Longing to be 'alternative force' JD(S) struggles to find right candidates for Lok Sabha

December 22, 2013

jds

Bangalore, Dec 22: The Janata Dal?(Secular) seems to be struggling to find the right candidates for at least 18 parliamentary seats in Karnataka, while the two prime parties, the Congress and the BJP,?are facing a fierce scramble for party tickets for the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

The JD(S) began its exercise of scouting around for winnable candidates in Bangalore on Saturday. Party supremo H?D?Deve Gowda, state party president A?Krishnappa and others held a daylong meeting, besides the JD(S)?Legislature Party meeting in the evening. The only agenda in both the meetings was selecting candidates for the coming elections.

Speaking to reporters, Krishnappa said the party would release the list of candidates by January 15 next year.

Despite facing a severe crunch of 'bankable' candidates to contest the elections, the party has clarified that it will go alone in the polls.

It has decided not to field the sitting MLAs. H?D Kumaraswamy, too, will not be contesting the poll this time around, it is said.

The JD(S)?is likely to approach the wife of the late Srikantadatta Wadiyar for contesting from Mysore, and field both the daughters-in-law of Deve Gowda, Anita Kumaraswamy and Bhavani Revanna elsewhere. While the party will look to change the constituency of Anita Kumaraswamy, after her back-to-back losses in Channapatna and Bangalore Rural LS constituency, Bhavani Revanna is almost certain to contest from one of the constituencies in the Vokkaliga belt. And the party is firm on fielding a woman for the Mandya seat, and Bhavani may settle for it, sources said.

While Gowda may not shift his base from Hassan, he is looking for candidates wherever the party has some hold. For example, it is not sure who would be able to cash in on the support base it has in Tumkur and Shimoga. The party will most certainly be fielding a member of the Bangarappa family from Shimoga. However, its strategies would fail if B?S?Yeddyurappa becomes the BJP nominee there, sources said.

The party, like in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi-Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada, is finding tough to get candidates for all the three seats in Bangalore. It may not hesitate to field MLA Zameer Ahmed if he is willing to contest from Bangalore Central.

However, dismissing speculations, JD(S)?national president Deve Gowda told reporters that presently no decision had been arrived at.

“Let us not speculate. With regard to fielding the wife of Arasu (Srikantadatta Wadiyar), we do not intend to play politics at this juncture. Let her mourn for now. It is true we met Arasu.... On my daughter-in-laws, it is only in the media that it is being talked about. This (party and elections) is not a family affair,” he said.

Meanwhile, the party has handed over the responsibility of finalising the candidates to H D?Kumaraswamy.

Krishnappa said Gowda and Kumaraswamy had assured all leaders at their meeting that the party will rally together to face the stiff challenge of the national parties. He said the party will finalise all the changes to the district units, by way of replacements and new appointments, in the next few weeks.

Kumaraswamy, on his part, said he would soon take cognisance of the district units choice before announcing the list of probables.

“While the Congress may have garnered funds from all the alleged scams they have committed, and the BJP?drawing a lot of corporate funding by virtue of their prime ministerial candidate's pro-industry stance, money power may not be one which we can fight on. But we will go to the people with the idea of being an alternative force to the two national parties who have not given anything to the people,” he said.

Toying with the idea of a third front, Kumaraswamy said the JD(S)?has already extended an invitation to 17 like-minded 'secular' regional parties for coming together against the BJP?and the Congress. He said the JD(S)?is looking at hosting a mega rally of these secular like-minded parties in Karnataka by January-February 2014.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
September 9,2024

tuluscript.jpg

Mangaluru: The Unicode Consortium has announced the inclusion of Tulu script in its latest version, Unicode 16. This update adds 80 characters to the Unicode Standard, marking a significant milestone for the Tulu-speaking community.

According to officials, the journey to this achievement began in 2001 when a member of the Unicode Consortium helped fix the Kannada script in Unicode and simultaneously advocated for the inclusion of Tulu.

Despite initial misunderstandings with the Tulu Academy in Mangaluru, the groundwork was laid for future developments. Initially, three Tulu experts had worked on the subject, including S A Krishnaiah, a Tulu scholar.

"In 2014, efforts to create a Tulu Wikipedia gained momentum, leading to its launch on August 6, 2016. By 2017, the Tulu Academy recognised the need for Tulu Unicode, forming a committee to finalise the characters with technical guidance. Concurrently, another proposal for the Tilari script was submitted," Krishnaiah said.

