Seamless experience with my used Skoda Rapid so far: 5000 km update

BHPian TheGodfather recently shared this with other enthusiasts.5000 km updateI thought of giving you all a periodic update on the ownership and experience. It has been a seamless experience so far, with the car and with the service centre.Overall impressionThe car is working as per the expectations with an audible grunt from the engine. The butter-smooth transmission adds to the experience. Although sometimes the overtakes need to be planned, the power delivery is more than enough for most of the time. Family is happy with the cabin space and boot space while I'm happy with the driving dynamics. The DDPAI Z40 dash cam footage quality is good. Although the first front one stopped working in a month, it was replaced by Nexdigitron free of charge. I'd like to give special mention to the fact that my friends who get severe cases of motion sickness in all other cars, the majority being SUVs, haven't felt so.Major travels:3 trips to Mumbai - all involved the Atal Setu, what an amazing experience it has been.A trip each to Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar - The condition of Pune Nashik highway has improved quite a lot with full-fledged bypasses around the major towns.A few trips to Lonavala and around.Have planned trips to Goa and Aurangabad via Samruddhi Mahamarg after summer.Statistics (As of 8th May - Courtesy of Fuelio)Overall distance covered - 5033 kmAverage mileage per month - 1120 kmAverage fuel consumption - 12.87 km/lAverage cost per km - Rs 9.87/km The fuel consumption chart is also attached. The peaks are all highway runs while the rest are either a mix of highways and city or only city. The last 4 fills (April-May 2024) are from Shell normal petrol while the ones in Jan-March 2024 are from HP COCO Power 95. BHPians, please guide me if the statistics look in order or if I need to change anything with my driving style, fuel or anything else. Also, I have a query about which fuel is recommended since the recommended RON is 95 and Min RON is 92 while Shell is 91 RON. A similar query would be for Ethanol blending but I suppose it's not under my control in the same way as RON is. The upcoming change is the wiper blades change. Would anyone suggest something compatible and effective? Thanks in advance everyone. Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Siemens To Invest Rs 186 Crore For Cutting-Edge Metro Train Production Facility In Aurangabad

Siemens Ltd spins off energy business, shareholders to get one share for every share held

The board of Siemens also approved an investment of 519 crore for expanding capacities at a switchgear factory in Goa and a metro train manufacturing unit in Aurangabad

'Who Killed My Abba?': Aurangabad Riots & Unanswered Questions on Police Failure

Over a year since Aurangabad riots, claims of police's alleged inefficiency but those affected still have questions.

4th Phase of Lok Sabha Elections: Maharashtra Records 59.64% Voter Turnout in 11 Constituencies

4th Phase of Lok Sabha Elections: Maharashtra Records 59.64% Voter Turnout in 11 Constituencies An average voter turnout of 59.64 per cent has been recorded in 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra during polling in the fourth phase of general elections, as per the state poll authorities. Polling was held on Monday in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Beed seats. The highest voter turnout was recorded in Beed and the lowest in Pune, as per official figures. The 11 constituencies registered an average polling of 59.64 per cent, according to the data shared at around midnight on Monday by the office of the state's chief electoral officer. The Beed Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest 69.74 per cent polling, followed by Jalna 68.30 per cent, Nandurbar 67.12 per cent, Ahmednagar 62.76 per cent, Raver 61.36 per cent, Shirdi 61.13 per cent, Aurangabad 60.73 per cent, Jalgaon 53.65 per cent, Maval 52.90 per cent, Shirur 51.46 per cent and Pune 51.25 per cent. Union minister Raosaheb Danve contested the poll from Jalna, BJP leader Pankaja Munde from Beed and actor-turned-politician Amol Kolhe from Shirur. Three candidates are residents of places outside the constituency from where they contested. BJP candidate from Ahmednagar, Sujay Vikhe Patil, lives in Loni, part of the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat, while Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi's Pune candidate Vasant More, lives in Katraj, part of the Shirur constituency. Sandipan Bhumare, the nominee of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Aurangabad, is a voter in Paithan, which is in the Jalna Lok Sabha constituency. A total of 298 candidates were in the fray, with Beed having the highest number of 41 nominees and Nandurbar the lowest number at 11. Altogether, 2.28 crore voters were eligible to participate in the fourth phase of the election in the state. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after 80 in Uttar Pradesh. Polling has so far been held in 35 seats in Maharashtra. The remaining 13 constituencies, including six in Mumbai, will vote in the fifth phase on May 20. Votes will be counted on June 4.

