Yatnal acting like B team of Congress, says Murugesh Nirani

Agencies
February 22, 2021

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Bengaluru, Feb 22: Launching a sharp attack against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Basannagouda Patil Yatnal for targetting Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, state Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh R Nirani on Monday called him the 'B-team of Congress', and challenged him to resign and then get re-elected.

The Minister condemned Yatnal for "disrespecting" the Chief Minister and attacking his own party leaders.

"Yatnal is repeatedly attacking his own party leaders than the opposition leaders. I condemn him for disrespecting a senior leader such as the Chief Minister. The party higher-ups will take a decision on his conduct," he said in a joint presser with State Mall Scale Industries Minister CC Patil and scores of party legislators here at Vidhana Soudha.

According to a statement, the press meet was called by the ministers and the BJP legislators belonging to Panchamasali Lingayats in the backdrop of Yatnal attacking the CM Yediyurappa and the top seer of the community for taking few unilateral decisions regarding the community.

Yatnal has been targetting the Karnataka Chief Minister for several months, especially after a recent cabinet expansion, in which he was not included.
Stating that Yatnal got elected as MLA because of Yediyurappa's charisma and became a Union Minister due to his support, he said that Yatnal has no moral right to criticise the Chief Minister, and challenged him to prove his worth by resigning as BJP MLA and get re-elected as an Independent MLA from his constituency.

According to the statement, Yatnal, during the Panchamasali Lingayat rally on Sunday, had demanded Nirani and Patil's resignation if Yediyurappa did not take pro-active steps to include their community under 2A reservation of the OBC list.

Responding to this, Nirani said Yatnal has no right to seek his resignation, "I was elected by the people of my constituency and became a minister with the blessings of CM and party high command."

Nirani maintained that a convention was held with the sole purpose of pressing the demand for 2A reservation but some people misused the platform for their selfish and political ends and tried to mislead the community.

The Minister further said that it was not fair to set a deadline for the government as the reservations cannot be done in one go.

Nirani and Patil also expressed displeasure over the conduct of Kudalasangama math pontiff Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swamy and said that he should conduct himself as a highly esteemed person and not dance to the tunes of former Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

"What was the necessity for the seer to announce Kashappanavar as president of Akhila Bharata Lingayat Panchamasali Mahasabha, when such decision was not taken by the rightful body of the community. The seer has no right to take such decision," the ministers said.

Both ministers also slammed Kashappanavar, calling him a self-declared leader of the Panchamasali community and alleging that he has many FIRs filed against him and is not eligible to hold the post.

Panchamashali Lingayat sect seers and leaders are demanding that their existing reservation category be changed from 3B to 2-A category in the State's Other Backward Community (OBC) list. They are undertaking a padayatra to Bengaluru and reached Tumkuru on Friday. The yatra is scheduled to culminate in a rally in Bengaluru on February 21.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Udupi, Nov 22: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has officially confirmed Narendra Modi’s visit to Udupi on November 28 and shared his detailed schedule with the Karnataka chief secretary.

According to the itinerary, the Prime Minister will land at Mangaluru International Airport from Delhi at 11:05 am and depart for Udupi by helicopter at 11:10 am. He is expected to arrive at the Adi Udupi helipad at 11:35 am.

The earlier plan for a roadshow has been cancelled. Instead, PM Modi will proceed directly to Sri Krishna Math at 12 pm, where he will have darshan of Sri Krishna and address participants of the Laksha Kanta Geetha Gayana event.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to depart from the Adi Udupi helipad at 1:35 pm, returning to Mangaluru Airport before leaving for Goa at 2 pm.

The state administration has been directed to make all necessary arrangements for the visit.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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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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