Ghulam Nabi Azad hits the campaign trail in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi; says JD(S) is finished chapter

coastaldigest.com news network
May 9, 2018

Mangaluru/Udupi, May 9: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha today campaigned for the Congress candidates in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi for May 12 Karnataka assembly polls.

Speaking to media persons in Mangaluru, the former union minister hailed the achievements of chief minister Siddaramaiah led Congress government and urged the people to save the state from Bharatiya Janata Party.

Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a liability to the nation as against his portrayal of himself being the 'saviour', the veteran Congress leader said that money power plays a major role in BJP politics.

"They buy voters and gather people to their prime minister’s rally by spending billions. It is not the people who come on their own. They are bought and brought," he alleged.

He added that the Congress firmly believes and shall remain committed to the thought that politics and religion are two different entities which cannot be brought together.

The modus operandi of BJP solely depends on money and not on the performance unlike Congress, he said.

Congress would always fight the battle on the performances delivered and not on hollow slogans and false promises, Azad said.

He said that performance-wise, the BJP is miles behind the Congress. He added that Karnataka and south Indians are very wise and if at all they fall for the money power of BJP, there would not be any such big tragedy in the legacy of politics. It would be unfortunate and only God has to save the country.

However, it will not happen, he stated confidently. BJP is known for preaching and not delivering. The prime minister is also similar as he only preaches and does not deliver, he said.

"He shows the moon but does not even give mud to people. The promises made to farmers, women and unemployed youths are not fulfilled," Azad said.

Karnataka government has offered free rice and other cereals for 65% people and 1.5 crore children are given milk and eggs. The loans up to Rs 50,000 have been waived for each farmer, he said.

Lambasting the BJP and its association with the Reddy brothers, the former Union minister said that the corruption amount of Reddy brothers is equal to four budgets of Jammu and Kashmir.

Claiming that MGNREGS is one of the biggest employment programmes in the world, the parliamentarian said that the programme has benefited 65 crore, unskilled people. It is the biggest social employment scheme, he said.

"The Congress will not make promises but it is committed to delivering. The programmes which were carried out or executed by Congress-led Karnataka government and UPA 1 and 2 were also not promised rather they were silently delivered to people," he said. He said JD(S) is a finished chapter, the party would get a maximum of 10-15 seats.

There are bright chances of Congress forming the government, he said and asserted that he can easily predict from his experience in the state as general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Assembly polls since 1988 and the geography of the politics in the state. "We are on a strong footing when compared to five years ago," he asserted.

Comments

MR
 - 
Thursday, 10 May 2018

Vote for Congress for 5 year of stable govt. under Siddaramiah

Think twice before you Vote for JDS.  

A vote for JDS is a vote for BJP 

We don't want BJP jail bird Yeddy to be our CM. Yeddy looted karnataka from 2008-2013 crime was at all time high

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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 21,2025

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Udupi: The Malpe Police have arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing classified information related to Indian Navy vessels with individuals in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to national security.

According to a complaint filed by the CEO of Udupi Cochin Shipyard, Malpe—an institution under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—the prime accused, Rohit (29), was working as an insulator through subcontractor M/S Shushma Marine Pvt Ltd. He had earlier served at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala, where naval ships are under construction.

Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the accused had unlawfully shared, via WhatsApp, confidential identification numbers of Navy-related ships and other classified details while working in Kerala, allegedly for illegal gains.

After joining the Malpe shipyard unit, Rohit reportedly continued collecting sensitive information through a friend in Kochi and circulated it to unauthorised individuals, violating national security protocols and potentially endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

Based on the complaint, Malpe Police registered a case under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

A police team led by Karkala Subdivision Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada—along with PSI Anil Kumar D, ASI Harish, and PC Ravi Jadhav—conducted the investigation and arrested the two accused, identified as Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The duo was produced before the court, which remanded them in judicial custody till December 3. Further investigation is in progress.

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News Network
November 27,2025

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday announced that he will convene a high-level meeting in New Delhi with senior leaders — including Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar — to resolve the escalating leadership turmoil in Karnataka and “put an end to the confusion.”

Kharge said the discussions would focus on the way forward for the ruling party, as rumours of a possible leadership change continue to swirl. The speculation has intensified after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, reviving talk of an alleged 2023 “power-sharing agreement” between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

“After reaching Delhi, I will call three or four important leaders and hold discussions. Once we talk, we will decide how to move ahead and end this confusion,” Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru, according to PTI.

When asked specifically about calling Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Delhi, he responded: “Certainly, we should call them. We will discuss with them and settle the issue.”

He confirmed that Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and other senior members would be part of the deliberations. “After discussing with everyone, a decision will be made,” he said.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah held a separate strategy meeting at his Bengaluru residence with ministers and leaders seen as his close confidants, including G. Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi, H.C. Mahadevappa, K. Venkatesh and K.N. Rajanna.
Signalling calm, the Chief Minister told reporters, “Will go to Delhi if the high command calls.”

Shivakumar echoed a similar stance, saying he too would head to the national capital if summoned by the party leadership.

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