Fourth phase polls conclude, violence hits West Bengal

New Delhi: The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections was marred by incidents of violence in West Bengal and intimidation in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh as political parties took to social media to air their grievances, apart from registering complaints with the Election Commission of India. Polling on Monday took place for 95 Parliament seats spread across 10 states and Union territories and for Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The overall poll percentage for the Lok Sabha was over 64. The highest polling was recorded from West Bengal, where it was over 76 per cent, while the lowest was from Jammu and Kashmir (38%). Bihar (57%), Maharashtra (58%) and Uttar Pradesh (58%) too had a weak turnout, while Andhra Pradesh had over 68 per cent, Telangana saw 62 per cent, Jharkhand 65 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 69 per cent and Odisha 65 per cent. For the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, the polling percentage was over 68 and in Odisha, it was 64 per cent. The EC was swarmed with complaints of violence, intimidation, and EVM malfunctioning. In West Bengal alone, some 1,700 complaints of alleged EVM malfunction and agents being stopped from entering booths were filed. The BJP, TMC and Congress workers clashed at several places. The commission, however, said the polls were peaceful across the state. BJP candidate Dilip Ghosh was the target of violence as stones were thrown at his convoy, in the process hitting security personnel, despite a show of bonhomie and some clicks of hugging each other between Mr Ghosh and TMC candidate Kirti Azad. The police are just mute spectators. The TMC has let loose a reign of terror. Since morning, TMC goons have beaten up our polling agents and are not allowing polling to be free and fair, Mr Ghosh told reporters. Candidate from Berhampore Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury too had complaints. Some goons, workers of TMC are trying to capture the roads and create problems for the people. I have requested the Election Commission to disperse them but they again come and sit there. The TMC wants to reduce the voter turnout because they know that the maximum number of voters are going to vote against the TMC. They are scared, so they want to disturb the voting process. We are not going to let them capture any booth, not I am going to let TMC win in Berhampore, Mr. Chowdhury said. In Hyderabad, actress-politician BJP candidate Madhavi Latha Kompella found herself on the wrong side of the law as she was seen checking the IDs of voters and questioning Muslim women voters at a polling booth. She is pitted against AIMIMs Asadudin Owaisi and BRS candidate Gaddam Srinivas Yadav. In the videos, she was seen asking women to remove their hijab. A case is registered in Malakpet police station against Smt Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP under Sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act, the Hyderabad collector said. Defending her act, Madhavi Latha said: I am a candidate. As per law, a candidate has the right to check ID cards without face masks. I am not a man, I am a woman, and with a lot of humbleness, I have only requested them -- can I please see and verify with the ID cards. If somebody wants to make a big issue out of it, that means they are scared. She accused the state police of not doing enough. 90% of booths are compromised. The police do not want to instruct female constables to check the face with the voter ID. When I asked the police officer, he said its not his responsibility, she added. In Andhra Pradesh, YSRCP MLA and candidate for state Assembly elections A. Sivakumar was seen attacking a voter in Tenali, Guntur. The voter, who was standing in a queue to cast his vote, objected to the MLAs attempt to jump the line and cast his vote without waiting. The MLA, in turn, allegedly physically assaulted the voter. There were also several videos of intimidation of voters from Uttar Pradesh. The keenly watched seats in this phase of the polls in UP include Kannauj, from where Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is seeking re-election, and Kheri, from where Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, is eyeing a hat-trick. A bypoll is also being held for the Dadraul Assembly constituency in Shahjahanpur district. The seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Manvendra Singh on January 5. In Lakhimpur Kheri, voters turned up at polling booths to cast their votes despite rains. There were also reports of a poll boycott from some villages, including Aurangabad, in Shahjahanpur district, over the delay in the development of roads. Village chief Virendra Verma told reporters that locals are angry due to the absence of a road in their village and that is why they have boycotted the polls. In Odisha, chief electoral officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal suspended three polling officials and directed the police to arrest two of them for serious dereliction of duty. In Jagti area in Jammu, scores of displaced Kashmiri Pandits were unable to vote due to their names missing from the electoral rolls. Even as KPs lined up across special polling stations in Jammu amid tight security, several of them had to return without casting their vote. In Pune, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) alleged wrongdoing after CCTV cameras got turned off for 45 minutes at a godown where the EVMs from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency were stored in Maharashtras Pune district. The election authorities, however, clarified that a cable of the cameras had to be removed for a short period during some electrical work on the premises in the morning. Baramati returning officer Kavita Dwivedi said the partys claim was investigated, and it was found that an electrician at the godown had removed a cable, which caused the display unit to be shut down. All cameras in the premises were functional, and the data was intact, she said.

MVA accuses Mahayuti of using cash for votes

Mumbai: The fourth phase of polling in Maharashtra was marred by allegations of money distribution levelled by opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties against the ruling alliance Mahayuti. Polling was held for 11 Lok Sabha seats Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed in the fourth phase in Maharashtra on Monday. The opposition MVA leaders alleged that large amounts of cash were reportedly distributed ostensibly to buy votes. While Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut alleged the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena distributed Rs 12 crore in Nashik, Congresss Pune candidate Ravindra Dhangekar protested inside a local police station demanding FIR against BJP for distribution of cash. NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar also accused BJP candidate Sujay Vikhe-Patil of giving cash for votes in Ahmednagar. Posting a purported video of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde alighting from a helicopter in Nashik with two security personnel lugging at least two heavy bags, Raut demanded to know why the CM travelled with such bulky luggage for just a two-hour-long poll campaign trip. Raut claimed that the bags hauled by the CMs security personnel may have been filled with around Rs 12-13 crore and demanded a statement from the government. NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar posted another supposed video showing bundles of cash lying on the road in the Ahmednagar constituency and claimed that it contained prasad for disbursing among the voters. Today, a packet arrived here in the name of everyone called Raja with the prasad and a plea by the guardian minister to vote for his party. The irony is that in many villages, the local refused to accept the prasad and in others the village elders siphoned off half the prasad, said Pawar in a jibe at the BJPs candidate from Ahmednagar Sujay Vikhe-Patil, who is battling against NCP (SP)s challenger Nilesh Lanke. Pawar said more complaints of prasad packets are pouring in and alleged that there are reports of more than Rs 2,000 crore cash being splurged by the ruling side to get votes and buy out leaders of opposition parties. Dhangekar alleged that last night in Pune, a large amount of cash was distributed during the weekend to lure the voters in the Sahakar Nagar slums in his constituency reportedly supporters of the ruling MahaYuti. State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule dismissed the MVAs allegations saying They are staring at defeat in the allegations and hence it is not surprising that they are levelling such baseless charges. Meanwhile, the NCP (SP) alleged wrongdoing after CCTV cameras got turned off for 45 minutes at a godown where the EVMs from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency were stored in Pune district. The election authorities, however, clarified that a cable of the cameras had to be removed for a short period during some electrical work on the premises in the morning.

Assault on cops: Bombay HC refuses to quash case against ex-AP CM Chandrababu Naidu

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has denied the request to dismiss a case against former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leader Nakka Ananda Babu for allegedly assaulting police in Maharashtra in 2010. The court found sufficient evidence of their involvement in the crime.

Assault on cops: Bombay HC refuses to quash case against ex-Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

