Will SDPI break Congress' dream of victory in Puttur?

[email protected] (CD Network)
February 28, 2013
Puttur, Feb 28: Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is being touted as the major obstacle between the Congress and electoral victory in Puttur, where Congressmen have often ceded victory to BJP due to their indifferences in the past.

This time, although a vibe of confidence is being felt in Congress circles in Puttur after having roped in Shakunthala Shetty on their side, they are far from feeling comfortable as SDPI may well spoil their party in the coming elections.

sdpi

Ms Shetty's joining of Congress is being looked at by Congress activists as a uniting factor between their conflicting leaders. They are also hopeful that former BJP leader's joining of the party will have an impact on the local body polls.

Like in many other places, there is an anti-BJP wave doing rounds in Puttur too and the Congress is keen on encashing on the BJP's "failure of administration" factor. In Shakunthala Shetty, they have found a uniting force and it is also being said that Ms. Shetty enjoys support of the Muslims in the region as she had participated actively in fighting for justice in the Shamima murder case, although she was in BJP at the time.

However, SDPI is fielding its candidates in 11 wards of the 27 seat Puttur Town Municipal Council. As many as15 of those wards are Muslim dominated. Congressmen say that if at all they are to face challenges from other parties, it has to be SDPI in Puttur as it has a stronger presence in the region compared to JD(S).

Muhammad Ali, who served as the Leader of opposition in the Puttur Town Municipal Council, is contesting from the Kurnadka ward from the Congress.

Although a prominent leader of the Congress, the party is now worried that SDPI may spoil his chances and divide the votes. So is the case in Bannur ward from where Anwar Qasim is scheduled to contest from.

SDPI is likely to affect the chances of two Christian candidates contesting from the Congress as well. The margin of victory in terms of votes has always been a close one in Puttur and hence smaller parties may well end up playing a decisive role this time around.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 2,2025

DKSsiddu.jpg

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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