Fearing 'Operation Lotus', Cong, JD(S) may shift their MLAs to resort

DHNS

May 16, 2018

Bengaluru, May 16: The Congress and the JD(S), which have come together to form a coalition government, are likely to shift their MLAs to a resort in order to prevent poaching from the BJP.

Speculation is rife in the political circles that the BJP is planning an “Operation Lotus” to increase its numbers. Under Operation Lotus, rival party MLAs will be made to resign and face the byelections after joining its fold. The saffron party had done this after it fell short of simple majority in the 2008 Assembly polls.

The Congress and the JD(S), therefore, may ferry their MLAs to a resort outside Karnataka. “The party leaders (Congress) are holding a meeting in this regard tonight. All the MLAs are likely to be kept at a resort till the coalition government is formed,” sources in the Congress said.

Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar is said to have been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that there is no poaching of the MLAs. Shivakumar had prevented poaching of the party MLAs from Gujarat last year ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls by keeping them at a resort near Bidadi on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The Congress has convened its legislature party meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss the political developments. The MLAs are likely to be later ferried to a resort, the sources said.

"The BJP is known for poaching of MLAs. It had done it successfully in the past. But, this time it will not succeed," out-going Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters.

The Congress and the JD(S) together have 118 MLAs, including two Independents. The BJP has 103 MLAs. Currently, the simple majority to form the government is 112.

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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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