Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said grand temples would be built in Varanasi and Mathura and the Uniform Civil Code would be implemented if the NDA returns to power by winning over 400 Lok Sabha seats. He said the NDA, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will ensure that Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, returns to the country.
Tragic Bus Fire in Haryana: 9 Dead, 17 Injured
Tragic Bus Fire in Haryana: 9 Dead, 17 Injured Nine people, including five women and a 12-year-old girl, were burnt alive and 17 injured when a moving tourist bus caught fire near Dhulawat village in Haryana's Nuh district in the early hours of Saturday, police said. The incident took place around 2 am on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway, they said. The bus was carrying around 60 people, all residents of Punjab's Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana, who were returning from pilgrim towns of Mathura and Vrindavan. All of them are relatives, the police said. The cause of the fire is said to be a short circuit in the AC box of the bus but it is yet to be ascertained, they said. The police said an FIR has been registered against the bus driver, who fled the scene after the incident, at Sadar Tauru police station. Of the 17 injured, 14 have been discharged from Nalhar medical college, Nuh, while three women are still undergoing treatment at different hospitals, an official said. Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, Dhirendra Khadgata said the forensic team of Madhuban will investigate the cause of the fire in the bus. Sub Divisional Magistrate Tauru Sanjeev Kumar has been appointed as the nodal officer to investigate this matter, he added. A local resident Vasim said that after noticing the fire, some people called out the driver asking him to stop the bus but he continued driving. He said he even chased the bus on a motorcycle but by then the fire had spread inside the bus. The locals also informed the police and fire department. Four fire tenders reached the spot and doused the fire, the police said, adding that of the nine people, who were killed in the incident, three are still to be identified. Those who have been identified include Shashi Sharma, Gautam Sharma, 12-year-old Jovita alias Khushi, all residents of Shalimar Nagar Hoshiarpur, Sunita Bhasin from Model Town Kamalpur, Darshan Lal of Jalandhar and Amar Rani from New Saini Enclave, Mohali, a senior police officer said. The injured were identified as Hasraj, Payal Sharma, Soni Sharma, Swatantra Sharma, Sudesh Kumar, Urmila Sharma, Nisha Sharma, Anju Sharma, Sangeeta, Meena Rani, Krishna, Naresh Kumar, Javinder Rana, Baljeet Singh, Poonam, Vijay Kumar and Shanti, the officer said. ''Due to their critical conditions, Shanti and Sudesh were referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, and Sangeeta was referred to a hospital in Gurugram. The others, who were injured in the incident, have been discharged. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for postmortem,'' Dr Vardhman of Nalhar medical college said. According to the complaint filed by 60-year-old Rakesh Kumar, resident of Vasant Vihar, GT Road, Bhogpur in Punjab's Jalandhar, he along with his family members left for a religious trip in a tourist bus on May 10. There were about 60 of us in the bus, including about 35 women, 21 men and four children, beside the bus driver and conductors, he said. We were on our way back home from Vrindavan on Friday night when the bus suddenly caught fire near Dhulavat village on KMP Expressway, Kumar said. ''Seeing the smoke, we told the bus driver to pull over to the side but he did not stop the bus. Later, due to heavy smoke, he stopped the bus and by then the fire had spread inside the bus. I and many other people saved our lives by jumping out of the bus and some local people took out some other passengers from the bus and admitted them to different hospitals,'' he said. ''About nine passengers were burnt alive in this accident. Many people also got injured and all our money, jewellery and other belongings were burnt to ashes. This accident was caused due to the careless driving of the bus driver,'' Kumar alleged in his complaint. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against the bus driver under sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304A (death due to negligence), 427 (causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Sadar Tauru police station on Saturday, the police said. ''FIR has been registered and we are trying to nab the accused bus driver. The postmortem of the bodies is being conducted,'' Inspector Jitendra Kumar, Station House Officer, Sadar Tauru, said.
Yogi Adityanath Rallies for BJP, Slams Congress on Ram Temple and Security Issues
Yogi Adityanath Rallies for BJP, Slams Congress on Ram Temple and Security Issues Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said Ram Lalla will not allow Congress to come to power again and accused the opposition party of questioning the martyrdom of security personnel during 26/11. Addressing a rally here to campaign for advocate Ujjwal Nikam, BJP candidate for Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency, Yogi said the ongoing elections are about choosing between Ram bhakts and Ram drohis. Ram bhakt is a rashtra bhakt who will serve the people of India and work for the country's progress. A Ram bhakt who paved the way for the construction of Ram temple can ensure respect for the people and the country as well as safety and security, he said. Mumbai North Central, where Congress has nominated its city chief Varsha Gaikwad, and 12 other constituencies in Maharashtra will go to polls in the fifth phase of the general elections on May 20. Campaigning for these seats ended at 6 pm on Saturday. Adityanath also accused the Congress and its allies of being upset with the construction of the Ayodhya Ram temple. Congress leaders say Ram temple shouldnt have been constructed. If the Congress is so upset about it, it can construct a Ram temple in Italy. If they dont want a Ram temple, they can build one dedicated to Bajrangbali (Lord Hanuman). Some Congress leaders say that if their party comes to power, they will destroy the Ram temple, claimed the senior BJP leader. Ram Lalla will not allow you to come to power, he said. The Uttar Pradesh CM said when the BJP speaks with confidence of winning 400-plus seats, the ground beneath slips for opposition parties. People say they will support only those who got the Ram temple (constructed), he said. Adityanath also accused the grand old party of insulting the martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by questioning their sacrifice. Nikam, the special public prosecutor during the 26/11 trial, was instrumental in sending terrorist Ajmal Kasab to the gallows, he said. Nikam stood against anti-nationals. No one has dared target Mumbai again. This is new India under (Prime Minister) Narendra Modis leadership. Now, even if a tiny cracker is burst on Diwali, Pakistan has to clarify that it was not behind it, Adityanath said. He urged people to vote for Modi, stressing that a third term for him would destroy Aurangzebs soul that has ''crept into'' the Congress and its allies. India will be atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and viksit (developed), he said. Earlier in the day, Adityanath addressed rallies in Malegaon in Nashik district and Palghar in the state. After Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath, we have to move towards Mathura, he said. During Congress rule, Indias borders were unsafe and the countrys image had diminished, he said, adding that there is respect, security and welfare of poor in new India.
BJP national president J P Nadda said that that party has become Saksham (capable) from the time it needed the Rastriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and the saffron party runs its own affairs now. Nadda said the RSS is an ideological front and minds its own business. In an interview to the Indian Express, the BJP chief, while answering a question on the contrast between the RSS' presence during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now said, Shuru mein hum aksham honge, thora kum honge, RSS ki zaroorat padti thi Aaj hum badh gaye hain, saksham hai toh BJP apne aap ko chalati hai (In the beginning, we would have been less capable, smaller and needed the RSS. Today, we have grown and we are capable. The BJP runs itself). Thats the difference.
9 from Punjab charred to death in Nuh bus fire
Chandigarh, May 18 (UNI) Nine people were burnt to death while score others injured when a moving bus full of devotees returning to Punjab from Mathura-Vrindavan caught fire on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana early Saturday, police said. According to the police, the incident occurred in Nuh around 2 am when the bus carrying 60... The post 9 from Punjab charred to death in Nuh bus fire first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .
10 Charred To Death, Several Injured As Bus Catches Fire In Haryana
Nuh: At least 10 people charred to death and several others sustained injuries as a bus carrying more than 64 pilgrims caught fire at Haryanas Kundali-Manesar-Palwal Expressway on Saturday intertwining night. As per reports, the bus caught fire when the devotees were returning from a pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh. The driver [] The post 10 Charred To Death, Several Injured As Bus Catches Fire In Haryana appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .
8 killed, more than 20 injured as bus catches fire in Haryana
The bus was carrying around 60 people, all of whom were residents of Punjab and Chandigarh and were returning from Mathura-Vrindavan.
Tragedy Strikes: Bus Fire in Haryana Claims 8 Lives, Injures 20+
Tragedy Strikes: Bus Fire in Haryana Claims 8 Lives, Injures 20+ At least eight people were burnt alive and more than 20 were injured when a moving bus caught fire near Tauru in Haryana's Nuh district in the early hours of Saturday, police said. The incident occurred around 2 am on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway. The bus was carrying around 60 people, all of whom were residents of Punjab and Chandigarh and were returning from Mathura-Vrindavan, police said. Locals noticed the fire, chased the bus and asked the driver to stop. They also informed the police and the fire department. Eight people were killed and more than 20 were injured in the fire. The injured were rushed to the hospital, police said.
Bus fire claims 8 lives, dozens injured in Haryana
Eight devotees died in a bus fire on the Kundali-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana while returning from a pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh. The incident involved over 60 individuals from a family in Punjab, including women and children.
8 Burnt To Death As Bus Carrying Devotees Catches Fire In Haryana
Eight devotees were killed and dozens of others injured after their bus caught fire on the Kundali Manesar Palwal Expressway on Friday night, officials said. The devotees were returning from a pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan.
Supply channel leading to Mathurakaliamman temple pond to be desilted
The move is aimed at improving water storage in the teppakulam; more dust bins planned to be installed to prevent littering
Reservations will end, Ill go to jail if we lose: CM; Oppn. is in disarray: BJP
BJP wont cross 250-seat mark, says Kejriwal in his first roadshow for Cong. nominees; Modi govt. made Lord Ram smile in Ayodhya, vote for us so that Lord Krishna smiles in Mathura, says M.P. CM
Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of BJP govt's efforts: MP CM Mohan Yadav
Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of BJP govt's efforts: MP CM Mohan Yadav The Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of the efforts of the BJP government and this time when the party returns to power, ''even Lord Shri Krishna in Mathura will smile'', Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Wednesday. The BJP leader was in Delhi to campaign for his party for the Lok Sabha elections. The seven parliamentary seats in the national capital will go to polls on May 25 in sixth round of the seven-phase of general elections. ''If Lord Ram is smiling in his temple in Ayodhya, it is because of the efforts of the (Narendra) Modi government... So once again it will be the Modi government and this time, even Lord Shri Krishna in Mathura will smile. For this votes should go only to the BJP,'' he said. He said Delhi saw incidents of terrorism during the tenures of previous governments at the Centre. But nothing happened during the 10 years of the Modi government, Yadav said. ''This is an example of the strong leadership of the Modi government,'' he said. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a poll rally in Malkaganj in support of his party's North East Delhi seat candidate Manoj Tiwari. He dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a ''Ranchordas (deserter)'' for fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi. Both parliamentary seats are in Uttar Pradesh. ''In the previous Lok Sabha polls, he left Amethi and contested from Wayanad in Kerala. Now he is contesting from Rae Bareli. Why did not Rahul Baba contest from Amethi. He has become 'Ranchordas','' Chouhan said. He also attacked Congress' candidate from North East Delhi, Kanhaiya Kumar, alleging that he raised slogans ''Bharat tere tukde honge''. A gathering of Sikhs in the Chandni Chowk constituency earlier in the day extended support to BJP candidate Praveen Khandelwal. BJP national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, ''Now Sikhs across the country have understood that if anyone can fulfill the dream of a developed India, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On one hand there is the Congress which massacred Sikhs and on the other hand there is the BJP, which is a partner in the sorrows and joys of Sikhs.'' Manoj Tiwari campaigning for South Delhi BJP candidate Ramvir Singh Bidhuri in Sangam Vihar appealed to the Purvanchali people to vote for him to make Modi prime minister again of the country.
PoK will be merged with India if BJP gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls: Himanta
PoK will be merged with India if BJP gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls: Himanta Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Wednesday asserted that if the BJP wins 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will be ''merged with India'', and a Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and Gyanvapi temple will be built in Mathura and Kashi, respectively. Addressing an election rally in Jharkhand's Ramgarh, he said the BJP needs to secure over 400 seats to also implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country. PoK will be merged with India if the BJP gets 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The party needs that many seats to build the 'Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and 'Gyanvapi temple', just like when it crossed the 300-seat mark in 2019, it built the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Sarma said. Later, at a press conference in state capital Ranchi, the BJP leader also accused the Congress of suppressing Hindu sentiments. There is a Hindu awakening in the country after years and their voice cannot be suppressed amid this Modi tsunami across India, Sarma said. ''During the Congress regime, a law was enacted that discussion can be held on the Ram temple... Congress brought in such a law that no civil court, high court or the Supreme Court can adjudicate on the ownership of Krishna Janmabhoomi and the so-called Gyanvapi Mosque. Is such a law acceptable that prohibits us from building God's temples?'' the Assam CM said. The injustice on India by Aurangzeb and Babar (Mughal leaders) has been minimised with the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Sarma claimed. Sarma also emphasised on the need to check infiltration in Jharkhand, cautioning that unless that happens, original inhabitants will be reduced to minorities in 20 years and infiltrators from Bangladesh will become original citizens. He said Assam and West Bengal committed blunders by not checking infiltration during the Congress regime. Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said: ''He roams around with a red-colour copy of the Constitution, whereas our original Constitution has pictures of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna on every page... It can never be red... China's constitution can be of red colour.'' He also wondered whether the copy of the Constitution displayed by Gandhi has directive principles of state policy. ''If yes, then why did your manifesto say that you will strengthen the (Muslim) Personal Law? It is mentioned in our Constitution that there cannot be Personal Law. The Constitution says that the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in our country,'' Sarma added.
