The Chhattisgarh

Tag: Wayanad

  • At least 19 Killed As Massive Landslide Hits Kerala’s Wayanad District, Over 400 Feared Trapped |

    At least 19 individuals died in landslides that struck Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday, reported Zee news TV. The fatalities included four people, one of whom was a child, in Chooralmala town, and a one-year-old child from a Nepali family in Thondernad village, according to district officials.

    A massive landslide hit various hilly regions near Meppadi in Kerala’s Wayanad district early Tuesday morning, leaving over 400 people feared trapped in the rubble, reported PTI.

    According to PTI, a video statement by UDF MLA T Siddique mentioned that district officials are developing plans to airlift individuals from the Mundakkai region.

    He added, “We do not yet have full details on the missing and deceased from the landslides. Several areas are inaccessible, and NDRF teams are working to reach these locations.”

    The Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were among the areas affected and cut off by the landslides, authorities said.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concerns over the matter on social media ‘X’, he wrote, “Distressed by the landslides in parts of Wayanad. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured. Rescue ops are currently underway to assist all those affected. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri @ pinarayivijayan and also assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the prevailing situation there.”

    According to the Chief Minister of Kerala’s office, CM Pinarayi Vijayan has directed immediate coordination of rescue efforts in Wayanad following the severe landslide. He stated that the entire government is engaged in the response, with Ministers overseeing and managing the operations.

    CM @pinarayivijayan has given directions to coordinate the rescue operations in Wayanad promptly following the devastating landslide. He announced that the entire government machinery is actively involved in the efforts, with Ministers overseeing and coordinating the operations.
    — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) July 30, 2024

    The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has announced that Fireforce and NDRF teams are on the ground in the affected area, with another NDRF team heading to Wayanad. 

    Two teams from the Kannur Defence Security Corps have been directed to proceed to Wayanad to support the rescue operations, as stated in a KSDMA Facebook update. 

    Reports from residents indicate that many individuals may be trapped in the affected areas. Rescue operations are facing significant delays due to continuous heavy rainfall. 

    Meanwhile,the weather department has issued a red alert for Wayanad, forecasting severe rain. Additionally, an orange alert has been issued for eight other districts—Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod—predicting extremely heavy rainfall in these areas. 

  • Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Vs CPI’s Annie Raja: Know Who Is Richer? |

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Communist Party of India’s (CPI) Annie Raja, both prominent contenders for Kerala’s Wayanad seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha Election 2024, have disclosed their financial assets, sparking interest and comparisons.

    Rahul Gandhi’s Net Worth 

    Rahul Gandhi, filing his nomination in Kerala’s Wayanad, revealed assets worth Rs 20 crore, conspicuously devoid of vehicle or residential property ownership. His movable assets stand at Rs 9.24 crore, inclusive of bank deposits, bonds, shares, mutual funds, and jewellery. Notably, Gandhi’s immovable assets, totalling Rs 11.15 crore, encompass agricultural land in Delhi and office space in Gurugram, the former co-owned with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. His shareholdings, valued at Rs 4.3 crore, include investments in various prominent companies like Asian Paints, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services.

    Legal Disputes And Cases

    Gandhi’s affidavit further discloses his involvement in legal disputes, notably a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), alongside defamation complaints by BJP members and a criminal conspiracy case related to Associated Journals Limited.

    Annie Raja’s Assets

    In contrast, CPI’s Annie Raja’s declared assets amount to a modest Rs 72 lakh, with Rs 71 lakh attributed to inherited property. Her financial holdings consist mainly of minimal cash in hand, bank deposits, jewellery, and immovable property. She has declared only Rs 10,000 cash in hand, bank deposits worth Rs 62,000, jewellery worth Rs 25,000 and an inherited property worth Rs 71 lakh. Annie Raja is the general secretary of the CPI’s National Federation of Indian Women and the wife of the party’s general secretary D Raja. 

    The Electoral Duel In Wayanad

    Gandhi, the incumbent from Wayanad, faces a formidable challenge from Annie Raja and state BJP chief K Surendran in the forthcoming elections, scheduled for April 26. Kerala’s parliamentary constituencies will witness polling as part of the nationwide polls, with the nomination deadline set for April 4.

  • Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Left’s Wayanad Bid Throws Another Challenge For Rahul Gandhi, Congress-Led INDI Alliance |

    In a move that hints at more rifts in the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, the CPI(M) today announced its candidate fro the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, curently held by Rahul Gandhi. The CPI(M) indirectly asked Congress to vacate the seat for the Left pary. The move puts the Congress on backfoot once again as the INDIA bloc parties have been posing a new challenge to the grand old party every other day.

    CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, “CPI has declared its candidate for the seat in Wayanad, Comrade Annie Raja, who has played a key role in ‘Mahila Andholan’. Now she will be the candidate from the side of the whole LDF. Rahul Gandhi and Congress need to think, they say that their fight is against BJP. In Kerala, if you come and fight against Left, what message are you giving? So they need to think about their seat once again.”

    In the 2019 elections, the CPI had fielded 4 candidates but lost on all seats. Of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, Congress bagged 15, the Indian Union Muslim League two and the CPI(M), KC(M), and RSP won 1 seat each.  

    Kerala Dare For Congress

    The Communist Party of India (CPI) has announced its first list of four candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Kerala yesterday. The CPI fielded Pannian Raveendran from Thiruvananthapuram, Annie Raja from Wayanad, VS Sunil Kumar from Thrissur and Arun Kumar from Mavelikara. Notably, all of the four seats are currently held by the Congress party – Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad and Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram, T. N. Prathapan from Thrissur and Kodikunnil Suresh from the Mavelikara seat. By announcing the candidate for these seats first, CPI has played a similar card like Akhilesh Yadav did in Uttar Pradesh. Now, the ball is in Congress party’s court whether it accepts or rejects the Left party’s offer.

