UP Polls: BJP MLA from Bara seat quits party
Prayagraj, Feb 3: The BJP MLA from reserved Bara assembly constituency in Prayagraj district quit the party on Wednesday in protest against allegedly being kept in dark about the party's intention to leave the seat for a coalition partner candidate.
BJP MLA Ajay Kumar told reporters that he has resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Explaining his reason for taking the drastic step, Dr Kumar said he had been hearing of the BJP leadership's intention to leave the Bara seat for a candidate of alliance partner Apna Dal (S)
I have no remorse against it but I have been hurt by the fact that none of the top leaders of the party deemed it necessary to take me into confidence and inform me about it, he said.
I have been deeply hurt by it and I am leaving the BJP with a heavy heart. I performed honestly and sincerely all the duties and responsibilities assigned to me as a BJP worker and MLA. The party was never hurt or harmed by any of my actions, he said.
Dr Kumar had won from Bara in both the 2012 and the 2017 assembly elections -- first as a Samajwadi Party candidate and then as a BJP member.
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Karnataka govt to establish Gig Workers’ Welfare Board
Bengaluru, Apr 3 (PTI): The Karnataka government decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office said on Thursday.
The decision was made following a discussion between Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Rahul Gandhi inquired about the timeline for formulating the Gig Workers' Welfare Act, which he had promised during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and the elections.
"The Karnataka government has decided to establish a Gig Workers' Welfare Board to ensure the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and others," the statement said.
It further stated that a five per cent cess would be collected from the concerned companies, while the state government would provide the remaining funds required to support welfare schemes for gig workers.
"A comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers' welfare will be prepared and presented before the state cabinet for approval," the statement added.
Three gig worker representatives—Rakshitha Dev, Sheikh Salahuddin, and Nikhil Dev—were also invited to the meeting.
They appreciated the government's initiative and expressed hope for improved working conditions.
State ministers Santosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, and M B Patil were present at the meeting.
Santosh Lad was quoted as saying that Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier advocated for gig workers' rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the Labour department.
Rahul Gandhi also emphasised the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers' interests.
"The Karnataka Labour Department has already introduced three key bills—covering workers' gratuity, cinema workers' rights, and now, gig workers' welfare. The unorganised workers' sector has lauded the government's efforts and extended full support for this progressive move," the statement quoted Lad as saying.
