Yeddyurappa suffers setback in home turf in urban local body poll
Bengaluru: In a setback to state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, the Congress has won majority of wards in his constituency of Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, in the town municipal council poll there for which results were declared Monday.
Of 23 wards in Shikaripura that went to polls Saturday, the Congress has won in 12, the BJP 8 and independents in 3.
The BJP's performance has not been that good in other Uurban Local Bodies (ULB)s of Shivamogga district, considered as its bastion.
In Shiralakoppa town panchayat, the Congress has won in 7 out of 17 wards that went to polls, while the BJP managed 2, the JD(S) 3 and Independents 5.
In Hosanagara town panchayat, of 11 wards, the Congress and BJP managed to win 4 each, the JD(S) 3. In the district's Soraba town panchayat and Sagara municipal council, BJP's performance is somewhat better.
While the BJP won 6 of 12 wards in Soraba, the Congress has won 4, JD(S) and independents have won in one each. In Sagara of 31 wards, the BJP bagged 16, Congress 9, JD(S) 1 andindependents 5.
The Congress and JD(S), which are in alliance in the state, had decided to go to polls separately and had asked its localleadership to decide on any understanding between the partieslocally depending on the prevailing situation there.
Results were declared on Monday for a total 140 wards in Shivamogga and Bengaluru Rural that went to polls Saturday.
Of 140 wards, the Congress is leading by winning 53 wards, the BJP 40, JD(S) 28, BSP 1 and independents 18.
After a rout in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the Congressin Karnataka heaved a sigh of relief last week as the party had won the highest number of seats in the May 29 ULB polls, for which the results were declared Friday.
While the Congress won 509 out of total 1,221 wards in 56urban local bodies for which results were declared on Friday, the BJP was victorious in 366 wards; JD(S) that went alone won 174 wards, BSP in 3, CPI(M) 2, others 7 and independents in 160, the state election commission said.
Meanwhile, Pradesh Congress president Dineh Gundu Rao has asked the party's local leadership to go in for a post poll alliance with JD(S) and independents to gain power in local bodies.
Pointing out that the Congress and JD(S) have majority in many local bodies, in a message he has asked his party men to gain power in those local bodies with support of the regionalparty and independents.
"Wherever we have majority, take cooperation of JD(S), wherever JD(S) has majority cooperate with them and where both of us lack majority seek support of independents. At no cost, the BJP should be allowed to join hands with them.
If there are issues that cannot be resolved at local level bring it to to the notice of the KPCC," the message to local leaders read.
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No 'bacterial infection' found in bodies of 4 Mumbai family members who died after eating watermelon
Mumbai (PTI): The initial report submitted by the microbiology department of a Mumbai-based state-run hospital has said no "bacterial infection" was detected in the bodies of four family members, who died after consuming watermelon recently, officials said on Wednesday.
The Dokadia family, residents of Ghari Mohalla on Ismail Kurte Road, had hosted a get-together of relatives on the night of April 25. At around 1 am (on April 26), hours after the guests had left, Abdullah Dokadia (40), his wife Nasreen (35), and daughters Ayesha (16) and Zaineb (13) ate pieces of a watermelon.
They suffered severe bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea in the early hours of April 26 and were rushed to a local hospital before being referred to the government-run J J Hospital where all four died during treatment.
After the incident, Mumbai police, forensic experts and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials visited the house and had collected samples of every food item that constituted the family's last meal, including 'chicken pulav', watermelon, water, and other foodstuffs, and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.
After the post-mortem of the deceased, their viscera was preserved for chemical analysis.
As the probe is underway, the microbiology department of the state-run J J Hospital has submitted its initial report to the police.
"As per the report, no bacterial infection has been detected so far in the bodies of the victims. No bacteria was found in their blood," the official said.
The exact cause of the death will be known once the forensic science lab submits its report, he said.
"The report will also clarify whether any food items consumed by the family members during the day contained anything poisonous," the official said.
