Two from Belagavi dist. among four washed away in Doodhganga in Maharashtra

They had reportedly gone to wash clothes in the river at Bastwade bridge in Kagal taluk of Kolhapur district and were caught in the river current

Of princess, pastel flowers and homegrown slow luxury brand, 'Akutee'

Akutee, a homegrown slow luxury brand, has unveiled its collection of hand-painted embellishments, mostly in pastel shades, on May 16 at the Four Seasons in Bengaluru. The brand, which focuses on hand-painted embellishments, was inspired by the gardens of the royal Ghatge family of Kolhapur. The brand's name, 'Akutee', is a nod to the Ghatge royal women's lineage and an ode to all the women in her family.

Thane and Konkan region witness heavy rain

IMD issues an orange alert for Jalgaon, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur and Satara; Yellow alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg

Naidu and Bhuvaneswari visit Shirdi Saibaba temple ahead of counting on June 4

Vijayawada: Ahead of counting of votes on June 4, former Chief Minister and TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday visited the popular Sri Saibaba temple in Shirdi in Maharashtra and offered special prayers. His wife Nara Bhuvaneswari was also present during special prayers. Naidu and Bhuvaneswari visited the famous Shree Mahalaxmi Ambabai temple in Kolhapur. Two days ago, Naidu visited Varanasi to attend the nomination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As there is much time for counting of votes scheduled on June 4, Naidu started visiting popular temples. He led the election campaign in Andhra Pradesh on behalf of NDA alliance and extensively visited the State to highlight the NDAs agenda to be implemented if voted to power. During the election campaign, he mainly targeted Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddys failure to draw the attention of people.

Transmitto Development Foundation Awarded for Exemplary Social Change Efforts

Transmitto Development Foundation has been recognized for its outstanding efforts in driving social change and fostering sustainable development at a prestigious ceremony in New Delhi. Renowned actress and philanthropist, Padmini Kolhapure, presented the award, acknowledging the Foundation's transformative impact across India.

The Maha Gondal

In several villages of Ajara taluka, Kolhapur, western Maharashtra, a major election issue, particularly for the concerned parents and teachers, has been the proposed closure of govt schools. With many who can neither afford private...

Watch: Leopard Enters The Sets Of Marathi Serial Premas Rang Yave

Currently, a video is going viral in which a leopard can be seen roaming on the set of Premas Rang Yave in Kolhapur.

Live: Lok Sabha Polls Phase 4 | Fate of candidates in 96 seats to be decided

May 13, 2024. Monday. A total of 96 constituencies across 10 states and union territories goes to the polls in the fourth phase of the 82-day long, seven-phase polling. The fate of 283 seats were sealed in the first three phases held on April 19, April 26, and May 7. The voters turnout recorded in the first three phases reads as 66.1%, 66.7%, and 61%, respectively. Phase-IV will witness simultaneous elections for the Andhra Pradesh assembly (175 seats) and the Lok Sabha (25 seats). In Telangana, 17 Lok Sabha seats are up for grabs. Key candidates The key candidates in the fray in Phase IV include Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, TMC's Mahua Moitra, Shatrughan Sinha and Yusuf Pathan, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and YS Sharmila of the Congress. For the BJP, big names include Union ministers G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Munda, Ajay Mishra Teni, Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai, along with party leaders Sakshi Maharaj, Dilip Ghosh, Pankaja Munde, Bandi Sanjay, Madhavi Latha, and Daggubati Purandeswari, who will feature on the ballot. Srinagar Srinagar, witnessing the first parliamentary polls since the revocation of Article 370, will see a three-cornered contest between the National Conference's Agha Ruhullah, People's Democratic Party leader Waheed Para and the Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Partys Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who is contesting as an NDA candidate. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4 nationwide. Phase IV Andhra Pradesh: All 25 seats Telangana: All 17 seats Jharkhand: 4 out of 14 seats Odisha: 4 out of 21 seats Uttar Pradesh: 13 out of 80 seats Madhya Pradesh: 8 out of 29 seats Bihar: 5 out of 40 seats Maharashtra: 11 out of 48 seats West Bengal: 8 out of 42 seats Jammu and Kashmir: 1 out of 5 seats Andhra Pradesh: All 175 assembly seats Andhra votes for Lok Sabha, Assembly polls in single phase Phase 4 will see elections being held for the 175-member Andhra Pradesh assembly, along with the 25 Lok Sabha seats from the state. YSRCP president Jagan (Pulivendula), TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam) and Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram), among others, are in the Assembly poll race. AP Congress president and Jagan's sister YS Sharmila (Kadapa) and BJP state chief Purandeswari (Rajamahendravaram), among others, are in the Lok Sabha poll fray. The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. As many as 454 candidates are in the fray for Lok Sabha and 2,387 for Assembly polls, according to Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer MK Meena. Telangana: All 17 seats in fray after electrifying campaign After a high-decibel campaign, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top leaders of Congress and BRS, the stage is now set for polling on Sunday to elect 17 Lok Sabha members from the state in a single phase. The Election Commission has also made arrangements to conduct a bypoll for the Secunderabad (Cantonment) Assembly seat to be held tomorrow. As many as 625 candidates, including Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, the party's national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar and senior leader Etala Rajender are among the saffron party candidates while the Congress fielded among others, BRS turncoats Danam Nagender and K Kavya. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking re-election from the party's bastion of Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency and the BJP has fielded a political novice but enthusiastic K Madhavi Latha who has begun a spirited campaign. The former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar and sitting MP Nama Nageswar Rao, among others, are in the poll fray from former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS. Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several union ministers including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Mallikrajun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy canvassed for their respective party candidates. Over 3.31 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise in 35,356 polling stations across the state. Telangana recorded 62 percent voter turnout in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The BRS (then TRS) won nine seats, BJP four, Congress three and AIMIM one seat in the 2019 general elections. Uttar Pradesh: Akhliesh's legacy in play as 13 seats go to polls Voting for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, covering 13 parliamentary constituencies, will take place on Monday, with all eyes on the prestigious Kannauj seat from which Samajwadi Party president and former MP Akhilesh Yadav is seeking re-election. Another prominent candidate in the fray in this round is Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who is contesting from Kheri. Voting will take place in Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur and Bahraich (SC). A total of 130 candidates are in the poll fray in this phase. Among the 13 poll-bound constituencies, Kannauj will see a contest between the SP chief and sitting BJP MP Subrat Pathak, while in Unnao, incumbent BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj (Swami Sachidanand Hari Sakshi) is pitted against SP's Annu Tandon (a former Lok Sabha MP from Unnao). Of the 13 parliamentary constituencies going to polls in the fourth phase, the BJP has reposed its faith in 11 sitting MPs by giving them tickets, while it has fielded new candidates Ramesh Awasthi from Kanpur and Anand Kumar from the Bahraich-SC seat. In the INDIA bloc, the SP has fielded candidates from 11 Lok Sabha seats in this phase, while on two seats -- Kanpur (Alok Misra) and Sitapur (Rakesh Rathor) -- candidates of the Congress are in the fray. Four BJP candidatesUnion minister Teni (Kheri), Rekha Verma (Dhaurahra), Mukesh Rajput (Farrukhabad) and Devendra Singh alias Bhole (Akbarpur)are eyeing a hat trick, while Rajesh Verma is eyeing a fifth term from Sitapur. Maharashtra: 11 seats in action Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the Lower House of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. In the fourth phase, polling will take place across 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. These Lok Sabha constituencies are Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Beed. In the first phase of voting for the general polls, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, and Chandrapur were in the fray. The voter turnout in this phase stood at 63.71 percent. Buldhana, Nanded, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli and Parbhani went to the polls in the second phase. The final polling percentage in this phase was 62.71 percent. In the third phase on May 7, voting took place across 11 constituencies - Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle. The voter turnout in this phase stood at 63.55 percent. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. West Bengal: Fate of several star candidates to be decided Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, TMC's Shatrughan Sinha, Mahua Moitra and Yusuf Pathan, BJP's SS Ahluwalia and Dilip Ghosh will be among the candidates whose fates will be decided in the EVMs as eight Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal will go to the polls in the fourth phase on Monday. Spread over Murshidabad, Nadia, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum districts, the problems flagged by voters in these constituencies vary from migrant labour, drinking water supply and drying up of industries, while the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) notification is a bone of contention between the TMC and BJP in some places. Polling will be held in Baharampur, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat (SC), Bardhaman Purba (SC), Bardhaman-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum in West Bengal in the fourth round of the Lok Sabha polls. Film star-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha is seeking re-election from Asansol and is pitted against the BJP's veteran leader SS Ahluwalia. In Krishnanagar, the TMC has put up its outspoken leader Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from the 17th Lok Sabha last December, against BJP's Amrita Roy, a member of the Krishnanagar royal family. Former Bengali cine celebrity Satabdi Roy is seeking a fourth term from the Birbhum seat, which is now shorn of its maverick TMC leader Anubrata Mondal, lodged in Tihar jail in connection with an alleged cattle smuggling case. Congress' leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, fighting for a sixth consecutive term from Baharampur, is set to see his clout tested in the seat considered his fortress for the last three decades, with the TMC having fielded former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan and the BJP's Nirmal Kumar Saha. BJP's former West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh, whose controversial comments on various issues and against TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee have often made headlines, is contesting from Bardhaman-Durgapur, having been shifted by the saffron party from Kharagpur, where he had won in 2019. Trinamool Congress has put up former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad from the seat, while CPI(M) has fielded Sukriti Ghosal. BJP's Jagannath Sarkar is seeking re-election from Ranaghat constituency, which has a significant Matua population. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has been a profound issue of debate here between the saffron party and the TMC. TMC announced the candidature of Mukut Mani Adhikari for the seat soon after he joined the party, leaving the BJP, of which he was an MLA from Ranaghat Dakshin assembly segment. Asit Kumar Mal is seeking re-election from Bolpur on a TMC ticket, having been pitted against Priya Saha of BJP and Shyamali Pradhan of the CPI (M). In Bardhaman Purba, TMC fielded psychiatrist Sharmila Sarkar against BJP's folk singer candidate Ashim Kumar Sarkar, who is the saffron party's MLA from Haringhata Assembly segment, and CPI(M)'s Nirav Kha. Jharkhand: Four reserved seats in fray The stage is set for voting in Jharkhand's four Lok Sabha constituenciesSinghbhum, Khunti, Lohardaga and Palamuon Monday amidst heavy security deployments in all polling booths. Of the four Lok Sabha seats, three are reserved for Schedule Tribe (ST), while Palamu is reserved for Schedule Caste (SC) candidates. Interestingly, the number of female voters is higher than the number of male voters in three tribal seats. More than 64.37 lakh electors, including 32.07 lakh female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the four constituencies in the state, an election official said. A total of 45 candidates, including seven from Khunti, 15 from Lohardaga, nine from Palamu and 14 from Singhbhum, are in the poll fray. An interesting fight is likely in all three tribal seats as the JMM-led ruling alliance and the BJP-led opposition in Jharkhand have put all their efforts into galvanising people's support in their favour. In Singhbhum, BJP's Geeta Kora, who had won the seat on Congress ticket in 2019, has locked horns with INDIA bloc's Joba Manjhi, who is a JMM MLA from Manoharpur assembly seat. Khunti is heading for a direct fight between Union Minister and BJP nominee Arjun Munda and the INDIA bloc's Kalicharan Munda. The Lohardaga seat might see a triangular contest after JMM's Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda filed nomination as an Independent candidate against BJP's Samri Oraon and INDIA bloc's Sukhdeo Bhagat. The Palamu seat is set for a direct fight between the BJP's sitting MP Vishnu Dayal Ram and RJD's Mamta Bhuiyan as INDIA bloc candidate.

Maharashtra Premier League 2024: West Indies legend Courtney Walsh gives pep talk to Kolhapur Tuskers players

Former India international Kedar Jadhav-led Kolhapur Tuskers finished runners-up in the inaugural edition of the Maharashtra Premier League last year and have further bolstered their squad by adding e ...

Dabholkar case: Not happy with verdict, says Chavan; dubs Sanatan Sanstha 'terrorist' outfit

Dabholkar case: Not happy with verdict, says Chavan; dubs Sanatan Sanstha 'terrorist' outfit Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has said he was not happy with the court verdict in the Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case and asserted that right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha was a ''terrorist organisation'' whose role in the killing of the renowned rationalist has not been made clear. A special court for UAPA cases in Pune on Friday convicted and sentenced two men to life imprisonment and acquitted three in the case. Dr Dabholkar (67), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead while on a morning walk on a bridge near the Omkareshwar temple here on August 20, 2013. The special court convicted Dabholkar's two assailants - Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar - and sentenced them to life imprisonment, but acquitted three others - ENT surgeon Dr Virendrasinh Tawde, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave - for want of evidence. ''I am not happy with the judgment. What is the role of the Sanatan Sanstha and who is the mastermind of the murder has not been made clear. Similarly, (it has not been made clear) if there is a link between Dabholkar's killing and the murders of Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh,'' Chavan said on Friday. Chavan said when he was chief minister (between November 2010 and September 2014) the then ACS (Home) Umesh Sarangi had, based on an Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) report, recommended a ban on the Sanatan Sanstha under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). ''There is a process for that where all states are asked about activities of the (concerned) organisation in their respective areas. Nothing happened for two years after which Dabholkar was killed. In 2014, we sent a 1000-page dossier to the Union home ministry (recommending a ban on the outfit),'' he said. ''The demand for a ban on the Sanatan Sanstha is still pending with the Centre. The Sanatan Sanstha is a terrorist organisation,'' Chavan pointed out. Incidentally, addressing a press conference in Pune after the court verdict in the Dabholkar case, the Sanatan Sanstha's spokesperson Abhay Vartak had slammed Chavan. Dr Dabholkar was murdered on August 20, 2013 at 7.20 am and within one-and-a-half hours, then Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, while speaking to media persons, said the killing might have been carried out by pro-Hindutva people, and thereby misled the investigation, Vartak alleged. Dabholkar's murder was followed by the murders of three other rationalists/activists in the next four years: communist leader Govind Pansare (Kolhapur, February 2015), Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi (Dharwad, August 2015) and journalist Gauri Lankesh (Bengaluru, September 2017), and it was suspected that the culprits in these four cases were linked.