MUMBAI: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has refused to quash a case against former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leader Nakka Ananda Babu for allegedly assaulting police personnel in Maharashtra in 2010. A division bench of Justices Mangesh Patil and Shailesh Brahme in its judgement on May 10 said it has o manner of doubt that there is enough material to reveal complicity of both Naidu and Babu in the commission of the alleged crime. The court dismissed the petitions filed by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Naidu and Babu seeking to quash the FIR lodged against them with the Dharmabad police in Maharashtra's Nanded district. The FIR was registered on charges of assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant, causing harm with dangerous weapons, rash acts endangering the lives of others, intentional insult with an intent to provoke a breach of peace and criminal intimidation. The bench in its order said it has o manner of doubt that there is enough material to reveal the complicity of both the applicants (Naidu and Babu) in the commission of the crime. The FIR expressly alleges that the applicant accused no.1 (Naidu) of having instigated fellow prisoners and even threatened there being a war between the two states, the HC said. The bench noted that witnesses in their statements have expressly attributed the role of Naidu and Babu in the commission of the offence and medical certificates show many of the police officials sustained injuries. It is clear that the offence was committed by sharing a common intention to carry out assault on police personnel, the high court said. The FIR was lodged promptly and even the injured police personnel were medically examined immediately, it said. There is enough material revealing complicity of the applicants (Naidu and Babu) in the commission of the crime with which they have been charged and it would not be appropriate to quash the crime and the criminal case, the high court said. The bench dismissed both petitions but extended the interim protection granted earlier till July 8 at the request of the duo's counsel Sidharth Luthra. In July 2010, Naidu and Babu were arrested along with 66 associates by the Dharmabad police in connection with another case pertaining to protest and agitation. Naidu, Babu and the others were remanded to judicial custody in the case and kept in a temporary prison at the Government Rest House in Dharmabad. When their judicial custody was extended, the Maharashtra Prisons' DIG ordered for them to be shifted to the Aurangabad central Prison. However, Naidu and Babu refused to be shifted and allegedly started hurling abuses in Telugu and English against the jail authorities. When the jailer requested the duo to board an air-conditioned bus, Naidu and Babu allegedly declared that if they were forced to board the bus then there would be a conflict between the two states. The allegation against the duo is that they instigated the other accused persons and started using criminal force and even assaulted some police officials. Additional force was called and the accused, including Naidu and Babu, were shifted to the Aurangabad Central Prison. Senior advocate Luthra, appearing for Naidu and Babu, argued that the FIR pertaining to the agitation was withdrawn and the magistrate had discharged all the accused in that case immediately. However, the police machinery was now implicating the duo in the assault case. Luthra argued the allegations in this case were false and concocted. Under provisions of the Prisons Act, only the superintendent of prisons has the power to lodge FIRs, he said. The informant in the present case was a senior jailer who could not have acted independently and did not have the power to lodge an FIR, Luthra said. The court, however, refused to accept the contention and said the accused had been booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, which are independent offences, and not the Prisons Act. The impugned crime and the chargesheet merely seek to attract provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the HC said. Hence, Luthra's submission would not be legally tenable, it added. The bench said the Prisons Act does not lay down any mechanism or procedure for lodging FIRs under the Indian Penal Code in respect of crimes committed within the premises of a prison.

Assault on cops: Bombay HC refuses to quash case against Naidu

Mumbai: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has refused to quash a case against former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leader Nakka Ananda Babu for allegedly assaulting police personnel in Maharashtra in 2010. A division bench of Justices Mangesh Patil and Shailesh Brahme in its judgement on May 10 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 .

Bombay HC Declines Quashing of Assault Case Against Former AP CM Chandrababu Naidu

Bombay HC Declines Quashing of Assault Case Against Former AP CM Chandrababu Naidu The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has refused to quash a case against former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leader Nakka Ananda Babu for allegedly assaulting police personnel in Maharashtra in 2010. A division bench of Justices Mangesh Patil and Shailesh Brahme in its judgement on May 10 said it has ''no manner of doubt that there is enough material to reveal complicity'' of both Naidu and Babu in the commission of the alleged crime. The court dismissed the petitions filed by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Naidu and Babu seeking to quash the FIR lodged against them with the Dharmabad police in Maharashtra's Nanded district. The FIR was registered on charges of assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant, causing harm with dangerous weapons, rash acts endangering lives of others, intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation. The bench in its order said it has ''no manner of doubt that there is enough material to reveal complicity of both the applicants (Naidu and Babu) in the commission of the crime.'' ''The FIR expressly alleges about the applicant accused no. 1 (Naidu) having instigated fellow prisoners and even threatened of there being a war between the two states,'' the HC said. The bench noted that witnesses in their statements have expressly attributed role of Naidu and Babu in commission of the offence and medical certificates show many of the police officials sustained injuries. It is clear that the offence was committed by sharing a common intention to carry out assault on police personnel, the high court said. The FIR was lodged promptly and even the injured police personnel were medically examined immediately, it said. ''There is enough material revealing complicity of the applicants (Naidu and Babu) in commission of the crime with which they have been charged and it would not be appropriate to quash the crime and the criminal case,'' the high court said. The bench dismissed both the petitions but extended the interim protection granted earlier till July 8 at the request of the duo's counsel Sidharth Luthra. In July 2010, Naidu and Babu were arrested along with 66 associates by the Dharmabad police in connection with another case pertaining to protest and agitation. Naidu, Babu and the others were remanded to judicial custody in the case and kept in a temporary prison at the Government Rest House in Dharmabad. When their judicial custody was extended, the Maharashtra Prisons' DIG ordered for them to be shifted to the Aurangabad central prison. However, Naidu and Babu refused to be shifted and allegedly started hurling abuses in Telugu and English against the jail authorities. When the jailer requested the duo to board an air-conditioned bus, Naidu and Babu allegedly declared that if they were forced to board the bus then there would be a conflict between the two states. The allegation against the duo is that they instigated the other accused persons and started using criminal force and even assaulted some police officials. Additional force was called and the accused, including Naidu and Babu, were shifted to the Aurangabad central prison. Senior advocate Luthra, appearing for Naidu and Babu, argued that the FIR pertaining to the agitation was withdrawn and the magistrate had discharged all the accused in that case immediately. However, the police machinery was now implicating the duo in the assault case. Luthra argued the allegations in this case were false and concocted. Under provisions of the Prisons Act, only the superintendent of prisons has the power to lodge FIRs, he said. The informant in the present case was a senior jailer who could not have acted independently and did not have the power to lodge an FIR, Luthra said. The court, however, refused to accept the contention and said the accused have been booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, which are independent offences, and not the Prisons Act. ''The impugned crime and the chargesheet merely seek to attract provisions of the Indian Penal Code,'' the HC said. Hence, Luthra's submission would not be legally tenable, it added. The bench said the Prisons Act does not lay down any mechanism or procedure for lodging FIRs under the Indian Penal Code in respect of crimes committed within the premises of a prison.

