National
Ahead of Monday’s counting, Congress, BJP confident of Himachal win
Shimla, Dec 17 (IANS) A day ahead of the counting of ballots cast in the 68 assembly segments in Himachal Pradesh, both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP on Sunday expressed confidence about forming the next government in the hill state.
While most exit poll surveys indicated BJP’s return to power with an absolute majority in the November 9 assembly elections, political observers said it was a neck-and-neck contest between the Congress and the BJP since there is “no clear wave in favour of any party”.
Interestingly, the state has alternately elected Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party governments since 1985. In 2012, the Congress had won 36 seats, while BJP got 26, and independents six.
The BJP is desperately trying to return to the state’s helm after facing a humiliating defeat in the 2012 elections. The Congress, led by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, is hoping to repeat its 2012 win and retain power owing to “all-round development” in five years.
Virbhadra Singh brushed aside exit poll predictions and said “my government is going to be repeated”.
“The exit polls are manipulated, not scientific. In fact, they should be banned. Since I campaigned across the state, I know the people’s pulse and better understand their mood,” he told reporters in Shimla.
On the other hand, an optimistic BJP chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal told IANS: “People have voted for change and we are going to form the government with a record win.”
“We have set a target of 50-plus seats. The exit polls are not a surprise for us,” the two-time Chief Minister said.
Chief Electoral Officer Pushpendra Rajput said counting of ballots would start at 48 counting centres at 8 a.m. on Monday.
A total of 37,83,580 electors cast votes out of a total of 50,25,941 on November 9, a record 75.28 per cent polling.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist had fielded 14 candidates while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made its debut in Himachal in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, preferred to stay away this time.
It is literally a do-or-die battle for both the chief ministerial faces. Virbhadra Singh, 83, is pushing hard to get to the helm for the seventh time, while Dhumal, 73, is making a strong bid to ensure his party’s win with a record margin to silence his detractors within the party.
For almost two decades, both the parties in the state have fought almost every assembly and Lok Sabha polls under their leadership.
“This time, Virbhadra Singh is fighting on two fronts — one to establish his son Vikramaditya Singh, who is contesting his maiden assembly election. Second, to ensure the Congress repeat performance as he forced the party to announce him as the chief ministerial candidate despite all odds,” a political observer told IANS.
For Dhumal, it’s a battle for survival after the defeat in the 2012 assembly polls. Since then, he has been almost marginalised by a BJP faction led by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
After outwitting rivals within the Congress, Virbhadra Singh donned the battlegear much ahead of his arch rival Dhumal, whose name was cleared by the BJP as its chief ministerial face just days ahead of the polling on November 9.
Both Virbhadra Singh and Dhumal are seeking re-election from new seats and it is not going to be an easy win for them.
–IANS
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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.
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