Chandni Bhagwanani: I cook Chole Puri and Veg Kolhapuri quite well

Chandni Bhagwanani played This or That segment with ETimes TV. When asked to choose between coffee and Tea, Chandni chose Tea. We asked the actor to choose between beaches or the Mountains, she stated it's very difficult to choose. She elaborated that her dislike for romantic movies stems from their tendency to raise expectations, causing individuals to develop high expectations from their partners. Chandi doesn't like eating outside food and talked about her recent vacations. She revealed she cooks Chole Puri and Veg Kolhapuri quite well and prefers talking over texting. Watch the video to know more!#anupamaa #chandanibhagwanani #thisorthat

Special Court in Pune Hands Down Life Sentences for Two in Dabholkar Murder, Acquits Three

Special Court in Pune Hands Down Life Sentences for Two in Dabholkar Murder, Acquits Three Nearly 11 years after rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune, a special court on Friday convicted his two assailants and sentenced them to life imprisonment for the murder, and acquitted three others, including alleged key conspirator Virendrasinh Tawde, for want of evidence. Reading out the order in a packed courtroom, Additional Sessions Judge (Special Court) P P Jadhav, presiding over UAPA cases, said the prosecution had proved the charges of murder and conspiracy against shooters Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar. The court sentenced them to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh each. The court acquitted three accused, ENT surgeon Tawde, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave, for want of evidence. Dabholkar (67), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men while he was on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune city on August 20, 2013. The court observed that some sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), an anti-terror law, were invoked in the case, but due to the competent officer's negligence, these charges were not proved. The judge said though Tawde was charged as the conspirator in the case and there was ample scope for doubt against him, the prosecution had failed to convert the suspicion into evidence, which is why he was acquitted of all charges. ''In the case of Bhave and Punalekar, even if there is scope for suspicion, there is no evidence, and therefore, both have been acquitted of all charges for want of evidence,'' the judge said. Andure and Kalaskar were charged with shooting Dabholkar dead, and charges under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) were proved beyond doubt, he said. The judge further said there is a provision for capital punishment and life imprisonment for these sections and asked the defence and prosecution to put forth their arguments. Appearing for the accused, advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar said the case did not fall under the rarest of the rare category, to which public prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi said the prosecution did not seek capital punishment. After hearing the brief arguments, the judge sentenced Andure and Kalaskar to life imprisonment and fined them Rs 5 lakh each. The judge also observed that some statements were made during the trial justifying Dabholkar's killing and said it was regrettable. ''It is pertinent to point out that any person's murder is an unfortunate thing. However, some statements came from the defence counsel during the trial justifying the act, which was regrettable, and the advocates of the accused should think about this,'' he said. Reacting to the judgement, Dabholkar's daughter Mukta said the masterminds of the murder were still at large, and they would appeal against the order in the high court. His son Hamid Dabholkar said if the masterminds of the killing were not brought to justice, such incidents would be repeated. It is evident from the chargesheet that Dabholkar was murdered for ideological reasons, he said. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses, while the defence examined two witnesses during the trial. The Pune police initially investigated the case. The CBI took over the probe in 2014 following a Bombay High Court order and arrested Tawde linked to the Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha, in June 2016. According to the prosecution, Tawde was one of the masterminds of the murder. Sanatan Sanstha, to which Tawde and some of the other accused were linked, was opposed to the work carried out by Dabholkar's organisation, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (committee for eradication of superstition, Maharashtra), it claimed. The CBI first named fugitives Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar as the shooters in its chargesheet. But later it arrested Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and claimed in a supplementary chargesheet that they had shot Dabholkar. Subsequently, the central agency arrested advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave as alleged co-conspirators. During the trial, advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar had questioned the CBI's flip-flop over the shooters' identity. The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 120 B (conspiracy ), 302 (murder), relevant sections of the Arms Act, and section 16 (punishment for terrorist act ) of the UAPA. While Tawde, Andure and Kalaskar are in jail, Punalekar and Bhave are on bail. Dabholkar's murder was followed by the murders of three other rationalists/activists in the next four years: communist leader Govind Pansare (Kolhapur, February 2015), Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi (Dharwad, August 2015) and journalist Gauri Lankesh (Bengaluru, September 2017). It was suspected that the culprits in these four cases were linked.

Special court sentences two to life imprisonment, acquits three in Dabholkar murder case

Pune : A special court for UAPA cases in Maharashtra's Pune on Friday convicted and sentenced two men to life imprisonment and acquitted three, including key accused Virendrasinh Tawde, in the murder of well-known rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar. Dabholkar (67), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead while on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here on August 20, 2013. Reading out the order in a packed courtroom, Additional Sessions Judge (Special Court) P P Jadhav said that the prosecution had proved the charges of murder and conspiracy against Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and they have been awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Andure and Kalaskar had shot Dabholkar. The court acquitted accused ENT surgeon Tawde, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave for want of evidence. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses while the defence examined two witnesses during the trial. The accused were opposed to Dabholkar's crusade against superstition, it had stated in its final arguments. Pune police initially probed the case. The CBI took over the probe in 2014 following a Bombay High Court, order and arrested Tawde linked to the Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha, in June 2016. According to the prosecution, Tawde was one of the masterminds of the murder. Sanatan Sanstha, to which Tawde and some of the other accused were linked, was opposed to the work carried out by Dabholkar's organisation, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (committee for eradication of superstition, Maharashtra), it claimed. The CBI first named fugitives Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar as the shooters in its charge sheet. But later it arrested Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, and claimed in a supplementary charge sheet that they had shot Dabholkar. Subsequently, the central agency arrested advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave as alleged co-conspirators. During the trial, advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, one of the defence lawyers, had questioned the CBI's flip-flop over the shooters' identity. The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 120 B (conspiracy ), 302 (murder), relevant sections of the Arms Act, and section 16 (Punishment for terrorist act ) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. While Tawde, Andure and Kalaskar are in jail, Punalekar and Bhave are out on bail. Dabholkar's murder was followed by the murders of three other rationalists/activists in the next four years: communist leader Govind Pansare (Kolhapur, February 2015), Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi (Dharwad, August 2015) and journalist Gauri Lankesh (Bengaluru, September 2017). It was suspected that the culprits in these four cases were linked to each other.

Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Special court in Pune sentences two to life imprisonment, acquits three

PUNE: A special court for UAPA cases in Maharashtra's Pune on Friday convicted and sentenced two men to life imprisonment and acquitted three, including key accused Virendrasinh Tawde, in the murder of well-known rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar. Dabholkar (67), an anti-superstition crusader, was shot dead while on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge here on August 20, 2013. Reading out the order in a packed courtroom, Additional Sessions Judge (Special Court) P P Jadhav said that the prosecution had proved the charges of murder and conspiracy against Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar and they have been awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Andure and Kalaskar had shot Dabholkar. The court acquitted accused ENT surgeon Tawde, Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave for want of evidence. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses while the defence examined two witnesses during the trial. The accused were opposed to Dabholkar's crusade against superstition, it had stated in its final arguments. Pune police initially probed the case. The CBI took over the probe in 2014 following a Bombay High Court, order and arrested Tawde linked to the Hindu right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha, in June 2016. According to the prosecution, Tawde was one of the masterminds of the murder. Sanatan Sanstha, to which Tawde and some of the other accused were linked, was opposed to the work carried out by Dabholkar's organisation, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (committee for eradication of superstition, Maharashtra), it claimed. The CBI first named fugitives Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar as the shooters in its charge sheet. But later it arrested Sachin Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, and claimed in a supplementary charge sheet that they had shot Dabholkar. Subsequently, the central agency arrested advocate Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave as alleged co-conspirators. During the trial, advocate Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, one of the defence lawyers, had questioned the CBI's flip-flop over the shooters' identity. The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 120 B (conspiracy ), 302 (murder), relevant sections of the Arms Act, and section 16 (Punishment for terrorist act ) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. While Tawde, Andure and Kalaskar are in jail, Punalekar and Bhave are out on bail. Dabholkar's murder was followed by the murders of three other rationalists/activists in the next four years: communist leader Govind Pansare (Kolhapur, February 2015), Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi (Dharwad, August 2015) and journalist Gauri Lankesh (Bengaluru, September 2017). It was suspected that the culprits in these four cases were linked to each other.

Phase 3 turnout is 63.6%, nearly same as in Phase 1

Maharashtra's LS elections third phase saw 63.6% polling. Kolhapur, Hatkanangale had over 71% turnout, Baramati at 59.5%. Turnout slightly rose from 61.4%. Voter names deletion issue raised by Nitin Kulkarni.

Low polling in Maharashtra story of Baramati

MUMBAI: Maharashtra recorded a 54.99 per cent voter turnout across eleven Lok Sabha seats, with Kolhapur registering the highest at 63.71% and Baramati recording the lowest at 45.68%. According to the Election Commission of India, the polling percentages were as follows: Latur 55.38 per cent, Sangli 52.56 percent, Baramati 45.68 percent, Hatkalangale 62.18 per cent, Kolhapur 63.71 per cent, Madha 50.00 per cent, Osmanabad 52.78 per cent, Raigad 50.31 per cent, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg 53.75 per cent, Satara 54.11 per cent, and Solapur 49.17 per cent in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies. The polling was peaceful except for a few isolated incidents. In Baramati, Madha and Hatkalangale, there were allegations and counter-allegations about the distribution of money. NCP(SP) MLA Rohit Pawar posted a series of videos where Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, leading NCP workers, was purportedly seen offering money in exchange for votes. Local workers from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP opposed the distribution, leading to skirmishes between two groups in Baramati. A police vehicle was used to distribute money for votes by the ruling party. Ajit Pawars sugar factory was also involved in the distribution. The EC should take cognizance of these incidents,said Rohit Pawar.

At 63.6%, Maha phase 3 turnout nearly same as in phase 1

Maharashtra recorded 63.6% polling in the third LS election phase. Kolhapur and Hatkanangale surpassed 71% turnout while Baramati had 59.5%. Various factors influenced voter participation, including heatwave conditions and constituency delimitation concerns.

Lok Sabha elections: Turnout 61.5% in 11 Maharashtra seats, lower than in 1st and 2nd phase

Baramati witnessed a 56.1% voter turnout, 6% lower than 2019. Raigad, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Satara, and Kolhapur reported significant polling. ECI data revealed 61.5% voting in Maharashtra's third phase of 2024 LS polls.

Kolhapur LS seat registers 70% polling, highest in Maharashtra

Maharashtra sees 53.40 pc turnout in 3rd phase of LS polls for 11 seats

Maharashtra sees 53.40 pc turnout in 3rd phase of LS polls for 11 seats A voter turnout of 54.09 per cent was recorded in 11 out of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, where polling was held on Tuesday in the third phase of the general elections, officials said. The first two phases of polling in the state saw more than 62 per cent voter turnout. As per the data shared by the election authorities, the Kolhapur seat saw the highest turnout of 63.71 per cent, while the Baramati seat, where two members of the politically influential Pawar family were locked in a bitter tussle, recorded the lowest turnout of 47.84 per cent. In Baramati, Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule was pitted against Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leaders estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Hatkanangale recorded a voter turnout of 62.18 per cent, Osmanabad 56.84 per cent, Latur 55.38 per cent, Satara 54.74 per cent, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg 53.75 per cent, Sangli 52.56 per cent, Raigad 50.31 per cent, Madha 50.00 per cent and Solapur 49.17 per cent. Voting was held between 7 am and 6 pm. Prominent contestants in this phase of polling in the state included royal scions Shahu Chhatrapati of the Congress in Kolhapur and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Udayanraje Bhosale in Satara as well Union minister Narayan Rane in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar and his mother Asha Pawar were among the early voters. They cast their votes at a polling booth in Baramati, where Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, the sitting MP from there. NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar, his wife Pratibha Pawar, daughter Supriya Sule and her family, MLA Rohit Pawar and his family also voted in Baramati. Actor couple Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'souza cast their votes in Latur, while Union minister Rane voted in Sindhudurg. Riteish Deshmukh is the son of Congress leader and former state chief minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh, whose home turf was Latur. A total of 2.09 crore persons were eligible to vote for 258 candidates in the third phase, for which 23,036 polling centres were set up, an election official said. There were 1,07,64,741 male voters, 1,02,26,946 female voters and 929 from the third gender. Polling was held on April 19 in the first phase of the general elections in Ramtek (SC), Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) and Chandrapur seats in Maharashtra. The first phase saw a voter turnout of 63.71 per cent. On April 26, polling was held in the second phase of elections in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase witnessed a voter turnout of 62.71 per cent.

Maharashtra Lok Sabha Polls: An old man dies of heart attack in a voting queue in Kolhapur

In a shocking incident, a 69-year-old man died due to a massive heart attack while he was standing in a queue to cast his vote at Ramabai Ambedkar polling centre in Uttereshwae Peth of the city this afternoon.

