Cong fields Mansoor Ali Khan as 2nd candidate to checkmate JDS in RS polls

News Network
May 30, 2022

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Bengaluru, May 30: Congress today surprised BJP and JD(S) by fielding a second candidate for the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls, forcing an election for a seat it does not have enough numbers to win.

The Congress has fielded former union minister Jairam Ramesh and Karnataka Congress general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections. 

Four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka are up for grabs and a candidate needs 45 votes to win. Based on their strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and the Congress one. Elections are needed as incumbent MPs Nirmala Sitharaman (union finance minister), KC Ramamurthy (BJP) and Jairam Ramesh (Congress) are due for retirement. Also, the death of senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes vacated his seat.

The BJP has picked Sitharaman and actor-politician Jaggesh as its candidates for the two seats it can surely win.
The Congress’ move to field a second candidate could put the JD(S) in a quandary amid speculation that the regional party wants to field its former MP Kupendra Reddy as a candidate by using additional votes of the BJP. 

Both Ramesh and Khan filed their nomination papers in the presence of senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, UT Khader, RV Deshpande, HK Patil and others. 

“We have our own calculations,” Shivakumar, the KPCC president, told reporters on fielding Khan as the party’s second candidate. “We know that all the three parties have a shortage of votes. Last time, out of respect, we did not field a candidate against former prime minister HD Deve Gowda,” he said, hinting that the Congress’ move is aimed at checkmating the regional party. 

After electing two Rajya Sabha candidates, the BJP will be left with an additional 29 votes. The Congress will be left with 24 extra votes after electing Ramesh. The JD(S) has only 32 votes, which is insufficient to win a seat. 

According to sources, Congress’s plan is to see how the JD(S) will respond. If the regional party takes the BJP’s support, then Congress will attack the secular credentials of the JD(S).

“If they are truly secular, then let them vote for a young, educated Muslim candidate,” KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed said, adding that the Congress has not yet had talks with the JD(S).

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News Network
September 12,2024

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Mysuru: More than 50 people have been arrested in connection with the riots between two groups of different faiths, at Nagamangala town, Mandya district, over the Ganesha idol procession, on Wednesday night.

High drama prevailed in front of the Nagamangala town police station on Thursday morning, with women belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities staging a protest against the arrest of their family members and demanding their release.

The two groups started arguing over the Ganesha idol procession on the Mysuru-Nagamangala road, near a 'dargah'. This soon turned violent with stone being pelted. Reports said that around 25 shops were also set on fire.

Several vehicles were damaged and torched by the mob. However, police intervened and brought the situation under control, deploying additional police forces.

Holiday has been declared to schools and colleges in Nagamangala town until further notice. Police have imposed section 144 till 12 noon of September 14.

SP Mallikarjuna Baladandi, IGP (Southern Range) Boralingaiah, DC Kumar and other officials visited the spot.

District incharge Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy visited the spot on Thursday morning and took stock of the situation. Speaking to reporters he said, the incident was unfortunate.

"The clash which started around 9 pm on Wednesday, flared up with miscreants setting fire, damaging shops and vehicles in the town. There is no need for anxiety. Additional police forces have been deployed in the town and the situation is under control now," he said.

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News Network
September 9,2024

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New Delhi: A man who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox transmission has tested positive for the disease, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

"The previously suspected case of mpox has been verified as a travel-related infection. Laboratory testing has confirmed the presence of mpox virus of the West African clade-2 in the patient," it said.

The ministry said that it is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards. It is not a part of the current public health emergency reported by WHO which is regarding clade 1 of mpox, it underlined.

"The individual, a young male who recently travelled from a country experiencing ongoing mpox transmission, is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness or comorbidities," the ministry said.

The case aligns with earlier risk assessments and continues to be managed according to established protocols, it said, adding that public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are actively in place to ensure the situation is contained.

"There is no indication of any widespread risk to the public at this time," the health ministry stated.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) last month declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for the second time in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa.

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News Network
September 15,2024

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New Delhi: Two days after he was granted bail and walked out of prison after six months, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced his shock resignation from the top post at a party meeting this afternoon. "Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister. I will not sit on that chair till the people announce their verdict. Elections in Delhi are months away. I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people's court. I will sit on the Chief Minister's chair only after the order of the people," he said. 

"I want to ask the people of Delhi, is Kejriwal innocent or guilty? If I have worked, vote for me," he said, adding that a meeting of AAP MLAs will be held within the next two days to choose the new Chief Minister for the national capital.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said a member of the party will be named Chief Minister after his resignation. He said he would go among the people and ask for their support. Mr Kejriwal also demanded that the elections in the national capital, scheduled for February, be held in November along with the polls in Maharashtra.

In his address to the AAP workers, Mr Kejriwal launched an all-out attack against the Narendra Modi government and said it was more dictatorial than the British.

He said he did not resign as Chief Minister despite being arrested because he wanted to save democracy. "They have registered cases against (Karnataka Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah, (Kerala Chief Minister) Pinarayi Vijayan, (Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata didi (Banerjee). I want to appeal to non-BJP, do not resign if they register cases against you. This is their new game," he said.

Mr Kejriwal said he had also spoken to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia about the issue. Mr Sisodia too was recently granted bail in connection with corruption allegations surrounding Delhi's now-scrapped liquor policy. "I spoke to Manish, he too has said that he will handle the post only after the people say we are honest. My and Sisodia's fate are in your hands now," he said.

Responding to the shocking development, BJP's Harish Khurana questioned why the AAP leader is creating a drama. "Why after 48 hours? he should resign today. In the past too, he has done this. People of Delhi are asking, he can't go to the secretariat, can't sign documents? What is the point then?" Asked if the BJP was ready for early polls, Mr Khurana replied, "We are ready, whether it is today or tomorrow. We will return to power in Delhi after 25 years."

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