B L Santosh managed to field his aides as BJP candidates across Karnataka: Jagadish Shettar

News Network
April 18, 2023

Hubballi, Apr 18: A day after the BJP named State BJP general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai as its candidate from Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who is now the Congress candidate after quitting the BJP, said on Tuesday that BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santosh is responsible for the BJP denying him (Shettar) the ticket.

Charging that Santosh managed to field his aides as BJP candidates across the state including his 'blue-eyed boy' Tenginkai, Shettar said Santosh and other leaders should have thought about the damage to be caused to the party's foundation if seniors like him (Shettar) who built the party are disturbed.

"I don't know why BJP's top leaders have belief in Santosh who was a failure when appointed as BJP's poll in-charge in different states. For him, the individual has become important and not the party. This will spoil BJP, and the ground reality was not conveyed to No 1 and No 2 (Narendra Modi and Amit Shah) in that party," Shettar said.

"Whispering campaign against me started several months back. I informed J P Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan, and others about it, but they did not take it seriously. B S Yediyurappa was also helpless," he noted.

There are several examples (like Ramdas in Mysuru) of Santosh managing to field his followers replacing winnable candidates. This is going to spoil the BJP, Shettar observed.

He also said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should have presented a strong case in favour of him before the high command instead of giving mere assurances.

"State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel is also Santosh's man. I was the senior most leader in BJP after B S Yediyurappa and K S Eshwarappa. Probably, that may be the reason to deny the ticket to me to prevent me from becoming an MLA. I just wanted a respectful exit from politics by becoming an MLA just for six months, but I was humiliated," he said, adding that State BJP is being controlled by only a few persons.

Opining that denial of a ticket to him would have an impact on neighbouring districts and across the state, Shettar said his task is to bring victory for Congress and to get it a clear majority.

"I am not power hungry and this would probably be my last election. As I want a respectful exit, I joined the Congress, and asked them to treat me with respect," he said.

"I am pained not just because of ticket denial, but because I was humiliated in BJP for several months. Floodgates are opened now," Shettar said.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Udupi, Nov 22: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has officially confirmed Narendra Modi’s visit to Udupi on November 28 and shared his detailed schedule with the Karnataka chief secretary.

According to the itinerary, the Prime Minister will land at Mangaluru International Airport from Delhi at 11:05 am and depart for Udupi by helicopter at 11:10 am. He is expected to arrive at the Adi Udupi helipad at 11:35 am.

The earlier plan for a roadshow has been cancelled. Instead, PM Modi will proceed directly to Sri Krishna Math at 12 pm, where he will have darshan of Sri Krishna and address participants of the Laksha Kanta Geetha Gayana event.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to depart from the Adi Udupi helipad at 1:35 pm, returning to Mangaluru Airport before leaving for Goa at 2 pm.

The state administration has been directed to make all necessary arrangements for the visit.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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