Shahi Idgah row: '1968 compromise' a 'fraud' by Sunni Central Waqf Board, Hindu side tells HC
The Hindu side in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute accused the Sunni Central Waqf Board of fraud in a 1968 compromise. They claimed the property belongs to deity Katra Keshav Deo for over 1,000 years and that Lord Krishna's birthplace was demolished in Mathura.
BJP needs 400 LS seats to build Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and Gyanvapi temple: Himanta
BJP needs 400 LS seats to build Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and Gyanvapi temple: Himanta Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday asserted that the BJP would build Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura and Gyanvapi temple in Kashi if it wins 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP leader, during a press conference here, also accused the Congress of suppressing Hindu sentiments. There is a Hindu awakening in the country after years and their voice cannot be suppressed amid this Modi tsunami across India, Sarma said. ''During the Congress regime, a law was enacted that discussion can be held on the Ram temple... Congress brought in such a law that no civil court, high court or the Supreme Court can adjudicate on the ownership of Krishna Janmabhoomi and the so-called Gyanvapi Mosque. Is such a law acceptable that prohibits us from building God's temples?'' the Assam CM said. He said the BJP needs 400 seats to introduce the Uniform Civil Code in the country, too. Sarma also emphasised on the need to check infiltration in Jharkhand, cautioning that unless that happens, original inhabitants will be educed to minorities in 20 years and infiltrators from Bangladesh will become original citizens.
BJP needs 400 LS seats to build Gyanvapi temple: Himanta
Ranchi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday asserted that the BJP would build Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura and Gyanvapi temple in Kashi if it wins 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP leader, during a press conference here, also accused the Congress of suppressing Hindu sentiments. Also ReadVaranasi court to 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 biased towards Muslims, Modi is towards none: Giriraj
Patna: Union minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday asserted that the Narendra Modi government has never discriminated against Muslims, while charging the Congress-led opposition with a bias in favour of its minority vote bank. The senior BJP leader also said his party looked forward to the construction of grand temples at Kashi and Mathura, just like 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 .
'Kashi, Mathura', Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma reveals BJPs big plan if it crosses 400 seats
Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that when the BJP got 300 seats, it built the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and now temples will be built at Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and in place of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi after it gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls
'Mathura, Varanasi Temples & PoK': CM Himanta on Why BJP's '400 Paar' Pitch Should Become Reality
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had highlighted the protests in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Will build temples in Mathura, Varanasi if BJP wins 400 seats: Himanta
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that when the BJP got 300 seats, it built the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and now temples will be built at Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and in place of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi after it gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls. He also said that Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) will be included in India under the leadership of PM Modi. He further said that during Congress' rule, no discussions were held in Parliament regarding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. When the Congress government was in power, we were told that one Kashmir is in India and the other in Pakistan. It was never discussed in our Parliament that Pakistan has 'Occupied Kashmir,' it is actually ours. Right now, agitation is happening every day in PoK and people are protesting against Pakistan by holding the Indian tricolour in their hands. If Modi ji gets 400 seats, then PoK will also become India's. It has already started, Himanta added. The Assam Chief Minister also asserted that the BJP government is working to give more strength to reservations. PM Modi himself comes from the OBC category. BJP has been in power for 10 years. Our government is working to give more strength to reservations. Congress wants to end SC, ST and OBC reservations and give reservations to Muslims which they have already started in Karnataka, he added. Earlier, highlighting the protests in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, reiterated that it has been India and will always be, adding that people in PoK must be comparing their situation with those living in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out the evident progress in the latter region. The Pakistan Paramilitary rangers on Monday, unlawfully deployed in PoJK, gunned down several protestors leaving dozens and several others severely wounded. The incident left several locals of the area injured, as locals in several thousand were out on the streets to raise their demands against taxes on electricity bills, cuts in subsidies and an end to the perks and privileges of the Prime Minister and President.
Need 400 seats to build temples in Mathura, Varanasi; take back PoK: Himanta Biswa Sarma
The News Mill
After Ayodhya, we will now focus on Mathura
Assam CM Sarma Demands Vice President's Intervention in Alleged Incident Involving AAP MP Maliwal
Assam CM Sarma Demands Vice President's Intervention in Alleged Incident Involving AAP MP Maliwal Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the vice president should take suo motu cognisance of the incident with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence. ''There was an earlier allegation that a Delhi chief secretary was beaten by Kejriwal. Yesterday, he also thrashed a Rajya Sabha MP. I think the vice president, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, should take suo motu cognisance of how a chief minister can beat a Rajya Sabha MP,'' Sarma told reporters. Maliwal on Monday went to the Civil Lines Police Station and alleged that a member of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal staff ''assaulted' her at the chief minister's official residence, police officials said. The Assam chief minister also addressed a public meeting in support of BJP candidate Harsh Malhotra in Laxmi Nagar. Sarma said, ''The BJP government had promised the Ram temple (in Ayodhya) and the government kept the promise. The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled all the promises.'' He said that a magnificent temple will also be built in Mathura, and a grand temple of Baba Vishwanath will be built after winning 400 seats. Attacking the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Sarma said, ''The Lal Qila (Red Fort) and the Qutub Minar are the main attractions of the capital, but the CM of Delhi invites people to show Mohalla Clinics, which are in bad conditions.'' He further said that medical colleges are being built in every district of Assam, and if the BJP is voted to power again, the government will build super-specialty hospitals and medical colleges in the national capital. Local MLA Abhay Verma, deputy president of Delhi BJP Lata Gupta and many other BJP leaders and workers were present during the meeting.
The northern cities of Mathura, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Amritsar and Katra are home to some of the most sacred sites in India. If visiting at least one of them is on your bucket list, then its time to visit them all with our Uttar Darshan Yatra (Mathura, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Amritsar & Vaishnodevi) by Bharat Gaurav Tourist ... Read more
Unnao: Will it be a hatrick for BJP's Sakshi Maharaj?
The BJP's incumbent two-term MP Sakshi Maharaj is facing a spirited fight from former Congress MP from Unnao Annu Tandon for a third time, but this time as SP candidate. Originally from Kasganj, he won three Lok Sabha elections from Mathura and Farrukhabad, before being brought here in 2014, then winning on the back of almost en bloc support from the dominant Lodhi caste here as well as Nishads, combined with the Hindutva and Modi factor. But he has not been able to develop much of a positive reputation for himself in the past ten years. It is this 'Modi-Lodhi' factor that Tandon is challenging.
NDA needs 400 seats to reintegrate PoK: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Sarma stresses NDA's need for 400+ seats for UCC, Mathura temple, and Gyanvapi inclusion. Criticizes Congress for Muslim reservation plan, advocates for SC, ST, OBCs. Emphasizes Sanatan's secularism, condemns polygamy, child marriage.
NDA needs 400 seats to implement UCC & get back PoK: Himanta
Begusarai: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country, to get back the Pakistan occupied Kashmir, to stop love jihad, to construct a grand temple at the Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura and to stop religion based reservation, NDA has to win 400 seats in the []
NDA Needs Over 400 Seats...: Himanta Biswa On UCC, Krishna Janmasthan Temple
Himanta Biswa Sarma was addressing a rally in Begusarai, he said thatNDA needs to secure victory on over 400 seats in Lok Sabha elections to implement UCC and build a temple on Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura.
Breaking News: Updates on Top Stories Highlights: Major Earthquake Strikes Japan: Tremors cause widespread damage and power outages. Political Scandal Rocks Washington: Top officials implicated in corruption allegations. New COVID Variant Detected: Concerns grow over potential severity and vaccine effectiveness. Record-Breaking Heat Wave Grips Europe: Scorching temperatures lead to health risks and wildfires. SpaceX Launch Successful: Crew of four astronauts safely enters orbit for International Space Station mission. Following are the top stories at 5.20 pm: NATION ELN36 ELECTIONS-DL-KEJRIWAL **** All opposition leaders will be in jail if BJP wins LS polls: Kejriwal New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that all opposition leaders, including his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav, will be in jail if the BJP wins the Lok Sabha polls.**** ELN51 ELECTIONS-OD-MODI-2NDLD RALLY **** Congress won't win even 50 LS seats, will not get opposition party status after polls: PM Phulbani/Bolangir/Bargarh (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that the Congress will not win even 50 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and will not be able to get the opposition party status after the polls.**** ELN68 ELECTIONS-BH-KHARGE-RALLY **** Why did Modi govt not take action if Ambani, Adani were sending black money to Congress: Kharge Samastipur (Bihar): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning why did his government not take any action if, as per his allegation, industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani were sending black money to the grand old party.**** ELN49 ELECTIONS-TL-LD AMIT SHAH **** PoK belongs to India, asserts Union Home Minister Amit Shah Hyderabad: In a scathing attack on Congress and its leaders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said due to the fear of Pakistan having an atom bomb, the grand old party wants to give up India's rights over Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.**** ELN59 ELECTIONS-RAHUL-PM **** Rahul Gandhi calls PM 'puppet king' of 'tempo billionaires' New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a ''puppet king'' of ''tempo billionaires''.**** ELN55 ELECTIONS-WB-MAMATA-GUV **** Bengal Guv must explain why he should not resign in wake of molestation allegations: Mamata Saptagram (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday slammed Governor C V Ananda Bose over allegations of molestation against him, and said he must explain why he should not step down.**** ELN56 ELECTIONS-BH-HIMANTA **** NDA needs more than 400 seats in LS elections to implement UCC in country: Himanta Begusarai (Bihar): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the NDA needs to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country and to construct a grand temple at the Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura.**** ELN15 ELECTIONS-MP-BHURIA-REMARK **** After row over his two wives remark, Bhuria says he made comment in response to tribal man's query Bhopal: Former Union minister and Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, Kantilal Bhuria, who has courted a controversy with his ''two wives'' remark, has clarified that he passed the comment sarcastically in response to a tribal man's query.**** DEL2 JAISHANKAR-CAREER HIGHLIGHT **** Closing out G20 Summit most satisfying, forging crucial friendships most significant in his career, says EAM Jaishankar New Delhi: If closing out the G20 Summit was the most satisfying moment of his career, the most significant was being associated with ''enormous changes in some crucial relationships'' such as the US, Australia, UAE and Japan during the last five years, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar says. By Vijay Joshi and Kunal Dutt **** DEL23 ASTRONOMY-LADAKH **** Severe solar storm triggers rare auroral arc in Ladakh sky New Delhi: A crimson glow lit up the dark sky in parts of Ladakh in a rare stable auroral red arc event at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in the high Himalayas due to the strong solar magnetic storms launched towards Earth.**** DEL25 THAKUR-INTERVIEW-KEJRIWAL **** People like Kejriwal, Sisodia, Jain never welcome in BJP: Anurag Thakur Hamirpur: Amid a recent influx of opposition politicians into the BJP, Union minister Anurag Thakur said that while the party continues to attract rivals, it will never accept Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who are facing serious charges of corruption.**** MDS1 KA-SCANDAL-BJP ARREST **** Sex videos: BJP leader Devaraje Gowda arrested in Chitradurga Chitradurga (Karnataka): BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda was arrested in connection with the release of an explicit sex video allegedly involving Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.**** CAL4 WB-SANDESHKHALI-TMC **** TMC seeks to apprise President about Sandeshkhali incidents Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Saturday said it has become imperative for the party to apprise President Droupadi Murmu of the true unfolding of incidents at Sandeshkhali which had led to narratives and counter-narratives between the ruling party and the BJP.**** LEGAL LGD2 SC-SHARMA-FAKE ENCOUNTER-BAIL **** SC grants bail to ex-cop Pradeep Sharma in 2006 fake encounter case New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Mumbai Police officer Pradeep Sharma, awarded life sentence in the 2006 fake encounter killing case of gangster Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakkhan Bhaiya.**** LGD1 DL-HC-TERROR **** HC grants bail to alleged Indian Mujahideen operative in terror case New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Abdul Subhan Qureshi, co-founder of banned terror organisation Indian Mujahideen (IM), in a terror case.**** FOREIGN FGN26 UN-AFGHAN-FLOODS-TOLL **** Flash floods kill more than 300 people in northern Afghanistan after heavy rains, UN says Islamabad: The UN food agency says more than 300 Afghans have died in flash floods that also destroyed more than 1,000 houses in the northern province of Baghlan. AP**** FGN27 MALDIVES-INDIA-TROOPS **** Maldives says 76 Indian military personnel replaced by civilians to operate 3 aviation platforms gifted by India Male: Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer on Saturday said 76 Indian military personnel were replaced by civilian employees of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited which manufactured the helicopters gifted by India, thus also ending the suspense over the exact number of those repatriated. ****
Himanta: NDA Requires Over 400 Lok Sabha Seats to Enact Uniform Civil Code
Himanta: NDA Requires Over 400 Lok Sabha Seats to Enact Uniform Civil Code Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the NDA needs to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country and to construct a grand temple at the Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura. Addressing an election rally in favour of senior BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh in Begusarai, Sarma slammed the Congress and its allies for ''raising question mark'' on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said, ''... The NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to win 400 plus seats to implement the UCC in the country, for the construction a grand temple at Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura and also to ensure PoK, which is a part of India, returns to India.'' The UCC means having a common law for all citizens of the country that is not based on religion. Personal laws and laws related to inheritance, adoption and succession are likely to be covered by a common code. Hitting out at the Congress and its allies, Sarma said, ''Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad, did not attend Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Lalla at Ayodhya. Let me make it very clear that neither Rahul nor Lalu will ever be able to visit Ram temple in Ayodhya ...'' The Assam CM accused the Congress of giving religion-based reservation. ''They (INDIA alliance leaders) are indulging in politics of appeasement and raise issues that support Pakistan. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar recently said that India should not raise the PoK issue and respect Pakistan as it possesses an atom bomb. Even if Pakistan has a nuclear bomb, I am confident that it must have passed its expiry date. ''Our government at the Centre has made it clear that PoK belongs to India and no force can snatch it. We have to give a third term to Modi Ji to ensure that PoK returns to India. Since the NDA government has removed article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, it will ensure PoK returns to India in the coming days,'' said Sarma. The NDA needs to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections to save the quota granted to the OBCs, SCs and STs, he said. ''The Congress gave reservation to Muslims by reducing the quota of OBCs/STs and SCs in Karnataka and other states and it now plans to replicate this across the country. Mamata Banerjee... Congress and RJD are the biggest enemy of OBCs... Religion-based reservation should be given to Muslims in Pakistan, not in India. The NDA will not allow this at any cost,'' he said. ''In Assam, I have made it very clear that Muslims will have to forsake child marriage and polygamy, and encourage women's education. Marrying two or three times is not allowed in Assam. It's very simplethey (Muslims) cannot have three wives. Action has been taken against 6,000 people, belonging to a particular community, who indulged in child marriage. We believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,'' he said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh is seeking re-election from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat as the NDA nominee. Singh is pitted against Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Awadhesh Rai, who is Mahagathbandhan's nominee.. Elections will be held in Begusarai, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger Lok Sabha seats of Bihar in the fourth phase on May 13.
