Blow to YSRCP, boost for BJP as Andhra’s first woman Muslim MLC Zakia Khanam switches sides
Amaravati: In a political shift, Mayana Zakia Khanam, the first Muslim woman member of the Andhra Legislative Council, has resigned from the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Though her move caught many in the YSRCP off guard, the Andhra Pradesh BJP unit turned out in full strength to welcome Zakia Khanam into the party. Among those present were state BJP president and Rajahmundry MP Daggubati Purandeswari, state Health Minister and BJP MLA Y Satya Kumar, along with several other senior leaders, as reported by The Indian Express on Thursday.
Purandeswari stated that Zakia Khanam was inspired to join the saffron party by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She emphasised that the BJP is committed to “delivering welfare beyond the lines of caste and religion” with a focus on uplifting the underprivileged and marginalised. "Khanam’s induction reflects a major shift and strengthens our commitment to inclusive leadership, while signaling a growing trust for the party among minorities,” TIE quoted Purandeswari as saying.
With her exit, the total number of MLCs who have resigned from YSRCP has risen to six. The other MLCs who have resigned from the party so far include Karri Padmasri, Pothula Sunitha, Jayamangala Venkataramana, Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy, and Marri Rajasekhar.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
