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AAP eyes Mamata, Naidu for LS poll campaign
By Nivedita Singh
New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and N. Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha and former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha — who has quit the saffron party — are among the top leaders the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is looking at inviting to be the star campaigners in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal holding center-stage, a party leader said.
“The party is preparing a list of those who will campaign for it in the national capital for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The list is yet to be finalized. There are a few names we are considering and after a nod from senior party leaders, we will send an invite to these campaigners,” the party leader told IANS, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, Shatrughan Sinha and Yashwant Sinha are among those the party is considering to invite. There will be few others like (actors-turned politicians) Kamal Haasan and Prakash Raj who are also likely to be asked to campaign for AAP.”
The party is also looking at roping in Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.
The AAP leader also said that the party has already started its poll campaign.
“Our leaders from Delhi are already campaigning on a mass scale. Our party is also conducting a door-to-door campaign. Kejriwal is holding public rallies in different parts of the city almost every day, the leader said.”
Kejriwal, the leader said, will be the main campaigner not only in Delhi, but also in Haryana.
Asked about the issues on which AAP is approaching the people, the leader said the focus is on the party’s developmental works in the past four years. The demand for full statehood will also be brought before the public.
“We brought visible changes in the education and health sectors. Our various schemes are bringing change in the life of a common man. Through its work, the AAP has touched almost all the sections of the society. But also in the last four years, the AAP government in Delhi has faced serious harassment from the BJP at Centre. If Delhi would have been a full state, the Centre had not have restricted our work.
“In the door-to-door campaign, our volunteers are creating awareness about the work done by us in the last four years. They are also discussing with the people how much more the AAP could have done if the BJP had not harassed us through its powers and its Lt. Governor,” the leader said.
The AAP on Saturday named its candidates for six of Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha constituencies and entered the second phase of its poll campaign in the city.
“In the second phase, the party will intensify the campaign. There will be ‘nukkad sabhas’ and bike rallies. The door-to-door campaign will be intensified,” the leader added.
(Nivedita Singh can be contacted at [email protected])
–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.