Sumalatha to make her stand clear on contesting LS elections tomorrow
Bengaluru, Apr 2: Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh has said she will make her decision on contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections public at Kalikamba Temple in the district headquarter town of Mandya on Wednesday.
In a long post on the micro-blogging site 'X' on Tuesday, the actress-turned-politician who won 2019 elections with BJP's backing from Mandya, asked people to gather at the temple on Wednesday.
"Many are waiting for my stance on contesting elections. Serious thought has already been given in this regard. Neither your favorite 'Rebel Star' Ambareesh nor myself or anyone from our family are ever clinging to power," Sumalatha said.
She said she will discuss with her voters before taking a final call.
"Tomorrow (April 3) at 10 AM in the Kalikamba Temple, I will offer pooja, then in the temple premises I will clarify my stand before all of you and announce my decision regarding the Mandya Lok Sabha elections," the wife of eminent Kannada actor-turned-politician late Ambareesh, said.
She said her son Abhishek Ambareesh and Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa will be present when she will make her decision public.
Thursday is the last day of filing nomination papers for the first phase of polls in Karnataka, where polling will be held in 14 constituencies on April 26. For the second phase, polling in the remaining 14 constituencies will take place on May 7.
The BJP and its ally Janata Dal (Secular) had requested her not to contest the election this time assuring her a 'bright political future.'
JD(S) second-in-command and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is contesting as the NDA candidate this time from Mandya, which is considered as his party’s fortress.
Sumalatha had won the 2019 Assembly election defeating former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda's grandson and Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
ನನ್ನ ಸ್ವಾಭಿಮಾನಿ ಮಂಡ್ಯದ ಬಂಧುಗಳೆ,
— Sumalatha Ambareesh 🇮🇳 ಸುಮಲತಾ ಅಂಬರೀಶ್ (@sumalathaA) April 2, 2024
ಮಂಡ್ಯ ಲೋಕಸಭಾ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಕಳೆದ ಬಾರಿ ಐತಿಹಾಸಿಕ ಗೆಲುವು ಸಾಧಿಸಿದ ನಂತರ, ಈ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಚರ್ಚೆ ಆಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಈ ಸಲದ ಲೋಕಸಭೆ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯೂ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊರತಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪಲ್ಲಟಕ್ಕೆ ಮಂಡ್ಯ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಯಾಗಿದೆ.
ಚುನಾವಣೆಗೆ ಸ್ಪರ್ಧಿಸುವ… pic.twitter.com/65Wte90LWJ
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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.
