President Ram Nath Kovind turns 73
New Delhi, Oct 1: As President Ram Nath Kovind turned 73 years old on Monday, greetings poured in from leaders across the political spectrum.
"Best wishes to Rashtrapati. India has benefited greatly from his wisdom and perspectives on various subjects. He has connected wonderfully with every section of our society. I pray for his long and healthy life," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu also tweeted wishing Kovind a long and healthy life. He called him "an epitome of nobility in public life and a source of inspiration to millions of Indians".
Born on this day in 1945 in Uttar Pradesh, Kovind served as the Governor of Bihar before being elected as the President on July 25 last year.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee and the official twitter handle of the Congress party also greeted Koivnd.
"May God bless you with long and healthy life and many more years of service to the Republic," Mukherjee said.
"Warm greetings to Kovindji on the occasion," the Congress tweeted.
"May God bless him with good health and a long life," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.
The Chief Ministers of Delhi and West Bengal, Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, also greeted Kovind.
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Will vacate one of two assembly seats won in 10 days: BJP''s Suvendu
Kolkata (PTI): BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur and secured Nandigram for three times in a row in the recent assembly polls, said on Wednesday that he would vacate one of the two constituencies within 10 days.
Adhikari also asserted that the party's central leadership would decide which constituency he would retain.
"I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain. I will not forget my responsibility towards the people of Bhabanipur and Nandigram," he said.
Adhikari on Monday defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, puncturing what was long seen as her safest political refuge and delivering a decisive psychological blow to the TMC, amid a sweeping BJP surge across West Bengal.
Addressing party workers and supporters in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, the BJP leader appealed to them not to take out victory processions immediately and instead maintain peace.
"Do not take out victory rallies now. Maintain peace and discipline. Celebrate after May 9, after taking permission," he told party workers.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Wednesday announced that the oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground.
Referring to alleged attacks on BJP workers during the TMC regime, Adhikari said he would not forget the “atrocities" faced by them and assured them of taking appropriate action against perpetrators through legal processes.
"I was part of the 2011 ‘poribartan’ (change), and now I am part of the real change. I offer my gratitude to the people of Nandigram," Adhikari said.
He was referring to the TMC's victory in 2011 when the Mamata Banerjee party dismantled the 34-year Left Front regime in the state.
Adhikari offered prayers at a Hanuman statue in Nandigram and remembered the BJP workers, who had died in political violence.
"We will work in such a way that the BJP government in Bengal stays for 100 years," he said, expressing hope that the BJP’s vote share in the state would rise from the current 46 per cent to 60 per cent in future elections.
The BJP leader also assured residents of Nandigram of improved drinking water supply and better hospital and education infrastructure.
