A video grab of Kasargod district BJP president M.L. Ashwini speaking about the integration of Mangaluru railway region into South Western Railway, in Kasargod on Thursday.
Kasargod district Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president M.L. Ashwini on Thursday wondered why Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which are now opposing Mangaluru railway region’s integration with South Western Railway, remained silent in 2007 when Salem Division was formed by bifurcating areas under Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division.In a video statement, Ms. Ashwini said the Salem Division was carved out of Palakkad, Madurai and Tiruchirapalli Divisions in 2007 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre that was supported by the left parties, including the CPI(M) and IUML.Did the Palakkad Division not suffer financial loss at that time, she asked wondering whether only Mangaluru’s exclusion has resulted in loss to Palakkad and Keralam.Ms. Ashwini said that thousands of people from north Kerala, starting from Kannur, are heavily depending upon Mangaluru for education, healthcare, business and other day-to-day activities. “Does that mean tomorrow we should demand that Mangaluru be merged with Keralam?” she wondered.Ms. Ashwini said she was waiting to hear from Chief Minister of Karnataka, who has remained mum every since the Railway ministry decided to integrate Mangaluru with SWR’s Mysuru Division.Hope for developmentStating that railway stations in the border district of Kasargod, including Manjeshwaram, Uppala and Kumbla, have remained in a state of neglect, Ms. Ashwini said the Member of Parliament and the Member of Legislative Assembly concerned, are solely responsible for the condition.She hoped that Mangaluru’s integration with SWR should foster development activities in these stations.“If the real concern is passenger convenience, then let us have a serious discussion on the larger issues affecting railway connectivity and development in the region, rather than reducing this to political posturing,” Ms. Ashwini said. Published - August 27, 2026 07:24 pm IST
