BJP retains power in Gujarat, tramples Cong in Himachal Pradesh

Agencies
December 18, 2017

Ahmedabad/Shimla, Dec 18: The BJP today headed for a record sixth straight victory in Gujarat assembly polls and was set to evict the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, widening the party's grip over the country's politics with general elections only 18 months away.

The BJP called the results a vote for development pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the tireless star campaigner in both states. The Congress took solace in the fact that it bettered its tally in Gujarat, the home turf of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

Still, when the final results are in later today, it will be clear that another Congress-ruled state has slipped from its grasp into BJP control. It now rules only Karnataka and Punjab among the major states.

"This is a vote for development and trust for Narendra Modi," Union minister Jitendra Singh told reporters.

"We have set a record in the history of the BJP by winning consecutive assembly polls... Anti-incumbency is not working there. The prime minister's popularity is intact. Amit Shah's strategy has worked," BJP vice president Shyam Jaju said.

As the victories became clear, party workers gathered in the streets and headquarters, distributing sweets and bursting firecrackers.

According to Election Commission results and trends for all the 182 seats in Gujarat, the BJP won eight and was ahead in 94. It needs 93 to form a majority government. The Congress won five and was leading in 69.

Congress had won 61 seats in the 2012 elections while the BJP had got 115.

The BJP's dip this time was touted by the Congress as a reflection of Congress President Rahul Gandhi's efforts during the campaign when he appeared to have improved his stature as a politician.

"The Congress' tally has gone up there, while the BJP's numbers have fallen. This is the start of Rahul Gandhi's political story," senior Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament.

His colleague, Renuka Chowdary, added: "Congress has done brilliantly. Our strength has increased. Morally, it has been a brilliant intervention of Rahul Gandhi."

In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP won two seats and was ahead in 41 seats while the ruling Congress won one and was ahead in 20 in the 68-member house. A majority will come with 35 seats. In the outgoing house, Congress had 36 seats, and BJP 26.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, has a strong lead over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat.

However, Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh, was trailing behind Congress's Rajinder Rana in Sujanpur, after he changed his traditional constituency of Hamirpur. He was made the CM face only nine days before the polling.

At this stage, the BJP had a vote share of 49.1 percent while it was 41.5 percent for the Congress in Gujarat. Its vote share in 2012 was 38.93 percent. The BJP's margin of victory in a dozen constituencies was said to be 2000 to 3000.

The Dec. 9 and 14 elections took place in the backdrop of GST and demonetisation, which the opposition had claimed would inflict a huge dent in Modi's popularity.

Modi and Shah campaigned vigorously, crisscrossing the state to hold scores of rallies in what appeared to be a trailer for the next Lok Sabha elections, which should be held before May 2019.

The victories establish not only the BJP's supremacy but also Modi's apparent invincibility. Yet, it also made Gandhi, who recently assumed Congress presidentship, a serious challenger as he appeared more confident in taking on the BJP stalwarts.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is ahead in Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel by 3,000 votes. Mehsana was the epicentre of the Patidar reservation agitation.

The BJP has won every election since 1995. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. BJP came back to power in 1998 and has ruled uninterrupted since then.

In Himachal Pradesh, Congress veteran and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his son Vikramaditya Singh are leading from Arki and Shimla(Rural) respectively.

Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of changing the government in every election.

The BJP ousted the Congress in 1990 and the Congress avenged the defeat in 1993. The BJP formed the government with the help of Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and the Congress was back in power in 2003. The BJP made a comeback in 2007.

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News Network
November 18,2024

Advisors to US President-elect Donald Trump have instructed his allies and associates to refrain from using the inflammatory language they previously employed when discussing issues related to migrants and the deportation of asylum seekers, in a bid to avoid “looking like Nazis.”

US media reports said that Trump’s associates had been asked to stop using the word “camps” to describe potential facilities that would be used to accommodate migrants rounded up in deportation operations across the country.

The reports said the US president-elect’s allies had been ordered to stave off such charged terms as they would bring to mind “Nazis,” and be used against Trump.

“I have received some guidance to avoid terms, like ‘camps,’ that can be twisted and used against the president, yes,” one Trump ally told American monthly magazine Rolling Stone.

“Apparently, some people think it makes us look like Nazis.”

The presidential advisers also cautioned surrogates and allies to keep racist terms, which have dogged Trump’s campaign, out of their remarks.

They said with Trump’s heated rhetoric that used to compare undocumented immigrants to “animals” and his slight that they are “poisoning the blood of our country,” detractors did not need to reach too far to find parallels to Nazi Germany.

Stephen Miller, who Trump tapped to be his deputy chief of staff of policy, specifically used the word “camps” to describe holding facilities that he hoped the military could put together for immigrants.

Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is chosen by Trump to be in charge of the US borders, was no stranger to such language.

