JD(S) indicates support to Murmu for President, formal announcement soon
Bengaluru, Jun 29: Indicating his party's support to BJP-led NDA's candidate for presidential polls Droupadi Murmu, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said a final decision on this will be arrived at soon after going through the background of the two candidates in the fray.
The former Karnataka chief minister said Murmu has spoken to JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda seeking support and has also sought appointment to meet him personally.
"Already she (Murmu) has discussed with our national president (Gowda) over phone twice and has requested for support. Also, she had sought time to come and meet. I requested our national President that there is no need for her to come personally in the current situation," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said Murmu already has the majority on her side and she has expressed her desire to seek Gowda's support out of goodwill and generosity.
"She has already won...she need not come so far...we will decide in the party...You (media) may have understood by now what our decision might be. Before taking a final decision, we will look into the background of both candidates. There is no question of Congress or BJP or any B-team here," he said, adding that he has gone through Murmu's background and her struggle.
Recently calling Murmu, as a "suitable" and "non-controversial" candidate, Gowda had noted that he doesn't want to refer her as merely a tribal candidate, but wants to say that she is "competent" for the post of President.
Battle lines have been drawn for the July 18 presidential election with the BJP-led NDA naming Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha, as its candidate, while former Union minister Yashwant Sinha has filed nomination as a joint nominee by major opposition parties, including the Congress, the NCP and the TMC.
Murmu, 64, had been the Jharkhand governor and also served as minister in the Odisha government earlier in her career.
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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.