Maha LS polls: Sharad Pawar, Chhatrapatis, Riteish-Genelia Deshmukh vote

Mumbai, May 7: Voting started briskly for 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra with members of royal families, top political leaders, Bollywood stars and other celebs trooping out for the festival of democracy, in different parts of the state, here on Tuesday. The prominent personalities, who came out and voted, were Congress Kolhapur candidate Chhatrapati [] The post Maha LS polls: Sharad Pawar, Chhatrapatis, Riteish-Genelia Deshmukh vote appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Voting commences for 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra

Voting commences for 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra Polling began Tuesday morning for 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including Baramati, where Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leaders estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm at the 23,036 polling centres, set up for the third phase of the elections, an official said. The seats where polling is taking place are Baramati, Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Hatkanangale. Prominent contestants also include royal scions Shahu Chhatrapati of the Congress in Kolhapur and BJPs Udayanraje Bhosale in Satara as well Union minister Narayan Rane in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. Altogether 2.09 crore persons are eligible to vote for 258 candidates in the third phase, the official said. There are 1,07,64,741 male voters, 1,02,26,946 female voters and 929 from the third gender in the third phase, he said. In the fourth phase on May 13, a total of 2.28 crore voters will decide the fate of 298 candidates in 11 seats, namely Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed Lok Sabha constituencies. Prominent candidates in the fourth phase include minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve in Jalna and BJPs Pankaja Munde in Beed. The 13 Lok Sabha seats where polling will be held in the fifth and last phase in the state are Dhule, Dindori, Nashik in North Maharashtra and Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central and Mumbai South. Prominent candidates in the fifth phase include Union minister Piyush Goyal, lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, both of the BJP, and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad. Polling was held on April 19 in the first phase of the general elections in Ramtek (SC), Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) and Chandrapur seats. The first phase saw a voter turnout of 63.71 per cent. On April 26, polling was held in the second phase of elections in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase witnessed a voter turnout of 62.71 per cent.

In Kolhapur and Satara, royal descendants have a point to prove

Maharashtra votes in battle royale tomorrow: Baramati, Satara, Kolhapur in focus

Maharashtra votes in battle royale tomorrow Baramati Satara Kolhapur in focus

Shiv Sena (UBT) Nashik district chief Vijay Karanjkar joins Shinde Sena

Shiv Sena (UBT) Nashik district chief Vijay Karanjkar joins Shinde Sena In a setback for Shiv Sena (UBT), its Nashik district chief Vijay Karanjkar joined the Shiv Sena (Ek Nath Shinder) in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. According to reports, Vijay Karanjkar was denied a ticket by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, and he jumped ships with the Shinde Sena faction. Karanjkar joined Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) a day before the third phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections. Shinde Sena has renominated sitting MP Hemant Godse from Nasik. The last date to withdraw the nominations is May 6. Nashik will go to the polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, polling for the third phase is scheduled to be held on May 7. In Maharashtra, seats that will go under polling on May 7 include, Baramati, Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Hatkanangale. (ANI)

Maharashtra Lok Sabha election: Pawar vs Pawar, Rane vs Raut - A look at key constituencies and candidates in phase 3

On May 7, voters will cast their ballots for 11 seats in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, including Baramati, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Sangli, and Kolhapur.

Watch | Interview | I disagree with Hindutva and politics | Interview with Udayanraje Bhosale and Shahu Chhatrapati

While Shahu Chhatrapati is making his electoral debut on a Congress ticket from Kolhapur, Udayanraje Bhosale is contesting from Satara on a BJP ticket

Watch | I disagree with Hindutva and politics | Interview of Udayanraje Bhosale and Shahu Chhatrapati

While Shahu Chhatrapati is making his electoral debut on a Congress ticket from Kolhapur, Udayanraje Bhosale is contesting from Satara on a BJP ticket

Polls Conclude for 11 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Maharashtra on May 7

Polls Conclude for 11 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Maharashtra on May 7 Campaigning ended Sunday for elections in 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including the high-stakes battle in Baramati, where Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leaders estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The seats where polling in the third phase of the general elections will take place on May 7 are Baramati, Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Hatkanangale. Prominent contestants also include royal scions Shahu Chhatrapati of the Congress in Kolhapur and BJPs Udayanraje Bhosale in Satara as well Union minister Narayan Rane in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. Altogether 2.09 crore persons are eligible to vote for 258 candidates in the third phase, for which 23,036 polling centres have been set up, an election official said. There are 1,07,64,741 male voters, 1,02,26,946 female voters and 929 from the third gender in the third phase, he said. In the fourth phase on May 13, a total of 2.28 crore voters will decide the fate of 298 candidates in 11 seats, namely Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed Lok Sabha constituencies. Prominent candidates in the fourth phase include minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve in Jalna and BJPs Pankaja Munde in Beed. The 13 Lok Sabha seats where polling will be held in the fifth and last phase in the state are Dhule, Dindori, Nashik in North Maharashtra and Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central and Mumbai South. Prominent candidates in the fifth phase include Union minister Piyush Goyal, lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, both of the BJP, and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad. Polling was held on April 19 in the first phase of the general elections in Ramtek (SC), Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) and Chandrapur seats. On April 26, polling was held in the second phase of elections in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani Lok Sabha constituencies.

21st launch of Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli will fail: Amit Shah

Amit Shah criticizes Rahul Gandhi's Raebareli candidature against Dinesh Pratap Singh, condemns Congress-Karnataka ties with SDPI after Bengaluru blast. He assures security under Modi govt, visits Mahalaxmi Temple in Kolhapur for prayers.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: People from constituency wanted me to contest

In a quick chat with mid-day, Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj speaks about the issues in Kolhapur and his vision for the constituency

ED conducts raids in Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur in Rs 100 crore ponzi scam by bizman in Dubai

Maha plan as Maha Vikas Aghadi holds joint rallies to counter PM's brisk campaign

MUMBAI: The Maha Vikas Aghadi has started holding joint rallies for Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra in a bid to counter the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modis brisk campaign in the state. Organising rallies at the same places where the PM addressed meetings, the opposition alliance is raising local issues and failures of the Modi government. The MVA has lined up a mega plan of Utara Sabha (dilute rallies) in an attempt to neutralise the Modi impact, alliance leaders said. PM Modi had addressed nine rallies in 2019 but this time he has already addressed a dozen meets in the state and the number may go up to 18 till the end of the elections, BJP leaders said. The MVA has held rallies in Amaravati, Solapur, Pune, and Kolhapur soon after Modi hit the campaign trail in those places. In the MVA joint rallies, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar are the star campaigners, besides Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat and AAPs Sanjay Singh. We are keeping our campaign rallies focused on state issues and injustice done to me and Sharad Pawar with the breaking of their parties, Thackeray said. He said Modi made tall promises, such as crediting Rs 10 lakh to each persons bank account, doubling farmers' income and MSP, but in the last 10 years his government failed to deliver on them. If Modi comes again, then it will be the last elections. They will also replace the Constitution because of BJPs hatred towards Maharashtra and BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, Thackeray said. BJP leaders have trashed the INDIA blocs allegation about a plan to change the Constitution. In the joint rallies, Pawar is focusing on farmers issues and reminding people of farm loan waiver during his tenure in the UPA government.

Uddhav: Alliance Partners Received Seats Won Five Times For Alliance's Well-being

Uddhav: Alliance Partners Received Seats Won Five Times For Alliance's Well-being Amid friction in the Maha Vikas Aghadi over Sangli Lok Sabha seat, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said his party left seats which it had won five times for its partners for the sake of the coalition. Addressing a rally in Sangli for his party candidate Chandrahar Patil, Thackeray exhorted voters not to allow division of votes in the fight against autocracy. Sending a warning to the BJP, he said all days are not the same and exuded confidence that the INDI alliance would win 300 Lok Sabha seats. Congress leader Vishal Patil, who is the grandson of former Maharashtra chief minister late Vasantdada Patil, is in the fray as an independent. The BJP has fielded sitting MP Sanjaykaka Patil. ''We left Ramtek seat which we won five times consecutively. We left Kolhapur seat for Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. We also left Amravati because the alliance was not just going to benefit me alone, but also our allies,'' Thackeray said. Amravati, Ramtek and Kolhapur seats are being contested by the Congress, part of the MVA along with Thackeray's outfit and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP). Thackeray's remarks come amid Sharad Pawar admitting earlier in the day that the candidate for Sangli Lok Sabha seat was announced without consultation between MVA constituents. Thackeray also assured local Congress leaders that his party will not stand in between their future, an indication that Shiv Sena (UBT) will not stake claim over its traditional seats in the district. Thackeray also said had the BJP not betrayed him, he would have stayed with them. However, Maharashtra was being looted and he did not want to be party to it so walked out of the alliance with the BJP, Thackeray claimed. Big ticket projects that were to come up in Maharashtra, like Vedanta Foxconn, Drugs Bulk Park and International Finance City. got shifted to Gujarat, the former chief minister alleged.

Make Modi PM for 3rd time: Maha DyCM

Kolhapur, May 2 (UNI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP star campaigner, Devendra Fadnavis, said on Thursday that this Lok Sabha election is very important which would decide who will lead the country and who can keep the country safe. Addressing an election rally in Chandgad town of the district for Mahayutis candidate Sanjay Mandlik... The post Make Modi PM for 3rd time: Maha DyCM first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief criticises Modi

Kolhapur: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to put pressure on the countrys judicial system by making statements like his (Thackeray) Shiv Sena as nakali (fake) one. Addressing a public rally on Wednesday in the city in presence of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar for Shreemant Shahu []

PM Modis speeches not based on facts and reality: Sharad Pawar

Kolhapur: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his speeches were not based on facts and reality. Talking to reporters here, Pawar also alleged that PM Modi doesnt talk about the basic issues that people face and diverts their attention. I have never seen a prime Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Congress leading nation towards a second Partition, says Adityanath

Adityanath held rallies in Solapur for the BJPs Ram Satpute and later in Sangli and Kolhapurs Hatkanangale Lok Sabha constituencies to bat for the BJPs Sanjaykaka Patil, and Dhairyasheel Mane of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. All three seats go to polls on May 7 in the third phase.

10 years in jail for nothing Who should pay for it?

What connects three professors from Delhi, Kolhapur and Nagpur to 17 residents of a village in Madhya Pradesh? All of them were in jail as undertrials or convicts before being acquitted or granted bail due to insufficient evidence, as the courts raised doubts about the cases against them. Consider the situation involving the ex-Delhi University professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba, who was cleared of charges by the Bombay high court in March.

Uddhav Thackeray Apologizes to People for Seeking Votes for Modi

Uddhav Thackeray Apologizes to People for Seeking Votes for Modi Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of betraying Maharashtra, and apologised to the people for seeking votes for Modi in the 2014 and 2019 polls. Speaking at an election rally at Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur district, Thackeray claimed that by calling his party a ''fake'' Shiv Sena, Prime Minister Modi was trying to put pressure on the Supreme Court before whom litigation related to the split in the party is pending. Speaking at the same rally, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar said that Modi, during visits to Maharashtra, only criticises him (Pawar) and Thackeray instead of speaking about his plans for the state. Pawar also accused the Centre of misusing central agencies and pointed to the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in alleged corruption cases. Thackeray said when no one was willing to join hands with the BJP, the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with it. The saffron party, however, brought down the government of a man whose family had given it everything, he said, referring to the fall of his government in June 2022. ''I apologise for seeking votes for Modi (in the past) because his government has betrayed Maharashtra,'' the Sena (UBT) chief added. He also accused the BJP of using the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha elections but scheming to defeat its candidates in assembly polls. ''You used Shiv Sainiks (in Lok Sabha polls) but defeated our candidates (in assembly polls). I have come to avenge it,'' said Thackeray who parted ways with the BJP in 2019.

Rahul's Accusation: PM Neglects Dignity of Office Amidst Electoral Concerns

Rahul's Accusation: PM Neglects Dignity of Office Amidst Electoral Concerns Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is frustrated, disappointed and stands defeated and a government of the opposition INDIA bloc is going to be formed at the Centre. In a post on X, he said, out of fear of losing in these elections, Modi has forgotten the dignity of the post he holds and is talking all kinds of things and claiming that the Congress will take away the 'mangalsutra' or will snatch people's rooms or buffaloes. ''Listen to the words of a frustrated, disappointed and defeated Prime Minister: The Congress will take away the room in your house, the Congress will snatch away the 'mangalsutra' from your neck, the Congress will take away your buffalo. ''Narendra Modi is saying such absurd and false things because Congress is forming the government by snatching more than 150 out of his 300 seats. Out of this fear, Modi has forgotten the dignity of the Prime Minister and has become a 'lying machine','' Gandhi said in the post in Hindi. ''The INDIA government will not take anything from the public, but will give them the same amount of money that Modi has wasted on his billionaire friends. Our government will not be of the likes of 'Adanis' but of 'Indians','' the former Congress chief claimed. Congress leader Pawan Khera also thanked the prime minister for at least acknowledging that the Congress was on its way to forming the next government. ''Today in Gujarat the prime minister very pompously declared that the BJP is the only party which is contesting in over 272 seats and he challenged the Congress claiming that it is not only contesting 272 seats and how it can form the government. ''Thank you prime minister, for at least acknowledging that we are on our way to forming the government. May we inform you that we have already declared candidates on 326 seats. Is that a degree of entire mathematics, Mr Prime Minister,'' Khera said in a video statement. Without taking the name of Gandhi, the prime minister said the party's 'shehzada' (prince) is now claiming the country will burn if Modi comes to power for a third time. ''In reality, it is the Congress which is burning now. They are saying such things because their dreams have now turned into ashes,'' Modi said. AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh also shared a video of the BJP candidate in Kolhapur in Maharashtra. ''At a rally in Kolhapur, BJP candidate and current BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik's sister Shamika Mahadik asked whether you will hand over the country to Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi? People responded 'Rahul'!,'' Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X, while sharing the video.

