Jaswant Singh likely to quit BJP

March 22, 2014

New Delhi, Mar 22: Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh is likely to resign from the party tomorrow, said sources . He is reportedly upset over not being allowed to contest from his home constituency.

Mr Singh, 76, wanted to contest what is likely to be his last election, from Barmer, the constituency in Rajasthan where he was born. But the BJP ignored that and instead decided to field Colonel (Retd.) Sona Ram Choudhary, who was recently imported by the party from the Congress.

After his candidacy was announced, Col Choudhary said, "Jaswant Singh is very senior. We will pacify him."

Mr Singh has reportedly threatened to contest as an independent candidate from Barmer.

The BJP picked Col Choudhary for Barmer after much persuasion by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who argued that as a Jat, he could be a big draw in the constituency where Jats are the dominant community. Mr Singh is a Thakur.

Ms Raje also reportedly hopes that fielding the Colonel will help the BJP get Jat support in adjoining constituencies.

However, the move has upset a section of BJP workers in Barmer who were backing Mr Singh. They are upset over supporting a former Congressman, who they had once fought elections against.

Jaswant Singh has never contested from Barmer. He won Lok Sabha elections from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan in 1991 and 1996, and from Darjeeling in West Bengal in 2009.

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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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