Former Karnataka minister quits BJP, joins JDS

Agencies

January 15, 2018

Bengaluru, Jan 15: Former State Minister Anand Asnotikar today quit BJP and joined the Janata Dal Secular, ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.

Asnotikar along with his followers joined the JDS in the presence of party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, and state President H D Kumaraswamy here.

Asnotikar said he was joining JDS, a regional party for the welfare of the border region he represents.

"After certain painful incidents that my family and I had to face in the district, my supporters and well-wishers advised me to start afresh with a regional party," he said.

Only a regional party can bring development to border areas like Karwar and Ankola, he said.

Welcoming Asnotikar, Gowda said his joining shows how the JDS is growing stronger day by day.

Asnotikar, who was elected on Congress ticket in 2008 from Karwar, had resigned from the party and the assembly to switch loyalty to the then ruling BJP, following which he was made Minister for Fisheries, Science and Technology.

B S Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister then.

Asnotikar, who won the subsequent bypoll from Karwar on BJP ticket, lost during the 2013 assembly polls.

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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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