Congress ask its Karnataka leaders to keep flock together

DHNS

February 4, 2019

Bengaluru, Feb 4: Ahead of the Budget Session in Karnataka, the Congress high command has asked the state leadership to keep its MLAs together so that the government can pass the Finance Bill smoothly.

The instructions from the party top brass came following an attempt by the BJP to topple the state government during the Budget Session that begins this week.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was briefed by former chief minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao and AICC in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal last week about the political developments in the state, told them that the party should not be blamed in case the BJP tries to topple the government.

The legislature session begins on February 6 and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who also holds the finance portfolio, is slated to present the 2019-20 Budget on February 8. The state government is expected to pass the Finance Bill by February 14 or 15.

The Congress is apprehensive that the BJP may try to lure some MLAs and ensure that they miss the session.

“If the BJP succeeds in its plan and the government fails to pass the Finance Bill, then the government will collapse,” said a Congress leader.

Rahul also asked the state leaders to talk to all rebel MLAs and try to fulfil their demands.

“The Congress top brass clearly directed the state leadership to ensure that no MLA skips the session. The party also asked both Siddaramaiah and Gundu Rao to take all steps to keep the MLAs together,” said the Congress leader.

With JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda threatening to take the extreme step unless the Congress keeps its motormouth MLAs under control, Rahul is also learnt to have instructed the state leadership to not create any trouble in the coalition government.

Rahul’s instructions came after some Congress leaders openly claimed that for them, Siddaramaiah is the chief minister. Indicating that the party may be forced to indulge in one or more rounds of resort politics, the Congress leader said: “Till the passage of the Finance Bill, the party may keep its MLAs in one place.”

The BJP, which failed in its earlier attempt to lure Congress MLAs, may make another attempt during the Budget Session. “The Congress will not allow the BJP to topple the government at any cost,” the leader added.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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