Karnataka waiting to oust BJP government: Surjewala after Cong's victory in local body polls
New Delhi, Dec 30: The Congress on Thursday said its victory in the Karnataka local body polls is a clear indication that issues such as anti-conversion laws do not strike a chord with the people of the southern state, who are "waiting to throw out the BJP government".
"It is evident from recent by-election results that people are waiting to throw out the illegitimate and corrupt BJP government that has eclipsed progress and paralysed governance," Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a statement here.
He said the vote share in the Karnataka local body polls also indicates a huge slide in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) popularity in the state.
"The vote share of Congress came up to 42.06 per cent, where as for BJP and JD(S), it stood at 36.9 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively," Surjewala, who is the in-charge of Congress affairs in Karnataka, said.
He said successive election results of late have clearly established that the voters care the most about price rise, falling incomes, jobs, rampant corruption and the BJP government's apathy towards public welfare.
"Manufactured issues like anti-conversion laws and management of temples are not what people are going to be taken in with.
"Progressive Kannadigas realise that such issues are meant to serve no one but divisive forces. Every second that the spurious and corrupt Bommai government continues, it is an anathema to development and progress," Surjewala said.
In the elections to 58 urban local bodies, Surjewala said Congress emerged victorious in 500 wards, against the 435 won by the ruling BJP. The JD(S) bagged only 45 wards.
Surjewala congratulated Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah, the MLAs and all senior leaders of the party on the electoral outcome.
"Their continued hard work and unity in action will bring the Congress back to power in the state and usher in a new era of putting Karnataka as the number one state in development," he said.
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.
CRPF officer killed, 3 others injured in lightning strike in Jharkhand
Ranchi (PTI): A 46-year-old CRPF officer was killed while another was seriously injured after they were struck by lightning during an anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand, officials said on Friday.
The incident took place in Keriburu village of West Singhbhum district at around 5:30 pm on Thursday. The jungle area was receiving heavy rainfall, they said.
According to officials, M Prabo Singh, a second-in-command rank officer belonging to the 26th battalion, was killed in the lightning strike, while Assistant Commandant Subir Kumr Mandal, 49, was injured and has been admitted to the Tata Main hospital in Noamundi.
Two Jharkhand Police personnel were also injured in the incident.
All the personnel were present at a CRPF security outpost when lightning struck, as per officials.
Their evacuation took time as rainfalls hampered quick rescue operation, they said.
Singh hailed from the West Imphal district of Manipur while Mandal belongs to North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The officers were leading the joint troops of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police in the jungle area for an anti-Naxal operation duty, they said.
