National
JD-S, BSP strike alliance for Karnataka elections
New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday announced an alliance for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. They said they will be fighting against both the Congress and the BJP in the state.
As per the understanding, the BSP would contest 20 seats out of the total 224, while the JD-S would contest the rest. But on all seats, the two parties would support each other, BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Misra and JD-S secretary general Kunwar Danish Ali said at a joint press conference here.
Asked if the alliance would eat into the “secular” votes and would primarily hurt the Congress, Danish Ali said there was no question of eating into anybody’s votes as the JD-S had its own strength and presence in Karnataka.
“In the last elections, we got one per cent more vote than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and as many seats as them. Still you are asking us this question,” Ali said.
In the 2013 assembly elections, the Congress got 122 seats with 36.5 per cent vote share and formed the government. The BJP and JD-S got 40 seats each with around 20 per cent vote share.
Misra said extending issue-based support to the opposition parties was one thing and contesting elections another.
Asked how the present alliance could be seen in the context of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in which some opposition parties were keen to rally support of non-NDA parties to defeat the BJP, Misra said the current focus was only on the Karnataka polls which were “nearest”.
“As of now, there is no opposition alliance or third front. Right now we are focusing on Karnataka elections which are nearest. We will see what happens before the 2019 elections. But yes, on issues we are with the rest of the opposition,” Misra said.
The two parties are scheduled to hold a meeting in Bengaluru on February 17 where the poll planks and other things would be discussed.
–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.