Ready to face expulsion, says JP Hegde as Oscar, Sorake seek disciplinary action

December 14, 2015

Udupi, 14: Former Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP K Jayaprakash Hegde, who is facing the wrath of a few senior Congress leaders after contesting MLC elections as an independent candidate, has made it clear that he was ready to face the expulsion from party.

Mr. Hegde said that he himself had lodged a complaint with the party high command that some senior leaders in Udupi district had not campaigned for him when he had stood for the Assembly elections from Kundapur in 2008 and then during the Lok Sabha elections from Udupi-Chikkamgaluru constituency in 2014. These senior leaders had not even worked for party in the recently-concluded gram panchayat elections.

“But no action had been taken against them. Not working for the party also constitutes anti-party activity,” he said. Besides, it would be unfair for the party to expel him as he was not contesting as a Congress candidate but as an independent.

Oscar’s warning

Mr Hegde’s bold remarks came after Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes said that the party constitution enabled implementation of disciplinary measures against people who go against the dictum of the party high command.

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, the senior Mr Fernandes said that the official candidate announced by the party is the party member and whoever goes against it is no longer considered as a party member. The district Congress committee is working on the necessary measures that would be taken and would consult State committee for the final action to be taken against the rebels.

Sorake too

Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake also concurred that the State Congress would take disciplinary measures against party members who are contesting as independent candidates in the forthcoming MLC polls.

Speaking to media persons, the minister added that there is nothing wrong in aspiring and also contesting. “There are, however, limitations to doing so. The chief minister and the KPCC president both are of the opinion that the rebels, Jayaprakash Hedge and Harikrishna Bantwal, have involved in unnecessary controversy. There was no need to go for the extreme measure of contesting independently as rebels,” he insisted.

“The decision to field Prathapchandra Shetty was taken after consulting the block-level workers in the party and the decision was forwarded to the high command by Oscar Fernandez. The campaign is taken up in all the areas and would be intensified in the days to come,” he added.

He said the voters should not be misguided, as this would affect the forthcoming taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat elections, he added. He assured that the development initiatives would be introduced in both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts after the polls in consultation with the chief minister.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

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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