Birthplace of reservation strives for harmony amid political turbulence

Pivotal Phase:The upcoming elections will test Kolhapurs resilience and its commitment to former ruler Shahus legacy of inclusivity

Maharashtra Premier League: Ratnagiri Jets look to double their championship streak

Maharashtra Premier League: Ratnagiri Jets look to double their championship streak The Ratnagiri Jets snagged a total of seven players at the Maharashtra Premier League Player Auction to complete their squad. The defending champions, Ratnagiri Jets went to the auction with the most retained players out of all the teams and had a clear vision of the gaps that they needed to fill for the upcoming season of the MPL. The management's auction strategy was simple and focused on the skill set that the team needed. The gaps identified by the Ratnagiri Jets drove the decisions that they made at the auction successfully as they picked up a replacement wicketkeeper in the form of Abhishek Pawar because the number of matches has almost doubled this season. The team needed another fast bowler, Piyush Kamal and the most exciting new signee came in the form of Satyajeet Bachhav, undoubtedly one of the best left-arm spinner in the state. We began as defending champions, but that is the distant past. Our focus is on the present, as our responsibility to prepare for the contest began a while back and will never end. We look forward to the challenges this new season brings, said Ranjit Pande, Head Coach. In Season 1, our unity and dedication propelled us to victory. Now, as we announce our Season 2 lineup, the responsibility weighs even heavier on our shoulders. But with the same unwavering teamwork and commitment, we're ready to take on the challenge, aiming higher and flying further as Ratnagiri Jets, said Rakesh Navani, Team Owner, Ratnagiri Jets. Led by Azim Kazi, a seasoned campaigner for Maharashtra, the Ratnagiri Jets won the inaugural season of the MPL which made the decision very easy to retain most of the squad. The first season of the MPL showed the willingness of the players to put their hand up for the team and there was a total of 5 different Man of the Matches that the team won, which is a testament to the number of match winners that Ratnagiri Jets can boast of. The bowlers of Ratnagiri Jets have been stand-out performers with Kunal Thorat bagging 2 wickets vs the Solapur Royals, Divyang Hinganekar getting a scalp and scoring a crucial 46 off 15 balls to win against Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings, Captain Azim Kazi cleaned out 3 wickets vs the Eagle Nashik Titans and Vijay Pawale also took home the man of the match awards for their crucial two wickets each versus the Puneri Bappa and Kolhapur Tuskers respectively. The second edition of the MPL will begin on June 2 and the Ratnagiri Jets aim to repeat their performance by solely focusing on the processes that were responsible for winning them the cup the first time around. The team has started training together and will continue to build on the plans that have been laid out by the coaching staff. Ratnagiri Jets Final Squad: Abhishek Pawar (WK), Akhilesh Gawale, Azim Kazi (C), Dhiraj Phatangare, Divyang Hinganekar, Kiran Chormale, Krish Shahapurkar, Kunal Thorat, Nikhil Naik (WK), Nikit Dhumal, Piyush Kamal, Pradeep Dadhe, Preetam Patil, Rohit Patil, Sahil Churi, Sangram Bhalekar, Satyajeet Bacchav, Tushar Shrivastav, Vaibhav Chowghule, Vijay Pawale, Yash Borkar, Yogesh Chavan. (ANI)

Maharashtra: A Leading Economic Force and Pioneer in Cyber Security Implementation, Says Governor Bais

Maharashtra: A Leading Economic Force and Pioneer in Cyber Security Implementation, Says Governor Bais Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais on Wednesday called the state an economic powerhouse that played a key role in the country's development, and said it was leading in the implementation of cyber security. He was speaking during the Maharashtra Foundation Day event held at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai's Dadar area. ''Maharashtra is leading when it comes to implementing cyber security and providing cyber services to businesses and individuals. Maharashtra has the biggest strength in its population, which is hard-working, enterprising, and progressive. It is also an important centre when it comes to industrial manufacturing and the financial and service sectors,'' he said. In addition to Mumbai, cities like Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Solapur are power centres for various sectors, he said. The geographical condition of Maharashtra is conducive to industrial development, and the state has always been a centre of attraction for investment, be it domestic or foreign, the governor said. ''Our state is an economic and financial powerhouse which has always played an important role in the infrastructure development of the country. Maharashtra is one of the leading states when it comes to agriculture, industrial products and manufacturing, trade and transportation,'' he said. Talking about Maharashtra capital Mumbai, he said the city made a big contribution to the state's overall development since it houses the headquarters of most banks, corporate houses, and financial institutions. ''India's biggest share market and the film industry are also in Mumbai, and this city is one of the important ports, which witnesses international trade in a big way,'' Bais said. ''One can have a glimpse of India through the diversity of Maharashtra, one of the states with the highest literacy. Our state has various high-quality universities and vocational training institutes that attract students, researchers, and scholars from all over the world,'' he said. Maharashtra has a rich tradition and cultural heritage with the legacy of the Warkari sect and saints. It has a big coastline with hill ranges, forests, forts, river basins and plateaus along with sanctuaries like Tadoba, Melghat and Pench, which are rich in biodiversity. Maharashtra, with all these heritage attractions, attracts Indian and foreign tourists who refer to it as the most favoured destination, the governor said. On the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Bais said, ''I appeal to everyone to exercise their franchise by voting and participating in this festival of democracy.''

Chhatrapatis join Maha royal challenge

MUMBAI : A deeply fractious Maharashtra politics has not spared the revered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The honorific Chhatrapati is so close to the Maratha honour that it has been handed down for generations. So, the 17th title-holder in the lineage is Udayan Raje Bhosale who has taken the historic Satara Lok Sabha seat on behalf of the BJP. And there is the 13th descendant in the royal ancestry, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, who is the claimant to the Kolhapur seat from the Congress. In the third phase of Lok Sabha elections due May 7, a dozen seats, including Kolhapur and Satara, are up for grabs. First, a trip down the royal corridor: As per the family tree of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, power was divided into his three families -- his son Sambhaji Raje whose power centre was in Satara, the capital of Shivaji Maharaj, Rajaram Maharaj who lives on in Kolhapur and is carried forward by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. The third is in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu that was carried forward by Venkoji Bhosale and his extended family. Udayan Raje Bhosale is facing a tough battle against the Mathadi, a workers union headed by Shashikant Shinde, a contestant from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, from Satara. Bhosale is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from BJP. He lost the 2019 Lok Sabha by-election against NCPs Sriniwas Patil. The same year, Bhosale was elected on the NCP ticket, but he resigned and joined the BJP and lost the by-election against NCPs Sriniwas Patil by over 88,000 votes. The Satara Lok Sabha by-election was clubbed with the assembly elections. It turned into a prestigious battle because Bhosale believed he would ride the Modi wave, but Sharad Pawars demagoguery turned the tide. The NCP boss hugely apologized for supporting Bhosale, and called for voting out Bhosale. And it did happen. However, Pawars Satara tactic led to his partys decimation. At best or worst, the election boosted the dwindling prospects of the Congress that won 44 seats in the 288-member assembly. The BJP delayed announcing the candidature for the Satara polls. Bhosale traveled to Delhi and met Home Minister Amit Shah to secure his nomination. The Opposition chided the BJP for the delay in the ticket announcement, with a sanctimonious lament that the royal scion was made to wait an insult to the royal throne. NCP (Sharad Pawar) candidate Shashikant Shinde said that false cases are registered against him to block his campaign. He swears his loyalty to Pawar and says he wont buckle down to BJP pressure. On the other hand, the 78-year-old Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj, has chosen to contest the polls on the Congress symbol, though both Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) offered him the nomination. Shahu Maharaj is a supporter of Shah-Phule-Ambedkars secular and progressive ideology and is facing a tough political battle against CM Eknath Shinde-led Sena candidate Sanjay Mandlik in Kolhapur. In the 2009 election, Sadhashiv Mandlik defeated Sahu Maharajs son Chatrapati Sambhaji Raje who contested on the NCP ticket in Kolhapur Lok Sabha seat. Now Sadhashivs son Sanjay Mandalik has taken the fight against Sambhaji Maharajs father Shahu Maharaj. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has kept a different campaign line for both seats. In Satara, Sharad Pawar said they do respect the throne of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but people should vote for the common man who will remain with praja, the people and work for them. While BJP is saying the respect and vote will be for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj throne only. The MVA in Kolhapur campaigns for the legacy of Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar. Former minister Satej Patil, who is the Congress campaign head for Kolhapur, says they are confident of Shahu Maharajs victory. We have good response to the candidature of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj from all communities, he said. This election is different. We are fighting to protect the Shahu-Phule-Ambedkars secular and progressive ideology. Shahu Maharaj is a true leader who is carrying this legacy in difficult times. The BJP is using power and threatening the people. But we will overcome all odds, Patil added.

Maharashtra: PM Modi's spectacular rally set to electrify Dharashiv

Maharashtra: PM Modi's spectacular rally set to electrify Dharashiv By Rajnish Singh As the countdown for the third phase of general polls begins, the stage is set for a momentous Tuesday afternoon in Dharashiv Lok Sabha constituency where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's highly anticipated public rally is scheduled amidst flurry of political activities. Anticipation reaches its peak as the eagerly awaited Prime Minister's campaign rally in Dharashiv is set to kick off at 1:30 pm. Here, he will address the public, extending Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) backing to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominee Archana Patil. Patil finds herself in a fierce contest against Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Omraje Nimbalkar. This marks the start of Prime Minister Modi's busy schedule with three consecutive rallies lined up across Maharashtra. His first stop is at 11:45 am in Malshiras, where he will throw his weight behind BJP candidate Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, who faces off against Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil, the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar nominee, in the Madha Lok Sabha constituency. Following this, Prime Minister Modi's second rally is in Dharashiv at 1:30 pm in support of NCP candidate Archana Patil. He will conclude the day in Maharashtra campaign with a rally at 3 pm in Latur, rallying for BJP nominee Sudhakar Shringare, who is up against Congress's Shivaji Kalge. Polling day looms for both Dharashiv and Latur, slated for May 7, alongside nine other Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra. This crucial day marks the third phase of general elections in Maharashtra, encompassing a total of 11 constituencies: Baramati, Raigad, Osmanabad (now renamed as Dharashiv), Latur (SC), Solapur (SC), Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle. On Monday, the PM Modi addressed three poll rallies in Solapur, Karad and Pune in Maharashtra, promising guarantee of development for the next five years and attacking opposition levelling charges against their leaders of plunging the country into the abyss of corruption, terrorism, and misrule before 2014. In the third phase of general elections, a significant total of 94 Lok Sabha constituencies spanning across 12 states and Union Territories will be up for grabs. (ANI)

Modi versus three Ms in Maha battle-III

MUMBAI: A high-pitched battle is likely in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra where 12 constituencies will vote on May 7. From the BJP side, PM Narendra Modi is due to address nine rallies, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has decided to bank on three Ms Marathas, Mahars (Dalits) and Muslims, besides local factors. The 12 seats are Baramati, Raigad, Dharashiv, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Hatkanangale. In overall 48 seats, the BJP aspires to repeat its 2014 and 2019 tallies 42 seats while the MVA has set a target of 30 seats. For Ajit Pawar, the contest in three constituencies Baramati, Raigad, Dharashiv is important for his political future. These three seats will be key to decide whether voters are with Ajit or not. In the Pawar family bastion of Baramati, Ajits wife Sunetra is locked in a fierce battle against Supriya Sule, the three-term Member of Parliament (MP) and daughter of NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar. In Raigad, the former stronghold of Peasants Workers Party (PWP), NCPs state president Sunil Tatkare has locked horns with Shiv Sena (UBT)s Anant Geete. In the last general elections, Tatkare had won the seat by a close margin of 30,000 votes in 2019 even as his and the rivals party have witnessed a split. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP is banking on the 3M factor in Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions, plus local anti-incumbency and agrarian crisis. In the first and second phases, the MVA performed exceptionally well due to the DMK Dalits, Muslims and Kunbis factor plus local issues. Social engineering, an offshoot of DMK, has favoured the Congress and NCP. It was the same factor that supported the BJP in 2014 and 2019. This time, BJP has not worked for the welfare of these communities, which is forcing them to return to the parent party, the Congress. Thats why Union minister Nitin Gadkari is in trouble in Nagpur, said senior Congress leader. He said in the third and fourth phases, the 3-M factor will work effectively. We had great hope from Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions. Sharad Pawar always relied on that factor when it came to winning the seat. Due to Sharad Pawar, the Marathas are aligning with the MVA while sympathizing with Uddhav Thackeray and helping to consolidate small castes, women and minority votes for the MVA, said the Congress leader. An NCP(SP) leader sarcastically remarked that the Congress manifesto has successfully percolated down thanks to PM Narendra Modis negative campaign. Curiosity has led the people to read the Congress manifesto, he said. Observers say the current political atmosphere in Maharashtra is anti-establishment due to the policies of state and central governments. The NCP leader said the 84-year-old Sharad Pawar lost his party to his nephew Ajit, but the senior Pawar continues to carry the trust of the voter. Sharad Pawar brought back former deputy chief minister Vijay Sinh Mohite Patil to his faction. This has not only rejuvenated his party but has helped develop a second rung of leadership in state assembly segments, said an observer, said an observer. This move has given the party an edge in Madha-like negative seat and its spillover will influence the adjoining Solapur, Satara and Baramati Lok Sabha seats, he added. Moreover, Uddhav Thackeray has also campaigned in every Lok Sabha segment and encouraged his cadre to come out to defeat the traitors. The MVA also organises common rallies for senior leaders. Aditya Thackeray and Sharad Pawars grand-nephew Rohit Pawar are also campaigning and attracting the young voters by raising the unemployment issue and shifting of some of the development works from the state to Gujarat. This election is a very close contest where the BJP is fighting to retain all seats while MVA is out to snatch the traditional constituencies belonging to the alliance partners, he added. A BJP leader said Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray may have their sympathizers, but their parties do not have a structure like the BJP to bring voters to the booths. He said the BJP has well-trained booth-level workers that will override all factors being talked about in this election. We are in power in the state and Centre and have more than 170 MLAs in the 288-member state assembly. The talk of MVA being strong is only airy-fairy. We are strong on the ground with abundant resources, which will make a huge difference when votes are counted, said the BJP leader. Besides, PM Modi is a popular leader capable of attracting large crowds. When it comes to voting, people will surely vote on national issues and Modis charisma, said the BJP leader. The Opposition does not have a leader who matches Modi. The voter does not have a choice other than Modi, the BJP leader said.

