RSS pushing superstar Mohanlal to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls on BJP ticket

coastaldigest.com news network
September 4, 2018

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 4: Amidst rumours of Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s inclination towards Sangh Parivar, a highly placed source said that the RSS was pushing him to contest the 2019Lok Sabha election from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala on a BJP ticket.

It is learnt that the RSS working on building a "social activist profile" for Mohanlal ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, as it does not want him to be perceived as a "para-dropped" candidate.

There have been speculations for over a year that the 58-year-old national film award winner would be joining the BJP to contest the 2019 polls but he had not given his nod till now.

"There is a serious discussion in the Sangh about fielding Mohanlal," a senior leader said. The RSS has kept the saffron party's Kerala leadership out of the loop in its exercise to woo one of the most popular actors. BJP state leaders were not aware of the meeting, which was scheduled by the RSS.

The latest round of speculation came as Mohanlal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to "invite" him for a function organised by his foundation in Wayanad.

While there was no discussion about his entry into politics, sources said the meeting was part of an exercise to build a political and social profile of the actor.

The Vishwashanti Foundation, set up by Mohanlal in memory of his father Vishwanathan Nair and mother Shantakumari, is planning to unveil some projects, including a Cancer Institute, in Wayanad and wanted Modi to inaugurate it.

The foundation, which has a senior Sangh functionary in the leadership, is also planning to host a Global Malayali Round Table in Delhi with Modi and other senior leaders in attendance. The foundation is also working along with Sangh-affiliated Seva Bharti in the flood relief and rehabilitation work.

In the next few months, sources said, Mohanlal will be exposed to more such events and the Sangh wants to establish his credentials ahead of the elections. "He is known as an actor but that itself does not help in Kerala. That is why this exercise," leader said.

Sources said the initial plan was to field former Kerala BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan as the candidate in Thiruvananthapuram, which has substantial BJP votes, but his transfer to Mizoram as its Governor prompted the need for a backup plan.

“Rajashekharan may not return to active politics. Even if he is chosen, there may not be enough time. So, the Sangh is actively pursuing Mohanlal,” leader said.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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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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