Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll: Is Yeddyrurappa working for BJP candidate's defeat?

March 14, 2012

Mangalore, March 14: Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's refusal to campaign for BJP candidate Sunil Kumar in Chikmagalur-Udupi Lok Sabha by-poll has caused jitters in the BJP camp.

The sudden Delhi trip by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who has refused to campaign for BJP candidate Sunil Kumar in Chikmagalur-Udupi Lok Sabha by-poll has caused jitters in the BJP camp.

Next Sunday's crucial bypoll is expected to be an acid test for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The bigger question is whether the BJP will be successful in retaining the seat without the services of Mr. Yeddyurappa, who is regarded as responsible for the party's victory in the 2008 Assembly elections as well as the byelections held so far.

Meanwhile, JD(S) has accused the former chief minister of striking a pact with the Congress to defeat the BJP candidate. “Yeddyurappa is determined to settle political scores with chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda by ensuring the BJP candidate's defeat in the by-poll. Yeddyurappa has been sending a message for Veerashaiva voters in the constituency to vote for Congress candidate Jayaprakash Hegde in the by-poll,” said JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti.

Mr. Yeddyurappa's absence from the BJP's campaign is likely to help Congress candidate K. Jayaprakash Hegde, who lost the 2009 general elections to Mr. Gowda, the then BJP State unit president, by a margin of nearly 27,000 votes.

Mr. Yeddyurappa is seeking to convey to the party national leadership that the BJP has been triumphant in the elections thanks to his hard work and without him the electorate's response to the party will be poor.

Should the BJP candidate emerge victorious, then Mr. Yeddyurappa stands to be pushed further away from the party mainstream.

The onus is now on the incumbent Chief Minister and president of the State unit of the BJP K.S. Eshwarappa to prove to the BJP national leadership that despite Mr. Yeddyurappa's boycott, they can comfortably hold aloft the BJP flag.

Interestingly, several Cabinet Ministers, who are closely associated with Mr. Yeddyurappa, are on the campaign trail. There are nearly one lakh Lingayat voters in the constituency, which has an electorate of nearly 12 lakh.

Mr. Yeddyurappa's boycott is expected to push Lingayats to vote for the Congress candidate.

The BJP candidate Mr. Kumar who was earlier a member of the Legislative Assembly elected from the Karkala Assembly segment is stated to be putting up a stiff fight against the Congress candidate but deep divisions within the ruling party is expected to damage his chances.

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From malls to highways, Kannada signboards to be enforced in Dakshina Kannada

News Network

February 4,2026

Mangaluru: Urban local bodies and gram panchayats should make the use of Kannada on signboards mandatory while issuing trade licences to commercial establishments, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV said. He also called for regular inspections to ensure compliance.

Presiding over the District Kannada Awareness Committee meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office, Darshan said the city corporation would be directed to ensure that shops operating in malls prominently display their names in Kannada. “All commercial establishments, including shops, companies, offices and hotels, must mandatorily display their names in Kannada on signboards,” he said.

The deputy commissioner added that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would be instructed to include Kannada on signboards along national highways. Banks, he said, would be directed through committee meetings to provide application forms in Kannada.

“Even if English-medium schools and colleges impart education in English, their signboards must display the institution’s name in Kannada. Steps will also be taken to ensure that private buses display place names in Kannada,” Darshan said.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns over the closure of Kannada-medium schools in rural areas due to a shortage of teachers and stressed the need for immediate corrective measures. They also pointed out that several industries employ workers from other states while overlooking local candidates.

Members further demanded that nationalised banks provide deposit and withdrawal slips in Kannada. It was brought to the deputy commissioner’s notice that the presence of staff without knowledge of Kannada in rural branches of nationalised banks is causing hardship to local customers.

Meanwhile, MP Srinath, president of the District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, urged the district administration to allot land for the construction of a district Kannada Bhavana in Mangaluru.

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