Cong gets upper hand in local bodies election
Hung results in many places, Alliance likely between Congress-JDS
Bengaluru, September 3: The results of much curious local bodies elections was announced on Monday and one of the ruling parties- Congress has gained upper hands with winning more seats. But in many places, there were hung results and political parties are competing with each other for the power.
Now, the Congress and BJP have to fight for getting power. Though the voters have not given clear mandate to any one political party, the BJP has strengthened its base in city municipal councils, while the Congress has got more seats in town panchayats. However, the JDS was pushed to the third place.
The elections were held for 2,732 wards in 105 local bodies including three city corporations in 22 districts. Among them, the Congress has won 982 wards, while BJP has got 929 wards, JDS in 375 wards, SDPI in 17 wards, BSP in13 wards, KPJP in 10 wards, SP in four, KRRS, New Indian Congress and WPI have got one seat each and 329 independent candidates have won.
City Municipal Councils
Out of 29 city municipal councils in the state, the Congress has got clear mandate in 10, BJP in 5 and JDS in three councils. Apart from this, 11 councils have no clear mandate to any one party.
Town panchayats
Out of 20 town panchayats, both the Congress and BJP have got clear majority in seven town panchayats each. JDS would get the power in two panchayats and four have hung councils.
Town municipal councils
Among 53 town municipal councils, Congress has got majority in 19, BJP in 12 and JDS in 8. However, no party has got majority in 14 councils.
City Corporations
Among Shivamogga, Mysuru and Tumkur city corporations, the BJP has got majority in Shivamogga city corporations, and remaining two have hung situation. Like coalition government at the state, there is all likelihood that both the city corporations may have coalition administration.
In total, the Congress has got power in 31 local bodies, BJP in 30 and JDS has got power in 13 places and 31 local bodies have in hung situation.
Among 135 city corporation seats, the Congress has won 36, BJP 54 and JDS 30 seats and independents have won in 15 wards. Out of 355 wards in town panchayats, Congress has got highest 138 seats, BJP 130, JDS 29 and others have got 58 seats. Out of 926 wards in city municipal councils, the BJP has got the highest 370 seats followed by Congress with 294 and JDS 106 and independents in 156 seats.
Among 1,247 town municipal council seats, the Congress has got 514 seats, while BJP has got 375 seats and JDS 210 seats, SDPI- 4, KRRS-1, WPI-1, SP-4 and 135 independents.
The JDS has maintained its hold in old Mysuru region like Hassan, Mandya, Mysuru and Tumkur. However, the BJP has maintained its influence in North Karnataka, Coastal region and Mangaluru. But the Congress has felt its presence in all places and got more seats than BJP and JDS.
Though the Congress has emerged the biggest party with more seats, it could get the power only in a few local bodies. In some local bodies, the Congress has registered zero account. Interestingly, the JDS has bagged more seats in the home district of Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwar.
Unanimous election
The Election Commission has announced that total 30 candidates have elected unopposed in various districts. Of them, the Congress candidates were elected unanimously in 9 wards, BJP in three wards, JDS and BSP in one ward each and 16 independents were elected unopposed.
Seats tally
- Congress- 982
- BJP- 929
- JDS- 375
- Others- 376
Party strength
City Corporation: 135 wards
- Congress-36, BJP-54, JDS-30, others-15
Town Panchayat: 355 seats
- Congress- 138, BJP- 130, JDS-29 and others-58
City Municipal Council: 926 seats
- Congress- 294, BJP- 370, JDS-106, others- 156
Town municipal council: 1246 seats
- Congress- 514, BJP- 375, JDS-210, others-147
Not a referendum
“The result of the local bodies elections is not a referendum to the Lok Sabha election. This result will not have any impact on the forthcoming LS poll”.
- HD Deve Gowda, Former Prime Minister
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Woman in labour dies while being transported in ambulance lacking oxygen support
Palghar (PTI): A 26-year-old pregnant woman from Maharashtra's Palghar district died while being taken to hospital in an ambulance which was not equipped with oxygen and other necessary facilities, authorities said on Wednesday.
Palghar's Civil Surgeon Dr Ramdas Marad said the health department has repeatedly raised concerns with authorities about the lack of specialised ambulances in the region.
The woman, who was in labour pain, was brought to a rural hospital here in a critical state on Tuesday evening.
"If she had come earlier, we could have saved her," the health official said.
Palghar Lok Sabha member Dr Hemant Savara said the health department should take necessary action into the matter and ambulance services should have adequate facilities.
Pinki Dongarkar, resident of Sarni village, went into labour on Tuesday evening.
Her family immediately rushed her to Kasa rural hospital, but due to the critical nature of her condition, the staff there referred her to neighbouring Silvassa city (in the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu) for further medical attention.
However, despite frantic attempts by her family to secure an ambulance equipped with oxygen and necessary medical facilities through the '108' emergency service, their requests went unanswered, a health official said.
They were eventually provided with a regular ambulance by the Kasa rural hospital.
While en route to Silvassa, the woman succumbed to complications and the foetus also did not survive, health officials confirmed.
Dr Marad said the woman was brought to the Kasa rural hospital in a critical state.
According to him, the woman suffered from a condition called Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD), where the foetus died in the womb. The exact time of the foetal death could not be determined.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the woman was semi-conscious and showed signs of severe infection.
On issues with the 108 emergency ambulance services, which are privately operated, Dr Marad said the ambulance might have been unavailable due to high demand.
The health department has repeatedly raised concerns with authorities about the lack of specialised ambulances in the region, he said.
Talking to PTI, Palghar BJP MP Savara said, "This is a very sad incident. The health department should take necessary action in this connection. Also, such an incident should not happen in future for this reason."
"The ambulance services should have adequate oxygen and cardiac support facilities. Also, a doctor is required to accompany the patient. I will follow it up with the government," he said.
CPI (M) leader Vinod Nikole, the newly-elected assembly member from Dahanu in Palghar, said he had raised the issue in the House during his last term, but no action was taken.
He criticised the government over "indifference" towards improving healthcare facilities, particularly in tribal areas, and accused the state of prioritising other programmes, such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, over the urgent needs of healthcare in rural regions.
