Try not to fuel defections in Karnataka again: Siddaramaiah warns BJP

Agencies

January 28, 2019

Bengaluru, Jan 28: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP on Sunday for predicting that the JD(S)-Congress government would fall and warned it against indulging in 'Operation Lotus' again, saying the saffron party was already in a state of 'coma' due to its past deeds.

Siddaramaiah is the head of the Congress-JD(S) coalition co-ordination committee.

'Operation Lotus' is a reference to the BJP allegedly luring several opposition MLAs to defect, to ensure the stability of its then-government headed by B S Yeddyurappa in 2008.

"Yeddyurappa (now state BJP chief) has once again made a statement that the government would fall. Already due to several rounds of operations, the lotus (BJP symbol) in Karnataka is in (a state of) coma. Now once again don't try your hands into the wrong adventure of Operation Lotus," he said in a tweet.

The Congress leader asserted that the BJP would remain as an opposition party in the state.

Siddaramaiah's tweet came in response to repeated comments by Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders, expressing doubts about the continuance of the coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy ever since it came to power in May this year after the elections threw up a hung assembly.

'Operation Lotus' refers to the BJP's strategy during Yeddyurappa's previous tenure as the chief minister when it made several MLAs of other parties to resign and contest the elections on the party's ticket and win to strengthen its numbers in the assembly.

Congress and JD(S) have accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the coalition government by trying to poach their MLAs, a charge denied by the saffron party.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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