Karnataka polls: BJP fields four new faces in Udupi district
Mangaluru (PTI): With the announcement of Gururaj Gantihole, a partyman with strong RSS background, as its candidate from Byndoor in Udupi, the ruling BJP in Karnataka has presented four new faces from the coastal district, which was swept by the party in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Among the five seats in the district, only Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar could get the party's renomination from Karkala constituency.
In the prestigious Udupi seat, sitting MLA Raghupati Bhat was replaced by controversial, emerging Hindutva leader Yashpal Suvarna who has strong support among the party cadre.
Yashpal Suvarna is one of the staunchest supporters of Hindutva ideology and had made controversial remarks against protesters in the Hijab row. He went on to call the protesters and petitioners of the Hijab row ‘terrorists’. He was also the vice president of the college committee at the Women’s Government PU College during the Hijab row.
Sitting MLA B M Sukumar Shetty was replaced by Gantihole in Byndoor, while Kiran Kumar Kodgi, a nominee of sitting MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty, who announced his retirement from electoral politics, was given ticket in Kundapur.
In Kaup, BJP fielded a new face in Gurme Suresh Shetty, replacing sitting MLA Lalaji R Mendon.
In Karkala, where the party retained minister V Sunil Kumar as its candidate, a tough fight is expected in view of Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik's decision to contest polls.
Bhat, who broke down before the media on Wednesday, did not mention anything about the reported move to contest as an independent.
In the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP had won from all the five constituencies in the district.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
