National
Vaghela announces third front, to back non-BJP, non-Congress candidates (Second Lead)
Ahmedabad, Sep 19 (IANS) After days of suspense, maverick Gujarat politician Shankersinh Vaghela, recently sacked by the Congress for engineering a revolt ahead of the August Rajya Sabha polls, on Tuesday announced his support to a third front – Jan Vikalp – in the state.
The front, believed to be Vaghela’s brainchild, will support candidates from an assortment of non-BJP and non-Congress political parties as well as independents who register with it for the upcoming assembly elections, the former Chief Minister said.
Addressing a crowded press conference, Vaghela said: “It is a myth to say that an alternative political force can’t work in Gujarat. Jan Vikalp is a front and not a political party.”
The formation of Jan Vikalp was announced by Parthesh Patel, a former social media adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now to Vaghela. It has not been registered as a political party.
“I am neither contesting the elections nor am going to decide the candidates. The selection will be made on the basis of primaries and the candidates will be decided by the people,” he said.
“Anyone from the Aam Aadmi Party, NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), JD-U (Janata Dal-United) or independent candidates, who believes in our ideology, is welcome and Jan Vikalp will support them,” he said.
Vaghela stated that people were angry with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. “I had offered the Congress that I could get not less than 90 seats if I am given a free hand, but well.”
He said the people wanted an alternative but they did not see the Congress as one, “they want change”.
The people were fed up with the BJP and the Congress and were desperate for an alternative, he added.
Vaghela, who was leader of the opposition, announced his resignation from the Congress on his 77th birthday on July 21, which was soon followed by the resignation of six legislators who joined the BJP ahead of the August 7 Rajya Sabha election.
Later, during the election to the upper house where Congress bigwig Ahmed Patel was the official candidate, eight others, including Vaghela, cross-voted for BJP candidates. Patel won the election by one vote, with the lone Janata Dal-United MLA, Chhotubhai Vasava, also backing him.
–IANS
desai/mr
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.