Actor Sonu Sood's sister to contest from Moga in Punjab assembly polls
Chandigarh(PTI): Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood on Sunday said his sister Malvika is joining politics, but added he has no such plans for himself. Malvika later said she will contest the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls from Moga.
Sood, who is from Moga district, said his sister has done a lot of amazing work in the past.
"We today officially want to say that Malvika will certainly come to serve Punjab," the actor said, addressing the media at his residence in the district. Asked about joining any political party, Sood said no decision has yet been taken in this regard.
"We have not yet taken a call about the party. Whenever the time comes, we will make sure that we let you know," he said. When asked whether he would enter politics, Sood said he has not thought about it.
"It is a very big decision in life. I think Malvika is strongly rooted in Moga For me (joining politics), I have not thought of it," he said.
Asked about his recent meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, Sood said both of them are good people.
On SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Sood said he would meet him too, adding that Badal has vast experience in politics.
About the ongoing farmers' protest, the actor said it was necessary that the farmers get their rights, asserting that their issues should be resolved so that they can return to their fields.
"What we are eating is because of them. It is important they should be happy," he said.
He also emphasized on improving the healthcare system in the state.
"There are several dispensaries in villages in Punjab where nobody is there (for patients). Sometimes in government hospitals, doctors and medicines were not available. These things should be set right," Sood said.
To a question on income tax raids on his premises in September, he said he had faced many difficulties in the past but he continued his fight for the people.
Replying to another query, Sood said unemployment was the biggest issue in Punjab.
"The biggest problem of Punjab is unemployment, and when people do not get jobs, they take to drugs. We are already working on it," he said.
He stressed that the IT industry should be promoted in the state in a big way for generating employment opportunities. Sood also announced a dialysis service for needy patients free of charge.
Later talking to reporters, Malvika said she had been working towards addressing issues related to healthcare and education. The Punjab assembly polls are due early next year.
Sood grabbed the national spotlight for helping migrants reach their home states during the nationwide lockdown clamped last year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
