MCC poll: Who will bell the cat?

[email protected] (Ashwini A Rao)
March 7, 2013

Mangalore: The Mangalore City Corporation polls this time is going to be a nail-biting one because all speculations and predictions may turn out to be damp squib with the kind of scenario that has been unfurling at the political front here.

mcc
Many feel that no party will emerge victorious and come to power with clear majority. The inclination of the electoral is the biggest mystery which is getting difficult to decode.

In the MCC which has a total strength of 60 members mandates a party to win 31 seats to form clear majority. However, this matter does not come into consideration when the issue is of electing the Mayor, where even MPs and MLAs cast their vote. Hence election of Mayor also depends on the number of MLAs and MPs a particular party has in the region.

In the MCC the MLAs and MPs are mainly from the BJP. To be precise there are two MLAs, four MLCs and one MP from the BJP. Going by this calculation, even if BJP wins 30 seats in the council, it is on the winning side. This calculation seems a bit disappointing for the Congress which has one MLA and one MLC in hand right now. The situation might or may not improve for the Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls but that holds no consequence for the MCC polls.

The Congressmen feel that no matter what the figures point at, the fact is that the people in the Corporation limits are almost on the verge of rising rebel against the ruling party. Hike in taxes, including water cess has irked the people. This anger will be cashed on by the Congress.

However, the major drawback for the Congress has been the disorganized approach of the party. The way the BJP party workers plunged into action at the ward level is a lesson for all the parties including the Congress, which was busy clearing the tangles created by candidate selection and campaign process. Many say that the BJP corporators have done more work in their wards when compared to the Congress corporators.

It is said that the BJP and the Sangha volunteers had conducted door-to-door visit to meet the voters almost thrice, but the Congress did not even complete a single house visit campaign.

“The biggest disadvantage for the Congress is the fact that there are more leaders than partyworkers. There are more of proxy partyworkers who simple loiter on streets in front of the leaders and collect money at the end of the day. They do not have genuine partyworkers,” says a source on conditions of anonymity.

While the two national parties are building their castles of cards, several others are ready to tickle them and crash the castles. JD(S), SDPI, KJP and CPI(M) are all in fray to splash water on the BJP and Congress dreams. One has to only wait and watch as to who will bell the cat.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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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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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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