Shobha, Udasi quit ministry; give jolt to BJP government

[email protected] (News Network)
January 23, 2013
Bangalore, Jan 23: In a development that could trigger fresh crisis for ruling BJP in Karnataka, two Ministers loyal to the B S Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka Janata Party today resigned from the Jagadish Shettar Ministry.

ministers
Public Works Minister C M Udasi and Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje handed over their resignations to the Chief Minister this morning.

Official sources said the resignation letters have been sent to Governor H R Bhardwaj for acceptance.

Udasi said they have been hurt by the attitude of Shettar towards MLAs and Ministers supporting Yeddyurappa, adding, the time has come to build KJP.

"Though we had indicated that we are going to submit resignation, we are getting information that the Speaker (K G Bopaiah) is out of station", Udasi said, adding, he, Shobha and a few MLAs would submit their resignation from Assembly membership to the Speaker's office later today.

Haveri MLA Nehru Olekar, a staunch Yeddyurappa loyalist, termed the "foreign tour" of the Speaker as political "strategy" of the BJP to scuttle the plans of Yeddyurappa-supporting MLAs and Ministers (who wanted to resign).

He said in case the Speaker's office hesitates to accept the resignation letters, they would meet Bhardwaj.

A cloud of uncertainty has been hanging over the Shettar ministry ever since Yeddyurappa quit the party to float his KJP in December last. The former BJP strongman has repeatedly put the government on notice about their stability, claiming support of 20-30 BJP MLAs.

Yeddyurappa's party had set two deadlines earlier to unseat the government but they turned out to be a damp squib.

Brushing aside the threats to his government, Shettar had said he would present the state budget on February 8, the last ahead of assembly polls due in May.

Earlier:

Shobha Karandlaje to quit ministry

Bangalore, Jan 22: Ending weeks of speculation, Karnataka Minister for Energy Shobha Karandlaje, a loyalist of KJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, has decided to quit the BJP ministry tomorrow.

shobha
"I am proud and have satisfaction of performing well during my tenure as Energy Minster in the last two and a half years. I am leaving the Department. It is my last day, hopefully, in office", Shobha told reporters here.

Shobha, who had already dropped hints at resigning from the ministry and also BJP to support KJP activities ahead of the assembly polls, about three months away from now, thanked officials of Energy department.

"I am very emotional also. Official have done well. Even when Karnataka Power Corporation employees went on strike recently demanding wage hike, they only resorted to black badge protest and did not stall power generation", she said.

According to sources close to her, she would be tendering her resignation tomorrow and PWD Minister C M Udasi was expected to join her in quitting the Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar led ministry.

Outlining the achievements of the BJP government, Shobha said the government had honoured its promise of augmenting power supply by adding 4593 mws of energy into state's grid.

Kudgi super thermal power with 4,000 mw capacity, Edlapur (800 MW), Erramarus (1600 MW), Bidadi (700 MW), Bellary Thermal Power station (700 MW) and 4000 MW Chattisgarh plant are in the pipeline and when completed turn Karnataka not only a power surplus, but would be in a position to sell energy to neighbouring states, she said.

She said adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure that there would be no load shedding in the coming summer season. The government has spent Rs 12,000 crore on improving power transmission system, which helped in reducing transmission and distribution losses from 23 per cent to 20 per cent.

Udasi, when reporters approached him, said "we will announce tomorrow every thing at a press conference". The veteran leader from Haveri district, who has identified with KJP, refused to answer queries on whether he would also be resigning his assembly membership.

In another development, Yeddyurappa has invited Ministers and MLAs supporting him to his residence for a meeting this Evening. Speculations are also ripe that some MLAs will alsO be resigning tomorrow.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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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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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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