Bommai to be Leader of Opposition? R Ashoka, Sunil Kumar Karkala too among contenders

News Network

May 15, 2023

Bengaluru, May The BJP Legislature Party meeting scheduled early this week is expected to choose the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly where the saffron party will have 66 members.

Under the present circumstances, a large section of BJP leaders seem in favour of Caretaker Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to become the Leader of the Opposition, a crucial position to corner the government in the Assembly.

Senior lawmakers R Ashoka (Vokkaliga), Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Panchamasali-Lingayat) and Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar (Idiga) are contenders for the position, it is said.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of top BJP leaders, Bommai said the party's state president Nalin Kumar Kateel has convened a meeting of new MLAs in the next 3-4 days where various issues would be discussed.

A senior leader said that Bommai - who belongs to the Sadar section of Lingayats - is in the race to become the Leader of the Opposition due to his experience of handling crucial departments like water resources, finance and home.

“He's a good debater, too. Therefore, he has an edge over others unless the party's central leadership wants to overhaul the state unit entirely and pick fresh faces ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” the leader said.

There are calls within the party to go for a Hindutva face like Yatnal or Sunil Kumar to take on the new Congress government that is expected to overturn several decisions of the previous BJP government such as repealing laws banning cow slaughter and regulating religious conversion.

They may be considered for the position of Deputy Leader of the Opposition, sources said. Even Ashoka and S Suresh Kumar (Brahmin) could be considered, it is said.

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Roadblock to Relief: Speaker Khader’s Push to Expand Key NH-66 Stretch from Nanthoor to Talapady

News Network

November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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