NDA needs more than 400 seats in LS elections to implement UCC in country: Himanta
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma outlines NDA's goals, asserting over 400 Lok Sabha seats needed for Uniform Civil Code (UCC) implementation, construction of Mathura temple, and PoK reintegration. He criticizes Congress for religious-based policies and emphasizes NDA's commitment to secularism and OBC rights, campaigning for Giriraj Singh in Bihar.
Congress should fight polls in Pakistan if it loves that nation: MP CM
Congress should fight polls in Pakistan if it loves that nation: MP CM Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday took a dig at the Congress over its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment on Pakistan and said the opposition party should contest from there if it so fond of that nation. In comments which have gone viral on social media, Aiyar is heard saying India should give respect to Pakistan as it is a sovereign nation and engage with it as it also possesses an atom bomb. Aiyar has claimed the video was old and dredged up now as the BJP's election campaign is faltering. ''Congress leaders are fighting elections here but are taking support of Pakistan. What do you have to do with Pakistan? If you are so fond of Pakistan then contest from there,'' Yadav said while taking part in a road show here. Earlier Pakistan used to create disturbances in India but ''now Hindustan is changing'', Yadav said. ''After 2014, terrorism was curbed, and the country's economy rose from 11th to fifth rank, ahead of United Kingdom which ruled us for long,'' he said. Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MP CM said world leaders were vying to take a selfie with the former during the G20 events organised in the country last year. ''Modi has dedicated his entire life to the people of the country,'' Yadav said, adding that a temple will come up for Lord Krishna in Mathura the way a grand temple came up in Ayodhya for Lord Ram. In the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh on May 13, voting will take place in Indore, Khandwa, Mandsaur, Ujjain (SC), Dewas (SC), Khargone (ST), Ratlam (ST) and Dhar (ST).
Hyderabad: Techie held for sexually assaulting woman on job pretext
Hyderabad: A young woman was sexually assaulted by a manager of a software company after she was lured under the pretext of a job in Mathura Nagar. The accused has been identified as Naveen Kumar. The victim went for an interview at a software company, where the accused confirmed that she was selected for the 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 .
Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train to Embark on Inaugural Journey from New Jalpaiguri on May 18
Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train to Embark on Inaugural Journey from New Jalpaiguri on May 18 The Bharat Gaurav Special Tourist Train, covering the tourist destinations of North India, will start from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station on May 18, an official of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said on Friday. The journey spans 8 nights and nine days, covering key destinations including Vaishno Devi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Ayodhya. The train, comprising AC-3 tier and economy/sleeper class coaches, will traverse through Malda Town, Rampurhat, Dumka, Bhagalpur, Jamalpur, Kiul to reach Patna Junction on May 19. On May 20 and 21, the train will be stationed at Vaishno Devi Katra station and on May 22 and 23, the train will be at Haridwar station. On May 24, the train will be stationed at Mathura and at Ayodhya on May 25. The train will start its return journey from Ayodhya to reach Patna Junction on May 26 from where the tourists can start their de-boarding at their respective destinations till New Jalpaiguri station. The cost of the package will be Rs 29,500 for AC class and Rs 17,900 per person for economy/sleeper class. Bharat Gaurav is the first such tourism special train and is in line with the Centre's initiative 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' and 'Dekho Apna Desh', the official said in a release.
Clash erupts between CPI (M) and TMC workers during nomination filing processions in Kolkata
Clash erupts between CPI (M) and TMC workers during nomination filing processions in Kolkata CPI (M) and Trinamool Congress supporters engaged in heated arguments with one another when their processions came face-to-face during filing of nominations in Kolkata on Thursday. The incident took place when the supporters of the archrival parties went to Alipore District Collector Office here for filing of nominations by five Left Front candidates and one TMC nominee for the Lok Sabha polls. Supporters of the two parties engaged in heated arguments and sloganeering but a large posse of police personnel stood as a barrier between them, preventing the situation from escalating, an official said. While TMC's Mala Roy is scheduled to file her nomination papers for re-election to the prestigious Kolkata Dakshin constituency, her CPI (M) opponent in the seat, Saira Shah Halim, was also there to file her papers. CPI (M)'s Srijan Bhattacharya for Jadavpur seat, Pratikur Rahaman for Diamond Harbour, Sarat Chandra Halder for Mathurapur and RSP candidate Samarendranath Mondal for Jaynagar constituency arrived at the collector's office in a procession from Hazra Crossing, about a kilometre away, for filing the papers. TMC supporters were also there for the filing of nomination by Roy.
Deity is owner of Mathura site, 1968 compromise not valid
Hema Malini: Check LSS Congress Candidate From Mathura Lok Sabha Seat
Hema Malini is a candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura lok sabha seat and challaned by congress candidateMukesh Dhangar
HC seeks Delhi Govt, polices plan for handling bomb threats in schools
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a detailed response from the Delhi Government and Delhi Police regarding their preparedness and procedures for handling bomb threats in schools. Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a plea filed by lawyer Arpit Bhargava after a bomb threat email was received from Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, 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 .
Rajasthan: MBBS Student Arrested for Impersonating NEET Candidate; 5 Accomplices Detained
Rajasthan: MBBS Student Arrested for Impersonating NEET Candidate; 5 Accomplices Detained An MBBS student who appeared in place of a NEET aspirant in the medical entrance exam on Sunday was detained along with five others, including the candidate, in Rajasthan's Bharatpur, police said. Preliminary investigation revealed that Abhishek Gupta, a government college student, was part of a racket being run by his collegemate Ravi Meena, who had allegedly taken Rs 10 lakh from candidate Rahul Gurjar, they said. ''At an examination centre, Abhishek was found impersonating Rahul Gurjar. On suspicion, the invigilator handed him over to the police. During initial interrogation, he told police that he was accompanied by five others,'' Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Aklesh Kumar said. He said that his associates were sitting in a car outside the examination centre, Master Adityendra School under the Mathura Gate police station area. All the accused are being interrogated and further action will be taken in due course, the ASP said. Besides Gupta, Meena and Gurjar, those detained were identified as Amit, Dayaram and Suraj Singh, according to police. Meanwhile, at a centre in Sawai Madhopur, some candidates appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) examination complained that those who had opted for English as the choice of medium were given question papers in Hindi and vice versa. The candidates' parents alleged that they were thrashed by police when they lodged a protest. Later, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said in a public notice that an incident of ''incorrect distribution'' of question papers by the centre superintendent had come to light. ''In order to uphold the principles of fairness and equal opportunity for all candidates, the NTA has taken proactive measures. The examination of approximately 120 affected candidates at the centre is being conducted today, ensuring that their academic aspirations are not hindered by this incident,'' said Sadhna Parashar, Senior Director, NTA.
PM Modi's campaign focuses on religion over economic issues, alleges Raut
PM Modi's campaign focuses on religion over economic issues, alleges Raut Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek votes in the name of Lord Ram but will not speak on development, inflation and jobs. Talking to reporters here, Raut claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trailing after the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections. The third phase of polls will take place on May 7. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday and hold a roadshow. ''Modi will go to Dwarka, Mathura and Ayodhya. He will go to every temple but won't talk about development, inflation and jobs. He will not talk about why the (2019) Pulwama attack took place,'' the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. He also hit out at the prime minister over the attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which a soldier was killed and four were injured as terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch district. ''Yesterday, in broad daylight, our soldiers were attacked and killed. He will not talk about this in Ayodhya. (He will) just seek votes in the name of Lord Ram,'' Raut said.
Kalpana celebrates 5th rescue anniversary at Mathura elephant hospital
Doing best to deal with bomb threats: Delhi DoE
NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has a zero-tolerance policy in matters of safety in schools and its officials are doing their best to ensure the effective implementation of the guidelines for dealing with disasters, including bomb threats, the Delhi High Court was told. In a status report dated April 29, the DoE said it has issued several directions to the institutions to step up their safety and security measures, including a circular dated April 16 on precautionary measures and the role of the school authorities in cases of bomb threats. The DoEs stand was filed in response to a petition raising concerns regarding bomb threats in schools. Bomb threat is an issue of law and order and specifically, pertain with the police authority and internal security agencies... The department has issued a specific circular dated 16.04.2024 on dealing with bomb threats to schools and issued guidelines on precautionary measures and roles of the school authorities, the DoE said before the court. Petitioner Arpit Bhargava, a lawyer by profession, filed the petition in 2023 in the wake of a hoax bomb threat in DPS, Mathura Road. Additionally, the DoE informed that it called an emergent meeting last month to discuss safety plan for students and staff of schools. It said several circulars have issued necessary directions with respect to minimum standards of school safety, undertaking safety audits, condemnation of obsolete and junk articles as well as preparedness for potential disasters. With respect to bomb threats, the DoE said the heads of schools have been directed to make parents aware that no student should make a hoax threat call due to any reason as it may not only affect his studies, but also lead to police action and even suspension or rustication. Schools to hold drills for safe evacuation The DoE informed the court that heads of schools have been asked to conduct safety walks and mock drills for a safe evacuation of students and staff on a regular basis. There is also an online module with a link on the DoE website for all schools to fill a monthly report on the issue of safety, the report added.
Express train searched for 40 minutes in Bhopal after passenger spots suspicious object
Manish Arora, a resident of Delhi was travelling in Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express and pulled the emergency chain at Mathura Junction so that his mother could finish breakfast before alighting on the platform. (Photo: File I Representational) Manish Arora, a resident of Delhi was travelling in Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express and pulled the emergency chain at Mathura Junction so that his mother could finish breakfast before alighting on the platform. (Photo: File I Representational) Bhopal: A Jammu-bound train was searched for 40 minutes at Rani Kamalapti station in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal on Friday morning after one of the passengers claimed that there was a suspicious object onboard, an official of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said. The Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express was searched at Rani Kamalapati station around 9 am, but the information turned out to be a hoax, RPF commandant Prashant Yadav said. One of the passengers onboard the train informed the ticket checker about the presence of a suspicious object, following which the train was halted at Rani Kamalapati station, he said. However, nothing suspicious was found during the search, which lasted for about 40 minutes, and the train left for its destination at 9.40, the official said. The passenger is being interrogated, he added.