Maratha polarisation, agrarian crisis loom over Maha battle

MUMBAI: In the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, 11 constituencies will go to poll on Monday in Maharashtra where BJP-led Mahayuti has a major task to contain polarisation of Maratha community and counter agrarian issues to retain the seats. There are 298 candidates in fray in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Mawal, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed seats, where votes will be cast in 23, 284 polling booths. In this phase, BJP has seven MPs while Shiv Sena has two, and NCP (SP) and AIMIMone each. In Beed, former union minister late Gopinath Mundes daughter Pankaja Munde is pitted against Sharad Pawar-led NCP candidate Bajrang Sonawane. Munde is banking on OBC communities and looking to win over Maratha community. Her opponent Sonawane, who lost 2019 Lok sabha election to her sister Pritam Munde, is relying on 3 Ms -- Marathas, Mahars and Muslims. He pins hopes on Maratha polarisation and farmers anger to counter OBC polarisation. In Pune, BJPs Murlidhar Mohan is contesting against Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar. PM Narendra Modi and MNS chief Raj Thackeray campaigned for him while Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray sought votes for Dhangekar. Focusing on national issues, Mohar sought votes in Modis name. Dhangekar raised local issues. In recent Kasaba Peth assembly bypoll, Dhangekar had emerged as a giant killer by defeating the BJP candidate. BJP candidate Sujay Vikhe Patil is contesting against NCP (SP) candidate Nilesh Lanke in Ahmednagar. Patil is son of senior BJP leader and revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and his great grand-father had started co-operative-based sugar factory in Pravara Nagar in Ahmednagar. Lanke has been saying he will work for people, not for big business houses. He is capitalising on farmers anger due to fall in onion prices and rise in fertilizer and chemical prices. Aurangabad is witnessing a tri-angular contest among AIMIM MP Imtiyaz Jalil, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Senas Chandrakant Khaire and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Senas Sandeep Bhumare. Shindes Sena is trying to polarise voters on Hindu-Muslim lines, AIMIM candidate is trying to consolidate his own vote bank and Khaire is raising Bhumare getting liquor licences in family members names. Raver seat has been a BJP bastion for the last 30 years and Leva Patil community candidate gets elected from here. BJP has fielded former BJP minister Eknath Khadses daughter-in-law and MP Raksha Khadse who belongs to Leva Patil community while NCP (SP) has fieled Sriram Patil, a Maratha. Apart from caste consolidations, banana farmers issues are much talked about in this election. Political observers say that farmers issues will have key impact apart from Maratha quota leader Manoj Patils stir. Opposition is heavily relying on anti-incumbency, raising farmers and local issues and caste combination, while BJP is trying to consolidate Hindu votes, an analyst said. Tri-angular contest Aurangabad will have a tri-angular contest among AIMIM MP Imtiyaz Jalil, Uddhav Thackeray-led Chandrakant Khaire and Eknath Shinde-led Sandeep Bhumare who is banking on pro-Hindu ideology.

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

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

[Interview] Muslims Are My First Constituents And I Will Still Prefer Calling Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar As Aurangabad: AIMIM Aurangabad Candidate Imtiaz Jaleel

11 Maharashtra LS Seats to Witness Battle of Titans on May 13: Danve, Pankaja, Kolhe Lead the Charge

11 Maharashtra LS Seats to Witness Battle of Titans on May 13: Danve, Pankaja, Kolhe Lead the Charge Polling will be held on Monday for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls to 11 constituencies in Maharashtra where Union minister Raosaheb Danve, BJP leader Pankaja Munde and actor-turned-politician Amol Kolhe are among the prominent candidates. More than 2.28 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to seal the fate of 298 candidates in the fourth phase of elections in the state. The 11 constituencies - Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed - are spread across the central Marathwada as well as northern and western regions of the state. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm at 23,284 polling centres, according to data provided by the office of the state's chief electoral officer. In the 11 constituencies covered in the fourth phase, there are 2,28,01,151 registered voters -- 1,18,59,645 men, 1,09,40,234 women and 1,272 third gender persons. The BJP has renominated Union minister Danve from Jalna constituency and Sujay Vikhe Patil in Ahmednagar, and fielded former state minister Pankaja Munde from Beed. Actor Amol Kolhe is the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate from Shirur Lok Sabha seat in Pune district. In Marathwada, it is the BJP versus Congress in Jalna, and the Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) versus Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Aurangabad. In Beed, the BJP has fielded former state minister Pankaja Munde instead of sitting MP and her younger sister Pritam Munde. Pankaja's main rival will be Bajrang Sonawane of the NCP (SP). In Shirur, sitting MP Kolhe of the NCP (SP) is pitted against Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who is contesting as candidate of the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. After Baramati in Pune district, Shirur is another prestige battle for Ajit Pawar who has publicly stated that he wants to ensure the defeat of Kolhe. In northern Maharashtra's Nandurbar (ST-reserved), sitting BJP MP Heena Gavit and Congress' Gowaal Padvi are locked in a straight contest. In Ahmednagar in western Maharashtra, BJP's Sujay Vikhe Patil is taking on Nilesh Lanke of the NCP (SP). Lanke, the MLA from Parner in Ahmednagar district, sided with Ajit Pawar when the NCP split in July 2023. However, he later returned to the Sharad Pawar camp. In Jalgaon, it is a BJP versus NCP (SP) battle. In Raver also, which comes under Jalgaon district, the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led outfit are taking on each other. In western Maharashtra's Maval, the two rival Shiv Senas are locked in a bitter fight post the 2022 split in the party. In Pune city, the BJP and the Congress are the main contenders. In Shirdi constituency, where the famous Saibaba temple is located, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde is taking on the Shiv Sena (UBT). Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after 80 in Uttar Pradesh. Out of the 48 seats, voting has been completed in 24 in the first three phases of elections. Polling for the fifth and final phase covering 13 seats will take place on May 20.

Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency: Know polling date, candidates list, past election results

Aurangabad is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra. The date of voting for the Aurangabad seat is on May 13 (Phase 4).

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Uddhav slams Modi over fake son, nakli Sena remarks

Addressing a rally for the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat Chandrakant Khaire, Uddhav claimed people are inconvenienced during the visits of Modi and cited the closure of roads leading out of the airport during the latter`s recent poll visit to Latur.

