Modi wave destroys a former PM, a former CM, 2 former union ministers in Karnataka

News Network

May 24, 2019

Bengaluru: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recorded a thumping majority in Karnataka, a former Prime Minister, a former Chief Minister and two former Union Ministers tasted defeat.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who migrated from his home constituency Hassan to Tumakuru; Congress leader in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who had never lost an election since the beginning of his political career in 1972; M. Veerappa Moily, who was the joint candidate of the JD(S)-Congress coalition; and K.H. Muniyappa, who had won seven consecutive times from Kolar, failed to make it.

In his five-decade political career, Mr. Deve Gowda has lost in the Lok Sabha polls for the third time. He lost to BJP candidate G.S. Basavaraj in Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituency with a margin of 13,339 votes. He had given up Hassan, his home constituency which he had nurtured since 1991, to accommodate his grandson, Prajwal Revanna did not disappoint the patriarch as he became the lone JD(S) candidate to win this time.

Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge, who won all 11 elections in a row — nine Assembly elections and two Lok Sabha elections — lost to BJP’s Umesh Jadhav by a margin of 95,452 votes.

He began his winning streak right from his first election that he contested from Gurmitkal Assembly Constituency in 1972 and continued to represent it in the Assembly till 2004. In 2008, he shifted to neighbouring Chittapur that had just become SC-reserved constituency, and won from there.

After BJP assumed power in the State in that election, he resigned his Assembly membership to contest the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Kalaburagi and won with a slender margin of just 13,404 votes against his immediate rival Revu Naik Belamagi of BJP. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he again won from Kalaburagi with an improved margin of 74,733 votes.

Likewise, Mr. Veerappa Moily, who hails from the coastal belt, lost to BJP’s B.N. Bacche Gowda by a margin of 1.82 lakh votes. Mr. Bacche Gowda had lost against Mr. Moily in 2014 Lok Sabha polls by a narrow margin of about 9,500 votes. Mr. Moily, who was the Chief Minister from 1992 to 1994, had won from Chickballapur in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. However, this time he failed to perform a hat trick.

Another former Union Minister K.H. Muniyappa missed out on making history in Kolar. Had he won this time, he would have equalled veteran Congressman the late Jaffer Sharief’s record of winning Lok Sabha elections eight times.

Mr. Muniyappa was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 and had successfully retained his home turf. This time, he lost to S. Muniswamy, a corporator representing Kadugodi ward in Bengaluru, by a margin of 2.09 lakh votes.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

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.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

Comments