MP assembly polls: Congress, BJP camps face protests over ticket distribution
Bhopal (PTI): Supporters of poll aspirants from the BJP and opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh who failed to get tickets staged protests in different parts of the state on Sunday even as both parties tried to downplay the resentment.
The BJP has declared the candidates for 228 out of 230 seats so far while Congress declared the names of 229 nominees for the assembly elections scheduled for November 17.
In Bhopal, supporters of former BJP MLA and ex-minister Umashankar Gupta raised slogans in front of state BJP president VD Sharma, demanding to replace the party candidate Bhagwandas Sabnani who is in the fray from the Bhopal South West constituency.
Several office-bearers of BJP from Bhopal southwest wrote letters to the state unit chief demanding to field Umashankar Gupta.
Former BJP MLA from Tikamgarh, KK Shrivastava, resigned from the primary membership of the party expressing displeasure over the ticket distribution in a letter addressed to the state BJP president.
In Gwalior, supporters of BJP leader Munnalal Goyal, a loyalist of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, protested outside the erstwhile royal's Jai Vilas Palace after he (Goyal) was denied a ticket.
To mollify the protesters, Scindia drove to the palace gate and asserted that he stood by them and Goyal.
When asked about the protests, state BJP spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said sporadic demonstrations occurred due to momentary excitement.
"BJP workers toil for nationalist ideology and welfare of the poor, unlike Congress. Protests have been held in the Congress camp for the last five days," he said.
Supporters of sitting Congress MLA from Badnagar, Murli Morwal, staged an aggressive protest in front of the Bhopal residence of MP Congress chief Kamal Nath after Morwal failed to get the ticket.
They set tyres on fire demanding that Congress replace its nominee, Rajendra Singh Solanki, from Badnagar.
Congress workers from Govindpura in Bhopal and Kurwai in Vidisha also staged demonstrations at the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office in Bhopal.
MP Congress media department chairman KK Mishra said the distribution of tickets has been very successful and "positive signals are coming from all over the state".
"These protests are very minor. This is a family matter which will be solved," he added.
On Friday, soon after the BJP released its fifth list, supporters of many leaders who failed to get tickets kicked up a ruckus in front of Union minister Bhupender Yadav at the party office in Jabalpur. Yadav is the in-charge of the Madhya Pradesh BJP election campaign committee.
A video that surfaced on social media showed a crowd jostling around Yadav, while a security personnel was trying to protect the minister.
BJP workers had heated exchanges with senior leaders, including Yadav and Rajya Sabha member Kavita Patidar.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
ALSO READ: Three arrested for running fake Aadhaar racket in UP's Badaun
He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