Kerala: Climate change reality gets heatwave check
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Valerian Isaac, a traditional fisherman from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram, is deeply concerned about the impact of climate change on his livelihood and the overall quality of life. He used to enjoy his summer with the sea cooling down when folks in the town sweltered in the heat. The situation however has changed dramatically. The sea has warmed up significantly. Consequently, the fish have migrated to cooler waters away from the coast. Previously, we relied on good winds and occasional rains to alleviate the heat. But this summer has proven to be the toughest yet, Isaac said. With the dwindling catch, only a handful of fishermen dare to venture out into the sea in his area. And they are not the only ones suffering. Adverse weather has also affected autorickshaw drivers, tour operators, vegetable vendors and those in the construction sector. As the government considers imposing further restrictions on operations between 11am and 3pm, the livelihoods of even more sectors hang in the balance. Isaac, like many others, had not heard of the term El Nino, a climate phenomenon responsible for warming the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean and often cited as a primary cause of harsh summers. However, he, along with the rest of the populace, has become acquainted with the term heatwave in recent times. Its sudden appearance in the vocabulary coincided with its confirmation in Palakkad on April 26, the day of the general elections. Such weather was once considered unusual, mostly associated with the traditional hot regions of the country. The India Meteorological Department first issued a heatwave alert in Kerala in 2016, the warmest year on record for the state, primarily focused on Palakkad. This year, the focus has again been on Palakkad which experienced scorching temperatures throughout April, with Thrissur following suit. Subsequently, heatwave alerts were issued for Kollam, Kozhikode and Alappuzha, as temperatures in these districts deviated from the norm significantly. A majority of those belonging to the fishing community in Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram are spending their time under the shade of coconut palms. The reason being the roofs of their homes are made of asbestos and tin sheets, which increase the heat Weather experts assert the situation is similar across south and east India. An Asia-wide heatwave map published by international weather agencies depicts most countries in the region coloured in red. The temperature rise is attributed to global warming induced by climate change. The impact of El Nino exacerbates the situation, said D Sivananda Pai, senior scientist and ADGM of India Meteorological Department. According to him, the dry weather in Kerala has increased the temperature. In Palakkad, the relative humidity is now in the 30-40% range in comparison to the normal 60-80%. Thats why the temperature remains high. The condition is worse for people living in more humid areas as high moisture content does not help reduce body temperature, he said. Like this year, 2016 too was an El Nino year. While it was the warmest year in recent history, the damage, technically, was limited to a heatwave alert in Palakkad. What makes the conditions worse than 2016 is the absence of summer rain, especially in the northern districts, and the land use and land cover changes because of urbanisation, said Rajeevan Erikkulam, a meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. Weather experts pointed out the situation is likely to improve by the second week of May when summer rains are expected to be more regular. The El Nino effect is expected to be neutral during the time of monsoon, but the experts have a warning the next El Nino year could be much worse than 2024. What is heatwave? Qualitatively, heatwave is a condition of air temperature that becomes fatal to human body when exposed. Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. Criterion for declaring heatwave Heatwave is considered to be in effect if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40Celsius or more in the plains, at least 30Celsius or more in hilly regions, and 37 Celsius or more in coastal regions. The departure from normal is 4.5 to 6.4Celsius. If the above criteria is met in at least two stations in a meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days, a heatwave is declared on the second day. A woman carrying a pedestal fan on a two-wheeler in Kochi. With mercury level going up, residents are opting for various methods to beat the scorching heat Heatwave prone states Heatwave generally occurs over the plains of northwest India and central, east and north peninsular India from March to June. It covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Sometimes, it occurs over Tamil Nadu and Kerala too. Impact of heatwave Water stress Health problems Livelihood problems Heatwave in Kerala First alert - Palakkad, in 2016 First alert - Kozhikode - 2020 First confirmation this year - Palakkad, on April 26 First alert in Alappuzha - April 30 Reasons for heatwave Global warming El Nino Absence of summer rain Urbanisation Number of days above 40 degrees Celsius in April in Kerala 2024 - 16 (15 in Palakkad) 2023 - 3 2016 - 14 1989 - 8
Bomb threat to over 130 schools in Delhi-NCR sparks massive scare; Police probing terror angle
Bomb threat to over 130 schools in Delhi-NCR sparks massive scare; Police probing terror angle In a bomb scare of unprecedented scale, over 130 schools in Delhi-NCR received an identical threat email on Wednesday claiming that explosives had been planted on their premises, triggering massive evacuations and searches as panic-stricken parents rushed to pick up their children. ''Nothing objectionable'' was found during searches by authorities which later declared it a hoax. Officials said that the initial probe suspected a ''deeper conspiracy'' by a terror group during the Lok Sabha elections, adding that there is suspicion that the threat mail was sent by an ISIS module. The Delhi Police's anti-terror unit special cell has traced the domain of emails to Russia and it is suspected to have been formed with the help of the dark web - an encrypted online content that allows individuals to hide their identity and location from others. The National Investigation Agency may also take up the probe since the role of a terror group is suspected and the ''conspiracy'' angle may lead to a pan-India investigation, an official said. Law enforcement authorities went into a tizzy as police and fire services started receiving a flurry of calls from schools at 6 am on Wednesday. Delhi Public School (Mathura Road), DPS (Saket), Sanskriti School, Amity School (Saket), DAV (Model Town), DPS (Dwarka) and St. Mary School (Mayur Vihar) were among the education institutions that received the threat email on Wednesday. A senior Noida Police official told PTI that the email threat was received in seven schools in the satellite city. It was only an hour or so since parents had dropped off their children when they received messages from the school authorities informing them about an e-mail threatening the safety and security of the students. Parents rushed to pick up their children and school authorities scampered to bring the students to safety, moving them outside the buildings, while police personnel with sniffer dogs sanitised the premises. With over 130 schools receiving the bomb threat via email, Delhi Police faced a daunting task as it rushed its dog and bomb squads from one school to another and there was no time to be wasted. The city police went into an overdrive and the situation lasted till evening. Police said that the number of schools that received the threat may go up as they were compiling the list. According to a police officer, the email ID from which the threat was sent is 'sawariim@mail.ru'. Sawarim is an Arabic word extensively used by the terror outfit Islamic State (IS) in their propaganda videos over the past several years, the official said. ''Kill them wherever you meet and drive them out of the places from which they drove you. There are many explosive devices in the school...,'' reads the identical email sent to all schools. The officer said that the email also contained ''aayate (verses) of the holy Quran''. ''The main agenda of sending such threat emails in bulk is to create panic and wage a cyber war by some terror group,'' an officer, who did not wish to be named, said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of law for offences like conspiracy and threat by the Special Cell and a dedicated team formed to conduct the investigation, an official said. Security has been stepped up at all metro and railway stations, bus stands and markets in the national capital. Noida resident Monika Arora, whose son studies in Class 12 in DPS-Noida, said, ''My son had left for his extra classes at 6:30 am. Around 8 am, we received a message about a threat e-mail. ''The school authorities asked the parents whose children travel by private taxis to get them picked while those who come in school buses were being sent back.'' Rukesh Kumar, whose daughters study in two different schools in east Delhi, said students were evacuated by teachers. ''Some students climbed up trees saying they would be saved if there was an explosion. Some tried to hide in safe places,'' Kumar said. Several schools said they were able to carry out a swift evacuation of the students and staff, but dealing with the parents was a challenge. Some schools also said they plan to issue a circular for parents, outlining the standard operating procedure to guide them on how to react in adverse situations like these. ''We hold frequent evacuation drills to prepare students for situations like an earthquake or other natural calamities. So handling the students was not a problem as our children are trained on how to react during such situations. It was the parents who panicked and were difficult to manage,'' Sudha Acharya, principal, ITL Public School, said. The Gurugram Police also remained alert and police and bomb disposal teams visited various schools, including DPS schools in sectors 102 and 103, and conducted searches. No suspicious object was found anywhere, the police said. Several schools kept sending updates to the parents through messages on WhatsApp groups. Meanwhile, the Delhi government issued an advisory for schools, asking them to ensure that the e-mails received at their official e-mail addresses are checked timely. ''In view of the current situation wherein bomb threats were received by a few schools of Delhi in the early hours of the morning of 01.05.2024, it is advised that School Administrators/Managers /Heads of Government/Government Aided and Unaided Recognised Schools under the Directorate of Education, GNCT Delhi should ensure that emails/messages received on official email id of the school at any time of the day (before, during or after school hours) are checked timely,'' read the advisory issued by the Directorate of Education. Lt Governor VK Saxena said that Delhi Police has traced the origin of the threat emails. He assured that the culprits would be given strict punishment.
UP: Muslims in Mathura say they were denied right to vote
Muslim voters in Uttar Pradeshs Mathura constituency claim that their votes were denied by the booth-level officers, while Hindus in the city bear no complaints, Scroll reported. Jamrul Nisha, 74, claimed that ahead of the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections on April 26, not even one of her nine family members received a 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 .
Elections phase III: BJP, Congress in fierce battle for Fatehpur Sikri LS seat
LUCKNOW: Fatehpur Sikri, once the captial of erstwhile Mughal Empire, is the most recent parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Following delimitation in 2008, it was carved out of Agra Lok Sabha seat. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, it saw its inaugural victory secured by the BSPs Seema Upadhyaya. The town, renowned for housing the shrine of the Sufi saint Salim Chishti and the resolute red stone fortress of Emperor Akbar, stands as a testament to the grandeur of the Mughal empire. This time around, the Fatehpur Sikri seat appears to be balanced on a knife's edge, with both the ruling BJP and the Congress eyeing victory. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is contesting 17 seats in alliance with its INDIA bloc partner, the Samajwadi Party. Among them, Ramnath Sikarwar, popularly known as Fauji Baba, is posing a strong challenge to Rajkumar Chahar, the BJP's sitting MP from Fatehpur Sikri. The BJP lawmaker had won the Fatehpur Sikri seat with a margin of five lakh votes in the previous 2019 Lok Sabha election by defeating Raj Babbar, the then-state president of the Congress. Chahar, who is also the national chairman of BJP Kisan Morcha, finds himself entangled not only in his partys internal conflicts regarding his candidature but is also grappling with significant anti-incumbency sentiment. Apart from contending with the opposition candidate, Chahar is also grappling with a formidable challenge from Rameshwar Chaudhury, son of the incumbent BJP MLA from Fatehpur Sikri, Babulal Chaudhury. Rameshwar is contesting as an independent and is perceived to wield greater influence than Chahar among Jat voters in the constituency. Conversely, Chahar faces opposition from the disgruntled Kashtriya community, while Congress candidate Ramnath Sikarwar, himself a Kshatriya, garners their support. Similarly, the anti-incumbency factor also poses a substantial obstacle to replicating his past success. Acknowledging these challenges, senior BJP figures, including prominent Thakur leaders Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, are conducting numerous rallies in Sikri and Agra to assuage the concerns of the disillusioned Kshatriya community. Under the given circumstances, Chahar is relying entirely on the Modi-Yogi factor. PM Modi had convened a poll rally in Agra recently to seek support for both Chahar and Prof SP Singh Baghel, the BJP candidate from Agra. Amidst mounting anticipation of a potential triumph, the Congress party's top brass are directing their focus towards Sikri. Notably, during the second phase of the election, the absence of prominent leaders campaigning for the Congress candidate in Mathura was conspicuous. However, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is slated to conduct a roadshow in support of Congress candidate Ram Nath Sikarwar in Fatehpur Sikri on May 3. Sikarwar has a dedicated following of his own. A retired Indian Army veteran, Sikarwar contributed to the Kargil victory before his retirement in 2004. Hailing from Kheragarh village, the Congress contender is known to frequently reside in the village temple. Sikarwar's popularity, particularly among marginalized communities, presents an additional challenge for the BJP candidate. Meanwhile, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has gone solo, has fielded Ram Niwas Sharma, a Brahmin, thereby making the Fatehpur Sikri contest somewhat quadrangular. In the three elections held for the Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha seat, a Brahmin candidate emerged victorious once, while two Jats won in 2014 and 2019. In the caste dynamics of Sikri, Thakurs hold sway as the predominant caste, numbering three and a half lakhs, followed by three lakh Brahmins. Additionally, there are 1.75 lakh Jats and equal numbers of Muslims and Vaishyas, totaling one lakh each. Among the backward castes, Kushwahas account for 1.4 lakhs, while Nishads comprise 1.25 lakhs. Meanwhile, the BJP is also relying on its sitting MLA Rani Pakshalika Singh from Bah assembly segment. Hailing from the Bhadawar Royal family, Pakshalika Singh has some bearing among the Thakur community, which is dominant in her constituency. The saffron party has also roped in retired Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadoria, another Thakur from Bah who recently joined the party, to pacify the Thakur community. Bhadoria was brought in to hold a roadshow for the BJP candidate.