PM Modi to Address 5 Rallies in 2 Days in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The Lok Sabha election fever is at its peak in Maharashtra with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to hold as many as six rallies in the state in the next two days. While the opposition claimed it was a sign that the BJP was in panic mode, the saffron party said PMs rallies are part of its strategy to reach out to the maximum voters. Modi will address rallies in Solapur, Satara, Pune, Madha, Dharashiv and Latur Lok Sabha constituencies in the next couple of days. The six rallies come on the backdrop of him holding a big rally in Kolhapur on Saturday. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Modi will address rallies in Solapur, Satara and Pune on April 29, followed by rallies in Madha, Dharashiv and Latur on April 30. Voting for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra is being held in five phases from April 19 to May 20. Modi has already held five rallies for the first two phases of the polling in the state. In the first phase, the PM held three rallies for five seats and in the second phase, he addressed two rallies for eight seats. According to political observers, the increased number of PMs rallies shows that the BJP and its allies are anxious about their winning chances and are relying only on Modis charisma to win the elections in the face of a stiff challenge posed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress. Maharashtra is one of the most important states in the Lok Sabha polls as it has the second highest number of seats (48) after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 elections, the BJP had won 41 seats along with the then undivided Shiv Sena. The BJP won 23 seats and Shiv Sena won 18. The BJP was hopeful that the split in the Shiv Sena and NCP would further strengthen the saffron partys position in the State, as their leaders claimed to win at least 45 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats. However, according to party insiders, trends in the first two phases of polling are not so encouraging which has prompted the party leadership to go for a higher number of Modis rallies. While the saffron party said PMs rallies are part of its strategy to reach out to the maximum voters, the opposition claimed it was a sign that the BJP was in panic mode. The PM is holding rallies in almost every constituency in Maharashtra. It shows that they have panicked and are terrified of losing seats, said NCP (SP) Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase.

Soaring Temperatures: Maharashtra's Solapur Sizzles at 43.7C, Multiple Cities Breach 40C Mark

Soaring Temperatures: Maharashtra's Solapur Sizzles at 43.7C, Multiple Cities Breach 40C Mark Temperature in several areas of Maharashtra crossed 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, with Solaur the hottest at 43.7 degrees Celsius, a rise of 2.3 degrees from the normal. The high temperatures were recorded mainly in western and central areas of the state, as per IMD data. Notably, a heatwave warning was issued for Raigad, Mumbai suburb and Thane for Sunday. A temperature of 34.4 degrees Celsius, one degree above the normal, was recorded by Colaba observatory (representative of south Mumbai). At 27.6 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature also rose by 1.4 degrees from the normal, as per the India Meteorological Department. The Santacruz observatory (representatives of suburbs in Mumbai) recorded a maximum temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius, an increase of 4.4 degrees, while the minimum temperature was 27.2 degrees Celsius, which was 1.9 degrees above normal, as per data. Neighbouring Thane recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius. The other districts where temperatures crossed 40 degrees Celsius include Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (40.7), Jalgaon (42.2), Nashik (41.2), Kolhapur (40.2), Nanded (42.4), Palghar (42), Parbhani (42.8), Sangli (41), and Satara (40.5). All these districts either reported temperatures at par with normal or above normal. The increase in the minimum temperature is serious as it means the nights are also warmer in these districts. Some of the districts that recorded a rise in the minimum temperature include Kolhapur at 26.2 Degrees Celsius (an increase of 3.5 degrees), Nanded at 28.2 degrees Celsius (a rise of 3.2 degrees), Nashik at 24.9 degrees Celsius (an increase of 3.5 degrees) and Sangli at 26.5 degrees celsius (an increase of 3.9 degrees).

Video: Boy, 5, Wanted Eknath Shinde To Join His Birthday Party, Gets A Surprise

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday joined the birthday celebration of a five-year-old boy in Anantpuram Society in Kolhapur.

Its Congress that wants to change Constitution: PM Modi

PM Modi alleged at a campaign rally in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, on Saturday that Congress wants to extend the Karnataka model of offering reservation to all Muslims in the country by planning a dacoity on 27% OBC quota, and that it plans to change the Constitution for this appeasement. Later, addressing a rally in Sancoale, South Goa, Modi said the Constitution holds no significance for Congress.

Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed for having to vote for Congress, says CM Shinde

Speaking at a rally in Kolhapur, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Eknath Shinde said the move was a diversion from Bal Thackeray's resolve of not allowing the (undivided) Shiv Sena to become like the Congress

PM Modi Accuses INDIA Bloc of Divisive Politics

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday continued his attack on the INDIA bloc accusing it of trying to create divide in the country and indulging in appeasement politics. Mr. Modi said the INDIA blocs only goal is to form a government and loot India. The PM held an election rally in Kolhapur to campaign for BJP candidate Sanjay Mandlik, who is contesting against Congresss Chhatrapati Shahu, descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Taking a dig at the INDIA bloc for its alleged divisive agenda, the PM said, The INDI alliance aims to sharpen and divide India into North vs South. The people from the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will never support their divisive politics. Mr. Modi reminded the crowd that leaders of INDIA bloc did not attend the pran pratishtha of Lord Ram at the Ayodhya temple. INDI alliance is so deep in appeasement politics that they celebrate Aurangzeb in the land of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. DMK has equated Sanatana with Dengue & Malaria, he said. The rally was also attended by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Ramdas Athawale. Mr. Modi said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has worked towards permanent solutions to the problems in the last ten years while the INDIA bloc aims to facilitate systemic loo. The PM said, The Shehzada of Congress aims to impose an Inheritance Tax to loot the people of India. They aim to conduct a comprehensive investigation of a caste-based survey of resources.The I.N.D.I alliance aims to loot the people of India to fill their coffers. Claiming that the NDA has improved prospects and opportunities for common people through initiatives like Startup India, Mr. Modi said, Today India is the third largest startup ecosystem and the second largest mobile manufacturer owing to progressive policies undertaken by the NDA. Later, Mr. Modi also held an election rally in Goa where he attacked the Congress for spreading lies about EVM. He reiterated his charge of appeasement politics against the Congress. The 2024 election is the fight between two distinct ideals. The NDA works towards the development of the country while the INDI alliance is concerned only for their selfish objectives and welfare of their families, Mr. Modi said.

Cong, allies want to split south India into separate nation: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unleashed a scathing attack on the opposition INDIA bloc, particularly the Congress, accusing it of using anti-national agendas and appeasement' to compete against BJP-led NDA in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a public rally in Maharashtra's Kolhapur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the opposition INDIA bloc for demanding separate nation by splitting South India'.

Modi calls Uddhav 'fake Shiv Sena' in Kolhapur poll rally; claims INDIA bloc wants 'One year, One PM'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a swipe at former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, labelling his party as fake Shiv Sena and claiming that his father Bal Thackeray would be disheartend for aligning with INDIA bloc members Congress and the DMK. Addressing a public rally in Maharashtra's Kohlapur, Modi said that fake Shiv Sena was walking shoulder to shoulder with Congress and the DMK, which has abused Sanatan Dharma and that Bala Saheb must be upset seeing these activities. The DMK party, which is very special to Congress, is abusing Sanatan Dharma. They are saying that the Sanatan Dharma is dengue and malaria. And the INDI Alliance invites them to Maharashtra and honours those who speak of destroying Sanatan... What must Bala Saheb feel after seeing this?... Fake Shiv Sena is walking shoulder-to-shoulder with these people... Bala Saheb must have been very upset with this. Wherever his soul is, it must be upset seeing these activities, Modi claimed. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) has been a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance alongside the Congress and the NCP(SP) since 2019. It is also part of the INDIA bloc, which includes the DMK as another member. Meanwhile, the prime minister also claimed that the INDIA bloc have devised the 'One year, One PM' formula, by which they were planing to have five prime ministers in five years if voted to power. If they get a chance for five years, then there will be five different PMs. However, the nation will not tolerate this. That's why they are showing their anger towards the nation, he claimed. VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: They (opposition) have devised the 'One year, One PM' formula. If they get a chance for five years, then there will be five different PMs. However, the nation will not tolerate this. That's why they are showing their anger towards the nation. In pic.twitter.com/C1KjoSwoJX Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 27, 2024 In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Congress and INDI alliance leaders are demanding a separate nation by splitting South India. Will the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ever accept this? PM Modi questioned. Further, raking up the politics around reservation, PM Modi said that the Congress always insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and claimed that they (Congress) wants to change the Constitution and rob Dalits, OBCs of quota benefits for religion-based reservation. Modi said the Congress wants to extend the Karnataka model wherein Muslims were inducted in the 27 per cent quota for OBCs, in the entire country. The Congress-led alliance has vowed to murder social justice, he said and accused the Congress of stooping low for appeasement and vote bank politics. Targeting Rahul Gandhi over wealth distribution, Modi said, The Congress shehzade wants to search your wealth and distribute it to those who the party had said to have the first right on the country's resources. The Congress wanted to impose inheritance tax and rob people of their inheritance. Such people shouldn't get even a slight chance of coming to power, he added. Modi also claimed that the Congress' new agenda is to reinstate Artcile 370 in Kashmir. When the Congress and its friends realised that they cannot compete with NDA's track record of development, they changed their strategy. They are using anti-national agendas and appeasement. Now, Congress' agenda is that they will reinstate Article 370 in Kashmir, he said.

Congress-Led INDIA Bloc Plans To Have Five PMs In 5 Years If Elected: Modi

Kolhapur, Apr 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday targeted the Congress-led INDI alliance, saying it is mulling to have five prime ministers in five years if voted to power. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel Addressing a rally at Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, Modi said the opposition bloc cannot even reach a three-digit figure or at the doorstep of forming a government, but has plans to have one prime minister every year if they get a chance. In [] The post Congress-Led INDIA Bloc Plans To Have Five PMs In 5 Years If Elected: Modi appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Maharashtra: 2.09 Crore Voters to Determine Outcome for 258 Candidates in Phase III of Lok Sabha Elections

Maharashtra: 2.09 Crore Voters to Determine Outcome for 258 Candidates in Phase III of Lok Sabha Elections A total of 2.09 crore voters will decide the fate of 258 candidates in 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra which will go to polls in the third phase on May 7. The last date for withdrawal of nominations was April 22. There are 13 candidates in the fray in Raigad constituency, 38 in Baramati, 31 in Osmanabad, 28 in Latur, 21 in Solapur, 32 in Madha, 20 in Sangli, 16 in Satara, nine in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, 23 in Kolhapur, and 27 in Hatkanangale, as per official data. There are a total of 2,09,92,616 voters (1,07,64,741 male, 1,02,26,946 female and 929 third gender) and 23,036 polling centres across the 11 constituencies. The highlight of the third phase in Maharashtra will be the high-octane contest between Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar of the rival NCP led by Sunetra's husband and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Baramati. There are also two royals, belonging to different branches of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's dynasty, in the fray. In Satara, Udayanraje Bhosale is contesting as BJP candidate, while in Kolhapur, Shahu Chhatrapati is contesting on the Congress' ticket. Union minister Narayan Rane is contesting on BJP ticket from Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri. Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam said preventive action was taken against 95,250 persons in the state as of April 22, and items worth Rs 471.89 crore were seized, including Rs 43.96 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 34.78 crore and drugs worth Rs 216.47 crore.

Entertainment: Rakul Preet and Jackky Bhagnani

Rakul Preet and Jackky Bhagnani: Newlyweds Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani have been continuously flaunting couple goals ever since they tied the knot in February this year. On Tuesday, February 23, when some fans went close to Rakul Preeti Singh for taking selfies at Mumbai airport, Jackky Bhagnani saved her. Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani Actresses Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani are one of the most powerful and sweet couples in Bollywood. Rakul and Jackie got married in Goa in the presence of family and friends. Since marriage, both are often seen showing off their couple's goals. On Tuesday, April 23, Jackie and Rakul were spotted at the airport, where Jackie Bhagnani was seen posing as a protective husband. Protective Husband Jackky Bhagnani Some fans came very close to Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani to take selfies at the airport. Some fans were about to bump into Rakul Preet Singh while taking selfies when Jackky Bhagnani appeared like a protective husband. Jackky Bhagnani became Rakul Preet Singh's shield and saved her from the fans. Pictures and videos of Jackie's protective husband are going viral on social media. Seen in ethnic outfit Jackky Bhagnani and Rakul Preet Singh were looking very cute together at the airport. Both were seen in ethnic clothes. Rakul and Jackie posed a lot for the fans as well as the paparazzi. Jackky Bhagnani was wearing a maroon-colored embroidered kurta and blue-colored loose pajamas. Jackky Bhagnani was wearing goggles with this ethnic look, in which he looked quite dashing. Rakul in silver-copper palazzo-kurta Rakul Preet Singh was wearing a silver and copper-colored palazzo suit. Rakul did not carry a dupatta with this palazzo set, but she was looking very beautiful in this look. Rakul was wearing Kolhapuri-style slippers with this ethnic outfit. Rakul had tied her hair in a pony and was wearing black goggles. Wedding on February 21, 2024 After dating for many years, Rakul and Jackie got married with great pomp in Goa on February 21, 2024. Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Aditya Roy Kapur, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, David Dhawan, and many other Bollywood celebrities attended her wedding. Talking about the work front, producer Jackky Bhagnani's film 'Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan' has been released recently, and is performing well at the box office.

