Battle of Mysore: It's battle royale between Siddaramaiah and scion of erstwhile Mysuru royal family
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hasn't entered the electoral contest here but the battle for Mysuru Lok Sabha seat is certainly seen as one between him and scion of the erstwhile royal family.
For four days from March 24, Siddaramaiah camped in Mysuru - his home district - personally overseeing the poll preparations of the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Springing a surprise, the BJP fielded the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, replacing the MP Pratap Simha.
Congress Karnataka unit spokesperson M Lakshmana is the party candidate here with some leaders in the outfit projecting the electoral contest as Common man versus Raja (king)'.
Siddaramaiah held several rounds of meetings with the party office-bearers in various Assembly constituencies under the Mysore Lok Sabha segment and issued several instructions to them.
"The pressure on Siddaramaiah is quite palpable as he has to demonstrate his hold among masses in the upcoming Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka and more so in Mysuru," a political analyst said.
Siddaramaiah represents Varuna in Mysuru district in the legislative assembly.
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The Battle of Mysore' isn't an easy one - it's a battle royale' where the stakes are high for the CM as well as the Mysuru royal family.
True to his "majestic position", the well-mannered, US-educated Wadiyar has gone about campaigning in a dignified way earning respect from his subjects', as the Mysuru Maharajaru' or the Maharaja of Mysuru.
Lakshmana is from Vokkaliga (farming) community, which dominates the Mysuru region. After his candidature was announced, he said the Congress has given a befitting reply to the BJP by giving ticket to him because the opposition party in the State often alleged that Siddaramaiah was anti-Vokkaliga.
Lakshmana's Vokkaliga card was aimed at subtly sending across a message to his community that the BJP denied ticket to Pratap Simha, a Vokkaliga, and preferred Wadiyar from erstwhile royal family.
On Congress' slogan of Common man versus Raja', Wadiyar said in democratic India no one is king and everyone is equal in the eyes of law.
When reporters asked recently whether Mysore seat was a prestige issue for him, the Chief Minister said all the 28 Lok Sabha seats are a prestige issue for him.
However, sources close to him hint that Siddaramaiah is leaving no stone unturned and pulling out all stops in his home turf.
"It indeed is a prestige issue for him given the high stakes for him. It's in a way like perform or perish for him," a Congress insider told PTI.
According to him, during the recent meeting with the party office-bearers, the Chief Minister gave clear instructions' not to use any derogatory or defamatory language against Wadiyar as it can backfire on them.
The Mysore Lok Sabha constituency is spread over two districts of Mysuru and Kodagu. In the 2023 Assembly election, the Congress won five seats, JD(S) two and BJP one.
The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 25 out of 28 seats, while an independent backed by the party had also won.
The Congress and the JD(S), which fought together in an alliance, won one seat each.
This time, the JD(S), which has considerable vote base in the constituency, has forged an alliance with the BJP, a move that is likely to benefit Wadiyar in no small measure in his political debut.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
