Kharge mum on change of Cong state chief in Karnataka
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Feb 12 (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday preferred not to speak about change in the party's state leadership in Karnataka.
Presently, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is holding the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president since 2020.
Kharge said there will be appointment of state presidents in two to three states in the next couple of days.
"I have changed the party president in Odisha. He is from backward class. We have done it in three to four places. Gradually it will be done in other places," Kharge told reporters here.
When asked about the new party president in Karnataka, he said, "I cannot say anything specifically. If I say something, then you will twist it and add spices and seasonings. That’s the reason people don't tell you the truth. Quickly different stories will surface once it goes from here."
He, however, said the party is appointing teams one after another state. "We are doing it one after another. We will do it in two to three states in the next couple of days. We will appoint office-bearers in those states where we have not done yet. We will also do it in other cells and departments of Congress," he explained.
Regarding state Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi calling on him recently, he said, "I am AICC president. Is it a big thing if someone meets me? Everyone comes to meet me. He (Satish Jarkiholi) is ours and he is from Karnataka. There is the convenience of getting a quick appointment over the phone. Can I say no to him?"
Kharge also advised the media "not to cook up stories" when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara and Jarkiholi meet him.
"Do not speculate and disturb the government. The media is creating confusion and leaders also become part of that confusion," the Congress chief said.
Several leaders have been talking about the change of Congress state president, a post presently occupied by Shivakumar.
Jarkiholi had also spoken about the need for a 'full time' Congress state president saying that ministers cannot do the job as they do not have time to devote for it.
Several others too raised the matter, prompting the Congress high command to issue a stern warning not to speak a word on controversial topics such as change of guard in the state, appointment of a new Congress state president and cabinet expansion.
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.
Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
