BJP denies ticket to 43 sitting MLAs including four ministers
Jaipur, Nov 15: Looking to retain power in Rajasthan, the BJP has denied tickets to its 43 sitting MLAs, including four ministers, even as some leaders who have crossed over from other parties have been fielded for the upcoming assembly elections.
The ruling party has released two lists so far of 162 candidates for the elections to be held on December 7 for 200 assembly constituencies. Names of more candidates are expected to be announced soon.
The BJP had released its first list of 131 candidates on November 11, while the second list of 31 candidates was announced on November 14. In the second list itself, the party denied tickets to 14 sitting MLAs and three ministers.
In the two lists, a total of 92 sitting MLAs have been fielded again in the election.
The BJP had won 163 seats in the last 2013 elections, while its arch-rival Congress could get just 21. Traditionally, these two parties have ruled the state one after another.
So far, the saffron party has given tickets to 19 women candidates.
Besides, four leaders who have joined the BJP from some other parties have also got the party ticket for the polls.
These include Abhinesh Mehrishi, who would contest from Ratangarh seat after quitting BSP, Congress leaders Ashok Sharma and Mahesh Pratap Singh (for Rajakhera and Nathdwara seats, respectively) and two-time independent legislator Gurdeep Shahpini (Sangaria seat).
Those having been denied a ticket include Gyandeo Ahuja, a sitting MLA from Ramgarh seat of Alwar. When contacted, Ahuja declined to comment on denial of ticket from his existing constituency.
"I would comment only after meeting the office bearers of the RSS, Ahuja told PTI on Thursday.
He said he has not met Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje so far on this issue.
The BJP ministers who have been denied ticket by the party from their existing seats include Babulal Verma, Dhan Singh Rawat, Rajkumar Rinwa and Surendra Goyal. Goyal has resigned from the party and has announced he will contest the election independently.
The denial of ticket to leaders like Gyandev Ahuja and Dhan Singh Rawat has come as a surprise to many, even as they have been known for their hardliner comments that have often triggered controversies.
Sheo constituency MLA Manvendra Singh has joined the Congress while the Nathdwara assembly seat fell vacant after the demise of BJP legislator Kalyan Singh Chouhan.
The saffron party has not given ticket to any Muslim candidate so far.
It is also being keenly watched what would be the fate of Chief Minister Raje's close aide Yunus Khan, who was fielded from Didwana Assembly seat in last election. The party has not announced any candidate from that seat so far.
Also, there is no clarity so far on candidature of erstwhile royal family member Diya Kumari from Sawai Madhopur seat.
The counting of votes for December 7 elections would take place on December 11, along with the same for four other state assemblies, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
