LS seat-sharing talks with JDS soon: Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru, Feb 18: The Congress' Karnataka unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Monday said the party would soon hold discussions with its coalition partner JDS on the Lok Sabha seat-sharing issue.
Rao said he would speak to JDS leaders, including the party supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda after the Congress election committee meeting and fix a date for seat-sharing talks.
"The discussion with our partners JDS over Lok Sabha seat-sharing issue will be held soon," Rao told reporters after the KPCC Coordination Committee meeting here.
The meeting decided to announce Lok Sabha seat-sharing talks with the JDS to avoid needless problems for candidates, Rao said.
"The coordination committee meeting resolved to announce seat-sharing with JDS soon because Lok sabha election takes lot of time to prepare. If it is delayed, it will create problems for our candidates," he added.
The party also decided to take the BJP head on and place before the people of the state saffron party's "corrupt rule at the Centre" and other states, he said.
"The number one corrupt party in India is the BJP. They spend crores of rupees for elections.It also has dodged debate over 'Achche Din' for the last four-and-half years of its rule at the Centre.
They also shy away from debating over jobless growth rate and the economic condition prevailing in the country," he said.
The party also decided to restrain Congress leaders from speaking on issues including seat-sharing and party's relationship with the JDS, which affects their electoral prospects, Rao said.
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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.
