Surjewala continues meetings with Congress MLAs in Karnataka
Bengaluru(PTI): AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala continued his series of meetings with the state's ruling party legislators for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
As part of the first phase of his one-on-one meetings with the MLAs for three days, Surjewala is today slated to meet about 20 legislators from Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru South, Chamarajanagara, Mysuru districts, and also from Dakshina Kannada and Kolar, party sources said.
On Monday he held meetings with legislators from the Chikkaballapura and Kolar districts.
Kagwad MLA Raju Kage, who had openly expressed his displeasure about the functioning of the government and Ministers being inaccessible, is also expected to meet the party General Secretary in-charge.
Kage had hinted at resigning, citing delays in developmental works and fund release, and alleged that the administration had "completely collapsed."
These meetings have come amid signs of "disgruntlement" and speculation about a leadership change within the Congress party.
Terming the meetings as an organisational exercise undertaken by both AICC and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Surjewal had said any news being circulated in the media about leadership change is only a "figment of imagination".
According to him, the meetings are to understand the status of the five Congress guarantee schemes in assembly segments, as the government has completed two years in office, and to assess the status of Congress organisation in the legislators' respective constituencies.
The party is also trying to evaluate the work undertaken by each legislator in their respective constituencies in terms of development and identify pending developmental projects. “We also want to get feedback from MLAs on the course of the government.”
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Worker’s body reaches Ranchi from Saudi 4 months after death; family rejects over compensation
Ranchi (PTI): The body of a migrant worker from Jharkhand’s Giridih district killed in Saudi Arabia in October last year has arrived at Ranchi Airport, but his family refused to accept it over pending compensation, officials said.
Shikha Lakra, team leader of the state migrant control cell, told PTI that, before taking the body of Vijay Kumar Mahato, the family is demanding compensation from the private company where he used to work in the Arab country.
Mahato was killed in an alleged crossfire between the police and criminals.
“Since it was a bullet injury case, the matter is before a court in Jeddah. The final compensation may depend on the court’s decision,” Lakra said.
“The Indian Embassy informed us about the body’s arrival, and coordination was done with district authorities. Our role is limited to coordination in cases involving overseas employers and foreign jurisdiction,” she added.
Giridih Deputy Commissioner Ram Niwas Yadav said the authorities will try to convince the family to perform the last rites.
“We have already sanctioned Rs 5 lakh under the government scheme for migrant’s deaths abroad. The compensation payment might take some time,” he said.
The body is currently at the mortuary of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.
The Family members said they will only accept it if the company provides written assurance regarding compensation. “Without that assurance, we will not receive the body,” said Ram Prasad Mahato, the deceased’s brother-in-law.
Mahato, a native of Dudhpaniya village in Madh Gopali panchayat under Dumri block, was employed as a tower line fitter. His family said he was struck by a bullet during a gunfight between local police and an extortion gang and later succumbed to his injuries.
Social activist Sikander Ali said Mahato is survived by his wife, two young sons aged five and three, and elderly parents.