The bomb threat wasfirst received by DPS Dwarka, after whicha team of the Delhi Police,fire department, and the bomb disposal squad (BDS) were dispatched
Abhishek calls out Yogi Adityanath, Amit Shah for mispronouncing places
Abhishek calls out Yogi Adityanath, Amit Shah for mispronouncing places Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee took a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying that while the former called Birbhum, Birbhumi, the latter called Balurghat Belurghat. Today, BJP's migrant leader- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath came to Birbhum and called the place 'Birbhumi'. He does not even know the name of the area. Amit Shah came to Balurghat and called it 'Belurghat'. Why should we not say that they are against Bengal? Banerjee said at a public meeting at North 24 Parganas' Mathurapur on Tuesday. Birbhum and Balurghat are two Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. They are saying that Swami Vivekananda was a 'Left product', the TMC leader said saying that the BJP has been insulting Swami Vivekananada. Banerjee claimed that Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue was broken under the leadership of Amit Shah. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue was broken under the leadership of Amit Shah ahead of the 2019 elections. They got the answer from Kolkata and South 24 Parganas in 2019. Those who are insulting Bengal will get an answer from us through revenge, he said. Slamming the Union Home Minister for allegedly saying that the Trinamool Congress wants to make Abhishek Banerjee the next Chief Minister, he said, Amit Shah said that Trinamool Congress wants to make Abhishek Banerjee the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee wants it too. You are saying your own wishes. You want to make your son BCCI President. Not everyone is like you. Continuing his attack against Shah for labelling political leaders as hieves if they are summoned by investigative agencies, Banerjee said, You have never launched a movement. There are multiple allegations against you. Today, if anyone is summoned by the ED, CBI, you call his thief. You yourself have gone to jail. We do not need to learn about policies and ideologies from you. Banerjee even hit out at Adityanath over incidents like Unnao, Hathras and Lakhimpur Kheri under his watch. Yogi Adityanath is the most unsuccessful and communal Chief Minister in the country. Under his reign, Unnao, Hathras, incidents took place. At Lakhimpur Kheri, the Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Teni Mishra's son ran over five farmers. This took place under Yogi Adityanath's tenure. Do we need to learn about law and order from him? he said. The NCRB report under the Union Home Ministry states that Kolkata is the safest city. This report was released by the Centre, not by the Mamata Banerjee government, Banerjee added. Voting in six Lok Sabha constituencies in Bengal was held in the first and second phases on April 19 and April 26 respectively. Polling for the remaining parliamentary seats will be held on May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. In most of the constituencies in the state, the main fight is between the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP. Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4. However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank. (ANI)
Abhishek challenges Shah to contest against him, says will quit politics if defeated
Mathurapur: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to contest against him from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency and if the BJP leader wins, he would retire from active politics. Banerjee, who is considered the number two in the TMC, also said that Shah has two other options 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 .
Abhishek dares Shah to face him in polls, vows to quit politics if defeated
Abhishek dares Shah to face him in polls, vows to quit politics if defeated Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to contest against him from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency and if the BJP leader wins, he would retire from active politics. Banerjee, who is considered the number two in the TMC, also said that Shah has two other options to make him retire from politics. ''If you want Abhishek Banerjee to leave active politics, then I would like you to fulfil any of the three options I am providing you today. You release the state's due of Rs 1,64,000 crore and I will retire within 24 hours. The second option is to release the funds of the PM Awas Yojana,'' Banerjee said at an election rally for TMCs Mathurapur candidate Bapi Halder. ''The nomination for the Diamond Harbour constituency is yet to start. The third option: you (Shah) contest from here and defeat me. I will leave politics forever,'' the partys national general secretary said. Responding to the BJP leaders statement in Memari earlier in the day that TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee wants him to be the next chief minister of West Bengal, Abhishek Banerjee said everyone is not like him (Shah). ''You wish to make your son the BCCI president. Not all are like you. You have never been part of any agitation. You are a person who was jailed. We do not need to learn any moral values and ideology from you,'' Banerjee said. The Union home ministers son Jay Shah is the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). ''You are in politics for your benefit. We do not do that. We are in politics to address the cause of the people,'' he said.
MHA grants X category security cover to BJPs Basirhat LS candidate Rekha Patra
NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sanctioned the X-category security protection to Rekha Patra, who led the protests against suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in West Bengals Sandeshkhali, officials said on Tuesday. The BJP has fielded Patra as its candidate from the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in the state to reap electoral dividend out of her popularity among anti-TMC voters in the state. Voting in Basirhat will take place on June 1, the last phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Patra has been pitted against TMCs Haji Nurul Islam, who was nominated after current MP and Bengali actor Nusrat Jahan was dropped from the list of candidates. Commandos from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will provide security to the Sandeskhali survivor, the officials said, adding that the MHA took the decision to provide the X-category protection to her following an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report that indicated threat to her life. Besides Patra, the MHA also accorded security cover by the central forces to five other BJP leaders, they informed. The X-category security cover was provided to Pranat Tudu, the BJPs candidate from Jhargram, as well as to Nirmal Saha contesting from Bahrampur, Ashok Kandari from Jaynagar and Ashok Purkait from Mathurapur. Meanwhile, the Raiganj BJP candidate Karthik Paul was given the Y-category security protection. Since the announcement of Lok Sabha elections earlier this month, the MHA has provided security to more than two dozen BJP leaders in West Bengal. Currently, more than 100 BJP leaders have got security protection from the Central government. CISF commandos of the VIP security wing of the force provide security to these leaders. PM dials Sandeshkhali survivor and BJP nominee Rekha Patra, lauds her as shakti swaroopa
Fire breaks out at pipe warehouse on Delhi-Agra Highway
Fire breaks out at pipe warehouse on Delhi-Agra Highway A massive fire broke out in a pipe warehouse located on the Delhi-Agra Highway on Monday, police officials said. Fire tenders have rushed to the spot to douse the fire, they added. Massive fire broke out at a godown filled with plastic pipes close to the highway. Fire tenders have been called. Efforts are on to control the fire. There is no report of any casualties in the incident. People have been evacuated. We want to control the flames and ensure that property loss is minimal. People are being isolated from the spot, Senior Superintendent of Police of Mathura, Shailesh Pandey said. Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Nomination filing process begins for bypolls to 4 Jharkhand Lok Sabha seats
Nomination filing process begins for bypolls to 4 Jharkhand Lok Sabha seats The nomination process for four Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand where elections will be held on May 25 commenced on Monday with the issuance of the notification for the sixth phase of polls in the country, an official said. The four constituencies that would go to polls on May 25 are Giridih, Dhanbad, Ranchi and Jamshedpur. The nomination exercise started at 11 am and will continue till 3 pm every day till the last date of the process for the phase on May 6, the election official said. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on May 7 and the last day of withdrawing nomination is May 9. The INDIA bloc and the NDA have declared their candidates for the four seats in the phase. AJSU party, an ally in BJP-led NDA, has fielded its sitting MP Chandra Prakash Chaudhary from Giridih Lok Sabha seat, while BJP has fielded its Baghmara MLA Dulu Mahto from Dhanbad seat, incumbent MP Sanjay Seth from Ranchi and sitting MP Bidyut Baran Mahto from Jamshedpur seat. From the INDIA bloc, JMM has fielded its Tundi MLA Mathura Mahto from the Giridih seat and Bahragora legislator Samir Kumar Mohanty from the Jamshedpur seat, while Congress has fielded Anupama Singh, wife for Bermo legislator Jai Mangal Singh, from Dhanbad, Yashaswini Sahay, a political newbie and daughter of former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, from Ranchi Lok Sabha seat.
Jharkhands list of star campaigners creates stir
RANCHI: Name of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren figuring prominently in the list of star campaigners for the Jharkhand Lok Sabha elections has triggered a row among political circles. On Saturday, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) named 40 star campaigners which also include Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren, party president Shibu Soren and Chief Minister Champai Soren. Hitting out at the party, the BJP said that the JMM is still not able to accept Champai Soren as the Chief Minister and is trying to keep Hemant Soren at the centre-stage by projecting him as invincible to the party. Hemant Sorens name appearing among the other star campaigners clearly indicates that Champai Soren is the Chief Minister just for name sake and the party is still not able to accept him as Chief Minister, said BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo. Ironically, they have named Hemant Soren as star campaigner despite the fact that he is currently lodged in jail as an accused of money laundering through land scam, he added. Another BJP functionary Pradeep Sinha said that only the JMM functionaries can say that how Hemant Soren will campaign from the jail. It is possible only in JMM that an incarcerated person has been made a star campaigner. The JMM has also included some rebels like Chamra Linda in the list despite Chamra filing his nomination from Lohardaga as an independent candidate against Congress candidate Sukhdeo Bhagat. The Congress, under the seat sharing arrangement of INDI-Alliance, has fielded Sukhdeo Bhagat from the seat. Sinha said that Congress needs to understand who is pushing these rebels against its candidate. The JMM, however, said that there is nothing wrong in it as they strongly believe that the ex-CM will be out of jail before the elections. Whats wrong with it? There is a hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday against the arresting of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate, and we strongly believe that he will get relief from the apex court. Still there is a lot of time during which he can get relief from the top court, said JMM spokesperson Monoj Pandey. Being a former CM, Hemant Soren is quite popular among the youths and hence the party has named him as a star campaigner, he added. In addition to the prominent ones, names of leaders like Nalin Soren, Prof. Stephen Marandi, Mathura Prasad Mahato, Savita Mahato, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Bejnay Ram, Vinod Kumar Pandey, Fagu Besra, Supriyo Bhattacharya, Deepak Birua, Sudivy Kumar Sonu, Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, Chamra Linda, Yogendra Mahato, Abhishek Kumar Pintu also figure in the list.
