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Congress Government Neglecting Mangaluru South Development, Funds Denied for Road Repairs: Former Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur

By Editor

Posted on November 3, 2026

Congress Government Neglecting Mangaluru South Development, Funds Denied for Road Repairs: Former Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur

Mangaluru : Former Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur charged that the state Congress government has failed to release adequate development grants for the Mangaluru City South constituency over the past three and a half years. He stated that due to a complete crunch of funds, even basic pothole filling works cannot be undertaken, which ultimately forced local MLA Vedavyas Kamath to stage a public protest at Shivbagh. Kannur emphasized that MLA Kamath has been serving the people with immense dedication since 2018.

Taking a direct swipe at the ruling party, Sudhir Shetty challenged Congress leaders to disclose the exact amount of funds granted to the constituency since they assumed power. He highlighted that during the previous BJP tenure, MLA Vedavyas Kamath successfully secured over Rs 3,500 crore in grants for comprehensive infrastructural growth in the region.

Urging Congress leaders to observe the visible transformation in areas like Mangaladevi Car Street and Dongerkery, Kannur listed numerous completed and ongoing projects driven by the MLA’s initiatives. These include the Mahakali Padpu underpass, a modern building for the Central Library, Rs 75 crore dedicated to stormwater drain retaining walls, a state-of-the-art swimming pool at Emmekere, international-standard kabaddi and shuttle badminton courts, and the major upgrade of Mangala Stadium. Additionally, the list includes a modern healthcare center at Mangaladevi, Rs 200 crore worth of underground drainage works, the ongoing construction of the Rs 64 crore Sultan Bathery–Bengre bridge, Rs 600 crore allocated for drinking water projects, educational infrastructure upgrades, and the rejuvenation of local lakes, parks, and religious centers.

Addressing the Smart City Project, Kannur clarified that although it is restricted to only eight wards of the South constituency, funds were fairly distributed even to wards represented by Congress leaders. Smart City funds were also channeled toward major civic institutions, including Rs 25 crore for the new DC Office building, Rs 150 crore for Wenlock Hospital, and advanced facilities at Lady Goschen Hospital. He asserted that the BJP is fully prepared to release a white paper detailing all the development works and funds secured by MLA Vedavyas Kamath.

Former Mayor Premananda Shetty also addressed the briefing, stating that the MLA was forced to resort to a satirical video protest to wake up an indifferent administration after repeated letters and petitions for funds went unheeded. Warning of more innovative protests in the coming days, he strongly criticized the state government for delaying the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) elections, noting that the absence of elected local representatives has crippled ground-level administrative and development activities.

Former Mayor Diwakar Pandeshwar, former Deputy Mayors Poornima, Bhanumathi, and Shakila Kava, alongside BJP Mangaluru South Mandal President Ramesh Kandettu and General Secretaries Ramesh Hegde and Lallesh Kumar, were present at the press conference.