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Merkel vows to win back right-wing voters
Berlin, Sep 25 (IANS) German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said she wants to win back the voters who deserted her party for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) which made history in the national election by becoming the first far-right party to enter the country’s Parliament in almost 60 years.
Merkel is now set for a fourth term in office but centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU)-led alliance took 33 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s election — its worst result since 1949 but enough to remain the largest force in Parliament.
Her bloc must now embark on a series of negotiations in order to form a functioning government using its 246 seats as leverage, BBC reported.
The centre-left Social Democrats (SDP) — Merkel’s government partners since 2013 in a “grand coalition” — also suffered their worst post-war result, taking 21 per cent. Martin Schulz, leader of the SDP, ruled out another coalition with Merkel.
He said his party will enter into the opposition, meaning Merkel may be forced to seek cooperation with the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Green Party. Both the parties took 10.7 and 8.9 per cent of the vote, respectively.
The AfD secured 13 per cent, marking the first time in almost six decades that an openly nationalist party will enter the Bundestag. The party on Monday vowed to fight “an invasion of foreigners” into the country.
Long-standing splits inside the party emerged on Monday when its chairwoman Frauke Petry said she would not join the AfD’s parliamentary caucus, walking out of a news conference.
“We should be open about there being differences of substance in AfD,” Petry said. “An anarchic party … can be successful in opposition, but it cannot make voters a credible offer for government.”
On Monday, Merkel said she had wished for a better result. “We have started to analyse the voters we lost, especially with regards to those who went on to vote for the AfD, we want to get them back,” Merkel said.
Merkel said her party would speak to the liberal FDP and the Greens, “but also the SPD, as we governed together for a long time”.
However, SDP leader Schulz denying any coalition, accused Merkel of operating “sleeping pill politics” which “allowed a vacuum to develop which now other parties have capitalised on”.
He was referring to the unexpectedly large numbers of AfD MPs that have been elected. The party, which only formed four years ago, is expected to take 94 seats in the 709-seat federal Parliament as the third-largest grouping.
AfD’s campaign capitalised on a backlash over Merkel’s decision to open Germany’s borders to undocumented migrants and refugees in 2015. Its success shocked Germany’s political establishment and protests against the anti-Islam party were held following the election result.
Talks between the parties, which will also include the CDU’s Bavarian sister party the CSU, could last until after Christmas and risk triggering fresh elections if they collapse.
–IANS
soni/dg
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
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