National
Shiv Sena to go solo in 2019, contest all state elections (Lead)
Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) In a major decision, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday decided to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections independent of its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), besides spreading its wings nationally.
The Shiv Sena National Executive resolved to fight the next round of state and central elections and all future elections separately, its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said here.
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray also announced that henceforth the party would broaden its horizons beyond Maharashtra to contest elections in all states.
“Be prepared for the next elections. It may be announced simultaneously in December 2018 or may be held separately,” Thackeray goaded his party leaders in his presidential speech at the National Executive meeting held at Worli.
He said that over the years the party had consciously refrained from fighting in other states – barring a few attempts in some states like Gujarat and Goa – to prevent a split in the Hindutva votes.
“Now, we shall contest elections in every state and that too on the Hindutva plank. It is immaterial whether we win or are vanquished but our Hindutva will never be abandoned,” Thackeray said in a hard-hitting speech targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is the second time in four years that the Shiv Sena has decided to go it alone in Maharashtra.
In the October 2014 assembly elections, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance had broken down and both parties fought the elections independently. However, barely six months before April 2014, both parties had contest the Lok Sabha polls as allies with spectacular results.
Later, the BJP emerged as the single largest party while the Shiv Sena sat as the main opposition party for a month and then joined the ruling BJP.
During the February 2017 BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation polls, the Shiv Sena contested separately and emerged as the single largest party to capture the country’s biggest and richest civic body, pushing back its NDA ally to the second slot.
At that time, many leaders campaigned on the need to contest all future elections separately, which after nearly 11 months got a formal stamp of approval at the National Executive.
The day also marks the 92nd birth anniversary of the Shiv Sena founder-supremo, the late Bal Thackeray, who passed away on November 17, 2012.
–IANS
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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.