JD(S) convinces its allies to field candidates in 40 seats to snatch Cong votes

News Network

February 17, 2018

The Janata Dal (Secular), which has forged pre-poll alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Nationalist Congress Party, has reportedly convinced its allies to field their candidates at least in 40 constituencies with the intention of snatching votes from Congress party.

JD(S) state president and H D Kumaraswamy has admitted that his party would ask its alliance partners to contest in 40 seats out of the 224.

In an interview, Kumaraswamy, who had formed government with the BJP in the past, said that JD(S) and allies were trying to get a vote share of about 30 per cent. The party is also open to tie-ups with farmers’ groups since one of the major planks with which the JD(S) is going to polls this time is agrarian issues, including farm loan waiver, he added.

While the BSP will be contesting in 20 constituencies, which have been identified, the NCP will contest in five to seven constituencies in the Bombay Karnataka region. The JD(S) is also in talks with the Left parties to join an alliance which is expected to become an alternative to the Congress.

According to Mr. Kumaraswamy, this is for the first time that the JD(S) is entering a pre-poll alliance. “We had always gone to election alone since 1999 when we made our election debut and contested almost all of the 224 seats.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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