JD(S) registers 2.5 lakh new members in first week of missed call campaign
Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) has reportedly added 2.5 lakh new members within a week of launching its statewide missed call campaign, as part of a 58-day outreach drive aimed at preparing for the 2028 Assembly elections.
Party Youth Wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy said that the initiative seeks to reach out to the 50 lakh people who have consistently supported and voted for the JD(S).
The regional party is leveraging technology to streamline its outreach. When a voter gives a missed call to the campaign number, an OTP is sent, allowing them to register by entering basic details such as name, gender, age, and Assembly constituency. Uploading a photograph is optional. "Our system can handle up to 1,000 missed calls at once without crashing," Nikhil noted.
In a show of grassroots mobilisation, JD(S) has deployed senior party leaders across every panchayat. “We are identifying 5,000 active party workers in each constituency and issuing them identity cards. These individuals will serve as the party’s core team and key contacts at the constituency level,” he added.
The party has also launched brochures highlighting the political legacy and achievements of party patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Once the missed call campaign concludes, JD(S) plans to host two major rallies—one each in the Old Mysore and Kalyana Karnataka regions, where the 50 lakh-strong base of the JD(S) will be invited, the report added.
Nikhil also pointed out that the campaign would help prevent future conflicts with alliance partner BJP. "If our candidates are well prepared and have done the groundwork, we can present this data to the BJP leadership and make a strong case for specific ticket allocations," he said. While we will ask for a large number of seats, we must also be practical, and ensure we are well prepared,” he added.
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Sport must go on: Sourav Ganguly on India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash
Kolkata, Jul 27 (PTI): Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said he has no issues with India being placed in the same group as Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, asserting that while terrorism must end, sport must continue.
As per the schedule, arch-rivals India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A and are set to face off at the Dubai International Stadium on September 14.
"I'm okay with the schedule. Sport must continue. What happened in Pahalgam should never happen, but we can’t let that stop the game. Terrorism must end. India has taken a firm stand against it, it’s in the past now. Sport must go on," Ganguly told PTI.
The T20 tournament will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28.
India will begin their campaign against UAE on September 10 and are expected to play all their matches in Dubai. India and Pakistan could also meet again in the Super Four stage on September 21.
Group A comprises India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will allow 17-member squads for the 19-match tournament, with matches scheduled in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
While the BCCI is the official host, the tournament is being held in the UAE as India and Pakistan have agreed to play only at neutral venues till 2027 due to ongoing cross-border tensions.
The two countries had come close to the brink of war following the Pahalgam attack, to which India responded with Operation Sindoor.
