Kerala local body bypolls: LDF bags 21 out of 39 wards, UDF 12 and BJP in distant third spot
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 30: The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala Friday bagged 21 of the 39 seats in the keenly fought bypolls to the local bodies.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) came second with 12 seats, the results of which were announced Friday.
However, the BJP, which has led frenzied protests over the entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala, failed to make political dividends as expected and got only two seats.
The November 29 bypolls were held in 27 panchayats, five block panchayats, six municipalities and one corporation spread across 14 districts that had fallen vacant due to various reasons.
The Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political outfit of Popular Front of India, returned two candidates, while independents won two seats.
The UDF, however, lost five wards but was able to wrest four different wards from other parties.
One of its candidates in Pathanamthitta municipality was defeated by a rebel Congress candidate.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
