Bhatkal: Mankal Vaidya is the fifth minister elected from the Bhatkal-Honnavar assembly constituency. Fifteen years ago, Shivananda Naik served as the Minister of Small Scale Industries, while before him, R-N Naik, the late SM Yahya, and the late Shamsuddin Jukaku also played their roles in the development of the constituency as Ministers of State.

Mankal Vaidya, who started his life as a laborer in a garment shop, has now become a minister. His success is the result of his hard work and continuous efforts, which have paid off, leading to his election as a minister in the Karnataka cabinet.

On Saturday, May 27, he was sworn in as a cabinet minister. Although he has not yet been assigned a portfolio, it is expected that he may be given the Ministry of Fisheries and Ports. Additionally, there are possibilities of appointing him as the Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister.

It is fortunate for Mankal Vaidya that he is the only MLA in the entire state to be elected from the Moger or fishermen community, which facilitated his entry into the cabinet. While many ministers in the Karnataka cabinet have held the fisheries portfolio, there are very few who possess comprehensive knowledge about the fishing profession. It is essential for the minister responsible for the fisheries ministry to be aware of high tides in the sea, obtain important and complete information about the sea's remarkable changes during the rainy season, the development of adjacent ports, and knowledge of mechanical boats.

Traditionally, those who have worked in this ministry have mainly focused on financial matters. However, people are now demanding that individuals with in-depth knowledge of fishing be entrusted with this portfolio. It remains to be seen whether Mankal Vaidya will be assigned the fisheries portfolio or another ministry.

It should be noted that Bhatkal MLA Mankal Vaidya is a minister who comes from the fishing profession. Mankal also owns a fishing boat and has experience in fishing with mechanized boats. He has significant contacts at the commercial level regarding fish marketing. Furthermore, Mankal owns an ice factory, which is essential for fishing. He possesses comprehensive knowledge of fishermen's loans, society monitoring, and compensation for fishermen.

Mankal Vaidya, who won the Zilla Panchayat twice as an independent candidate and the assembly elections in 2013, joined the Congress party in 2014. After narrowly losing in 2018, he not only avenged his defeat with a landslide victory in the 2023 elections but also managed to secure a ministerial position. The 2018 defeat taught Mankal Vaidya, who entered politics based on public support without any godfather, not to be discouraged but to prepare for the next elections. As a result, he made significant strides in the 2023 assembly elections, not only becoming a member of the assembly but also a minister. In the political circles, it is believed that leaders like Ramanath Rai and Vinay Kumar Sorike lost in the assembly elections this time. In 2016, the Minister of Fisheries, Pramod Madhuraj, joined the BJP, and Baburao Chinchansur's defeat in Gurmitkal affected Mankal Vaidya's fortunes.

Ministry and Bhatkal: The Bhatkal-Honnavar Vidhan Sabha constituency has a history of ministers representing it. In 1978, S M Yahya of the Congress party was elected and served as a cabinet minister. Later, RN Naik, who was elected in 1983, 1985, and 1989, became a minister in Veerappa Moily's cabinet. In 2006, Shivanand Naik, a member of the BJP, held a ministerial position. Now, in 2023, Mankal Vaidya has been appointed as a cabinet minister in the Congress government, continuing the tradition.

Mankal's Turn after Jaiwant: Looking at the political landscape of Uttara Kannada district in the past two decades, RV Deshpande, the MLA of Hiliyal, has served as a minister for the longest period. He held ministerial positions from 1994 to 2004 and again from 2015 to 2018, totaling 13 years. Vishveshwar Hegde Kagiri of Sirsi served as a minister in the BJP government from 2008 to 2013, and in 1994, Jaiwant, a fisherman, became a minister in the JH Patel government. Following that, Mankal Vaidya is the first person from the Moger community, which has a significant population along the coastal belt, to become a minister.

From Hotel and Garment Worker to Minister: Mankal Vaidya's father, Subba Vaidya, relied on agriculture for his livelihood, although he came from a fishing background. Mankal Vaidya is the youngest son among three sons and two daughters. The family belonged to the middle class, and they owned 4 acres of agricultural land where they cultivated crops like paddy, groundnut, and sugarcane.

Tragedy struck when Mankal Vaidya was 14 years old, as his father passed away suddenly, disrupting their family life. After his father's demise, Mankal attended school for only a year or two before leaving to start earning a living. During that time, people from Bhatkal, Shirali, and Murdeswar had to leave their villages and seek employment in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru. Mankal Vaidya also boarded a bus to Bengaluru in search of work. He worked as a laborer in a garment shop for 13 months but eventually transitioned to working in a hotel when his income became insufficient. After working hard, he returned to his village and opened his own hotel, "Karavali Restaurant," located along the Murdeswar highway. This marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. Over time, he expanded his business ventures, becoming the owner of an ice factory and a petrol bank. Mankal Vaidya excelled in the business field and has continued to thrive.

Sudden Entry into Politics: Initially, Mankal Vaidya had no inclination or interest in politics and was solely focused on his commercial pursuits. During elections, it is customary for leaders from various parties to individually seek votes. Believing that his trade would remain unaffected, Mankal Vaidya attempted to please the leaders by presenting them with bouquets of flowers. However, this approach displeased some leaders. Nonetheless, Mankal Vaidya's success in business caught the attention of a few individuals, who began scrutinizing his vulnerabilities. It is said that a government officer harassed him to such an extent that the encounter left a lasting impression.

In a courageous statement to the officer, Mankal Vaidya fearlessly declared, "I am well aware of who sent you here, and now I will leave my trade and venture into politics myself." Staying true to his words, Mankal contested the Zilla Panchayat elections as an independent candidate from Mavalli and Jali respectively, successfully winning two terms. This marked the significant beginning of his political journey.

On a memorable Saturday, Mankal Vaidya took his oath of office from the Honorable Governor at Raj Bhavan in Bangalore. His joyous occasion was celebrated by hundreds of well-wishers from Bhatkal and Honnavar, who traveled to Bengaluru in private buses and other vehicles to be by Mankal's side.