HRAWIs Aurangabad Chapter Engages Top Political Leaders To Address Hospitality Industry Concerns

Maharashtras top leaders from across political parties recently met with the Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) HRAWIs regional chapter in Aurangabad to discuss grievances within the hospitality industry. Representing HRAWI, Harpreet Singh Nirh, President of Aurangabad Hotels & Restaurants Association, engaged in discussions and proposed recommendations for improvement with the BJP-Sena Mahayuti candidate,... The post HRAWIs Aurangabad Chapter Engages Top Political Leaders To Address Hospitality Industry Concerns first appeared on Hospitality Biz India: Latest News & Analysis . The post HRAWIs Aurangabad Chapter Engages Top Political Leaders To Address Hospitality Industry Concerns appeared first on Hospitality Biz India: Latest News & Analysis .

Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat: AIMIMs Imtiaz Jaleel Syed pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) Chandrakant Khaire again

The News Mill

Bihar: 2 Modi ministers lock in tight contest

PATNA : The fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in Bihar will decide the fate of not only the veterans of several electoral battles but also of those making debut in politics. Two Union ministers, Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai, are locked in a neck-to-neck fight in their respective constituencies this time. Five Lok Sabha constituencies, namely Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger will go to polls scheduled to be held on May 13. Giriraj Singh, known to be the BJPs firebrand leader, is contesting election from Begusarai yet one more time. He is pitted against former MLA and CPI candidate Awadhesh Kumar Rai. Singh is seeking a re-election from the seat. Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency is a stronghold of upper caste Bhumihars. Most candidates who have won from Begusarai belonged to Bhumihar caste, including Giriraj Singh, who had defeated CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar by a margin of 4.2 lakh votes in the 2019 election. Similarly, Union Minister of State for Home and senior BJP leader Nityanand Rai is trying his luck from Ujiarpur seat again. While seeking votes for him recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Rai his jigri (favourite) and promised to make him a bada aadmi (big man) in future. He is locked in a direct contest with senior RJD leader and former minister Alok Kumar Mehta, considered close to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. However, Rai who had won Lok Sabha election twice in 2014 and 2019, is facing anti-incumbency. The seat has been held by the National Democratic Alliance ever since it was created after delimitation in 2008. In the 2009 election, Ashwamedh Devi of JD(U) had won the election by defeating Alok Kumar Mehta. Rai is now trying to make a hat-trick from Ujiarpur. The seat has a strong Yadav voter base, a community Rai belongs to. Apart from Yadavs, the constituency also has a good population of upper castes, Kushwahas, SCs, particularly Paswans and Maha Dalits. Similarly, BJP MP Gopal Jee Thakur is contesting election from Darbhanga. A PhD holder, Thakur is pitted against senior RJD leader and former minister Lalit Yadav, a postgraduate in Sociology from Lalit Narayan Mithila University. Yadav is known for his muscle power in the region. RJD had last won this seat in 2004 by defeating BJPs Kirti Azad. In Samastipur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, the son and daughter of two JD(U) leaders are pitted against each other. Bihars rural works minister Ashok Choudharys daughter Shambhavi Choudhary is contesting election on a ticket from the LJP (Ram Vilas). She is pitted against Congress nominee Sunny Hazari, son of senior JD(U) minister Maheshwar Hazari. Recently, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar had warned his cabinet colleague Hazari against seeking votes for his son. In an election rally addressed by Kumar in Samastipur constituency, Hazari was not even present. From Munger constituency, former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh is pitted against RJD candidate Kumari Anita, wife of muscleman Ashok Mahto. Singh, who defeated Congress Nilam Devi in 2019 elections, is eyeing his fourth win from Munger. Lalan Singh had first won the election from the Munger seat in 2009 but lost to LJP leader Veena Devi in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held election rallies in Munger and Darbhanga recently and appealed to voters to vote for NDA candidates in the ongoing elections in the state. All the five seats where elections are due to be held on May 13 are held by the NDA three of them by BJP and one each by JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas). For RJD, there is nothing to lose in this phase. But for NDA, its prestige is at stake as all the five seats going to polls in this phase are held by it, said a political analyst, Pramod Kumar. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats. Elections were earlier held in Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui in the first phase; Purnea, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Kishanganj and Banka in the second, and Madhepura, Araria, Supaul, Khagaria and Jhanjharpur in the third.

As taps run dry in arid Aurangabad, candidates go on and on about booze

Nitish explains switch but are Bihar voters buying?

During a recent appearance with Modi in Aurangabad, Kumar sought to allay any doubts, beseeching, I may have wandered idhar udhar (off the path) momentarily, but rest assured, I have returned to NDA for good. His words, met with muffled smirks from Modi and Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, underscored the delicate dance of alliances in the state.

SpiceJet starts Hajj operations with Srinagar to Jeddah flight

SpiceJet won the bid to operate 102 special flights, catering to over 13,800 pilgrims from Guwahati, Gaya, Bhopal, Indore, Aurangabad, and Vijayawada. The airline has leased an Airbus A340 on short term aircraft for the services

India's First Haj Flight Takes Off from Delhi Airport: Pilgrimage Season Begins

India's inaugural Haj flight took off from Delhi's IGI airport, marking the start of the pilgrimage season. The flight departed at 2:20 am on Thursday, May 9, carrying 285 pilgrims bound for Madinah. Chairperson of Delhi State Haj committee, Kausar Jahan, expressed her congratulations to the pilgrims embarking on this journey. She mentioned that a total of 16,500 pilgrims will be leaving from Delhi for the Haj pilgrimage this year. Preparations for the Haj pilgrimage were also discussed during a meeting between Secretary of Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs, Muktesh K Pardeshi, and Saudi Arabia's Vice Haj Minister Abdul Fattah Mashat. They focused on ensuring smooth logistical arrangements for the pilgrims. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia shared updates on the meeting via social media, highlighting the fruitful discussions between Pardeshi and Vice Haj Minister Mashat regarding the upcoming pilgrimage and the commitment to providing excellent services to Indian pilgrims. This year, a total of 175,025 Indian pilgrims are expected to visit Saudi Arabia as part of the Haj quota. High Court Rejects Challenges to Maharashtra's Renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad MakeMyTrip Reveals Top Summer Holiday Destinations for Indian Travelers Kedarnath Pilgrimage Update: Panchmukhi Procession Advancing to Phata from Guptkashi

No illegality by state in renaming Aurangabad & Osmanabad, says Bombay HC

Bombay High Court upheld Maharashtra govt's renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv, dismissing petitions challenging the decision. The court cited legal provisions and lack of merit in the objections raised.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde welcomes Bombay HC ruling on city renaming