After extensive correspondence, the script was officially added to Unicode under the name Tulu-Tigalari. While there are minor differences between the Tulu Academy's list and the finalised Unicode version, most characters have been included. Notably, Tulu digits and some diacritic marks necessary for writing Sanskrit in Tulu script were added, he said.

According to him, the inclusion of the Tulu script in Unicode will have a significant positive impact on digital communication for Tulu speakers, including enhanced digital presence. Tulu speakers can now use their native script across various digital platforms, including social media, websites, and messaging apps, fostering a stronger online presence.

The availability of Tulu in Unicode will facilitate the creation of educational materials, such as textbooks and online courses, in the Tulu script, supporting language learning and literacy, he said.

The development of Unicode-encoded fonts, keyboard software, and converters will streamline the use of Tulu in digital communication, making it easier for users to type and share information in their native script, he said.

Being part of the Unicode Standard gives Tulu global recognition, encouraging more software and application developers to support the script, thereby increasing its usability and visibility, the Tulu scholar said.

Overall, this will empower Tulu speakers to communicate more effectively and confidently in their language, both locally and globally.

It is estimated that over 1.8 million people worldwide speak Tulu. Most Tulu speakers live in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala, India, in regions known as Tulu Nadu. There are also Tulu speakers in the Gulf countries and the United States, he said.

Tulu is a Dravidian language and is related to Kannada, the official language of Karnataka. Tulu has a rich oral tradition, but there isn't much written in the language. Tulu's script is similar to Malayalam and originated from the Grantha script.

A long-drawn fight is ongoing to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The Dravidian University at Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh has a special Tulu chair, he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
September 20,2024

HCpakistanijudge.jpg

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today sought a report from the Karnataka High Court over controversial remarks made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda during a recent court hearing.

Justice Srishananda, while addressing a landlord-tenant dispute, referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and made a misogynistic comment involving a woman lawyer. 

A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices S Khanna, B R Gavai, S Kant, and H Roy, expressed the need for establishing clear guidelines for constitutional court judges regarding their remarks in court. 

The Supreme Court bench said that when social media plays an active role in monitoring and amplifying courtroom proceedings, there is an urgency to ensure judicial commentary aligns with the decorum expected from courts of law.

"Our attention has been drawn to some comments made by Karnataka High Court judge Justice V Srishananda during the conduct of judicial proceedings. We have asked the AG and SG to assist us. We ask the registrar general of the High Court to submit a report to this court after seeking administrative directions from the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. This exercise may be carried out in 2 weeks," the top court directed.

Videos of Justice Srishanananda have gone viral on social media.

In one video, he refers to a Muslim-dominated locality in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and on another video he was seen making objectionable comments against a woman lawyer. In the second incident, Justice Srishanananda can be heard telling the woman lawyer that she seemed to know a lot about the "opposition party", so much so that she might be able to reveal the colour of their undergarments.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
September 19,2024

kadriflagpost.jpg

In a grand celebration of patriotism and local pride, Karnataka’s second tallest flagpole, and the tallest in Dakshina Kannada, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, September 18, at the iconic Kadri Park in Mangaluru.

The event, a significant milestone in the city's Smart City journey, was graced by several prominent leaders. MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, a distinguished guest at the inauguration, spoke passionately about the symbolic importance of the flag. "This towering structure, made possible through the Smart City initiative, elevates the pride of every Indian. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, national sentiment has deepened. The national flag is not just a symbol, it embodies our self-respect and unity as a nation."

MLA Vedavyas Kamath shared his enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its importance beyond mere construction. "The flagpole at Kadri Park, funded under the Smart City project, will not only serve as a beacon of patriotism but will also become a significant attraction, enhancing the city's tourism appeal."

Adding to the sense of occasion, Mayor Sudhir Shetty proudly highlighted the monument's grandeur. "Standing at an impressive 75 meters, second only to Belagavi's 110-meter flagpole, this new landmark is a testament to Mangaluru's growth and aspirations. The project, which cost Rs 75 lakh, will feature an advanced lighting system, ensuring it shines brightly, day and night, as a symbol of our national pride."

The ceremony saw the attendance of key dignitaries, including Deputy Mayor Sunita, Standing Committee President Bharath Kumar, Varun Chowta, Ganesh Kulal, MCC opposition leader Praveen Chandra Alva, MCC member Shakeela Kava, former Mayor Jayananda Anchan, Bhaskar K, and former MUDA president Ravishankar Mijar, each contributing to the significance of the occasion.

This towering flagpole, nestled amidst the serene beauty of Kadri Park, is set to become a new emblem of Mangaluru's spirit, uniting both locals and visitors in shared pride and patriotism.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.