17 killed in Afghanistan flooding
Mazar-e-Sharif (Afghanistan), May 19: At least 17 people were killed and 23 others wounded after heavy torrential rains caused fresh flooding in two Afghan provinces, the authorities said on Saturday.
The seasonal disasters happened over the past 48 hours in Charhar Kint, Chimtal, Shulgara and Khulm districts of Balkh province, killing eight people including women and children, a police official told Xinhua news agency.
Hundreds of acres of land was washed away and several villages were seriously affected by the flooding in the province, said the official, adding security forces provided emergency aids for people in some affected areas.
Rain, strong winds and floodwaters continued to plague residents in Rustaq, Chal Farkhar and Worsaj districts of Takhar province, killing nine people and injuring 21 others, said Abdul Khalil Asir, provincial police spokesman.
The flooding also washed away up to 200 acres of farmlands in the province and closed highway extending to the neighbouring Kunduz province.
Heavy rains and flooding have killed 34 people and injured four others elsewhere in the country over the past 10 days, said the Afghan Natural Disaster Management Authority.
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BJP dreaming to win polls with money power: West Bengal BJP MLA after bypoll loss
Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.
The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."
"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.
On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.
"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.
Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.
With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.
