Amid buzz of defections from Sena (UBT), Uddhav dares Shinde to poach his MPs
Mumbai/ New Delhi, Feb 7 (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday dared Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to poach his MPs even as eight parliamentarians rejected claims that they will abandon the opposition party.
His assertion came amid buzz that Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could join the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant on Friday claimed many leaders from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) were in touch with his party and would be inducted in phases.
"People have realised that Shinde's leadership is better than that of the Shiv Sena (UBT). His leadership is good and sensitive, which is why so many people are in touch. Many people are reaching out to the party, and it is certain that they will enter the fold phase-wise," Samant said.
"If any mission is to be undertaken, it is not done openly. There is no need to implement any mission here, considering the work Shinde has done," he asserted.
Several Shiv Sena (UBT) functionaries and former corporators from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Akola joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Shinde.
"Everyone is in touch. When I was the CM, people of all parties came to me. Now I am the deputy CM and I hold the urban development, housing and MSRDC portfolios. People are in touch. I give importance to work. Do not ascribe any political meaning," Shinde said when asked whether Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs will join his party.
Hitting back, Thackeray said, "I dare you to try poaching Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs. I challenge you to take away even a single Shiv Sena worker without using police and government machinery and central agencies."
In Delhi, eight Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentarians - Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Rajabhau Waje, Sanjay Jadhav, Nagesh Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh asserted that they were firmly with the Thackeray-led party.
Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine members in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha.
Sawant asserted that none of the Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had received any phone calls and condemned the attempts to "spread rumours" about mass desertions from the Thackeray-led party.
The former Union minister said the Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had been with the party in difficult times and would continue to do so.
The two outfits have been bickering since the BJP-led Mahayuti swept to power in Maharashtra in November, leaving the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition with just 46 seats in the 288-member assembly.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 seats in the assembly polls, getting an upper hand over the Thackeray-led outfit ahead of the crucial local bodies elections, expected later this year.
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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.
