K'taka bypolls: Congress rebel Azeempeer Khadri to withdraw nomination on Oct 30, says DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Oct 26: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said rebel Congress leader Sayed Azeempeer Khadri would withdraw his nomination as an Independent candidate from Shiggaon.
Taking everyone by surprise, Khadri had on Friday -- the last day to submit the papers -- filed his nomination for the November 13 assembly bypoll in Shiggaon at the eleventh hour.
Amid fears that Khadri would dent the prospects of Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, Shivakumar -- who is also the party's Karnataka unit chief -- said, "Khadri will withdraw his nomination on October 30. The party will give him a suitable position."
According to Shivakumar, the rebel Congress leader discussed his concerns with him.
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"He has been promised a suitable position in the party. I cannot disclose the promises made in view of the Model Code of Conduct. He will withdraw his nomination and work for the party. Khadri is with us," he said.
Khadri should have been given a ticket in the last elections itself, the veteran Congress leader said and added the party would never forget his sacrifices and he would be compensated with a suitable position.
Shivakumar hailed Khadri, saying that he was an honest person and committed to the Congress' secular philosophy.
Minister Zameer Ahmed, MLA Nazeer Ahmed, and Ismail Thamatagara played an important role in convincing Khadri to withdraw his nomination, the deputy chief minister said.
When Shivakumar was told that Khadri had not yet agreed to back out, he said, "We need to take the opinion of all local leaders. There is no dissidence now. We need to talk to his followers too and we will invite all of them to Bengaluru."
The BJP has fielded Haveri MP and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's son Bharath Bommai from Shiggaon.
Bypolls to three assembly seats -- Channapatna, Sandur and Shiggaon -- will be held on November 13. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.
Excluding the speaker, the Congress has 133 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) have 65 and 18 seats, respectively.
The remaining seats are held by other smaller parties and Independent MLAs.
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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.