Many Samajwadi Party Leaders Join BJP amidst Lok Sabha Polls
Lucknow: In a blow to the opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, several Samajwadi Party leaders switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow on Sunday. Former Samajwadi Party MLA Jai Choubey, along with several other leaders including Balram Yadav and Jagat Jaiswal, joined the BJP in a ceremony attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak. Welcoming the new members, Deputy Chief Minister Pathak said, Former MLA and several district presidents have joined our party today. Welcome and congratulations to all of you. Those working at the block level are also joining us. They have a significant responsibility ahead of them.Addressing the gathering, Pathak emphasized, You all have decided to join the BJP... Under PM Modi's leadership, the BJP has connected with the masses. With PM Modi's guidance, we have committed to building a 'Developed India,' and I trust that all of you will contribute to this vision. Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest number of parliamentary constituencies at 80, is undergoing polling in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections.The first phase of voting was conducted on April 19 in eight parliamentary constituencies, followed by the second phase on April 26 in another eight constituencies.During the second phase, constituencies including Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, and Bulandshahr cast their votes. The state is scheduled for further polling in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13 respectively, and in phases five, six, and seven on May 20, May 23, and June 1. Vote counting is set for June 4. Controversy Surrounding Congress Manifesto and Allegations of Appeasement PM Modi Criticizes Rahul Gandhi for Double Standards on Historical Atrocities DK Shivakumar Slams Centre for Inadequate Relief Funds
3 of 12 Sitting MLAs from INDIA bloc to Contest Lok Sabha Polls from Jharkhand; BJP Nominates 3
3 of 12 Sitting MLAs from INDIA bloc to Contest Lok Sabha Polls from Jharkhand; BJP Nominates 3 Intriguing dynamics in Jharkhands political landscape has come to the fore in the wake of the candidate lists that have been finalised by the states ruling INDIA bloc and its prime opposition, the BJP. While the INDIA alliance has opted for continuity by nominating seven sitting legislators, the BJP has chosen three MLAs as candidates across the state's 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. These decisions underscore a combination of factors, including trust in incumbent representatives and a perceived shortage of viable contenders. Interestingly, two sitting legislators from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) have decided to contest independently, reflecting potential internal discord within the party. The elections, scheduled to commence on May 13, are poised to witness the participation of 2.56 crore eligible voters in the state. The ruling alliance, comprising the Congress, JMM, RJD, and CPI-ML(L), has delineated seat-sharing arrangements, with Congress contesting seven seats and JMM five. The JMM has strategically fielded four of its sitting legislators for parliamentary constituencies, a move attributed to regional parties' reliance on established leaders for electoral success. Shikaripara MLA Nalin Soren has been nominated for the Dumka Lok Sabha seat, Tundi legislator Mathura Mahto from Giridih, Manoharpur MLA Joba Manjhi from Singhbhum and Baharagora's Samir Kumar Mohanty from Jamshedpur. JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey told PTI, Several things are involved in the process of selecting a candidate for a particular seat, including feedback of party workers, winnability factor, and opinion of panchayat and block-level committees. After reviewing these factors, candidates were given tickets. Tulu Sarkar, a political observer and former head of the department of Political Science at Ranchi University, underscored the cautious approach of regional parties, which prefer familiar faces over newcomers in crucial electoral battles. Regional parties generally bank on their sitting legislators or established leaders. Since parliamentary polls are fought on a larger prospect, such parties do not want to take risks by bringing new faces. So, here in Jharkhand, we see JMM has fielded the maximum number of its sitting legislators for the Lok Sabha polls, he said. She added that the shortage of suitable candidates is also a major factor among all political parties. In such a situation, parties do not have a choice but to select a candidate whose winning chance is higher. So, sitting legislators emerge as a better option as they already have a base in their respective areas, Sarkar said. Despite assertions of a candidate shortage, JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey denied any crisis within the party, emphasising confidence in their candidate selection process. There is no dearth of candidates in the party, he said. However, recent developments have added complexity to the political landscape. JMM MLAs Chamra Linda and Lobin Hembrom have announced their candidature as independents, challenging their own party's nominees in select constituencies. While Linda filed his nomination papers as an independent for Lohardaga, which went to Congress as per a seat-sharing pact, Borio MLA Hembrom will contest from Rajmahal against its own party candidate Vijay Hansdak, who is also the sitting MP. The Congress has fielded Mandu MLA Jai Prakash Bhai Patel, who recently switched to the grand old party from the BJP, from Hazaribag Lok Sabha seat, while Poreyahat legislator Pradip Yadav will contest from Godda. Another INDIA bloc partner, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation has reposed faith in Bagodar MLA Vinod Kumar Singh from Koderma. Conversely, the BJP has fielded its Hazaribag legislator Manish Jaiswal for the Hazaribag parliamentary constituency, Baghmara MLA Dulu Mahto from Dhanbad and Jama legislator Sita Soren from Dumka Lok Sabha seat. JMM MLA Sita Soren resigned from the party and as a member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly on March 19 before joining the BJP. An official of the Jharkhand Assembly told PTI that her resignation has not been accepted yet as it was not in a proper format. Her resignation was received through the email ID of her daughter. So, the office has written to the Jama legislator to submit her resignation in proper format by attaching a copy of the earlier resignation letter. A reply from her is still awaited, the official said. BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo told PTI, The party has given tickets to few legislators based on local factors and workers feedback, considerations which are grossly lacking for counterparts in the INDIA bloc. He alleged that the ruling alliance was compelled to give tickets to its MLAs, as they found no suitable candidates who would be interested in contesting the polls against the BJP in the state. Political observers said that the current strength of the Jharkhand assembly is likely to reduce after the Lok Sabha polls as some sitting legislators would go to Parliament. Re-election on the seats, which would go vacant, is unlikely, as the state will go to assembly polls this winter. The current strength of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly is 80. The Gandey assembly seat fell vacant after the resignation of Sarfaraz Ahmad, who was recently elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed.
Opposition Slams Adityanath Over Starvation and Biryani Remarks
Opposition Slams Adityanath Over Starvation and Biryani Remarks Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the ''poor were victims of starvation'' and the ''terrorists were fed biryani'' when they were in power. The chief minister addressed separate election rallies in Sikandrarau for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Anup Pradhan from Hathras seat and Firozabad constituency candidate Thakur Vishwadeep Singh. ''The poor, farmers, women and youth were not in the agenda of the SP (Samajwadi Party), Congress and BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party). They only did vote bank politics, they committed the sin of dividing the caste and society,'' Adityanath said in Hathras. ''During their (opposition governments) time, the poor were victims of starvation and the terrorists were fed biryani. The farmers used to commit suicide and the corrupt people used to enjoy life of luxury, he added. Adityanath said the ''mafia used to wield power as patrons'', but work is being done today in the country and the state ''without any discrimination''. He claimed that more work was done under the BJP rule than what was done by the Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP. Even in the meeting in Firozabad, the chief minister hit out at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party stating these people want to give permission for cow slaughter on the land of Ram and Krishna. Taking aim at the Congress, Adityanath said the people of 'Discovery of India' think that Ram and Krishna never existed. He said that on one hand the Modi government is giving free ration to 80 crore people of the country, on the other hand even the ration of even the poorest of the poor was wasted during the Congress rule. ''After Kashi and Ayodhya, we have moved towards Mathura,'' Adityanath said. Targeting the Samajwadi Party, he asked whether they have ever done anything for the development of Braj region. Taking potshots at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said that these people did not think anything outside their family and keep defaming caste in the name of nepotism. His sympathy is not with the poor but with the mafia, he added. Voting will be held in the third phase in Hathras and Firozabad on May 7.
Kerala LS polls: Coastal votes help raise poll percentage in Attingal
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high voter turnout in the coastal areas at the fag end of the polling time pushed the voting percentage in the Attingal constituency closer to the state average. The booths along the coastal road have seen the rush after 1pm when the overall voting percentage in the constituency was around 40%. Women and elderly chose to cast their votes in the evening in several booths in the coastal regions of Thumpa, Maryanad, Puthukurichi, Perumathura, Perunguzhi, Poothura and Anchuthengu. The women are busy with their household and other livelihood matters in the morning. But they did come to booths by afternoon, said Gerald Franklin a booth-level agent at Puthikurichy. The voter turnout in the coastal area was also closely linked to the mass or Juma being held at religious centres in the locality. At Perumathura and Perunghuzhi the rush began after the Juma at the Central Juma Masjid and Valiya Palli at 1.30pm. The boat workers in the region decided not to operate boats on Election Day to attend the Juma and cast their votes. At the booth at Government LPS Perumathura, which is a designated sensitive booth, a heavy rush witnessed since the afternoon to the last hours, forcing the officials to close the gate at the scheduled time. The seven assembly constituencies in Attingal reported brisk polling from 7am itself. However, the voting percentage dipped from the 74 % recorded in 2019. Attingal 2024: 68.84% 2019: 74.4%
Lok Sabha elections: 65% turnout in 2nd phase
NEW DELHI: In a relatively improved showing, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections recorded over 65% voter turnout covering 88 seats across 13 states. The highest voting percentage was recorded in Tripura at 78.53% while the lowest was in Uttar Pradesh at 54.85%. Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan accounted for more than half the seats. Elections to 14 seats were held in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 6 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. All eyes are on the high stakes battle in Kerala, where the BJP has been aggressively working to open its account. The contests in Wayanad, where former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting, and Thiruvananthapuram where Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is pitted against sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, are keenly watched. Other top guns in the fray include actor-turned-politician Arun Govil in Meerut, Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumars brother D K Suresh in Bangalore Rural, and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy (JDS) in Mandya. BJPs Hema Malini, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are seeking a hat-trick of wins from Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, Rajasthans Kota and Jodhpur, respectively. With the conclusion of the second phase, voting has been completed in 14 states/UTs.
Robust Voter Turnout Marks Second Phase of Indian Parliamentary Elections
Robust Voter Turnout Marks Second Phase of Indian Parliamentary Elections Over 63 per cent polling was reported in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 88 seats across 13 states amid few complaints of EVM glitches and bogus voting in some states. Voters in some villages of Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, Rajasthan's Banswara and Maharashtra's Parbhani were boycotting the polls over various issues but were later persuaded by authorities to cast their franchise. Polling for the second stage of the seven-phase elections started at 7 am and ended at 6 pm. Several states experienced intense heat conditions. The first phase of polling was held on April 19 in 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories. The Election Commission (EC) said polling remained largely peaceful. The tentative figure at 8 pm of voter turnout was 63.50 per cent. It is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained, the EC said, adding voters reaching polling stations till the end of polling hour are allowed to cast their vote. The National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority for a third consecutive term, while the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Election Commission data showed the highest voting percentage was recorded in Tripura which registered 79.46 per cent polling, followed by Manipur at 77.32 while the turnout was in Uttar Pradesh at 54.85 per cent and Bihar 55.08 per cent. Polling was held in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 6 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's brother DK Suresh (Cong), and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy (JDS) are among the key candidates while BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the morning urged people to cast their votes in record numbers and said a high voter turnout strengthens democracy. Stressing on the importance of each vote, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi issued impassioned appeals asking people to step out and exercise their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election. After the end of polling, Modi in a tweet said, ''Phase Two has been too good! Gratitude to the people across India who have voted today. The unparalleled support for NDA is going to disappoint the Opposition even more. Voters want NDA's good governance. Youth and women voters are powering the strong NDA support.'' In Kerala, the turnout was 65.91 per cent. The election process, held amid tight security arrangements, was primarily incident free except for instances of bogus voting and breakdowns of electronic voting machines (EVMs) being reported in some booths of the state. Such incidents resulted in delaying the polling process in the affected booths. One person each reportedly died at Palakkad, Alappuzha and Malappuram after casting their vote and a polling agent died after collapsing at a booth in Kozhikode. Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency recorded a turnout of 79.46 per cent. Election officials said there were some complaints from a few booths but those were ''promptly addressed''. A jawan of the Madhya Pradesh Special Armed Force deployed on poll duty allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle at a government school where he was stationed in Gariaband district under the Mahasamund seat in Chhattisgarh, where a voter turnout of 73.62 per cent was recorded. A polling booth at Sivni village in Balod district (Kanker seat) was decorated like a wedding 'mandap', with a display of rituals of traditional weddings. Several brides and grooms, dressed in their wedding finery, cast their votes at several polling booths. The EC said people from 46 villages in Bastar and Kanker seats cast their votes in a polling booth set up in their own village for the first time in a Lok Sabha election. In neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, there was a turnout of 57.88 per cent. An estimated 71.11 per cent of the 77,26,668 voters exercised their franchise in the five parliamentary constituencies of Assam that went to polls in this phase. In restive Manipur, where polling is being held under high presence of security personnel, the turnout was a significantly high 77.32 per cent. There were reports of intimidation by suspected militants, altercation between Congress workers and NPF supporters and damage of EVM at a polling station in the Tangkhul Naga-dominated hill district. At KK Leishi Phanit polling station in Ukhrul, irate voters destroyed an EVM and other items after alleged disturbances by armed miscreants. The overall voting percentage in Karnataka was 68.30. A case was booked against BJP MP and Bangalore South Candidate Tejasvi Surya for allegedly posting a video on a social media platform and soliciting votes on the grounds of religion, the Election Commission said. Another BJP leader CT Ravi was booked for allegedly promoting hatred and enmity between citizens through his social media post. Various restaurants in Bangalore were offering free dosas, laddu, coffee and other food items at discounted rates to customers who cast their vote. A private hospital assisted 41 inpatients cast their vote with the help of city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Green corridors were created for the ambulances across constituencies to ensure easy, hassle-free voting. Some EVMs were destroyed at a polling station in Indiganatha village in Chamarajanagara district of Karnataka during a clash between two groups of people over whether to vote or not. Officials said an FIR is being filed the Election Commission will take a call after getting a detailed report. A voter turnout of 57.83 per cent was recorded in eight constituencies in Maharashtra, while in Rajasthan, the turnout was 64.07 per cent. Incidents of confrontation between the supporters of the Congress candidate and an independent candidate were reported at a couple of places during polling in Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha constituency of Rajasthan. Police said they were looking into the complaints besides some about fake voting from some places. The by-election for the Bagidora assembly constituency in Banswara district was also held simultaneously on Friday and 76.66 per cent voting took place. A voter turnout of 54.85 per cent was recorded in the eight parliamentary constituencies of Uttar Pradesh. Senior citizens dominated the early hours of voting in Noida in the Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency. Some residents' welfare associations made arrangements for electric vehicles to ferry voters to and from the polling booths. In Bihar, the turnout was 55.08 per cent, 71.84 per cent in in West Bengal and 71.91 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir. The Lok Sabha polls are the first major electoral battle in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh -- on August 5, 2019. The Election Commission registered nearly 300 complaints in West Bengal, mostly related to EVM malfunctioning. After Friday's phase, polling is over in Kerala, Rajasthan and Tripura. In the first phase on April 19, polling was completed in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1). The third phase of elections for 94 seats across 12 states and Union territories will be held on May 7. Counting will be done on June 4.
Nearly 61 Per Cent Turnout In Phase 2 Of LS polls; Tripura records 78.53 pc, Manipur 77.18
NEW DELHI, Apr 26: Nearly 61 per cent polling was reported in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 88 seats across 13 states amid few complaints of EVM glitches and bogus voting in some states. Voters in some villages of Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, Rajasthans Banswara and Maharashtras Parbhani were boycotting the polls over various issues but were later persuaded by authorities to cast their franchise. Polling for the second stage of the seven-phase elections started at 7 am [] The post Nearly 61 Per Cent Turnout In Phase 2 Of LS polls; Tripura records 78.53 pc, Manipur 77.18 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Lok Sabha Polls: 2nd phase voting
Solapur: Supporters of Congress candidate Praniti during an election campaign for Lok Sabha elections, in Solapur, Friday, April 26, 2024. (PTI Photo) Mathura: Rashtriya Lok Dal Chief Jayant Chaudhary and his wife show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their vote for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls, in Mathura, Friday, April 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 .
