BJP's attempts to poach ruling MLAs will fail: Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru, Feb 5: The Congress' Karnataka unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Tuesday continued his tirade against the BJP for its alleged 'Operation Lotus' to poach ruling party MLAs and asserted that the saffron party would not succeed in its attempt.
Speaking to reporters at Hubballi, Rao said the coalition government would complete its tenure.
"They (BJP leaders) have been saying the budget will not be tabled or passed as the government will collapse. They tried to poach our MLAs and now they are targeting them," he said.
He claimed that a few days ago a Congress MLA told him that he received a phone call from a BJP leader telling him that the "delivery" (cash) was ready and he has to collect it.
"You can see how desperate the BJP is to topple the government. No political party has ever stooped so low when compared to BJP. However, this Operation Lotus will flop completely.They will lose face again.
Thrice they attempted and now this is their fourth attempt. Yet they have not learned any lessons," the state Congress president said.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and senior Congress functionaries have been accusing the BJP of horse trading.
However, the BJP has refuted these allegations, saying it did not need to topple the government as it would come down on its own.
The BJP's state unit chief BS Yeddyurappa Tuesday hit out at JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda and asked him to stop accusing the saffron party of trying to "destabilise" the Congress-JDS government and instead keep the coalition flock together.
He was reacting to Gowda's comments that attempts were being made by the BJP's state unit to "destabilise" the government.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
