File photo of supporters carrying Tulu flags during a Congress nomination procession in Mangaluru in 2024
In the last assembly elections, Congress retained only two of the 13 constituencies in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Chief minister DK Shivakumar seems to have struck a local chord with the locals by signing off his X post announcing the meeting with “Mataregla Solmelu”, a Tulu greeting. Mangaluru: With the cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday in Mangaluru, the long-pending demand for official language status for Tulu is back in focus.
He said the previous BJP govt had taken steps to grant Tulu official language status by constituting a committee headed by Dr M Mohan Alva. Though the Congress later formed another committee, the demand remained unfulfilled, he said. Our six MLAs are working well, and there are no organisational issues,” he said.
Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai emerged victorious in a closely fought contest in which a three-cornered battle between Rai, right-wing activist Arun Kumar Puthila and BJP candidate Asha Thimappa Gowda split the anti-Congress vote. Meanwhile, Mangaluru MLA and minister UT Khader registered his fifth consecutive win by defeating BJP’s Sathish Kumpala. Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee president Padmaraj R Poojary described the meeting as historic. “Congress believes in taking everyone into confidence and working towards development, social justice, culture and language. We are confident that Tulu will be accorded its due status. “There is nothing wrong with the Congress trying to strengthen itself. However, this will not affect the BJP.