Brixton Motorcycles Powers into India: Announces Strategic Expansion and New Manufacturing Hub

Brixton Motorcycles Powers into India: Announces Strategic Expansion and New Manufacturing Hub Brixton Motorcycles, an emblem of Austrian heritage renowned for blending timeless design with modern technology, proudly announces its entry into the Indian market. The brand has partnered with KAW Veloce Motors Pvt. Ltd. for manufacturing and distribution, preparing to launch an exclusive range of motorcycles tailored for the Indian audience. Brixton's move into India is fueled by a strategic vision to introduce its European elegance to the Indian riders. After nearly two years of meticulous planning with KAW Veloce Motors, the company aims to leverage India's significant position in the global motorcycle sphere, thereby reinforcing Brixton's growing reputation in Europe and Southeast Asia. The company is set to launch four distinct motorcycle models in India this year, each exemplifying Brixtons dedication to elegance, performance and innovation. These models are being developed at Brixtons Austrian design center, with production centered in a new state-of-the-art facility in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, benefiting from KAW Group's extensive manufacturing expertise. Further elevating their collaborative efforts, Brixton and KVMPL plan to set up a research and development center in India. This initiative aims at crafting models specifically for the Indian market and marks a significant step towards establishing India as a strategic export hub to Southeast Asian and African markets. Brixton Motorcycles also intends to build a comprehensive dealer network across major Indian cities. The plan includes launching 15 dealerships by the end of 2024 and expanding to 50 by the following year, ensuring accessibility and convenience for customers nationwide. Mr. Tushar Shelke, Managing Director at KVMPL, expressed his excitement about the launch, hinting at more thrilling developments to come. ''We are thrilled to bring this esteemed brand to the Indian motorcycling community,'' said Shelke. ''With the launch confirmed, stay tuned for more exciting news soon! As Brixton Motorcycles gears up for a dynamic future in India, it promises not only to meet but exceed expectations, setting new benchmarks in the motorcycle industry with a commitment to excellence and innovation. The brand's entry is distinguished by a focus on catering to a diverse range of consumersfrom novices to veteran riders seeking premium experiences. This approach is complemented by an upcoming ADV motorcycle global launch, positioning Brixton to uniquely appeal to Indian motorcycling enthusiasts. To engage with Indian consumers effectively, Brixton will initiate an extensive marketing campaign leading up to a festive brand launch in 2024.

Lok Sabha election: 317 candidates in fray for 11 third phase Maharashtra seats

In Maharashtra, 317 candidates had valid nomination forms for the May 7 Lok Sabha polls in 11 constituencies. Notable contests include Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hathkangale.

Heatwave warning issued for 8 Maharashtra districts

Mumbai: Severe heat conditions continued to affect Maharashtra as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave warning for eight districts of the state including Mumbai, Thane and Nashik. Despite rains in some parts of the state, the temperatures have remained high with Malegaon registering the highest temperature at 43 celcius. According to the IMD, the heat wave will prevail in districts like Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar as well as North Maharashtra districts of Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar on Saturday. In addition to this, it has also predicted rains in districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Satara, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Nagar, Dharashiv, Latur, Beed, Parbhani, Nanded and Hingoli with lightening and thunderstorms. Despite intermittent rainfall, temperatures remained unyieldingly high across the state. Malegaon seized the title for the hottest location in the state, marking 43C on the mercury. On Sunday, the IMD has predicted light rains in Marathwada, Vidarbha, Khandesh and central Maharashtra, whereas some parts of Konkan, Central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha will receive light to medium range on Monday, the officials said. In the Marathwada region, all four stations reported temperatures surpassing 40C, exceeding normal ranges by 0.4 to 3.7C. Similarly, except for Gondia at 39.8C, all nine stations in Vidarbha recorded temperatures exceeding 40C. In light of the looming heatwave, the IMD officials have advised people to take precautions to avoid heat exposure, including wearing loose and cotton clothes, covering their heads with a cloth, hat, or umbrella, staying hydrated and avoiding outdoor activities during peak heat hours.

ASI educates and promotes Panhala Fort on World Heritage Day in Kolhapur

Marking the theme this year, Discover and experience diversity, the ASI officials organised a photo exhibition under the title, Maratha Military Landscapes showcasing the history and heritage of the fort. On January 2, 1954, Panhala Fort was declared as a monument of national importance.

Summer Fashion: If you want to wear chikankari kurti then complete your look in this way, people will praise you after seeing it.

Whenever the summer season arrives, girls are first worried about their clothes. In this season, she wants to wear such clothes which are comfortable to wear, but which do not affect her style in any way. In such a situation, if she chooses such clothes, she should be comfortable and also look beautiful. Chikankari kurti is considered the most special among such clothes. The Chikankari kurta looks quite classy, and it is quite comfortable to wear. In such a situation, women and girls of every age like to wear chikankari kurti. If you also like to wear chikankari kurti, but do not understand how to style it, then this article is for you. In this article, we will tell you how to style chikankari kurti properly, so that your look looks most beautiful even in the summer season. Wear with palazzo Although most of the girls wear chikankari kurta with jeans, if you are wearing such a kurta, then wear a palazzo with it. Chiffon fabric palazzo will make you look beautiful. The heels will look beautiful If you want, you can carry heels to complete your look. Heels with a chikankari kurta will give a very stylish look. If you don't like heels then Kolhapuri slippers will also look amazing with them. Earrings in ears Earrings always look lovely with ethnic wear, but if we talk about chikankari kurta, then you can also carry such earrings with it. Such earrings also look very beautiful. If you have long hair, this will suit you very well. Loose hair If you keep your hair open with a chikankari kurta, your look will look amazing. That's why keep your hair open so that your look looks stylish. (PC: Social media)

Chhatrapati Shivaji Descendants In Fray For Lok Sabha Polls

Two descendants of legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra. While the BJP on Tuesday fielded Udayanraje Bhosale, 13th descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, from the Satara Lok Sabha seat, the Congress has already announced the nomination of Shahu Chhatrapati from the Kolhapur seat. Maharashtra has two royal families with a direct lineage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - Satara and Kolhapur. The Satara royal family traces its origin to Sambhaji Maharaj, the elder son of Chhatrapati Shivaji, and Kolhapur royal family traces its origins to Rajaram Maharaj, the younger son of Shivaji. In Kolhapur, Shahu Chhatrapati will be up against sitting MP Sanjay Mandlik of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Mandliks father Sadashivrao had defeated Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati (son of Shahu Chhatrapti) in 2009 Lok Sabha election when the royal family scion was NCP candidate, while Mandalik, once close aide of Sharad Pawar, had rebelled and contested as an independent. In Satara, Udayanraje will be pitted against senior NCP leader and legislator Shashikant Shinde. He had won the Satara seat in 2019 as a candidate of the undivided NCP, but resigned within a few months and joined the BJP. However, in the by-election, Udayanraje lost as a BJP candidate to NCPs Shrinivas Patil. The BJP later nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in April 2020. His term was to end in 2026. As the Satara seat was won by NCP, Ajit Pawar faction had staked claim on the seat. Ajit wanted Udayanraje to contest on NCP ticket but the latter was firm that he will contest only on BJP ticket. Udayanraje said that the situation in the country was favourable for the saffron party and expressed confidence that he would win by a margin of more than two lakh votes.

'Fight only against BJP': Maharashtra Congress leader Vishal Patil files nomination as independent candidate

MUMBAI: In a surprising move, former Maharashtra Congress chief minister's grandson Vishal Patil filed his nomination to contest as an independent candidate in the Sangali Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday. Vishal Patil before filing the nomination addressed his loyalists and said that he never thought there would come a situation where he would have to leave the Congress party. However, Patil said that the people of Sangali urged him to contest the polls against sitting BJP MP Sanjay Kaka Patil and to defeat the policies of his tyrannical rule. We used all official channels to get the ticket, but in alliance, we did not get the ticket therefore decided to fight as an independent against the BJP Lok Sabha MP. My fight is not against any one, but against the tyranny of the BJP and failure of its candidate. Our area is lagging behind in development due to inefficient BJP Lok Sabha MP. We cannot miss this opportunity this time, said Vishal Patil before filing his nominations. Patil will be contesting against the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrahat Patil who is in alliance with the Congress party in Maharashtra and sitting BJP MP Sanjay Kaka Patil. During the seat sharing talks, the Maharashtra Congress which has formed an alliance with the Uddhav Thackery led Shiv Sena (UBT) had demanded the Sangali seat. Former Congress minister Vishwajit Patil fought for Vishal Patil and even had a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, however, Uddhav Thackeray was not willing to relinquish the Sangali Lok Sabha seat. Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) argued that the party has already given away its traditional Kolhapur and Ramtek Lok Sabha seats to the Congress party and thus it intended to keep the Sangali seat. Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is also facing similar unrest in Bhiwandi and Mumbai South central Lok Sabha seat among the Congress cadres, both seats conceded to alliance partners NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) respectively. The Congress leaders of Bhiwandi and Mumbai South central may revolt against the official candidate of MVA. In alliance, Congress party got the row deal (17 Lok Sabha seats) despite the national party while Shiv Sena (UBT) got sweet deal with highest 21 Lok Sabha seats in total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Therefore, the anger and unrest is natural, said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity.

Amitabh Bachchan to receive Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar

Amitabh Bachchan to receive Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award, the Mangeshkar family announced on Tuesday. The family and the trust instituted the award in the memory of Lata Mangeshkar, who died on February 6, 2022, following multiple organ failure. Bachchan, 81, will receive the recognition on April 24, the memorial day of their father and theatre-music veteran Deenanath Mangeshkar. This award, known as the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar, is given every year to an individual who has made a path-breaking contribution towards the nation, its people and society. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was its first recipient, followed by Lata Mangeshkar's sister Asha Bhosle in 2023. Music maestro A R Rahman will receive the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar for contribution to Indian music, said a press release issued by the Mangeshkar family. The award will also be presented to non-profit organisation Deepstambh Foundation Manobal for services in the field of social service, while Ashtavinayak Prakashit's ''Galib'', produced by Malhar and Vajreshwari, will be recognised as the best drama of the year. Marathi writer Manjiri Phadke will receive Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar (Vagvilasini Puraskar) for contribution to literature, while actor Randeep Hooda will be feted with the Vishesh Puraskar for contribution to cinema. Veteran actors Ashok Saraf and Padmini Kolhapure will be honoured with Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar for their contribution to cinema. The recipients also include Roopkumar Rathod for his contribution to the field of music, Bhau Torsekar for editorial services and Atul Parchure for services to theatre and drama. Hridaynath Mangeshkar will preside over the function and the awards will be felicitated by the hands of Asha Bhosle to the awardees, the press release said. ''Since 1943, we have been celebrating this day without fail. Lata didi is not with us but her blessings and inspiration is with us. We will continue to celebrate this and we are hoping that it should happen every year, even after us. As we all have crossed 90, we have established this trust Deenanath Smruti Pratishthan,'' Hridaynath Mangeshkar said at an event here. Singer Roopkumar Rathod said receiving the Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar is bigger than getting an Oscar or a Grammy trophy. ''I have been on the path of music for the past 45 years. For me, this award is not less than the Oscar or the Grammy, it is bigger than that... It is like achieving salvation after many births,'' he added.

Why Chhatrapati scion chose Congress over BJP

Shahu Chhatrapati, scion of the Kolhapur royal family, has said he chose the Congress for his poll debut as he draws inspiration from his great grandfather Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a hugely revered figure among all segments of society for his bold social reforms.

Mumbai Suburban, Kolhapur, Chennai Top Districts In Consumer Spend Through Credit Cards: Study

The findings of the study come at a time when the Reserve Bank of India has consistently expressed its concern over the rise in personal loans.

Setback for BJP in Madha as Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil quits party ahead of LS polls

Setback for BJP in Madha as Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil quits party ahead of LS polls In a big blow to Maharashtra's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit, Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil resigned from the party. He represented the Madha Lok Sabha constituency. According to reports, upset over not getting the ticket in the upcoming elections, he sent his resignation to BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The BJP chose sitting MP Ranjit Singh Naik Nimbalkar over him for the Madha seat. On Thursday, Patil met Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) party chief Sharad Pawar in Pune. The Madha constituency was formed in 2009 after delimitation and Sharad Pawar was the first Lok Sabha member elected from Madha in 2009. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. The Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state in five phases from April 19 to May 20. In the first phase on April 19, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, and Chandrapur will go to polls. Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani will vote in the second phase on April 26. Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur will vote in the third phase on May 7. Polling will be held across Nandurbhar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Beed, and Shirdi in the fourth phase on May 13. Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South and Mumbai South-Central will vote in the final phase on May 20. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena. Votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)

Misconceived: Bombay High Court dismisses plea against Kolhapur temple trustees

Misconceived Bombay High Court dismisses plea against Kolhapur temple trustees

Baisakhi 2024: You can spread your beauty by wearing such a suit on the day of Baisakhi.

