Many BJP MLAs in Karnataka willing to join Congress after May 23: KC Venugopal

Agencies

May 14, 2019

Kalaburgi, May 14: Congress leader KC Venugopal on Monday said that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka are willing to quit the saffron party and join Congress after the declaration of Lok Sabha election result on May 23. The senior Congress leader, however, told media that his party is not going to lure away the BJP legislators because they are willing to quit the BJP on their own.

"We are not going to poach any MLAs from BJP but naturally they will come to Congress after May 23. That is going to happen. In last one year, Karnataka has been witnessing horse-trading mentality of BJP, and on the other hand, Congress-JD(S) joined together," Venugopal was quoted as saying by ANI.

"We formed the government; we are ruling the state from last one year. We will definitely continue," he added.

The allegations of horse-trading are not new in Karnakata as both the Congress and the BJP are levelling these allegations on each other since the Assembly elections in May last year. It may be recalled that in January this year, the BJP had shifted all its 104 MLAs in a hotel in Gurugram, amid reports that the Congress was trying to lure away some BJP legislators. In February, Congress claimed that BJP's BS Yeddyurappa had offered around Rs 200 crore to 18 of its MLAs in order to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.

Earlier on Sunday, another Karnataka Congress leader B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan had said that around 10 BJP legislators were in touch with his party. "From the day we formed the government, the BJP has been trying to (topple the government), it is not something new. From that day they have been giving deadlines (to the government)," state minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan told reporters in Hubli. Khan made the statement just two days after Yeddyurappa had claimed that 20 Congress MLAs were in touch with the BJP and they are waiting for Lok Sabha election results before taking a final call on joining the saffron party.

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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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