Have an open mind on forging alliance for Uttar Pradesh polls: Priyanka Gandhi
Lucknow: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said her party is "open-minded" about forging an alliance with other political parties for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
Asked whether the Congress will go it alone on all the 403 assembly seats in the state or align with some political party, the party general secretary told reporters in an informal meeting here, "It is too early to say."
On whether she is ruling out an alliance or not, she said, "I do not rule out (alliance). We are absolutely not closed-minded. We are having an open mind."
"Our aim is to defeat the BJP," she said, adding that other political parties should also be "open-minded".
She added that the organisation is also her area of focus, and a lot of work have been done on it, and in a silent manner.
"I have an open mind, but my priority is my party," she said.
To a question on the party becoming active in her presence and tending to become inactive as soon as she leaves the state, the Congress leader said, "When I come (here), there is the media focus and you pay attention. But when I am not here, you do not give any attention. But our work is going on."
"We have done the maximum work during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can see that we are the ones who have raised issues. Congress is no longer confined to garlanding photographs. Our party has been out of power for 30-32 years, and it has become weak. However, full efforts have been made, and a lot of energy has come (into the party)," she added.
Priyanka Gandhi also said that plans are afoot to revamp the Congress Seva Dal in the state.
She also slammed the BJP over its statement that she was a "political tourist".
Stating that she is not a "political tourist", the Congress general secretary said that the BJP's propaganda is to show her and her brother Rahul Gandhi as non-serious politicians.
Later, Priyanka Gandhi interacted with senior party leaders of the state, including UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, co-incharge of Uttar Pradesh Dheeraj Gurjar, UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh and Naseemuddin Siddiqui, a Congress leader said.
Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are due in early next 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.