Speaking to reporters here, he said the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad approved in June 2022 by the then-Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was illegal as the ruling coalition had lost its majority following a revolt in the Shiv Sena led by him

Fadnavis Predicts NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) to Merge with Congress After Lok Sabha Result

Mumbai : Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday claimed that Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are finding it difficult to run their parties on their own and will merge with the Congress after the Lok Sabha election results. Reacting to Sharad Pawars statement that regional parties may merge with Congress soon, the BJP leader said the veteran politician has sensed the outcome of the Lok Sabha election. Mr. Pawar is a visionary leader. After this election, he and Uddhav Thackeray will struggle to run their parties. Therefore, he has made this statement. I am sure both the parties will merge with the Congress after this election, Mr. Fadnavis said. Mr. Pawar along with PA Sangma and Tariq Anwar formed the NCP in 1999 after they were expelled from the Congress for opposing Sonia Gandhi over the issue of her foreign origin. It is not new for Sharad Pawar, who had merged his party with the Congress, the BJP leader said. It is pertinent to note that Sharad Pawar left the Congress in 1978 and floated his own outfit Congress (S) and became Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the head of a coalition government, Progressive Democratic Alliance, with other parties including the Janata Party. Subsequently, he again rejoined the Congress in 1986 and later became Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1988. Later raising the issue of foreign origin of Sonia Gandhi, he founded his own party NCP in 1999. Sharad Pawars estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that Sharad Pawar had merged his outfit Samajwadi Congress with Congress (I) on December 8,1986. I was sitting in a public rally in Aurangabad and had witnessed the merger, Ajit said. The NCP founder has reportedly said smaller parties are getting close to Congress and some of them may merge with the grand old party. He has also said that there is no difference between the Congress and his party because both follow the ideology of Mahatma and Jawaharlal Nehru. However, he has not confirmed whether his party will merge with the Congress and his partys leadership will take a collective decision on it. Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde used Sharad Pawars comment to target Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying the latter has already become Congress-minded. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has already become Congress as they speak the language of the Congress and Pakistan. Only the formality of official merger is remaining now, he said. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that the merger of smaller parties will depend upon the result of Lok Sabha elections. If the INDIA bloc comes to power, the smaller parties will merger themselves with the Congress in order to participate in the government, he said.

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan concurs with Pawar's observations on potential merger

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan concurs with Pawar's observations on potential merger Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday said he agreed with NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar's remarks on possible merger or close association of regional outfits with the grand old party going forward. However, everything will depend on the June 4 results of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, maintained the former Maharashtra chief minister. In an interview to 'The Indian Express', Pawar predicted that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress, or even merge with it. ''I was there when Pawar saheb made those remarks. Everything depends on the result of polls on June 4. We are sure there will be an INDIA alliance government at the Centre after June 4 and to take benefits of power, some parties may join the INDIA alliance or even merge with the Congress. But all these things are based on ifs and buts as everything depends on June 4 results,'' he said. Chavan said he agreed with Pawar's views. Meanwhile, when asked about Sharad Pawar's remarks, deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, said those were his personal views. ''On December 8, 1986, Pawar saheb had merged his Samajwadi Congress Party with the Congress (I) and they all were witness to that rally in Aurangabad where he made the announcement,'' said Ajit Pawar.

Shah Targets Pakistan, Vows Retaliation if Modi Re-Elected

Shah Targets Pakistan, Vows Retaliation if Modi Re-Elected Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said making Narendra Modi prime minister for the third time would mean responding to every bullet fired from Pakistan with a cannon shell, and accused the Congress of promoting the agenda of the neighbouring country. Shah was speaking at a campaign rally in Jalna Lok Sabha constituency in central Maharashtra for Union minister and BJP candidate Raosaheb Danve. ''Making Narendra Modi PM for the third time means responding to every bullet from Pakistan with a cannon shell,'' he said. In the BJP-led NDA, it is decided who would be the prime minister after the elections, but in the opposition's INDIA bloc, decision was yet to be taken on the issue, the senior BJP leader said. ''Their leaders say they will become PM one by one. But such a huge country can not be run like a partnership company. They don't have any vision. But Modi has worked for ten years and has an agenda of 25 years,'' Shah said. He also alleged that if there was anyone who takes forward Pakistan's agenda, it was Rahul Gandhi's Congress. ''PM Modi undertakes surgical and air strikes (against Pakistan), but Rahul Gandhi questions them. Modi ended Naxalism, but Rahul raises questions over it,'' the Union home minister said. The Congress-led opposition was talking about revoking the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and if it came to power, it would commit the ''sin of putting a lock with the name Babri on it on (Ayodhya's) Ram Mandir,'' he alleged. Shah also accused opposition parties of standing in the way of the construction of the Ram temple, and declining the invitation for its inauguration when Modi got the temple built. ''....they refused to attend the Ram temple inauguration so that their vote bank would not be disgruntled,'' the Union minister further said. Coming down heavily on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the BJP's former ally, Shah claimed that Thackeray has now allied with a party (Congress) that wants to bring back triple talaq and run the country as per the Sharia law. ''Can this country be run on the basis of Muslim Personal Law? For the sake of some constitutional post, Uddhav is now sitting with such parties,'' he alleged. Referring to the alleged scam in the distribution of khichdi to migrant workers in Mumbai during the COVID-19 pandemic when Thackeray was chief minister, Shah alleged that leaders of Thackeray's party were eating ''malai'' (cream) from khichdi while Narendra Modi was serving the people. ''Uddhav Thackeray is lying at the feet of Sharad Pawar and Congress only for power. These parties opposed the renaming of Aurangabad (as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar). He will not utter a single word if people ask him about Ram Mandir, triple talaq, Article 370,'' Shah said. Congress preserved Article 370 for long and it was PM Modi who revoked it, Shah said. Former prime minister late Indira Gandhi gave the slogan `Garibi Hatao' (remove poverty) but no Congress leader could do that, he said, adding that it was Modi who brought people out of poverty. ''Our government is giving ration to 80 crore people and providing free hospital treatment upto Rs 5 lakh,'' he added. A dry port was being developed in Jalna which will help transport the steel produced in the region across the globe, he said, adding, ''This too is the work of Narendra Modi and (deputy chief minister) Devendra Fadnavis.'' Of the six assembly segments in Jalna Lok Sabha seat, five are with the BJP and its allies. Jalna will go to polls on May 13, along with neighboring Aurangabad and Beed.