The festival of Baisakhi is celebrated with great pomp in Punjab. People start preparing for it many days in advance. Although this festival is celebrated every year on 13th or 14th April, but if we talk about this year, then this year this festival will be celebrated on 13th April. On this day people dress up in traditional manner. While on one hand men wear traditional kurta and pajama, women wear different types of suits. Every girl wants to look her most beautiful on the day of Baisakhi. For this, girls choose suits for themselves according to the trend. If you also want to look different and beautiful this Baisakhi, then in this article we will show you some such suits which are in trend these days. If you wear a suit like this on a festival day, everyone will praise you after seeing your look. Patiala Suit You can carry a traditional look by wearing this type of suit. In Punjab, women prefer to wear Patiala suits in most of the programs. With this you can carry mojaris on your feet. Apart from this, Paranda in hair and bangles in hands will complete your look. Palazzo suit Nowadays women like this type of palazzo suit a lot. It is quite comfortable, so most women like to wear it. You can carry a similar suit on the day of Baisakhi. Sharara suit If you like Sharara suit, then you can show your beauty by wearing this type of suit. With this, if you want, you can put Paranda in your hair. Kurta with churidar pajami Girls who are newly married can carry heavy work kurta with such churidar pajami. It also looks very beautiful. Anarkali suit Anarkali suit is very comfortable to wear. Due to this, you can carry this type of Anarkali suit on the day of Baisakhi. If its length is short, then complete your look by wearing churidar pajami with it. Tunic suit This type of Angrakha suit looks very lovely. With this, if you want, keep your hair open. If it is of full sleeve, then there is no problem, otherwise definitely wear bangles in your hands. With this you can also carry Kolhapuri. (PC: Instagram)

MVA seals poll pact in Maharashtra; Sena (UBT) gets 21 seats

Mumbai: The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Tuesday announced its seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha polls with the Shiv Sena (UBT) getting the major chunk of 21 seats, while the Congress will contest 17 seats and the NCP (SP) 10. The Congress gave up its claim on the contentious Sangli and Bhiwandi seats, which will now be contested by the Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP), respectively. While the Sena (UBT) said the goal of the alliance was to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress said it has decided to be large-hearted to achieve this objective. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and state Congress president Nana Patole announced the poll pact for the 48 parliamentary seats in the state after weeks of hectic negotiations. Addressing a press conference at 'Shivalaya', the Shiv Sena (UBT) office in south Mumbai, party head and former state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said the seat-sharing deal has been reached and in an alliance, winning is important and defeating the BJP is the goal. When victory against the BJP is the larger goal, we have to set aside certain differences, he said when asked about the Shiv Sena (UBT) refusing to give Sangli seat to the Congress. Thackeray said there was a strange coincidence of surya grahan (solar eclipse), amavasya (new moon) and the BJP rally on the same day (Monday). Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech yesterday was not that of a prime minister. When we respond, please don't take it as an insult of the prime minister. Our criticism will be about a leader of a corrupt party, Thackeray said to a query on Modi referring to his party as fake Shiv Sena. It is not right for a leader of the party of extortionists to call us fake, he said. The BJP is a party of extortionists and this was seen after the electoral bonds scam was exposed, Thackeray claimed. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said his party has decided to be large-hearted to achieve the final goal of defeating PM Modi and the BJP. The Congress workers will fight the BJP and ensure victory of the MVA candidates in Sangli and Bhiwandi, he said. Our workers will never forget how the BJP ill-treated our leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he said. Patole said the parties of Thackeray and Sharad Pawar were hijacked by rebels. Leaders of both the original parties are with us and Modi calls the Uddhav Thackeray-led party as fake Shiv Sena, he said. As part of the deal, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has got Jalgaon, Parbhani, Nashik, Palghar, Kalyan, Thane, Raigad, Maval, Osmanabad, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Buldhana, Hathkanangkale, Aurangabad, Shirdi, Sangli, Hingoli, Yavatmal-Washim, Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North West and Mumbai North East seats. The Congress has got Nandurbar, Dhule, Akola, Amravati, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Chandrapur, Nanded, Jalna, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North, Pune, Latur, Solapur, Kolhapur and Ramtek seats. The NCP(SP) will contest Baramati, Shirur, Satara, Bhiwandi, Dindori, Madha, Raver, Wardhan, Ahmednagar South and Beed seats. The Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state in five phases from April 19 to May 20.

MVA Seat Sharing: Sena to get 21 seats, Congress 17 and NCP 10, say reports

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is set to fight on 21 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in upcoming elections, with Congress fighting on 17 and Nationalist Congress Party getting the remaining 10. Of the four contentious seats, Shiv Sena will retain Sangli, while Congress will get Mumbai North. Besides Mumbai North, some of the main seats fought by Congress Party are Nandurbar, Dhule, Akola, Amaravati, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Nanded, Jalna, Mumbai North Central, Pune, Latur, Solapur and Kolhapur. Seat sharing talks among the three allies were thrown into disarray when Shiv Sena announced candidates to 21 out of the 48 seats, including seats such as Sangli, Mumbai South Central and Mumbai North West, which were also eyed by the Congress. The front was formed in Maharashtra, India after Shiv Sena and its ally Bharatiya Janata Party could not come to an understanding on sharing power, particularly with regard to the issue of rotating the post of chief minister. As a result, Shiv Sena -- led by Uddhav Thackeray, walked away from the decades-old alliance and tied up with its long-time rivals Indian National Congress and Nationalist Congress Party or NCP. While the government so formed was not expected to last very long, it surprisingly survived for three years, and was brought down by a rebellion led by Shiv Sena leader from Thane, Eknath Shinde. Another split, this time in NCP, further enriched the new, BJP-led alliance later that year. This was led by Ajit Pawar, the nephew of party president Sharad Pawar. Eventually, the speaker of the Maharashtra assembly recognized the breakaway group of Shiv Sena as the real Shiv Sena.

Uddhav's Shiv Sena set to outnumber Shinde's faction in Maharashtra LS polls

MUMBAI: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) refuses to concede a single additional seat to its alliance partners, while Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde is forced to drop its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Uddhav Thackeray has decided to contest 22 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress will contest 14 and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) will contest a total of 10 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress party has staked claim over the traditional Sangali Lok Sabha seat, but Uddhav Thackeray has refused to concede it, stating that they already sacrificed their two Lok Sabha seats, Ramtek and Kolhapur even though the Sena had sitting Lok Sabha MPs in these seats. However, both the sitting Lok Sabha MPs chose CM Eknath Shinde to lead Shiv Sena. Congress eats Maha humble pie as Uddhav stays firm on seats In 2019, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena contested a total of 23 Lok Sabha seats and won 18, while the BJP contested 25 Lok Sabha seats and won 22 seats in Maharashtra. On the other hand, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is going to contest 11 to 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Earlier, Shinde had insisted on 18 Lok Sabha seats, but BJP refused to concede more seats, citing negativity against the Shiv Sena's sitting Lok Sabha MPs in the internal survey. Therefore, these sitting Lok Sabha MPs were forced to be dropped. Moreover, CM Shinde has also been forced to concede Sena's traditionally fought seats to BJP and alliance partners, including Dharashiv, Nasik, Raigad, Thane, Raigad, and Ratnagiri. Additionally, in Jalna, Washim, and Ramtek, BJP forced him to replace the candidate as per its choice. CM Eknath Shinde had a really tough time pacifying the disgruntled leaders and aspirants. Shinde was forced to yield major space to BJP; therefore, BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will contest 28 to 30 Lok Sabha seats, up from 25 seats in the previous general elections. BJP's contested seat tally has increased, but on the other hand, Shinde and Ajit Pawar-led fronts will contest fewer seats than in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. So, it is a major task before Shinde and Pawar to convince their people and make them work for the alliance candidates, he added. 'Banks have all details when it comes to farm loans but...': Uddhav on electoral bonds disclosure

Good Morning Sunshine | Song - Rock A Bye Bye

Watch the song Rock A Bye Bye from Hindi movie Good Morning Sunshine starring Revathi and Tejaswini Kolhapure. Rock A Bye Bye is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and music of the song is composed by M M Keeravani. Lyrics of Good Morning Sunshine song Rock A Bye Bye are written by Riya Mukherjee. To know more about Rock A Bye Bye song from Shweta Tripathi, Revathi, Rituparna Sengupta, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Shabana Azmi starrer Good Morning Sunshine watch the video.

Maharashtra Premier League: Kolhapur Tuskers buy former KKR all-rounder Shrikant Mundhe, Aniket Porwal

Maharashtra Premier League: Kolhapur Tuskers buy former KKR all-rounder Shrikant Mundhe, Aniket Porwal Last edition's runners-up Kolhapur Tuskers picked an experienced all-rounder Shrikant Mundhe and hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Aniket Porwal to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming second edition of the Maharashtra Premier League. The team, owned by the Punit Balan Group, spent a total amount of Rs 10.90 lakh at the player auction held in Pune to add nine players to their 20-member squad and also added some variety in the bowling department while successfully executing their auction strategy. Led by former India batsman Kedar Jadhav, Kolhapur Tuskers had finished runners-up in the last edition after the final was washed out. The team management was determined to pick a few individuals who could add value to the squad from the players auction as they target the champions tag this year. The team had successfully retained the core of their last year's squad by holding on to the likes of last edition top-scorer Ankit Bawane and Sachin Dhas, who played a scintillating 96-run knock under pressure to help India reach the U-19 World Cup final in February this year. We are happy to pick a strong squad overall. With a good combination of youth and experienced players, the line-up looks fantastic. Each player brings their own unique skills and strengths to the table. I believe this team will take us to new heights in the upcoming season and also entertain the fans and supporters of Kolhapur Tuskers, commented Punit Balan, Chairman and Managing Director of PBG. At the players auction, Kolhapur Tuskers won an intense bidding war for the big-hitting batsman Porwal, paying Rs 3.50 lakh against the base prize of Rs 40,000. They also went all out to get experienced all-rounder Mundhe (base prize Rs 60,000) for Rs 3 lakh. The 35-year-old Mundhe was part of two Indian Premier League teams, making his IPL debut for Pune Warriors back in 2011. He was then bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2019. Porwal, who has represented Maharashtra at the U-19 level, scored a couple of half-centuries and batted at a strike rate of over 180 to help his team win the Karbhari Premier League 2024 in March this year. The team also bought all-rounder Yash Khaladkar for Rs 2.7 lakh against the base prize of Rs 20,000. The other players who were bought at the auction by Kolhapur Tuskers include Harsh Sanghvi (Rs 40,000), Harshal Mishra (Rs 40,00), Yogesh Dongare (Rs 30,000), Hrushikesh Daund (Rs 20,000) and Sumit Markali (Rs 20,000). Kolhapur Tuskers squad: Kedar Jadhav, Ankit Bawane, Sachin Dhas, Harsh Sanghvi, Kirtiraj Wadekar, Aniket Porwal, Hrishikesh Daund (U-19), Yogesh Dongare, Taranjit Singh, Atman Pore, Akshay Darekar, Shreyash Chavan, Yash Khaladkar, Nihal Tusamad, Manoj Yadhav, Umar Shah, Harshal Mishra (U-19), Sumit Markali, Siddharth Mhatre, Shrikant Mundhe.(ANI)

Congress Leaders Upset With Uddhav Thackeray Over Sangli Seat

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Mumbai: The Sangli Lok Sabha seat in Western Maharashtra has created a rift between Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT). The Congress wants to field Vishal Patil, grandson of former chief minister Vasantdada Patil from this Lok Sabha seat, while Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena (UBT) has announced the candidature of Chandrahar Patil, a popular wrestler. The Congress leaders led by MLA Vishwajeet Kadam have approached the party high command with this issue in New Delhi. Without naming Mr Kadam, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut indicated that the Congress leader is likely to join the BJP soon. Hitting back at Mr Raut, the Congress MLA said that if Mr. Raut has guts, he should take the name. Amid this, Congresss Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala held a meeting at Nagpur over Sangli and Bhiwandi seats. According to the sources, some Congress leaders met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader K.C. Venugopal on Friday and requested both of them to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Sangli will go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha election. Mr. Kadam along with Vishal Patil also met to Congresss Maharashtra in-charge in Nagpur on Saturday. They have apprised Sangli district Congress's stand over the Lok Sabha seat. Earlier in the day, referring to Mr. Kadam, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that Vishal Patil has a pilot. We will have to see where would he land the plane. The plane should not go to Gujarat, he said. Mr. Raut also claimed that after holding a discussion with the senior Congress leaders, Uddhav Thackeray has announced the candidate for the Sangli seat. It is in exchange of Kolhapur Lok Sabha seat, which has been given to the Congress. Speaking with this newspaper, Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam said that he met Ramesh Chennithala and the party high command leaders and informed them about the party's position in Sangli district. This constituency has six assembly seats of which the Congress has two seats, NCP has one seat, while the remaining three seats are with the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena UBT does not have a single MLA in the district. Mr Kadam said, Sanjay Rauts comment is unfortunate and uncalled for. It is below the belt. Mr Chennithala said that the Sangli seat issue would be discussed with the party high command. On Mr. Raut's allegation against Mr. Kadam, the Congress's Maharashtra incharge said that Mr. Raut should not make personal comments against anyone.

