Shah meets Rajasthan BJP leaders to chalk out polls strategy, stresses unity
New Delhi, June 13: BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday asked the party's Rajasthan leaders to keep their internal fights aside and prepare for the upcoming assembly elections in the state unitedly.
According to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, Shah gave these tips to the state unit leaders during a meeting with Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje and several senior party leaders.
The BJP Chief also held discussion over the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and asked the party leaders to take the achievements of the Narendra Modi government to the people of the state.
Beside Raje, the meeting was attended by party Vice President Om Mathur, General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Meghwal, C.R. Choudhary and the state General Secretary (organization) Chandrasekhar.
Discussions were also held on the selection of party's state President, which is lying vacant since April this year after Ashok Pranami, a Raje lloyalist stepped down, after the party's stunning defeat in two Lok Sabha and one assembly by-polls earlier this year.
According to party leaders, Shah wanted to name Shekhawat, an MP from Jodhpur as the new state party President, a move opposed by Raje.
Raje had floated the names of Urban Development Minister Srichand Kriplani and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi for the post, but the party leadership had rejected the nominees.
BJP's national Vice President and state in charge Avinash Rai Khanna told media after the meeting that there is no rift in the party over the state President's post. "Soon a decision would be taken on the name of the state party President," he said.
He also said that during the meeting, discussions were held on the party's preparation in the state for the coming assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections.
The party leaders have decided to begin a state wide Yatra covering entire assembly constituencies.
Sources also said that before meeting Shah, Raje along with her close aides held a meeting at the Bikaner House.
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31 students test positive during anti-drug screening drive in educational institutions in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Thirty-one students tested positive during an anti-drug screening drive conducted in educational institutions in Vijayanagar area of the city, police said on Thursday.
The drive was conducted as part of Karnataka State Police department's newly introduced initiative called "Sanmitra" aimed to address the serious issue of drug addiction, which has been severely impacting the youth across the state, they said.
This initiative aims to adopt a transformative approach to find solutions and take compassionate steps towards building a drug-free society, police said.
According to police, as part of this directive, on March 4, under the leadership of DCP West Division Yatheesh N, inspections related to drug consumption were conducted within the limits of Vijayanagar Sub-Division police stations under Bengaluru City Police Commissionerate.
With the consent and no-objection certificates obtained from the management of six educational institutions and two hostels, inspections and checks were carried out.
"Urine samples were collected from more than 1,200 students, out of which 585 samples were randomly tested, and 31 samples were found to be positive," police said in a statement.
The operation was conducted with the full cooperation of officers and staff of local police stations, along with doctors, technicians, and staff from nearby hospitals, police said.
Necessary arrangements will be made to provide counseling with mental health professionals and to ensure required medical support for those in need, they said.
The identity and family details of individuals tested will be kept strictly confidential, police assured.
