Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sept 17: Ahead of a historic first-ever special cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday, September 18, chief minister D K Shivakumar touched down directly in Mangaluru from Kalaburagi, accompanied by a high-profile ministerial delegation including deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and Cabinet ministers Priyank Kharge and Sharanprakash Patil.
The high-profile ministerial team arrived to spearhead the state's first-ever special cabinet meeting outside Bengaluru, which convenes tomorrow at the Praja Soudha district office complex in Padil. Upon arrival, the leadership swung straight into action, reviewing final preparations at the Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner's office. However, the venue inspection turned tense when minister U T Khader caught a glaring seating oversight.
Noticing that officials had been allotted chairs lacking armrests, an irked Khader lashed out at the organisers, demanding, “How long is it possible to sit in chairs without armrests?” When the vendor defensively argued, “We use these same chairs in Bengaluru, and they cannot be brought from Bengaluru right now,” an infuriated Khader snapped back, “Stop saying it cannot be done and just do as you are told!”
The dressing down prompted immediate action to replace the seating. Consequently, a decision has been taken to replace the chairs for the officials.
CM convenes dinner meeting ahead of Cabinet meet
Marking a first-of-its-kind milestone, the state cabinet meeting to be held in Mangaluru tomorrow (September 18) sets the stage for the historic two-day itinerary. Ahead of the gathering, chief minister D K Shivakumar organised a special dinner meeting on the beachside tonight (September 17), extending invitations to MLAs, MLCs, and MPs from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts.
This preliminary session aims to streamline regional coordination and finalise key developmental proposals ahead of tomorrow morning’s core cabinet deliberations.
The high-stakes meeting is expected to prioritise comprehensive growth proposals for coastal districts—focusing heavily on vital infrastructure upgrades, port modernization, fisheries, industrial expansion, and local development demands.