Cong leaders spreading baseless rumours that I am joining BJP: JP Hegde

December 16, 2015

Udupi, Dec 15: Former Udupi MP K Jayaprakash Hegde, who was expelled from the Congress for contesting the Udupi-Dakshina Kannada Local Bodies Constituency for Legislative Council, said on Tuesday that if elected, he would serve as an independent MLC.

Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday Mr Hegde said that Congress leaders, including the Urban Development Minister Vinaykumar Sorake and party candidate Pratapchandra Shetty, were making baseless allegations that he was knocking at BJP doors, to confuse the electorate.

Mr. Hegde said he had started his career in the undivided Janata Dal as MLA in 1994 and worked as the Minister for Ports and Fisheries in both H.D. Deve Gowda and J.H. Patel governments.

It was after the Janata Dal split, he resigned from it and was twice elected as an Independent MLA from Brahmavar Assembly Constituency in 1999 and 2004.

It was after the constituency was removed in the Delimitation exercise that he joined the Congress. As an Independent MLA, he helped the Congress candidates late Blasius D’Souza and Mr. Pratapchandra Shetty get elected as MLCs in 2003 by asking Gram Panchayat members owing allegiance to him to vote for them. “The Congress party has forgotten it,” he said.

B. Bhujanga Shetty, who had filed nominations as a rebel Congress candidate and later withdrew his papers, was present at the press meet.

Asked if he would be expelled for aligning with Mr. Hegde, he said: “If I am expelled from the party, I will face it. The party has no concern for its workers,” he said.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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