Shimla Archive

CPI-M not to contest Himachal by-polls

Published: October 24, 2009Posted in: National, PoliticsTags:

Shimla, Oct 24 – The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) will not contest the Himachal Pradesh by-elections to two assembly seats next month, a party leader said Saturday.

‘We have decided not to contest the by-elections in Himachal Pradesh this time, but we will support non-Congress and non-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) candidates,’ CPI-M central committee member and state secretary Rakesh Singha told IANS.

A total of 11 candidates are in the fray for the by-polls from Rohru and Jawali constituencies Nov 7.

Expressing concern over the rising prices of essential commodities, Singha said the party would launch a campaign against the anti-people policies of the central and state governments. While there is a Congress-led government at the centre, a BJP government is in place in the state.

In the May general elections, the CPI-M had fielded one candidate in the state from Mandi.

The Rohru and Jawali constituencies fell vacant after sitting legislators Virbhadra Singh and Rajan Sushant contested and won the Lok Sabha elections.

The main contest is between the Congress and the ruling BJP.

The Congress has fielded former minister Sujan Singh Pathania against BJP’s Baldev Raj Chaudhary from Jawali in Kangra district. From Rohru in Shimla district, the BJP has pitted Khushi Ram Balnatah against Congress’ Manjit Singh.

Ninth swine flu case reported in Himachal

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: Health, NationalTags:

Shimla, Oct 23 – A woman in Himachal Pradesh has tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) virus, making her the ninth case of swine flu in the state, a health department official said Friday.

‘Medical reports of a middle-aged woman of Shimla tested positive Friday. She has been admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC),’ senior medical superintendent S.S. Minhas told IANS.

He said the patient’s two relatives, who visited her from Delhi this week, have also tested positive for influenza. They have been admitted to a hospital in Delhi.

‘The entire family of the patient has been quarantined at home,’ he said.

Earlier, two students and a teacher of Alpine Residential School at Pinjore, two sisters in Kasauli town, an MBA student of Baddi town, two women of Shimla and Solan towns had tested positive for swine flu.

The 48-year-old woman from Solan was later admitted to a hospital in Mohali, where she died Oct 18.

Shotgun Sinha recommends ‘surgery’ for ailing BJP

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: National, PoliticsTags:

Shimla, Oct 23 – Jaswant Singh should return to the party, Manmohan Singh is the best prime minister, the RSS needed to take full charge of the BJP… actor and MP Shatrughan Sinha was in full flow Friday as he recommended ‘surgery’ to check the ‘raging dissent’ in his party.

‘All is not well within the party. The party now needs a surgery. As the medication has failed to check the raging dissent, surgery is the only option left. We need to take tough actions and introspect,’ Sinha told reporters here, a day after the party’s drubbing in the assembly elections in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and Haryana.

He admitted that the party had failed again in the elections — following the defeat in the May general elections.

‘We have certainly failed in the recent elections… still we have not learnt lessons,’ he said.

He also endorsed the views of senior party colleague Arun Shourie that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should take charge of the BJP that faced a leadership crisis.

‘Since the BJP is an offshoot of the RSS, it has to adopt (take charge) the BJP fully. If parents do not take care of the children, who else would?’

Asked a question on the leadership of L.K. Advani, the MP from Patna Sahib in Bihar said: ‘For me, Advani is the tallest leader. I can’t comment on him.’

According to Sinha, Jaswant Singh, who was expelled from the party after his book on Pakistani founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, should return to the BJP fold.

‘The return of expelled leader Jaswant Singh to the BJP would be in the larger interest of the party… Jaswant Singh has been a founding member of the party. His expulsion has given a wrong signal. My personal opinion is that if he returns to the party, it will be in the larger interest of the party.’

He was also fulsome in his praise of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

‘He (Rahul Gandhi) has a bright future… I think the path he has chosen will bear fruit one day,’ he said.

On Manmohan Singh, he said: ‘He is one of the best prime ministers of the country. He is known for his integrity and honesty.’

Great Khali visiting Himachal next month

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: Hollywood, National, SportsTags:

Shimla, Oct 23 – Famous World Wrestling Federation (WWF) wrestler The Great Khali is once again heading to his native village in Himachal Pradesh next month, his family said Friday.

Dalip Singh Rana, the tallest WWF wrestler at 7 feet 3 inches and weighing 190 kg, was born and brought up in a small remote village in Sirmaur district, some 200 km from here.

‘The Great Khali is coming to attend the marriage of his younger brother Nov 12,’ his brother Bhagat Singh Rana told IANS on phone.

He said Khali would reach Delhi Nov 7 and would stay in India for a couple of weeks.

‘He will stay most of the time in his ancestral house (at Dhiryana village) where his family members and villagers are eagerly awaiting his arrival,’ Dalip said.

Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, the Great Khali was an officer in the Punjab police.

Rana took to bodybuilding and won the Mr India title in 1995 and 1996. He also acted in Hollywood film ‘The Longest Yard’.

Under the ring name Giant Singh, Rana first became a professional wrestler for All Pro Wrestling in the US in October 2000.

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