Tulunad Paksha to contest all seats in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada
Udupi: The newly formed Sasantra Tulunad Paksha has planned to field its candidates in all five Assembly constituencies in Udupi district and all eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district.
Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, Aikalbawa Chittaranjandas Shetty, president of the Udupi district unit of Sasantra Tulunad Paksha, said that the aim of the party was to protect and promote Tulu language, the culture and environment of Tulunadu. The party had already selected three candidates — Sudarshan Poojary for Udupi Assembly Constituency, Sumanth K. Poojary for Karkala Assembly Constituency, and Vidyashri Shetty for Puttur Assembly Constituency in Dakshina Kannada.
None of the national parties were interested in matters concerned with Tulunadu. The first blow to Tulunadu was struck when Kasaragod, which was part of Tulunadu, was given away to Kerala during the Re-organization of States.
Such was the pathetic state of affairs in Tulunadu, the youth of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts had to go to places, including Mumbai and Bengaluru, in search of jobs.
Shailesh R.J., president of Sasantra Tulunadu Paksha, Prashanth, Mushtaq, party leaders, were present.
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Hezbollah leader vows not to disarm, criticises Lebanese government’s move
Beirut: Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Kassem on Friday (August 15, 2025) vowed that the Iran-backed group would not lay down its weapons, criticising the Lebanese government’s recent decision to disarm the group by the end of the year, according to a report published by The Hindu. Speaking during a televised address marking a Shiite religious event, Kassem said the move “serves Israel’s interests” and endangers the lives of “resistance fighters and their families.”
Kassem argued that the government should instead have “spread its authority and evicted Israel from Lebanon,” adding that it is “serving the Israeli project.” He warned that if the ongoing crisis escalates into internal conflict, the government would be responsible. While Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal movement, have not yet called for street protests, Kassem cautioned that if such a decision is made, demonstrators “will be all over Lebanon and head to the U.S. embassy.”
Last week, the Lebanese government approved a U.S.-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and implement a ceasefire with Israel, a move urged by the international community following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war that ended in November.
Kassem insisted that Hezbollah will only discuss a national defence strategy concerning its weapons once Israel withdraws and halts near-daily airstrikes, which have killed many of its members since the war. “The resistance will not hand over its weapons as the aggression continues and occupation remains,” he said, adding that the group is prepared for a prolonged battle if necessary.
The war has weakened Hezbollah, causing significant loss of life among its leadership, displacing over 1 million people in Lebanon, and inflicting reconstruction costs estimated at $11 billion by the World Bank.
