- 1. BJP sounds poll bugle: B.S. Yediyurappa says party should come to power on its own in Karnataka in 2028
- 2. Karnataka RTC staff protest: Bus services 96% normal, says government
- 3. Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Goa via Padil in Mangaluru proposed with 13-hour journey time
- 4. Tobacco farmers protest sharp fall in prices, auctions suspended in few places in Karnataka
Former CM and senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa during the BJP Special State Executive Meeting at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on February 19, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J
1. BJP sounds poll bugle: B.S. Yediyurappa says party should come to power on its own in Karnataka in 2028
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran B. S. Yediyurappa, who was felicitated for completing 50 years in politics at the party’s State executive meeting in Bengaluru on February 19, called upon party workers to ensure that the party comes to power ‘independently’ in Karnataka in the 2028 Assembly polls and to ‘dislodge the corrupt Congress government ruling the State’. Significantly, he did not touch upon the BJP’s alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular).
Though BJP was in power for two terms in Karnataka, it has never won a simple majority on its own. Both times, Mr. Yediyurappa became chief minister with the support of either independents or defectors, through a process that is now infamous as ‘Operation Kamala’. The 82-year-old leader said that he is fit and healthy. “God willing, I can tour the State for another five to six years. I am ready to come wherever you want me to work for the party,” he said.
2. Karnataka RTC staff protest: Bus services 96% normal, says government
Employees of the state-run Road Transport Corporations staged an agitation on February 19, 2026, demanding salary revision and clearance of pending arrears, among other issues. However, the RTCs maintained that services remained largely unaffected, reporting normal operations with overall fleet utilisation exceeding 96%.
According to official data, a total of 12,458 scheduled departures were planned across KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC. Of these, 11,987 services were operated, achieving an overall operation rate of 96.22%. With the addition of 663 extra services, total operated services touched 12,650, taking the effective operation percentage to 101.54%, as of 10 a.m. on the day.
3. Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Goa via Padil in Mangaluru proposed with 13-hour journey time
Close on the heels of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announcing introduction of a coastal Vande Bharat Express service, the Railway Ministry has proposed a service between Yesvantpur in Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa via Mangaluru railway region. According to the proposal, the service will skip Mangaluru Junction and Mangaluru Central stations, and will run via Padil.
The running time in each direction would be about 13 hours. The South Western Railway (SWR), in a note, stated that if the VB has to run via Mangaluru Junction, running time has to be increased. Two VB rakes would have to be deployed for the service, one each starting from Yesvantpur and Madgaon in the morning to reach their destinations in the evening.
4. Tobacco farmers protest sharp fall in prices, auctions suspended in few places in Karnataka
A steep decline in tobacco prices has triggered protests by farmers, forcing the Tobacco Board to suspend auctions at Hunsur and Periyapatna in Mysuru district in view of the unrest. On February 19, Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister K. Venkatesh was reportedly gheraoed by agitating farmers at the Kaggundi auction platform in Periyapatna.
Farmers said the price of the bright grade variety of tobacco, which had been fetching around ₹320 per kg, has fallen in recent days to about ₹280 per kg, fuelling anger and uncertainty. Growers also expressed concern over weak demand from traders, which they said has compounded their losses.
Published – February 19, 2026 05:51 pm IST