Maharashtra CM welcomes HC nod for Aurangabad, Osmanabad renaming

Maharashtra CM welcomes HC nod for Aurangabad, Osmanabad renaming Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday welcomed the Bombay High Court ruling on renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively, and said those opposed the move were linked to the opposition MVA. Speaking to reporters here, he said the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad approved in June 2022 by the then-Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was ''illegal'' as the ruling coalition had lost its majority following a revolt by a section of the undivided Shiv Sena MLAs led by him. After Shinde became CM on June 30, 2022 following the collapse of the MVA government, his cabinet approved the name of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and that of Osmanabad as Dharashiv. On July 16, 2022, a Government Resolution was passed for changing names and then forwarded to the Centre for approval. ''The Bombay High Court has given recognition to the renaming of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv today (May 8). The dream of (Shiv Sena founder) late Balasaheb Thackeray has been fulfilled. Some of the people who opposed this decision and went to the court were from the MVA,'' he noted. ''This (court ruling) is a lesson for those who opposed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar's renaming. The city of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Balasaheb Thackeray shared deep bond. Those who were in the government for two-and-a-half years took the renaming decision at the very last moment after our revolt, but it was illegal,'' Shinde maintained. Earlier in the day, the HC dismissed a bunch of petitions challenging the state government's decision to rename Aurangabad district as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor said the petitions were bereft of merits and the notification issued by the state government (for renaming) does not warrant any interference.

Bombay HC dismisses pleas against renaming of Aurangabad, Osmanabad

Mumbai: What's in a name, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said dismissing a bunch of petitions challenging the Maharashtra government's decision to rename Aurangabad district as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor said the petitions were bereft of merits and the notification issued by the state government (for renaming) does not warrant any interference. We have no hesitation to hold that the notification issued by the state government renaming Aurangabad and Osmanabad does not suffer from any illegality or any legal vice, the bench said. Quoting William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the bench in its judgement said, What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. The bench said Shakespeare made a profound observation on the nature of names, and that a name does not change anything and calling a rose something different would not change the essence of the flower. The bench in its judgement said the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code permits the state government to abolish any revenue area and to name/rename and alter the name of the area. The court said it has no hesitation to conclude that the government followed the statutory provisions before taking the decision to rename the two districts and cities. The HC said it was of the opinion that the issue of alteration of name of a revenue area or even a city or town is not justiciable as courts lack the requisite tool to adjudicate such an issue. As to by what name a particular object or place is to be known cannot be judicially reviewed unless the name so proposed is atrocious, the high court said. In 2022, the Maharashtra cabinet headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde approved the name of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. On July 16, 2022, a Government Resolution was passed by the two-member cabinet for changing names and then forwarded to the central government. In February 2023, the Union Home Ministry gave a no objection letter for changing the names of the cities and districts and thereafter, a gazette notification was issued by the state government changing the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad. Several petitions were then filed by Aurangabad residents challenging the government's decision to rename the place as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Another PIL was filed by 17 residents of Osmanabad against the government's decision to rename it as Dharashiv. Both the petitions termed the government's decision as politically motivated. The Maharashtra government had opposed the pleas, claiming the two places were renamed due to their history and not for any political reasons.

LS polls: Will AIMIMs Jaleel win from Aurangabad once again?

Aurangabad: A traditional bastion of the Congress and (undivided) Shiv Sena, the minority-dominated Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat delivered a huge political stunner in 2019 when it elected Syed Imtiaz Jaleel of the Telangana-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Overcoming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave that year, the 97-year-old party got its first MP outside 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 .

Bombay HC upholds Maharashtra govt`s decision to rename Aurangabad, Osmanabad

Bombay HC dismissed the applications, claiming that the government`s notification for renaming did not warrant interference

Live-in Relationships Still Taboo in Indian Society: Chhattisgarh High Court Rules

In a recent ruling, the Chhattisgarh High Court refused custody to Abdul Hameed Siddiqui for a child born from his live-in relationship with Kavita Gupta, shedding light on the complexities of interfaith marriages and the burden of proof required. RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court has declined a mans request for custody of a child born out of a live-in relationship, citing the intricate nature of personal laws and the challenges posed by interfaith unions. A bench comprising Justice Goutam Bhaduri and Justice Sanjay S Agrawal remarked that the concept of live-in relationships remains stigmatized in Indian society, conflicting with traditional beliefs. The idea is foreign to our cultural norms, the court stated, underscoring that the rules of personal law cannot be enforced in any court without being substantiated as customary practices. Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, a 43-year-old resident of Dantewada, had petitioned for custody of the child born from his live-in arrangement with 36-year-old Kavita Gupta. After his plea was rejected by a family court in Dantewada in December 2023, Siddiqui sought recourse from the High Court. High Court Rejects Challenges to Maharashtra's Renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad Historic Verdict: Girl Jailed for False Rape Accusation, Innocent Youth Acquitted Top Events Today: PM Modi's Andhra Rally, Uttarakhand Forest Fire Petitions, L&T's Q4 Results and More

Renaming of Aurangabad, Osmanabad | Bombay High Court validates Maharashtra governments notifications

The Bench stated that the governments notifications for the name changes were not in violation of the constitution and do not suffer from any illegality or any vice.

Bombay High Court finds no illegality in renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad

Bombay High Court finds no illegality in renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad

HC upholds renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad

Bombay High Court supports Maharashtra govt's renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv. Petitions dismissed. Centre approves Osmanabad's new name. Decision influenced by historical, political factors.

High Court Rejects Challenges to Maharashtra's Renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad

In a recent development, the Bombay High Court has dismissed multiple petitions contesting the Maharashtra government's move to rename Aurangabad district as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. The decision came from a division bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor, stating that the government's notification does not justify any intervention. The notification issued by the state government to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad is deemed legal and devoid of any flaws, affirmed the bench. The petitions lacked merit and were consequently dismissed by the High Court. The Maharashtra cabinet, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, approved the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv in 2022. The process began with a Government Resolution passed by the two-member cabinet on July 16, 2022, which was then forwarded to the central government. Subsequently, in February 2023, the Union Home Ministry provided a no objection letter for the name changes. Following this, a gazette notification was issued by the state government officially renaming Aurangabad and Osmanabad. Numerous petitions were filed by residents of Aurangabad opposing the government's decision to rename their city as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Similarly, 17 residents of Osmanabad filed a PIL against renaming it to Dharashiv. Both petitions alleged political motivations behind the government's actions. In response, the Maharashtra government defended its stance, asserting that the renaming was rooted in historical significance rather than political agenda. India Lok Sabha Elections 2024: What's at Stake in Phase 3? Bengal Leads Voter Turnout at 14.6% by 9 AM; Maharashtra Lags Behind at 6.64% Fatal Accident on Nagpur-Mumbai Samriddhi Expressway Claims Two Lives

Constituency Watch: Aurangabad Opened LS Door In Maharashtra For TelanganaS AIMIM

A traditional bastion of the Congress and (undivided) Shiv Sena, the minority-dominated Aurangabad Lok Sabha s ...

