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Kamal Nath named MP Congress chief, Scindia made campaign committee chairman (Lead)
New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) In a bid to break BJP’s hold in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Congress on Thursday appointed old warhorse and former Union minister Kamal Nath as President of its state unit and in a balancing act named young MP Jyotiraditya Scindia as Chairman of the Campaign Committee.
Seventy-one-year-old Kamal Nath, a nine-time MP from Chhindwara and former Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, replaces Arun Yadav as the state Congress chief.
His appointment has triggered speculation whether the party has chosen to stick with experience over youth as represented by 47-year-old Scindia, who has been representing Guna in the Lok Sabha since 2002 and left open the race for Chief Ministership by making Scindia the campaign committee chief.
Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, which the BJP has ruled for 15 years continuously, will be held later this year.
“I will do my best to ensure the defeat of BJP and non-secular forces with committment and courage by working together,” said Nath, who made his entry into politics in the 1980s as part of the “Sanjay Brigade”, shortly after his appointment was made public.
“I thank Sonia Gandhiji (Sonia Gandhi) and Rahul Gandhiji (Congress President Rahul Gandhi) for reposing their faith in me,” he added.
Besides Kamal Nath, the party also appointed four state Working Presidents – Bala Bachhan, Ramnivas Rawat, Jitu Patwari and Surender Choudhary.
Senior Congress leader and former Madhya pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said Nath was an ideal choice for the PCC chief’s post.
“He is a seasoned leader, an outstanding person and an astute politician. He can take people from all factions together. He also supported me when I was the chief minister of the state. I can’t forget his support,” said Singh.
He also said if the party comes to power in Madhya Pradesh, the chief minister will be decided by the party leadership.
Asked if he himself was not the ideal candidate for the PCC president’s post, Singh said: “I was never in the race. I voluntarily opted out of the race. I was also the chief minister of the state for 10 years and PCC chief for seven years.”
On being asked about his role, Singh said: “My task is simple. I will go to all parts of the state and bring all factions together (in support of Congress).”
The appointments were made by Congress President Rahul Gandhi. “The party appreciates the hard work and contribution of Arun Yadav, who will be stepping down from his responsibilty as PCC president of Madhya Pradesh,” said a party statement released by its General Secretary Ashok Gehlot.
–IANS
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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.