Gadkari out of BJP prez race, Rajnath likely choice

January 23, 2013

rajani

New Delhi, Jan 23: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh on Tuesday emerged as a consensus candidate for the next party president’s post after Nitin Gadkari’s hope of securing a second consecutive term took a blow owing to the Income-Tax Department conducting surveys on companies allegedly linked to his Purti group.

In a late evening development on the eve of BJP president election, Gadkari, who was in Maharashtra along with veteran leader LK Advani to attend a function, resigned as party president.

Rajnath Singh’s candidature appeared acceptable to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

There was constant opposition from Advani to Gadkari’s second term due to some corruption charges the BJP?chief was facing. The Income-Tax move on Tuesday sealed Gadkari’s fate.

It is learnt that the BJP parliamentary board will meet at 9:30 am on Wednesday to declare former party chief Rajnath Singh’s candidature after he files his nomination.

“I have had the privilege to serve my party, the BJP, as a political worker and finally as its president for one term. As part of my commitment to the weaker sections, particularly farmers, I embarked upon social enterprises to serve society. I have committed no wrong or any impropriety either directly or indirectly.

Yet the UPA government has been making efforts to spread disinformation about me in order to hurt me and my party. I have always said that I am ready for any independent enquiry. I shall fight these efforts of this government both politically and legally,” Gadkari said in a statement.

“I do not wish that this should in any way adversely affect the interests of the BJP. I have, therefore, decided not to seek a second term as the president of the BJP. I am extremely grateful to all my colleagues and the cadre of the BJP who have cooperated with me during my term as a president,” he announced.

Gadkari was forced to withdraw himself from the race on a day of dramatic developments. It started with the news of IT- conducting surveys on companies linked with the Purti Group. Till afternoon, the BJP insisted that the surveys had nothing to do with the Purti Group. Gadkari himself issued a press release to condemn the I-T inquiries, which he described as “calculated, mischievous and politically motivated.”

In the evening, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha procured nomination papers and a voters’ list from chief electoral officer Thawar Chand Gehlot. Earlier, Mahesh Jethmalani complained that he was not given nomination papers though he was also, like Sinha, keen on putting up a fight against Gadkari.

Later, a meeting of top BJP leaders, attended by the leaders of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley respectively, and Venkaiah Naidu and Ram Lal discussed Yashwant Sinha’s candidature and the I-T surveys. The leaders unanimously decided to bring Singh back as president.

Interestingly, Gadkari had replaced Singh three years ago.Sinha and Mahesh Jethmalani may not contest  the party president’s post.RSS general secretary Suresh Joshi alias Bhaiyaji Joshi said in Mumbai that “the BJP has capable leaders to decide its next president and we (RSS) will support whatever decision it takes.”

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News Network
June 27,2020

Hyderabad, Jun 27: Ahead nurse working with a state-run hospital here died on Friday while undergoing treatment for COVID-19, a hospital official said.

The nurse, who was due to retire this month-end, tested positive about 10 days ago, he said.

The woman, who had been on medical leave for about 20 days, is suspected to have contracted the virus when she attended a private function in a neighbouring district, he said.

She was treated at the hospital for two days after she was found positive for COVID-19.

However, she was shifted to another government hospital as the symptoms continued unabated and sugar levels were high, he said.

The woman, who had comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, died today.

Meanwhile, about 20 healthcare personnel, including doctors and paramedical staff, have so far tested positive for COVID-19 at the state-run Gandhi hospital, according to a hospital official.

He also said that there are around 50 patients whose family members have not come forward to take them home though the patients can be in home quarantine.

Family members have cited reasons such as residents not allowing a positive patient to return to the villages and presence of children at residences, for not taking them home, he added.

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News Network
July 4,2020

Pune, Jul 4: Now that wearing mask in public places has become the new normal, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad of Pune district, Shankar Kurade has got himself a mask made of gold worth Rs 2.89 lakhs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's a thin mask with minute holes so that there is no difficulty in breathing. I am not sure whether this mask will be effective," said Kurade.

Kurade loves wearing gold ornaments and his hands and neck are loaded with jewellery.

This unique idea struck him soon after he saw a man wearing a silver mask on social media.

"I saw a video on social media of a man in Kolhapur wearing a silver mask and then an idea struck me to have a mask of gold. I talked to a goldsmith and he gave me this five and a half pound gold mask in a week," said Kurade.

"All my family members love gold, if they too demand it, then I will get it designed for them too. I do not know if I will be infected with coronavirus wearing a gold mask or not, but following all the rules of the government can prevent the spread of virus," he added.

Since childhood, Shankar is very fond of gold ornaments, that is the reason he wears gold rings in all the fingers, gold bracelets on his wrist and huge gold chains around his neck.

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Agencies
February 5,2020

New Delhi, Feb 5: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday expressed his suspicion over the government using force to clear the Shaheen Bagh stretch where an agitation has been ongoing for over 50 days against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

While speaking to ANI over the phone, Owaisi was asked that there are indications from the government that after February 8, Shaheen Bagh will be cleared.

In reply, he said, "Might be they will shoot them, they might turn Shaheen Bagh into Jallianwala Bagh. This might happen. BJP minister gave a statement to 'shoot a bullet'. The government must give an answer as (to) who is radicalising."

Further speaking about NPR and NRC, Owaisi said, "Government must give a clear cut answer that till 2024 NRC will not be implemented. Why are they spending Rs 3900 crore for NPR? I feel this way because I was a History student. Hitler during his reign conducted census twice and after that, he pushed the jews in a gas chamber. I don't want our country (to) go in that way."

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