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Himachal CM meets Sonia, seeks free hand in assembly polls (Lead)

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Shimla/New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Amid a running feud with state party President, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Thursday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and sought a “free hand” in order to fight the assembly elections, party sources said.

Virbhadra Singh also proposed the names of Prakash Chaudhary and Sudhir Sharma, both ministers in Himachal Pradesh, for the state Congress chief’s post and demanded that the next assembly elections be fought under his leadership, said a party source.

“Virbhadra Singh apprised Soniaji of the political and organisational developments in Himachal Pradesh,” the minister told IANS.

He said issues related to the ongoing tussle between the Chief Minister and state Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and lack of coordination between the two came up for discussion.

Informed sources said the Chief Minister categorically told Gandhi that he would not take the party to the assembly elections under Sukhu’s leadership.

The six-time Chief Minister was camping along with his cabinet colleagues in New Delhi for the last three days to seek a “free hand” in the selection of candidates and to oversee the party’s election campaign. The assembly polls are due in December.

The last election to the 68-member assembly was held in November 2012.

After meeting Gandhi, the Chief Minister returned to state capital Shimla. He also met senior party functionaries, including Sonia Gandhi’s Political Secretary Ahmed Patel, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Informed sources said Virbhadra Singh told the party leadership that he would neither contest the coming assembly polls nor lead the party in the present organisational set-up.

Virbhadra Singh, who has a letter of support from 27 legislators, even threatened to withdraw from the assembly elections if organisational changes were not made immediately, said a Congress leader.

“I do not want to be belittled any more within the party as everyone seems to be going his own way,” the Chief Minister told a Congress Legislative Party meeting here on August 25.

Ahead of his visit to Delhi, senior Cabinet Minister Vidya Stokes had urged the party to give a free hand to Virbhadra Singh in the coming assembly elections since “people have more faith in a strong regional leadership”.

“He is the only capable leader to win elections for the Congress and there is no substitute to Virbhadra Singh in Himachal Pradesh,” she said in a statement here.

Citing the Congress win in Punjab, Stokes said it was possible because of strong leadership of state leader Amarinder Singh.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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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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