

JDS may tie up with left party

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News Network
November 28,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 28: Karnataka Health Minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday handed over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the severe distress faced by farmers due to crashing crop prices.

PM Modi arrived at the Mangaluru International Airport en route to Udupi, where Gundu Rao welcomed him and submitted the letter. The chief minister’s message stressed that farmers are suffering heavy losses because maize and green gram are being bought far below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The state urged the Centre to immediately begin procurement at MSP.

According to the letter, Karnataka has a bumper harvest this year—over 54.74 lakh metric tons of maize and 1.98 lakh metric tons of green gram—yet farmers are unable to secure fair prices. Against the MSP of ₹2,400/MT for maize and ₹8,768/MT for green gram, market rates have plunged to ₹1,600–₹1,800 and ₹5,400 respectively.

The chief minister has requested the Centre to:

• Direct NAFED, FCI and NCCF to start MSP procurement immediately.
• Ensure ethanol units purchase maize directly from farmers or FPOs.
• Increase Karnataka’s ethanol allocation, citing high production capacity.
• Stop maize imports, which have depressed domestic prices.
• Relax quality norms for green gram, allowing up to 10% discoloration due to rains.

The letter stresses that MSP is crucial for farmer dignity and income stability and calls for swift central intervention to prevent a deepening crisis.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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