Lok Sabha elections 2024: `No talk of development but rifts to gain votes`

Imtiyaz Jaleel tells mid-day about water scarcity and lack of industry; his role in bringing change to Aurangabad

Fadnavis: Renaming of Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar to be completed during PM Modi's potential 3rd term

Fadnavis: Renaming of Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar to be completed during PM Modi's potential 3rd term Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the process to rename Ahmednagar district as Ahilyanagar will be completed in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing an election rally here in western Maharashtra in presence of Modi, the BJP leader said the state government has already taken a decision to rename Ahmednagar district as Ahilyanagar in honour of a legendary 18th century Maratha queen. ''The decision will be implemented in Modi's third term,'' he told the gathering. Maharani Ahilyadevi Holkar, the 18th century queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom in central India, was born in a village in present-day Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra. Last year, Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts in central Maharashtra were officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.

Patna emerges as India's most flood-prone city, reveals recent study

Patna emerges as India's most flood-prone city, reveals recent study Patna experiences the worst floods in India, followed by West Bengal's Murshidabad and Maharashtra's Thane, according to a district-level flood severity index (DFSI) developed by researchers at IIT-Delhi and IIT-Roorkee. The index takes into account the historical severity of floods based on the number of affected people, the spread and duration of floods. The researchers said the top 10 districts where flood severity is the highest are: Patna, Murshidabad, Thane, North 24 Parganas (West Bengal), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), East Champaran (Bihar), and East Medinipur (West Bengal). These are followed by Muzaffarnagar (Bihar), Lakhimpur (Assam), Kota (Rajasthan), Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Malda (West Bengal), Rajkot (Gujarat), Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Aurangabad (Bihar), Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Darjeeling (West Bengal), Dibrugarh (Assam), Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh), Chamoli (Uttarakhand), West Champaran (Bihar), Amravati (Maharashtra), Medinipur West (West Bengal), and Samastipur (Bihar). Though Chamoli in Uttarakhand does not face recurrent floods, it appears on this list because of a few isolated highly damaging flood events. Among the 30 districts facing the highest risk of floods, 17 are in the Ganga basin and three are in the Brahmaputra basin. Among all the Indian river basins, the Ganga basin has the highest population, and its high flood proneness is worrisome, said the researchers, including Manabendra Saharia, an assistant professor at IIT-Delhi. Assam experiences the highest number of floods in India, having faced more than 800 flood events over 56 years. The other flood-prone states, in descending order of flood events, include Kerala, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Data from 1967 to 2023 shows that Thiruvananthapuram has experienced more than 231 floods or more than four events per year on average. Five districts -- Thiruvananthapuram, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Kamrup, and Nagaon -- have been categorised as ''severely flood-prone,'' having recorded more than 178 floods, or more than three events per year on average. The researchers said localised intense rainfall events are likely to rise in the future due to climate change, and therefore, more flash floods are expected. Under the warming climate, the frequency of cyclones will increase, and coastal and nearby inland areas will face more instances of intense rainfall and floods. It is also likely that areas that are not currently flood-prone may begin to see flooding. The researchers said human fatality due to floods is nearly stable or has come down in recent times due to better management despite an increase in the population in India. The number of deaths is around 1,000 per year since 2015, the data showed.

All parties want Muslim votes but can`t find candidates from community: Owaisi

Owaisi also said parties have come together to ensure the defeat of his Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel

Parties fail to field Muslim candidates despite courting votes

Parties fail to field Muslim candidates despite courting votes All parties in Maharashtra want Muslim votes in the Lok Sabha polls but have not fielded candidates from the community, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said. Addressing a rally in Amkhas Maidan here on Monday, Owaisi also claimed that various parties have come together to ensure the defeat of his Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel. ''Political parties are seeking votes of Muslims but could not find candidates from the community for any of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. They are not bothered about results elsewhere but two Shiv Sena, two NCPs and half Congress are here to defeat Jaleel,'' he claimed. Criticising Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrakant Khaire, the AIMIM chief said the former used to call himself a Hindutva leader but arrived at the Idgah here after realising the importance of (Muslim) voters. ''Those whose politics was earlier based on 'khan ya baan' (Muslims and Hindus) are now talking about namaz,'' he said. Dubbing Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray as ''newly secular'', Owaisi said the former chief minister must clear his stand about Babri Masjid demolition and say whether it was a sin or not.

Maharashtra: Real parties find the going tough in battle of loyalties

MUMBAI: In the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, 11 Lok Sabha constituencies will vote on May 7. The BJP faces the challenge to retain its dominance in western Maharashtra as NCPs Sharad Pawar tries to wrest those seats in the high-voltage polls. In the third phase, two descendants of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are also testing their luck in Satara and Kolhapur seats. Former CM Sushil Kumar Shinde, who lost the last two general elections, is trying for his daughter, Congress MLA Praniti Shinde, from Solapur LS seat. The Lok Sabha constituencies going to the polls are Raigad , Baramati, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Latur , Solapur, Madha ,Sangli ,Satara ,Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Hatkanangale. Two Lok Sabha constituencies are from the Konkan Division, seven are from the Pune Division, and two from the Aurangabad Division. There are 23,036 polling stations and 2,09,92,616 voters will cast their vote on May 7. As many as 258 candidates are in fray in the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies. The third phase Lok Sabha elections is very crucial for former union minister Sharad Pawar whose party is contesting the high-profile Lok Sabha constituency Baramati, Satara, and Madha Lok sabha seats while Uddhav Thackeray has to retain Dharashiv, Hatkalangale, and Ratnagiri Sindhudurg while Congress is fighting the prestigious battle in Kolhapur, