National
Ahead of counting, BJP, Congress claim Gujarat win
New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) Ahead of the vote count in the bitterly fought Gujarat Assembly polls on Monday, both the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress expressed confidence of forming a government in the state.
“This will be a sixth consecutive and a historic win for the BJP. The BJP has been on the ascendant for many years due to its positive and performance oriented politics under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” BJP spokesman G.V.L Narsimha Rao told IANS on Sunday.
He said the election results would once again prove that “people can’t be swayed by negative propaganda and bogies of intolerance”.
Although the exit polls have predicted an outright victory for the BJP, the Congress remains hopeful of snatching the state after 22 long years.
Former Union Minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed confidence that the Congress would win as the people of Gujarat have voted for change.
“The people wish to change the government. The Congress put forward its vision for each section of the society including youths, women, farmers and labourers,” he told reporters in Guna, his parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
He also showered praise on Congress President Rahul Gandhi for working hard in Gujarat.
Counting of votes for all 182 assembly seats in Gujarat will take place on Monday. Over 2.97 crore voters cast votes in the two-phase election which took place on December 9 and 14.
Over 25 lakh more voters voted this year compared to 2012.
The Congress formed a caste combination on the lines of KHAM, which stands for Kshatriya, Harijan (Dalits), Adivasi (tribals) and Muslim, the theory propounded by former Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki. It fetched the Congress 149 of the 182 seats in 1980.
Joining hands with Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PASS) convener Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani seems to have worked in favour of the Congress. Madhavsinh Solanki’s son Bharatsinh Solanki is the state Congress chief.
The Patidar movement, counter-protests by a section of the OBCs and agitations by Dalits against atrocities brought caste to the fore. The Congress used the opportunity to try reap a harvest.
To counter the Congress, the BJP raked up issues of Ram Temple at Ayodhya and the “neech” remark made by now suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer and accused Pakistan of colluding with the Congress to help it win in the state.
Since Modi became Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001, the BJP’s seats and vote percentage has reduced in each assembly election.
In 2002, the BJP won 127 seats and got 44.81 per cent vote share, the highest ever while the Congress won 53 seats and got 35.28 per cent votes. In 2007, the BJP won 117 seats and 49 per cent vote share while the Congress won 59 seats with 39.63 per cent votes.
In 2012, the BJP got 115 seats with 48.30 per cent while the Congress won 61 seats with 40.59 per cent.
–IANS
bns-aks-hindi/him/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.