Fingers crossed, candidates fight anxiety ahead of counting

May 7, 2013
saudha
Bangalore, May 7: With barely 24 hours to go before the counting of votes to decide the winner in the State Assembly polls, candidates from different political parties have resorted to their own ways to beat the anxiety.

The Congress camp was buzzing with activitiesthrough the day with the KPCC office brimming with party workers discussing about future possibilities.

With exit polls predicting a simple majority for the Congress, lobbying among aspirants for the chief minister's post reached new heights. KPCC president G Parameshwharain a pressmeetreiterated his statement that he was in the race for the top post.

“As KPCC chief, I am also one of the aspirants for the chief minister's post.However, party high command will take the final call following the results,” he said.

Parameshwar kept himself busy, through the day, in discussions with his supporters. Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, whose name is also making rounds for the top post, stayed put at his house in Bangalore as he wanted rest from the hectic schedule of campaigning.

Another Congress leader,D K Shivakumarflew to NewDelhi on Monday evening. Even though one of his associates claimed he went to national capital on personal work, sources said that the intention was nothing but lobbying for the chief minister's gaddi.

On the otherhand, Congress candidates who have contested MLA seats seem to be calmer.

For Manjula Naidu, the Rajajinagar Congress candidate, itwas a day of thanksgiving to her party workers. Manjula said she would also visit a temple before settling down to work on preparation for counting day on Wednesday.

DasarahalliCongress candidate B L Shankar was in a relaxed mood. “I am reading Patrick French's book, India a debate,”he said.

Hope in BJP camp Amidst the BJP ranks, despite having been written off bymost exit polls, hope floats that they may be able to get more seats than expected. On Monday, a day after the polling in the State, most BJP leaders took time to spend their day at their homes without any distractions.

While Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar stayedin Hubli, his homeconstituency, former State president and Deputy Chief Minister KSEshwarappa spent time at his home in Shimoga.

“It was a peaceful day for me. I tried to compensate for my lack of sleepanddecidedto stay home,”saidEshwarappa.However, he was 'non-committal' on the exit poll results. “While exit polls are saying that we maynot retain power, our candidates are quite confident about their work and expect favourable results.Wewillhave to wait and watch,”he said.

In Bangalore, BJP MLA from C V Ramanagar, S Raghu, also decided to stay at home after having submitted the names of his counting agents to the Election Commission.

“After the meeting with party workers and submitting by party workers' names for the counting day, I decided to take a break and have a haircut which was long pending,” he said. Raghu also attended a marriagealong with Yelahanka MLASRVishwanath.

Gowdas stay home Most JD(S) leaders also decided to spend time with their families including the party State president H D Kumarswamy, whotookadayofffrom his hectic political activities over the past few months.Even JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda decided to stay at home, in Bangalore, away from any political activities.

Towards the evening, the father-son duo held asmallmeetingwith party workers to prepare themselves for the counting day.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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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: 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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