BJP wins MP civic polls, Cong improves tally
IN MANDSAUR, WHERE FIVE FARMERS DIED IN POLICE FIRING IN JUNE THIS YEAR, THE CONG WON ALL THE THREE BYPOLLS WHILE THE BJP DREW A BLANK
to-door scanning across the state by roping in accredited social health activists and Anganwadi workers, besides malarial surveillance squads.
In Uttar Pradesh, 26 swine flu deaths and a total of 809 positive cases have been reported this season. The state government directed all schools to suspend morning assembly. Though the health directorate order did not reach many schools, several principals suspended morning assembly after coming to know of it through newspapers, social media and news channels.
The health department urged schools to take preventive measures to check the spread of swine flu and screen students for symptoms of influenza, cold, cough, sneezing or red eyes.
“In case a student is found having these symptoms, send him/ her back on a compulsory sevenday leave. Also, talk to his/her parents and ask them to keep him in isolation and get him examined. Talk about symptoms of influenza and swine flu with students in classrooms for half an hour. Screen them again,” states the health department directive.
In Odisha, 15 fresh cases of swine flu were reported, taking the total number of persons affected to 155 even as the death toll climbed to nine. A 67-year-old woman succumbed to the disease at a Bhubaneswar-based hospital on Monday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fared better than Congress in elections to the 43 civic bodies in Madhya Pradesh, results for which were declared on Wednesday. However, the overall tally of the BJP declined while that of the Congress improved as compared to previous elections.
In Mandsaur, where five farmers died in police firing in June this year, the Congress won all the three by-polls while the BJP drew a blank.
Overall, the BJP won 25 seats for president while the Congress registered win on 15. The rest of the three seats went to independent candidates. The previous tally of the two parties was 26 and 8, respectively. The rest of the seats were won by independent and other parties including BSP.
Even as the BJP leaders and workers celebrated the party’s victory the state Congress president Arun Yadav said, “I am satisfied with the results as we fought against the government, administration and dishonest people.”
Congratulating the party workers, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “The victory is a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and the state government’s welfare schemes and hard work the party workers put in the election.”
BJP state president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan said the election results showed that the chief minister continued to wield his magic across the state. The Congress leaders were limited to their bastions.
Though the BJP’s tally decreased by one seat, the BJP leadership was relieved as the victory came in the backdrop of resentment among farmers over the killing of five farmers in police firing in Mandsaur and protest against the government in four districts of Dhar, Alirajpur, Jhabua and Khargone against rehabilitation policy of the government for families affected by Sardar Sarovar Project.
The state Congress chief spokesperson KK Mishra said the Congress made huge gains in the election.
“Not only did our tally increase by almost 100% but we also won seats in chief minister’s bastion Vidisha and state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan’s home turf Burhapnpur,” he said, adding defeat of the BJP in Mandsaur suggested farmers were against the party.