14-day lockdown in Odisha from May 5
Bhubaneswar, May 2: The Odisha government on Sunday declared a 14-day lockdown in the state from May 5 to contain the spread of COVID-19, an official order said.
Barring weekends, essential commodities would be available on all other days during the two-week-long lockdown, the order issued by Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said.
"There shall be lockdown throughout the state with effect from May 5, 2021 (Wednesday) till 5 am of May 19, 2021 (Wednesday)," the order stated.
People will be allowed to purchase essential items within 500 metre radius of their residences between 6 am and 12 pm, according to the official order.
During weekends, they will only be able to avail medical services.
The order further said that the lockdown and the weekend shutdown will not be applicable to any poll-related work, such as movement of personnel engaged in facilitating by-election to Pipili assembly constituency.
Polling in Pipili is scheduled to be held on May 16.
"The lockdown is primarily aimed at regulating movement of common people. No restriction has been imposed on goods carriers," the order said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