    The Left party has urged Congress to not contest from Kerala and insteat focus on North where the BJP is very strong. Just like Trinamool Congress in Bengal, Left and its allies want Congress to leave Kerala to them only. 

    Congress On Backfoot

    Congress is already on a backfoot when it comes to seat sharing as part of the INDIA bloc. While Mamata Banerjee has already refused to ally with Congress or Left in Bengal saying that TMC will contest all 42 seats alone against the BJP. Similarly, the AAP said that it will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab alone. While the AAP and SP sealed seat sharing deal with Congress for some states, that made Congress minorty shareholder. In Uttar Pradesh, Congress has just got 17 seats out of the 80 while in Delhi, it has got 3 out of seven seats.

    Will Rahul Gandhi Quit Wayanad?

    It’s unlikely that Rahul Gandhi will leave the Wayanad seat. Recently, Rahul Gandhi rushed to the Wayanad after elephant attacks happened in the region. Also, Gandhi won from the Wayanad seat but lost from Amethi. There are very low chances of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Amethi once again. Thus, it’s likely that while Congress may agree to take one or two step back in Kerala to appease the Left, but it may go for a friendly fight from the Wayanad seat.

  • ‘Glad That Congress Has Accepted ‘Amethi’ Challenge’ For Rahul Gandhi: Smriti Irani |

    AMETHI: Union Minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Irani on Tuesday said that she was glad to hear that the Congress party has accepted her challenge to field Rahul Gandhi from Amethi – her Lok Sabha constituency where she had defeted the former Congress president in 2019 polls. Irani had challenged the former Congress chief to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi without taking help from the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and without going to Wayanad – his current Lok Sabha constituency.

    Hitting back at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Irani told reporters, “I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has accepted my challenge that Rahul Gandhi is ready to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls without the help from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati. I wish that the CWC (Congress Working Committee) would immediately accept Ramesh’s proposal.”

    Calling herself an ordinary BJP worker, Irani said that she awaits a formal announcement from the Congress party in this regard. 

    “I once again say, since Jairam Ramesh has said that Rahul Gandhi is ready to accept our challenge, our party workers from Amethi are eagerly waiting… Rahul Gandhi through the CWC should make an announcement (about him contesting the polls from Amethi and not Wayanad),” added Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

     

    #WATCH | Amethi: On the statement of Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani says, “I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has accepted my challenge that Rahul Gandhi without Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati is ready… pic.twitter.com/kozHZdaCy7
    — ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

     

    Irani, who is in Amethi these days, attacked the Congress party and said that the empty streets that greeted Rahul Gandhi on Monday are a reflection of the people of Amethi’s anger towards the Gandhi family.

    Anger In Amethi Against Gandhi Family: Irani

    The BJP MP from Amethi spoke to the media on Monday and said, “The anger of the people of Amethi against the Gandhi family is visible. Today, when Rahul Gandhi) arrived, he was welcomed by empty streets. The anger of those who were deprived of development in Amethi has transformed into empty streets for the visit of the Gandhi family.”

    Speaking to the media Irani said, “In 2014, Amethi was promised a ‘Badlaav ki Raajneeti’ (politics of change) under our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hence, Amethi received an investment of Rs 6,523 crore in the Investors Summit held in the national capital.”

    “This was not a memorandum of understanding, ‘ye dharatal par implement hua nivesh hai.’ From the period of independence till 2014, when Prime Minister Modi became PM, the small-scale industry in Amethi only received Rs 500 crore in over 60 years,” she said.

    “However, in the 10 years of PM Modi’s tenure, Rs 2107 crore was given to the same small-scale industry sector in Amethi so that over one lakh beneficiaries could start their small-scale industries,” said Irani.

    Dare Rahul To Contest From Amethi Alone: Irani

    Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, “Perhaps this is also the reason why the people of Amethi remained unavailable to welcome the people who did not serve Amethi well.”

    “The people of Amethi also haven’t forgotten that this particular person who had mentioned Amethi and said that ‘yaha ke logo ki samjh theek nahi hai’. This is the reason why the people of this constituency are angry,” she said.

    “The Ram Bhakts of Amethi are also angered with the fact that the former MP of Amethi and the Gandhi family rejected the invitation for Ram Lalla’s life Pran Prathistha ceremony,” she stated. “The anger of those who were deprived of development in Amethi has today transformed into empty streets for the visit of the Gandhi family,” said Irani.

    Rahul Gandhi arrived in Amethi, the parliamentary seat he represented earlier on Monday, the same day, Smriti Irani began her four-day visit to the Uttar Pradesh town.

    Amethi used to be a Congress stronghold in Uttar Pradesh, where Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani by a margin of around 55,000 votes in the 2019 elections.

    The Congress is still undecided on whether Rahul Gandhi will attempt to regain the Congress stronghold, especially since Sonia Gandhi has also left Rae Bareili for the Rajya Sabha.

    Rahul Gandhi had won Lok Sabha elections from erstwhile Nehru-Gandhi family bastion Amethi three times until the 2019 general elections when he faced defeat from Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi, however, won from Wayanad in Kerala, the second seat he contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

    Rahul Gandhi reached Amethi on Monday as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the campaign kicked off by him on January 14 from Thoubal in Manipur in the run-up to the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Although it is improbable that the two leaders come face-to-face with each other, the coincidence proceeds ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Amethi and beyond.