BJP names former IAS officer AK Sharma its MLC candidate in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi: Former IAS officer Arvind Kumar Sharma, considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was on Friday named BJP's candidate for the upcoming legislative council polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Sharma had joined the BJP on Thursday, days after he opted for voluntary retirement from the IAS.
There is a strong possibility that Sharma after his election as a legislator will be given a key position in the state government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, sources have said.
A Gujarat cadre officer hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Sharma had long been one of the trusted bureaucrats of Modi since his tenure as Gujarat chief minister.
He also served in key positions in the PMO after Modi became prime minister in 2014.
Besides Sharma, the BJP also named Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, its state president Swatantra Dev Sing and Lakshman Prasad Acharya as its candidates for the polls.
Polling for 12 legislative council seats in Uttar Pradesh will be held on January 28.
In the 100-member UP Legislative Council, the SP has 55 MLCs, BJP has 25 MLCs, BSP has eight MLCs, Congress and 'Nirdaliye Samooh' have two MLCs each and Apna Dal (S) and 'Shikshak Dal' have one MLC each. There are three independent MLCs and three seats are vacant.
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Public can obtain e-pass online to watch Independence Day celebrations in Bengaluru: BBMP
Bengaluru, Aug 13 (PTI): For the first time, the general public can obtain e-pass online to watch the 79th Independence Day celebrations, said Maheshwara Rao, Chief Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Wednesday.
Rao, along with the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, Seemanth Kumar Singh, was briefing the media here about how Bengaluru is preparing for the state-level ceremony to be held on August 15 at Field Marshal Manik Shah Parade Ground, Cubbon Road, Bengaluru.
“Earlier invitations were distributed by government officials to special invitees and to those involved in the ceremony. Now, people can obtain an e-pass from the Seva Sindhu website (www.sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in),” added the commissioner.
He said a live telecast of the programme is also available on Doordarshan.
According to him, the viewing gallery for the public at the venue has been expanded to allow more people to watch the programme in person.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will hoist the Indian flag, following which he will inspect the parade in an open jeep and receive the guard of honour.
Siddaramaiah will also deliver an Independence Day message.
On ground security checks are already underway, said the Police Commissioner.
“Police have been deployed on guard duty at the ground for the last 15 days. They are also checking all the hotels, lodges and rest houses for any suspicious activities,” said Singh.
CCTV cameras and baggage scanners, Door Frame Metal Detector and Hand-Held Metal Detector have been installed around the ground to closely monitor all the events, he added.
He also appealed to those with green passes (e-passes) to arrive at Gate no. 05 from the Manipal Centre side via Cubbon Road.
He urged people not to carry any unnecessary luggage or items with them. Even essential items like mobile phones, water bottles, helmets, cameras, radios and umbrellas are best left behind to facilitate quick entry into the venue, he added.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Traffic Police has appealed to the public to use public transport and metro service as much as possible, due to the lack of space for parking vehicles at Manik Shah Parade Ground and nearby areas.
Parking will not be allowed at Central Street (from Anil Kumble Circle to Shivajinagar Bus Stand), Cubbon Road (from CTO Circle to K R Road and Cubbon Road Junction) and MG Road, from Anil Kumble Circle to Trinity Circle), added a Traffic Police advisory issued on Wednesday.