Shiv Sena (UBT) declares four more nominees; fields ex-MNS leader Vaishali Darekar in Kalyan

Shiv Sena (UBT) declares four more nominees; fields ex-MNS leader Vaishali Darekar in Kalyan The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday declared four more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, fielding Vaishali Darekar-Rane from the high-profile Kalyan constituency, currently represented by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde. With this, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has so far declared nominees for 21 seats in Maharashtra which will go to polls in five phases starting April 19. Darekar-Rane had contested from Kalyan on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ticket against the Shiv Sena's Anand Paranjape in 2009, finishing third by bagging 1.02 lakh votes. Speaking at a news conference, Thackeray also declared the candidatures of Satyajit Patil (Hatkanangale), Bharti Kamdi (Palghar) and Karan Pawar (Jalgaon). If his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Congress was not keen on contesting the Mumbai North constituency, his party will field a candidate there, Thackeray said. The BJP has fielded Union minister Piyush Goyal from Mumbai North. The Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde has not yet declared its candidate from Kalyan. Thackeray said Darekar-Rane and Bharti Kamdi are grassroots workers of the party. Karan Pawar, a former president of Parola Municipal Council in north Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, emerged as a surprise choice of Shiv Sena (UBT). Pawar, a BJP leader, joined the Thackeray camp along with sitting BJP MP Unmesh Patil earlier in the day. Unmesh Patil quit the BJP after he was denied a ticket from Jalgaon. The party has fielded Smita Wagh in his place this time. Thackeray also indicated that Shiv Sena (UBT) will not relent on Sangli constituency where it has already declared its candidate (Chandrahar Patil) though the Congress is seeking the seat. The candidature of Chandrahar Patil caused heartburn in the Congress which wanted to field Vishal Patil, grandson of former chief minister late Vasantdada Patil, from Sangli, its traditional bastion in western Maharashtra. ''The Shiv Sena (UBT) has ceded its traditional Kolhapur and Ramtek seats to Congress,'' Thackeray pointed out, adding that his party had already started campaigning in Sangli. Asked if there would be a friendly fight in Sangli, Thackeray said, ''Friendly fights are useless because when there is friendship, there is no contest.'' The Congress is also upset over Shiv Sena (UBT) fielding Thackeray's close aide Anil Desai from Mumbai South-Central constituency. ''If our ally (Congress) is not keen on contesting Mumbai North, we will field a candidate from that seat. We are contesting four (out of six) seats in Mumbai. We want the Congress to win rest of the two seats in Mumbai, and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers will help them,'' Thackeray added. Satyajit Patil's candidature from Hatkanangale in western Maharashtra is seen as a jolt to Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana's Raju Shetti who was seeking Thackeray's support to contest from this constituency. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the party had conveyed to Shetti that he should contest on the `burning torch' symbol of Shiv Sena (UBT), which he did not agree to. Local party workers were also of the opinion that whoever contests as MVA candidate should contest on the `burning torch' symbol, he said. Shetti won the Hatkanangale seat in 2009 and 2014, but in 2019 he lost to the undivided Shiv Sena's Dhairyasheel Mane. Palghar seat is currently represented by undivided Shiv Sena's Rajendra Gavit.

Maharashtra: 65-year-old Kolhapur man beaten to death for saying 'Mumbai Indians will lose' after Rohit Sharma's wicket

The Rural Police have arrested two people for allegedly beating to death a 65-year-old man following a heated altercation over ongoing IPL cricket match at Hanmantwadi village in Karveer tehsil of the district.

Kolhapur: Elderly Man Dies Days After Being Hit On Head During IPL Match, 2 Arrested

Both the accused and the victim had gone to the house of the neighbour opposite their house -- who had installed a TV -- to watch the IPL match

IPL fan beaten up for cheering fall of Rohit Sharma's wicket dies

An IPL fan in Kolhapur attacked by a friend and aide for celebrating the fall of Rohit Sharma's wicket during a match on Wed succumbed to injuries on Sat.

Man Beaten to Death for Rohit Sharmas Dismissal in IPL Match

Mumbai: A man was allegedly beaten to death for celebrating Rohit Sharmas wicket during an Indian Premier League match. The police have arrested two suspects in the case. The 63-year-old victim, identified as Bandupant Tibile, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. He was beaten up during the match between Mumbai Indians and Hyderabad Sunrisers on March 27. According to the reports, the deceased was a fan of the Chennai Super Kings team. The altercation happened when Rohit Sharma lost his wicket while chasing the target of 278 runs in 20 overs match. After Sharma got out, Tiblie started celebrating and said there was now way MI was going to win the match. This enraged the MI supporters, who started a heated argument with him. The altercation between the two groups of fans led to a violent assault with wooden sticks that inflicted fatal injuries. Tibile was seriously injured in the incident and fell unconscious on the spot. He was rushed to the hospital, but the elderly man could not overcome the severity of his injuries and passed away. Kolhapurs Karveer police have arrested the alleged attackers Balwant Mahadev Jhanjge (50) and his nephew Sagar Sadashiv Jhanjge (35) after Tibiles death. They were produced before a local court, which remanded them to police custody for further investigation. The police said that the prima facie an argument over the IPL match appears to be the reason behind Tibiles assault as there was no previous animosity between the deceased and accused persons. However, they are interrogating the accused to know if there is another angle to the case and to know if more people were involved in it. Kolhapur SP Mahendra Kamlakar Pandit told this newspaper that they initially registered an FIR under section 307 of IPC against Balwant Jhanjge and Sagar Jhanjge. The victim died on Saturday during his treatment. We have now added section 302 of IPC in the FIR, he said.

Senior citizen assaulted while watching IPL match in Kolhapur village dies, 2 held

Senior citizen assaulted while watching IPL match in Kolhapur village dies, 2 held A 65-year-old man who was assaulted while watching an IPL match on television in Kolhapur district has died, leading to the arrest of two persons, a police official said on Sunday. Bandupant Tibile was hit with sticks by Balwant Jhanhge and Sagar Jhanjge after he cheered when Mumbai Indians player Rohit Sharma got out in a game versus Hyderabad Sunrisers on Wednesday, the official said. ''Tibile died on Saturday in a hospital after which Balwant and Sagar were arrested,'' the Karveer police station official said.

Nobody should...: Sena-UBT firm despite Cong objection

Raut said there is always give and take in an alliance and they gave Ramtek and Kolhapur seats to the Congress. He said Sena-UBT has also given Amravati to the Congress.

High Court grants pre-arrest bail to Kolhapur woman in husbands suicide case

High Court grants prearrest bail to Kolhapur woman in husbands suicide case

Congress Fumes as Shiv Sena (UBT) Unilaterally Announces Candidates in Maharashtra, MVA Alliance Cracks Widens

Mumbai: Cracks in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra were further widened, with the Congress left fuming after the announcement of 17 candidates by the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the impending Lok Sabha polls. The Congress expressed its displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray unilaterally announcing the candidates when the negotiations over the contentious seats were still ongoing. The Shiv Sena (UBT), a constituent of the MVA, on Wednesday released its first list of 17 candidates. The list includes the contentious seats of Sangli and Mumbai South Central, where ally Congress also wants to field its own candidates. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has named Chandrahar Patil and Anil Desai as candidates for the Sangli and Mumbai South Central seats, respectively. Sangli was once a bastion of the Congress, but since 2014, the seat has been held by BJP MP Sanjay Patil. The Sena has denied the Congress claims on the seat by announcing Mr Patil as its candidate. According to Sena, they have swapped Sangli for Kolhapur, where the Congress has fielded Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a descendant of legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Congress had also staked its claim on the Mumbai South Central seat, currently represented by Rahul Shewale of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Congress reportedly wanted to field its Mumbai president and former Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad from there, but the Shiv Sena (UBT) has now announced Mr Desai, a trusted confidante of Mr Thackeray, whose Rajya Sabha term ended this year, as its candidate for the seat. Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat expressed unhappiness over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Senas first list, saying the party should have avoided declaring candidates for seats about which discussions were still going on. It is important that everyone follow the coalition dharma. We hope the Sena will rethink its decision, he said. Ms Gaikwad said she had conveyed her unhappiness to the party high command about the Senas decisions on Sangli and seats in Mumbai, which were still being discussed. The Sena should not have done that. We will take further action based on guidance from the party leadership, she said. Former Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam urged his party to break the alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT). I appeal to the Congress leadership to intervene or break the alliance with the Shiv Sena. I am not a person who is sitting without any option. I have all options open. Now it will be aar ya paar, he said. Mr Nirupam, who lost in the Mumbai North West constituency in the last two elections, wanted to contest the poll for a third time. However, the Sena (UBT) has announced Amol Kirtikar as its candidate for the seat. When asked, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said such things happen in an alliance, adding that these dynamics will not affect the MVA. We had a sitting MP in Ramtek, but the Congress candidate has even filed a nomination. So its fine. Alliances work like this, he said.

MVA in Maha spot as Cong, Uddhav cross over 3 seats

MUMBAI : Hardly has the election campaign begun in Maharashtra than the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has started faltering on seat-sharing. The alliance partners are set to go against each other with the Congress reminding Uddhav Thackeray of coalition dharma over Sangli and other Lok Sabha seats. The state Congress expressed its displeasure at Uddhav-led Shiv Sena declaring Sangli and a few Mumbai Lok Sabha seats. Both the parties had staked their claims on these seats. Former minister and Congress MLA Vishwajit Patil met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and sought his intervention so that Sangli seat went to party candidate Vishal Patil, the grandson of former CM Vasant Dada Patil. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena declared its 17 Lok Sabha candidates on Wednesday, including Chandrahar Patil for the Sangli seat. Besides, the party also declared candidates for Mumbais four Lok Sabha seats. Apart from Sangli, the Bhiwandi and Mumbai South Central seats are the bone of contention among the MVA partners. The Congress wants all three seats based on winnability while NCP (Sharad Pawar) wants to contest the Bhiwandi seat. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has already declared Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai as its candidate from Mumbai South Central where the Congress wants to field its Mumbai unit chief Varsha Gaikwad. A source said the Congress leadership has conveyed to the state unit that if they failed to pursue Uddhav and Sharad Pawar, then they should be ready for a friendly fight in all three constituencies. Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat has said Uddhav should not have declared the candidates for Sangli and other Mumbai Lok Sabha seats when the discussions were on for these seats. He said that it was not too late for Uddhav to withdraw from Sangli and other LS seats. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) said the party was firm on the candidates already declared. He said that Ramtek and Kolhapur seats were theirs but had to concede them to Congress. So, why not get Sangli in return? he asked. Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who wants Mumbai North-West seat, said the party should break the alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) if it was not honouring the agreements.

Uddhav Nominates 17 Candidates, MVA Begins To Crumble

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI) Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI) Mumbai: Cracks in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra were further widened with the Congress left fuming after the announcement of 17 candidates by the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Congress expressed its displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray unilaterally announcing the candidates when the negotiations were still about the contentious seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT), a constituent of the MVA, on Wednesday released its first list of 17 candidates. They include the contentious seats of Sangli and Mumbai South Central, where ally Congress also wants to field its own candidates. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has named Chandrahar Patil and Anil Desai as candidates for the Sangli and Mumbai South Central seats respectively. Sangli was once a bastion of Congress, but since 2014, the seat has been wrested by the BJP MP Sanjay Patil. The Sena has denied Congress claims on the seat by announcing Chandrahar Patil as its candidate. According to Sena, they have swapped Sangli for Kolhapur seat, where the Congress has fielded Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a descendent of legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The congress had also staked its claim on the Mumbai South Central seat, currently represented by Rahul Shewale of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Congress reportedly wanted to field its Mumbai president and former Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad from there but the Shiv Sena (UBT) has now announced Anil Desai, a trusted confidante of Thackeray whose Rajya Sabha term ended this year, as its candidate for the seat. Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat expressed unhappiness over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Senas first list, saying the party should have avoided declaring candidates for seats about which discussions were still going on. It is important that everyone should follow the coalition dharma. We hope the Sena will rethink its decision, he said. Varsha Gaikwad said she had conveyed her unhappiness to the party high command about the Senas decisions on Sangli and seats in Mumbai, which were still being discussed. The Sena should not have done that. We will take further action based on guidance from the party leadership, she said. Former Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam urged his party to break the alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT). I appeal to the Congress leadership to intervene otherwise break the alliance with Shiv Sena. I am not a person who is sitting without any option. I have all options open. Now it will be aar ya paar, he said. Nirupam, who lost in the Mumbai North West constituency in the last two elections, wanted to contest the poll for a third time. However, the Sena (UBT) has announced Amol Kirtikar as its candidate for the seat. When asked, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said such things happen in an alliance, adding that these dynamics would not affect the MVA. We had a sitting MP in Ramtek but the Congress candidate has even filed a nomination. So its fine. Alliances work like this, he said.

MVA in trouble ? Congress expresses displeasure over Shiv Sena's (UBT) Sangali candidature

Maharashtra Congress expressed displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena (UBT) for declaring Sangali and few Mumbai Lok Sabha seats where both the parties had staked a strong claim. Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena declared its 17 Lok Sabha candidates on Wednesday morning including Chandrahar Patil for Sangali Lok Sabha seat. Besides, the party also declared candidates for Mumbai Lok Sabha seats even when the discussion on these seats were on with Congress. The Sangli Lok Sabha seat was a bone of contention between Congress and Shiv Sena, as both the parties had put their claims over this particular seat and were keen to contest it. However, Uddhav Thackeray declared his candidate Chandrahar Patil for the Sangali Lok sabha seat on Wednesday along with four other contentious seats. Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat expressing his displeasure said that Uddhav Thackeray should not have declared the candidates for Sangli and other Mumbai Lok sabha seats, when the discussion and negotiations for these seats were in process. Thorat also said that it is not too late for Uddhav Thackeray to rethink and rescind his decision over Sangli Lok Sabha seat. He said that in a coalition, an alliance partner like Uddhav Thackeray has to follow the alliance Dharma for the larger interest of the alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that they are firm on the declared candidates. He also said that Ramtek and Kolhapur constituencies were theirs but had to concede it to Congress so why not get Sangali in return? On the other hand, Congress has argued that in Sangli, they have got a strong candidate like Vishal Patil, the grandson of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vasant Dada Patil. He said Congress has solid network of workers in the constituency while Shiv Sena has significant presence. Why should we just throw away the seat when we have strong candidate ? In this election, each Lok sabha seat is important, said the Congress leader. Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who was eyeing Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat said that Congress should break the alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) if it is not honouring the seat sharing agreements.