Who are the richest candidates in 2nd phase of LS polls?
India votes in Lok Sabha elections with 1,200 candidates. DK Suresh seeks re-election from Bangalore Rural. Hema Malini, the third wealthiest candidate, contests from Mathura in the second phase.
Religious Tourism spots like Varanasi and Ayodhya may soon outshine Goa and Agra
Religious Tourism spots like Varanasi and Ayodhya may soon outshine Goa and Agra By Nikhil Dedha Recent data shows that post COVID religious inclinations of Indians have become stronger resulting in an accelerated momentum towards religious tourism. According to the Ministry of Tourism data, last year 8.5 crores of tourists visited Varanasi(Kashi), around 4.5 crore people visited Prayagraj and more than 1.5 crores of people have visited Ayodhya Ram temple since the consecration ceremony. Many experts feel Varanasi will outdo Goa, Agra, and Shimla. During the COVID period when the temples were closed down, our Prime Minister thought let's make the temples a place where everybody would like to visit. So we came up with the idea of having the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. It has changed the entire tourism scenario of the state and in year 2023 we had more than 10 crore tourists said Preeti Srivastava, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh to ANI. Government of Uttar Pradesh is promoting the new golden triangle of Prayagraj, Kashi and Ayodhaya as a golden triangle of religious tourism. Now everybody is benefiting. Even the small washerman, he's also getting business because he's washing the linen of the hotels. The vegetable seller, everybody is benefiting. The rickshaw pullers, the flower sellers and local Prasad shops. Now the new golden triangle is coming up that is Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Varanasi said Preeti. The transformative impact of projects like the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, has revitalized Varanasi's tourism sector, leading to a substantial increase in tourist footfall and allied economic activities. The surge in tourism has not only boosted local businesses but also generated substantial revenue for the state. As per the data by the Ministry of Tourism 1,439 million people participated in religious tourism in India during 2022, it is more than double from 677 million in 2021. In 2022, religious tourism destinations earned Rs1.34 lakh crore in revenue, up from Rs65,070 crore in 2021. In 2022, Varanasi had 82 million visitors, which is almost four times the number of visitors in 2019. This number accounted for almost 26% of all arrivals in 2022, compared to less than 4 per cent in 2019. Varanasi's tourist footfall has surpassed Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal, and has made it the most visited city in Uttar Pradesh. PM Narendra Modi also mentioned in his address on the 103rd episode of radio program 'Mann Ki Baat' that Now more than 10 crore tourists are reaching Kashi every year. The number of devotees visiting pilgrimages like Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain is also increasing rapidly. Due to this lakhs of poor are getting employment. According to the industry experts the religious tourism sector is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 59 billion by 2028 and create 140 million temporary and permanent jobs by 2030. Under central government's Swadesh Darshan Scheme, an outlay of Rs 5294 crore has been allocated for the development of theme-based tourist circuits. A total of 76 projects have been sanctioned under the project which covers popular religious destinations across different states of India. These includes Buddhist circuit, Ramayana circuit and Krishna circuit. The Ministry of tourism has also started the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme to improve the religious tourism experience by identifying and developing pilgrimage sites across India.(ANI)
BJPs Hema Malini confident ahead of Mathura polls: We are going to perform twice as well
The News Mill
Lok Sabha 2024: In Mathura, Hema Malini's Bid For Hat-Trick
The Mathura Lok Sabha constituency is one of the VIP seats in Uttar Pradesh, playing a significant role in the state's politics.
BJP pick Hema Malini predicts her victory margin in UP's Mathura: '5-7 lakhs'
BJP pick Hema Malini predicts her victory margin in UPs Mathura lakhs
BJP Mathura candidate Hema Malini confident of extending her term
BJP Mathura candidate Hema Malini confident of extending her term
Battle For Bharat | Massive Reporter Team Delivers Phase 2 Polling Updates! | Lok Sabha Elections
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Biggest team of reporters on ground to get you updates from the length & breadth of the country on 2nd phase of polling; @KamalikaSengupt brings in brings in details from Darjeeling. Battle For Bharat: 4.4% noted in the voter turnout in phase 1; 2nd phase polling on 88 seats today, key seats include Mathura and Wayanad. Join the special
Voting is on in 88 constituencies across 13 states and Union Territories amid a furious row between the Congress and the BJP over manifesto and inheritance tax. Election will be held on all seats of Kerala, a chunk of Rajasthan and UP.
Phase 2 Lok Sabha | Key Battles Unfold: Phase 2 Polling in 88 Seats - Mathura, Wayanad in Spotlight
Phase 2 Lok Sabha | Key Battles Unfold: Phase 2 Polling in 88 Seats - Mathura, Wayanad in Spotlight | English NewsBattle For Bharat: 4.4% noted in the voter turnout in phase 1; 2nd phase polling on 88 seats today, key seats include Mathura and Wayanad. Join the special
From Rahul Gandhi to Arun Govil: List of key candidates in Phase 2 LS polls
New Delhi: From Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram to Hema Malini in Mathura and Arun Govil in Meerut, the fates of several prominent personalities will be locked by the voters in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday. The second phase has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies including all 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 .
India begins voting in second phase of giant election as Modi vs Gandhi campaign heats up
India begins voting in second phase of giant election as Modi vs Gandhi campaign heats up By Dhanya Skariachan, Chris Thomas and Nikunj Ohri BENGALURU/KOTTAYAM/MATHURA, India, April 26 (Reuters) - I ndia began voting on Friday in the second phase of the world's biggest election, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rivals raise the pitch of the campaign by focusing on hot-button issues such as religious discrimination, affirmative action and taxes. Almost one billion people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase general elections that began on April 19 and concludes on June 1, with votes set to be counted on June 4. Modi is seeking a record-equalling third straight term on the back of his economic record, welfare measures, national pride, Hindu nationalism and personal popularity. Surveys suggest he will easily win a comfortable majority. His challengers have formed an alliance of more than two dozen parties and are promising greater affirmative action, more handouts and an end to what they call Modi's autocratic rule. Friday's polling will be held for 88 of the total 543 seats in the lower house of parliament with 160 million people eligible to vote. It will be spread across 13 states and federal territories in the world's most populous country. More than half of those 88 seats are in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and the northwestern state of Rajasthan. The campaign has changed tack since the first phase and become heated as Modi and the main opposition Congress party have faced off on communal issues with Modi accusing Congress of favouring minority Muslims, aiming to dilute affirmative action and planning to impose inheritance tax. Congress, which used to make noise in the name of the Constitution, has now been badly exposed for its hidden agenda, Modi posted on X late on Thursday. Congress has denied the charges and said Modi is distracting voters from real issues such as unemployment, price rise and rural distress and fears losing. RAHUL GANDHI IN THE FRAY We spoke to you, we heard what was on your mind and drafted a revolutionary manifesto, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a video message on the eve of the vote. This has been drafted by the Congress party but it is your voice. Gandhi, former Congress president and the face of the party, is among the 1200 candidates in the fray on Friday. He is seeking re-election from Wayanad in Kerala and faces Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and BJP's K. Surendran, among others, in the Left Front-ruled state. In 2019, Gandhi defeated the CPI candidate by more than 400,000 votes, the highest margin in Kerala, although he lost his second seat to BJP in the family bastion of Amethi in north India. India allows a candidate to contest from more than one seat but they can retain only one if they win from more. Congress slumped to a historic low when it was swept out of power by BJP in 2014 and won its second-lowest number of 52 seats in 2019, with Kerala contributing the highest of 15. The party is also expected to do better in Karnataka where it won just one of 28 seats in 2019 but gained strength and defeated BJP in state elections last year. It is still seen to be struggling nationally as bickering within the opposition alliance it leads and graft cases against some leaders has hobbled its challenge to Modi. The Election Commission and political parties have been worried about voter turnout due to the summer heat and wedding season in some parts of the country with turnout falling to around 65% in the first phase from nearly 70% in 2019. The poll panel has increased appeals for voter participation since, asking them to vote with responsibility and pride. (Reproting by Dhanya Skariachan in Bengaluru, Chris Thomas in Kottayam and Nikunj Ohri in Mathura; Writing by YP Rajesh; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Hema Malini, a dream girl from Mathura, faces challenges in her third election as a BJP candidate. Opponents argue that the contest is a Brajvasi or Bhari/ Pravasi contest, with Congress candidate Mukesh Dhangar putting up hoardings and BSP candidate Suresh Singh referring to her as a Bambai Wali Sansad. BJP workers are urging voters to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek votes in the names of Modi and Yogi.
Its advantage BJP in 8 western UP seats
Indefatigable: The ruling party expects to counter local factors impacting seats such as Mathura, Meerut and Amroha with organisational strength and Modi appeal
Mathura Lok Sabha election 2024: Voting date, key candidates
Mathura Lok Sabha election Voting date key candidates
Mohan-Mathura-Modi-Malini: The Intricacies Of Politics In Brajabhoomi
Entertainment: Movie Review of Razakars!
Director: Yata Satyanarayana Star Cast: Raj Arjun, Tej Sapru, Makarand Deshpande, Bobby Simha, Anushriya Tripathi, Vedika, Anusuiya Bhardwaj, Prerna, Thalaswal Vijay, Chandu Nath Nair etc. Where to watch: In theater Star Rating: 3.5 Razakar Movie Review: It has been the problem of many generations of India that the governments have avoided telling them the gruesome truths of history. The result of which was that when the hidden truths started coming to light, neither did the new generations of Hindus trust them easily and the Muslims considered it a false propaganda against them. All the stories of 'Kashmir Files' were recorded in the books of eyewitnesses like Jagmohan, newspapers and reports of that time, but people called them propaganda and now the same is happening with 'Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad'. . If today's generation is told that when Taj Mahal was being built, more than half of India was suffering from famine and instead of spending this money on them, will Shahjahan not agree? It will not even be accepted that Shahjahan had burnt a Brahmin alive for praising Sanatan. Jahanara, sister of Aurangzeb, who established Chandni Chowk, had installed the idol of Shri Krishna from Mathura on the stairs of Moti Masjid in Agra, but Kareena Kapoor was going to play her role in 'Takht'. We make Jodha Akbar but hide his murder mangoes and Fatahnama in Chittor Fort. Similarly, let's finish the history of Razakars in one or two lines, the situation was that 90 percent of the critics who reviewed the movie had never even heard the name of Qasim Rizvi before. This movie shows the same hidden gruesome truth, which not only Hindus but also Muslims should see to know why parties like the BJP get so much public support. Story of Hyderabad State This is the story of the princely state of Hyderabad, which did not join India even after independence, It was very rich due to the wealth of the Kakatiya kings of Golconda mines, which produced world-famous diamond mines like Kohinoor, at that time it was ruled by Nizam Mir Ali Osman. (Makarand Deshpande). The Nizam wanted the princely state of Hyderabad to become a separate country, Turkistan, and he made a one-year status quo agreement with India i.e. Stand Still Agreement. Obviously, like in Kashmir, Nehruji was adopting a lax attitude here too. But this one year had a heavy toll on the 85 percent Hindu population of the princely state of Hyderabad. Nizam's commander Qasim Rizvi (Raj Arjun) formed a large army of Razakars and started a jihad of religious conversion. There was no port in the state, so preparations were made to buy Goa from the Portuguese, Rs. 20 crores were sent from Pakistan for military help, a lot of money was deposited in the banks of London, etc. Also, to suppress the rebellion in Hyderabad state, recruitment of Razakars started on a large scale. However, it is not shown in the movie how Rizvi wins the hearts of the people by donating all his property to his party Majli-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen and then creates his army, Razakar Sena. It was also not told how he later gave his party to Owaisi's grandfather before going to Pakistan and the same party is AIMIM today. Sardar Patel (Tej Sapru) was getting news of atrocities happening in Hyderabad, but due to Nehruji, he and KN Munshi were left feeling sad. Here Qasim Rizvi wreaked havoc on Hyderabadi Hindus. Some local youth rose against that havoc at different places, director Yata Satyanarayan has worked hard to give respect to all those unsung heroes through this movie, and at the same time, the effort to make every scene iconic is visible. Each character seems to have been chosen with great thought, each scene, each set has been carefully planned. Special effects, set designing, cinematography, editing, music, and excellent direction take this movie many times higher than Kashmir Files. This movie is a wonderful example of production and for this, producer Gudur Narayana Reddy has to be praised, who has given free rein to the director. Every incident till Operation Polo has been woven into this movie. Every incident of atrocities on Hindus has been included in this movie with research, be it the murder of a Muslim journalist by cutting off his hands the incident of stoning of children hiding in a pit, killing of naked women. Be it the incident of burning to death in a straw enclosure or the burning to death of a Brahmin family. Raj Arjun did wonders Since the film was on such a subject that big actors refused to work in the film, otherwise the film would have become even more discussed. Despite this, Raj Arjun has done wonders in the role of the main villain Qasim Rizvi, after 'Secret Superstar', you saw him in the role of Khabar in the recent film 'Section 370'. But in the role of Qasim Rizvi, he has gone several notches higher, you saw such ferocity in the characters of Gabbar Singh, Doctor Dang, and Shakal. Tej Sapru has donned the villainous attire and has come into the role of Sardar Patel, and despite having less dialogues in the part, has looked excellent, whereas, as always, Makrand Deshpande has fitted perfectly into the role of Nizam. Anushriya Tripathi's dialogue delivery comes to everyone's notice. But we have to praise all the actors of the South who were playing the roles of rebels against the atrocities of Qasim Rizvi, in small roles they made the second half of the film so powerful that the movie will not let you take your eyes off the screen. Don't blink. Many iconic scenes have been created. The small roles of Vedika, Anusuya, Prema, Bobby Simha, and Tarak Ponnappa have overshadowed the entire film. The review is incomplete without discussing the music, the song 'Zinda Hai Tu' in the voice of Kailash Kher is as emotional as Swami Dena Saath Hamara in Baahubali, there is a lot of energy in the song 'Bharti Bharti' and also in the song 'Vande Mataram'. For this, music composer Bhims Cecirollo has to be praised. This movie will be released in Hindi on the 26th of April, but it has been released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam on the 15th of March. information given in the history However, for those who do not know the history, the history of Nizam and Hyderabad is narrated in the voice of narrator Mahesh Manjrekar at the beginning of the movie as background, but Qasim's political activities and rise to the top and how he later goes to Pakistan, All that has not been shown. But it is also true that 99 percent of the people of India do not even know about such a big villain of the country because all this was hidden and after watching this movie you will feel that you should have known about him earlier. While watching the movie, the audience should also be aware of the area of the then princely state of Hyderabad, which included many of today's southern states. This movie is being called 'Kashmir Files' of South. Although at the level of production, this movie is much better than that, in other Kashmir files there were scenes of how the neighbor is keeping an eye on your vacant house or is giving information about you to the terrorists, but in Razakar you will also see such Muslims. Those who, albeit slowly, oppose this genocide.
