Mani Gopal bids adieu to saffron party after ticket denial

April 11, 2013

Kundapur, Apr 11: In yet another blow to Udupi district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party, a veteran leader has decided to resign from the primary membership of the saffron party.

The resignation of former chairman of Kundapur Urban Development Authority (KUDA) Mani Gopal, who was one of the aspirants for the BJP ticket for May 5 polls from Kundapur constituency, has further weakened the BJP in Kundapur taluk.

It is learnt that Mr Gopal was shocked after state BJP decided to field less familiar Kishor Kumar from Kundapur following Haladi Srinivas Shetty's rebellion.

A former Congress loyalist, Mr Gopal had faced several defeats in assembly elections in the past. In 1978 and 1983 he had fought assembly elections as the Congress and the JNP candidate respectively. After being denied Congress ticket, in 1985 and 1989 he fought with the support of Karnataka Kranti Ranga in Baindoor constituency. Once again he joined the Congress and fought a futile battle from same constituency in 1994.

Thanks to his friendship with senior BJP leader A G Kodgi, gradually Mr Gopal joined BJP and he was also made chairman of KUDA.

After receiving all that he could from the saffron party, Mr Gopal has said good bye even to this party.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

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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