Sadananda Gowda quit electoral politics as BJP leaders told him not to contest LS polls: Yediyurappa
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran leader and BJP Parliamentary Board Member B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said that former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda was asked by the BJP leadership not to contest in the Lok Sabha polls this time, prompting him to quit electoral politics.
In a sudden development, Gowda, a former union minister who is currently a Member of the Lok Sabha from Bangalore North, announced on Wednesday that he has decided to retire from electoral politics.
"Sadananda Gowda has got instructions from the central leadership (of BJP). He will actively participate in the party activities, but he has decided not to contest in elections," Yediyurappa, former chief minister, told reporters in response to a question on Gowda's move.
Asked whether Gowda's decision came following indications that he may not get a ticket this time, or after facing "neglect" from the high command, he said, "He (Gowda) has been told directly not to contest the polls this time. So, he has said that he has got several responsibilities from the party and there have not been any shortcomings from the party's side and that he will be involved in the party activities."
In June, Gowda had urged the party's top brass to counter speculation in some quarters that 13 incumbent BJP MPs, including himself, would not get party tickets for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year, while seemingly expressing his frustration about the party doing little in this regard.
He had also recently tried to call out the party for not consulting its state leaders before forging an alliance with the JD(S), and had also lamented about the delay in appointing a leader of opposition in the Karnataka assembly.
Gowda had resigned from the Union Council of Ministers in July 2021.
Besides being the chemicals and fertilisers minister in the Narendra Modi government, Gowda has also held portfolios such as Railways, Law, and Statistics and Programme Implementation
Reiterating his decision to quit electoral politics, Gowda said in the district headquarters town of Mandya on Thursday that the party has given him various responsibilities in the past 30 years and nurtured him, and it is now his duty to make way for youngsters coming into the party.
"I was national General Secretary and Vice President of the party, I was state president and played a role in bringing the party to power. For seven years in the Modi government at the centre... I was Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition (in Council), Deputy Leader of Opposition (in Assembly). The party has given me everything," he pointed out.
Stating that he had decided to retire from electoral politics earlier, after completing 25 years in it, but on the instruction of the party had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Gowda said he is announcing retirement six months in advance so that party can find a new face and prepare him or her for next election.
"I'm ready to serve the party in any way I'm asked to," he added.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