In Mathura, BJP Eyes Hema Hattrick In Nal And Kamal Partnership Ground Report
LS polls Phase 2: Rahul, Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins
New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies.Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
LS polls Phase 2: Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies. Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. Wayanad: Left, BJP hopes to prick Rahuls balloon In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance
Kidnapping At Gunpoint, Then 800-Km Drive: Faridabad Bank Manager Rescued
A bank manager, who was kidnapped at gunpoint Saturday from his Faridabad home to Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur and then Mathura, has been rescued, thanks to swift action by Haryana police's crime branch
Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance
LUCKNOW: Having acquired more political muscle through Jat support by taking Jayant Chaudhury-led RLD onboard, the BJP is aiming for a dominance on the eight seats Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura set to vote on April 26, while the Opposition bloc is ready to put a stiff fight. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, while facing the challenge from SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance, won seven of these seats. Only Amroha was won by the alliance. In 2024, the BJP has reworked its strategy by allying with the RLD and allotting the Baghpat seat to the party that has Jats as its core support base. To regain lost ground, the SP has tied up with the Congress. The BSP is going it alone. In this phase, both SP and Congress are contesting on four seats each as per their seat-sharing arrangement. While the SP has fielded candidates in Meerut, Baghpat, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Aligarh, Congress will contest in Ghaziabad, Mathura, Amroha and Bulandshahr. The fate of former Union minister Mahesh Sharma, who is seeking a third term on the BJP ticket from Gautam Budh Nagar, Ramayan fame actor Arun Govil in Meerut and actress Hema Malini, who is seeking a hat-trick from Mathura, will be decided in this phase. Former Mumbai Police commissioner Satya Pal Singh is not in the fray this time. He had defeated RLD chief Ajit Singh in Baghpat in 2014 and Jayant Chaudhary in 2019. BJP has allotted Baghpat to the RLD and Dr Rajkumar Sangwan has been fielded as NDA candidate. Amroha is set to witness a contest among Congresss Danish Ali, BJPs Kanwar Singh Tanwar, and BSPs Dr Mujahid Hussain. The BSP suspended Ali, who was its MP from Amroha, last year for anti-party activities and he joined the Congress. The BJP stronghold Meerut will witness a three-way fight among BJPs Arun Govil, SPs Sunita Verma and BSPs Devvrat Kumar Tyagi. In Meerut, the S P has fielded dalit candidate Sunita Verma replacing OBC aspirant Atul Pradhan. The BJP won the seat in 1996, losing it to Congress in 1999 and BSP in 2004. BJPs Rajendra Agrawal, who has been denied the ticket this time, won the Meerut seat in 2009, 2014 and 2019. The BJP has replaced Agarwal with Govil. Baghpat, an RLD bastion, is in for a three-cornered contest among RLDs Rajkumar Sangwan, SPs Amarpal Sharma and BSPs Praveen Baisala. Former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh had won the seat thrice in 1977, 1980 and 1984. His son Ajit Singh won it in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2009. However, BJP candidate Sompal won the seat in 1998. A BJP bastion since it came into existence in 2008, the Ghaziabad seat is set for a fight between BJPs Atul Garg, Congresss Dolly Sharma and BSPs Nandkishor Pundhir. The BJP is banking on the popularity of Garg to retain the seat, while BSP plans to cash in on anger among Rajputs in rural areas over denial of ticket to two-time BJP MP and Union minister General (retd) VK Singh. The Congress is working on the Brahmin-Muslim formula. In Gautam Budhh Nagar, Mahesh Sharma, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019, is seeking a third term as the BJP candidate. He is facing the SPs Rahul Awana, a Gujjar leader, and BSPs Rajendra Singh Solanki, a Rajput. The Bulandshahr reserved seat is all set for a contest among BJPs Bhola Singh, who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, BSPs Girish Chandra, MP from Nagina, and Congresss Shiv Ram Valmiki. In Aligarh, BJPs Satish Gautam (Brahmin), who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, is in the fray for a third term. The BSP has fielded a Brahmin candidate, Hitendra Kumar aka Bunty Upadhyay, a former BJP leader. The SP has nominated Bijendra Singh. In Mathura, two-time BJP MP Hema Malini is seeking a third term. She is pitted against Mukesh Dhangar of Congress and Suresh Singh of BSP. The Congress was earlier planning to field boxer Vijendra Singh in Mathura but he joined BJP.
LS Polls: UP govt to provide medical kits for polling personnel in 2nd phase to combat hot conditions In view of the soaring temperatures in Uttar Pradesh, medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke, will be provided to the polling personnel for the voting scheduled on April 26 across 8 constituencies in the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Directions have also been issued to ensure all necessary facilities for polling personnel and voters at polling stations. The polling parties will depart for polling stations on April 25 (Thursday) to ensure fair and peaceful elections in the state. The eight constituencies of UP that are going to polls in the second phase include Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. These 8 Lok Sabha seats fall under 9 districts of the state, namely, Amroha, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. State Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said that instructions have been given to all the District Election Officers to send polling parties on time for the second phase of voting in 8 Lok Sabha constituencies scheduled for April 26. He mentioned that directions have been issued to all the concerned District Election Officers to ensure necessary facilities for voters and polling personnel at polling centres and polling booths. Before the departure of polling parties, the polling personnel will be provided with medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke. Because of the heat, tents, sheds, drinking water arrangements and other necessary facilities will be installed as per the guidelines issued earlier. In compliance with the directives of the Election Commission of India, continuous operations are being carried out across Uttar Pradesh by the Police, Income Tax, Excise, Narcotics, and other departments. For thorough inspection, 480 interstate check posts and 1836 check posts within the state are operational. From March 16 to April 23, 2024, the Police department seized 495 licensed weapons from criminals whereas licenses for 4553 weapons were revoked and deposited. Notices have been issued under the CrPC to 2,532,068 individuals over concerns of peace disruption, of which 2,061,166 have already been restricted. Additionally, the Police department seized 7650 unlicensed weapons, 7753 cartridges, 2900.32 kilograms of explosives, and 411 bombs. Besides, raids were conducted on 3153 illegal weapon manufacturing centres, while 148 were busted. On April 23, licenses for 249 weapons owned by criminals were revoked and deposited by the Police department. Under the CrPC, 36,978 individuals were restricted as a preventive measure. Additionally, 105 unlicensed weapons and 171 cartridges were seized. Raids were conducted on 96 illegal weapon manufacturing centres by the police. (ANI)
Mathura Roadshow Resonates with Festive Cheer as Hema Malini Exudes Confidence
Mathura Roadshow Resonates with Festive Cheer as Hema Malini Exudes Confidence Amid chants of 'Radhe, Radhe' and sweltering heat, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini, seeking a third successive term as Lok Sabha MP from Mathura, on Wednesday held a roadshow that wound its way through the narrow bylanes of the temple town. Dressed in a green saree, she used a yellow peacock feather motif dupatta to shield herself from the afternoon sun as she stood in an SUV and greeted voters with an elegant namaste. Hema Malini waved a cutout of the lotus, the BJP's poll symbol, and reminded voters to exercise their franchise on April 26, when Mathura goes to polls. An accomplished Bharatanatyam exponent, Hema Malini often showcased the 'flower mudra', gently opening her closed fingers to depict a flowering bud. People gathered in balconies and on rooftops showered rose petals on her carcade which snaked its way through the Chowk Bazaar area, considered the business hub of the old town. ''It (the roadshow) felt like it was a post-victory celebration. The roadshow was very beautifully organised by our party. Everybody, including our alliance partners, participated in it,'' Hema Malini told reporters after the roadshow. Hema Malini is pitted against OBC leader Mukesh Dhangar of the Congress, the nominee of the opposition INDIA bloc, and Chaudhary Suresh Singh of the BSP. ''This is a one-sided election. The Congress and the BSP are vying for the second spot,'' Dinesh Kumar Agrawal, a businessman in the local jewellery market, told PTI as Hema Malini's roadshow crossed the Chowk Bazaar. While the BJP is banking on the performance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the star power of Hema Malini, the Congress is seeking votes in the name of change. BSP's Singh, a veteran Jat leader who was earlier with the BJP, is hoping to cash in on the sizeable population of his community in Mathura and his party's committed supporters. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary's last-minute decision to align with the BJP has not gone down well with his supporters here and Singh is eyeing this section. ''The Jat community in this region holds RLD founder Chaudhary Charan Singh in high regard. The BJP may benefit from bestowing the Bharat Ratna on him, but local leaders of the RLD are unhappy with Jayant's decision to align with the BJP,'' said Hemant Chaudhary, a local hotelier. Among the 19.30 lakh voters in Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, the Jat community is the most influential with around 5 lakh votes, followed by Rajputs and Brahmins (approximately 3 lakh each), Jatavs (2 lakh), Muslims (1.6 lakh) and OBCs. A large section of the locals still view Hema Malini as an ''outsider'' but BJP supporters turned out in large numbers for her roadshow on Wednesday, the last day of campaigning for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls. ''Vote toh Modi aur Yogi baba ke naam par padna hai, Hema ji toh bahar ki hai (people will vote in the name of Modi and Yogi baba, Hema is an outsider),'' local BJP leader Sanjay Bhardwaj said. Vinod Kumar Gola, who belongs to the Prajapati community of potters, said he will vote for the BJP and listed central government initiatives that have benefited his community. The Jatav community, considered a staunch supporter of former chief minister and BSP president Mayawati, appears to be firmly backing her party. ''Behen ji ko vote nahi diya toh vote bekar hai (my vote will go waste if I don't vote for behen ji),'' said daily labourer Phool Chand Jatav, dismissing concerns over a Jat candidate fielded by the BSP. BJP corporator Kunjvihari Bhardwaj claimed that the real fight in Mathura was for the second rank as Hema Malini's victory was a ''foregone conclusion''. ''In 2019, she won by a margin of nearly 3 lakh votes. If the voter turnout is good on the election day, Hema ji can win by even a margin of 5 lakh votes. The Congress and the BSP are in the race for the second spot,'' he said.
Campaigning on eight LS seats for second phase in UP ends today
Lucknow: Campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight seats of western will conclude on Wednesday evening. The eight seats where polls will be held in the second phase are Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura. Polling for the second phase will be held on April 26. 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 .
