BJP plans rath yatra from March 15

February 20, 2013

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Bangalore, Feb 20: With the Assembly elections round the corner, the State BJP?is resorting to “rath yatra” politics again. Senior leaders of the BJP?will form five teams and take out “rath yatras” as part of its election campaign from March 15. The party plans to cover all the 224 constituencies in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, BJP?State General?Secretary Raghunathrao Malkapure said each of the five rath yatras will be led by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Deputy Chief Ministers K?S?Eshwarappa and R?Ashoka, BJP general secretary H N Ananth Kumar and former chief minister D?V Sadananda Gowda.

All the ratha yatras, originating from different centres, will culminate in Bangalore where a mammoth convention of party workers would be held on March 29.

Malkapure said the BJP?President Rajanath Singh will participate in the state executive meeting to be held in Bangalore on March 13, where the party would discuss strategy for the Assembly polls. The party will hold three-day district-wise meetings in Bangalore from March 8 to select its candidates in constituencies where it has sitting MLAs.


Three-day meeting

The three-day meeting will finalise candidates in 119 of the 224 constituencies. Presently, the BJP?has 105 members in the Lower House. All the sitting legislators have been promised party tickets for the ensuing polls.

The BJP on Tuesday held a series of meetings including that of the party's core-committee and working committee and a session of ministers and MPs to prepare itself for the urban local bodies and assembly elections. BJP?National?General?Secretary and state in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan attended all the meetings.

Ministers abstain

In an apparent indication that there is still simmering discontent among its ranks, six ministers absented themselves from the BJP's preparatory meeting for urban local bodies polls.

The trio — C?P?Yogeeshwara, Anand Asnotikar and Raju Gowda, ready to break ranks, are believed to be cosying up to Congress. It's just a matter of formality that they will put in their papers once the Congress confirms their induction, sources said.

While Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai kept Shettar in the loop on his abstention, as to why Balachandra Jarkiholi and M?P?Renukacharya abstained is for wags to speculate.

Likewise, one time loyalists of former chief minister B?S?Yeddyurappa, including ministers Murugesh Nirani, Bommai, Umesh Katti, legislators C?C?Patil, Srishailappa Bidarur among others, are playing their cards close to the chest.

However, donning a brave front, party top brass including Shettar, Eshwarappa and Ananth Kumar are learnt to have exhorted workers that they should face polls confidently focusing on local issues and safely skirting tumultuous developments in the party during the last four-and-half years of its pitiful rule. That MPs — B?Y?Raghavendra and Shivakumar Udasi, were not invited was only to be expected.

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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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 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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