INDIA bloc PM candidate to be decided after elections: Mamata Banerjee
New Delhi, Dec 18: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said the INDIA bloc's prime ministerial candidate will be decided after the 2024 general elections, expressing confidence that the alliance will iron out all issues including over seat-sharing and defeat the BJP.
She also dismissed suggestions that the alliance has lost time in putting things in order, saying "it is better late than never". She expressed confidence that a three-way alliance is very much possible in West Bengal between her TMC, Congress and the Left.
"The BJP is not strong, we are weak. We need to work together to overcome it," Banerjee told reporters here in reply to a question on the BJP's rising influence, especially in the Hindi belt.
She also said she doesn't discriminate between the Hindi belt and other regions.
On the suspension on opposition MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Banerjee said it shows the BJP is afraid. "Do you think they (the BJP) became so arrogant because they won two states...They're afraid so they suspended".
"Even with such majority, they're scared... The voice of people has been choked. They can suspend the whole House. They have no moral ground to run the House... It is mockery of democracy," she said.
The TMC boss asserted her full support to expelled party MP Mahua Moitra, and said
the parliamentary party will decide on her Krishnanagar seat.
She also made light of the BJP's assertion that PM Modi will return for a third term, saying 2024 is not a done deal.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
