Feb 7: 6,151 fresh COVID-19 cases, 49 deaths in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Feb 7: Daily COVID-19 infections in Karnataka declined to 6,151 on Monday, taking the total positive cases to 39,02,309, according to the health department.
The cumulative fatalities stood at 39,396 as the state reported 49 deaths, the health department said.
The data shared by the department showed that 99,254 tests were conducted today, whereas the state had been conducting over one lakh tests ever since the outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19. The state had reported 8,425 fresh infections on Sunday.
On Sunday also the state had tested 1,29,337 samples including 99,023 RT-PCR tests.
In its daily bulletin, the department said 16,802 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 37,75,799. Active cases stood at 87,080.
Bengaluru urban district reported 2,718 infections and 15 deaths.
Other districts too had fresh cases including 321 in Belagavi, 285 in Mysuru, 219 in Hassan, 210 in Tumakuru, 195 in Kodagu, 182 in Mandya and 177 in Shivamogga.
There were deaths in 19 districts including six in Mysuru, four each in Tumakuru and Udupi and three in Dakshina Kannada.
There were zero fatalities in 12 districts.
The positivity and case fatality rates for the day were at 6.19 per cent and 0.79 per cent, respectively.
There were 1,92,051 inoculations done, taking the total vaccinations to 9.73 crore, the department said.
To view today's health bulletin: CLICK HERE
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