“It’s not gonna be a mass sweep of neighborhoods,” he said in an interview earlier this week. “It’s not gonna be building concentration camps. I’ve read it all. It’s ridiculous.”

Becoming a little more forthright about the new government’s aggressive deportation plans, Homan likened the early days of the Trump administration to the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“I got three words for them – shock and awe,” he said. “You’re going to see us take this country back.”

Trump made immigration a central element of his 2024 presidential campaign but unlike his first run, which was mainly focused on building a border wall, he has shifted his attention to interior enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

People close to the US president and his aides are laying the groundwork for expanding detention facilities to fulfill his mass deportation campaign promise.

The businessman-turned-politician deported more than 1.5 million people during his first term.

The figure do not include the millions of people turned away at the border under a Covid-era policy enacted by Trump and used during most of Biden’s term.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Mangaluru: In a deeply tragic turn of events, a 28-year-old woman named Ranjitha, who had recently given birth but tragically lost her newborn, ended her life by suicide on Monday. She reportedly leapt from the fourth-floor window of Lady Goschen Hospital’s luggage room.

Ranjitha, whose strength and resilience had carried her through a difficult pregnancy, was scheduled for discharge on Monday. Her journey to Lady Goschen Hospital began on October 24, when she was transferred from Karkala. She was a high-risk patient, battling both hypertension and diabetes. At the time of her admission, she was just 27 weeks pregnant.

Due to the complexities of her health, doctors made the difficult decision to perform an emergency C-section on October 30. She delivered a baby girl, premature and weighing only 960 grams. The newborn was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors did all they could. Despite these efforts, the baby passed away on November 3.

Ranjitha’s sorrow was profound. She stayed under hospital care even after her initial recovery and was preparing to go home on November 9. She had even requested a couple more days at the hospital, seeking time perhaps to cope with her unimaginable grief.

On the day of her discharge, a discharge card ready and her family eagerly waiting to take her home, Ranjitha reportedly made her way to the luggage room in the early hours. There, standing on a cot placed for patients' family members, she climbed to a window and fell from the fourth floor. Despite the attempts of another visitor to intervene, tragedy was inevitable. She was rushed to Government Wenlock Hospital, where doctors confirmed the worst—she was no more.

Dr. Durgaparasad M R, the Medical Superintendent at Lady Goschen Hospital, shared his grief and spoke of the ongoing investigation. A post-mortem is to be conducted, and the local Tahsildar will complete the necessary inquest procedures. Ranjitha’s exact reasons for taking this step are yet to be confirmed, though the weight of her recent losses paints a sorrowful picture.

If you or anyone you know is struggling emotionally, please remember that help is available. Reach out to mental health experts who can provide support and guidance. The toll-free helpline number 9152987821 is available to assist anyone in distress.

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News Network
November 19,2024

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In the wake of the tragic drowning of three students at a resort near Ullal on the outskirts of Mangaluru city, the tourism department in Dakshina Kannada is set to implement comprehensive safety guidelines for properties with swimming pools or beach access. This initiative aims to ensure guest safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.

New Safety Mandates for Resorts and Homestays

Rashmi S.R., deputy director (in-charge) of the tourism department, announced, “We will instruct all homestays and resorts to enforce precautionary measures, especially those with pools or direct beach access. Properties must ensure 24/7 supervision, particularly during guest hours. This tragedy highlights the importance of having trained personnel on-site.”

Key Safety Guidelines

The district, home to around 150 homestays and 130 resorts, will see the following measures enforced:

  • Clearly displaying pool depths.
  • Installing adequate safety equipment, such as life buoys.
  • Employing trained lifeguards at all times.
  • Establishing clear pool operating hours.
  • Reviewing and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pool and beach usage.

Booming Beach Tourism Calls for Vigilance

Manohar Shetty, president of the Association for Coastal Tourism (ACT), Udupi, highlighted the growing popularity of beachside resorts, particularly during peak seasons. Properties in Udupi, often fully booked with tourists from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kodagu, and Shivamogga, face increasing pressure to maintain safety standards.

Udupi district boasts 22 beachside commercial properties catering to this rising demand.

Shetty emphasized, “Authorities must scrutinize safety measures and carefully evaluate guidelines before issuing new resort licenses. Panchayats should rely on the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act when handling such cases.”

Long-Term Solutions for Water Safety

Recognizing the need for a cultural shift in water safety, Shetty proposed integrating swimming lessons into school curricula. This move would not only equip students with essential skills but also encourage safe participation in water-based activities.

A Safer Tomorrow for Coastal Tourism

As the tourism sector thrives, Mangaluru’s proactive approach underscores its commitment to visitor safety. The tragic incident serves as a wake-up call, propelling the industry towards stricter regulations and better preparedness, ensuring that coastal vacations remain both enjoyable and safe.

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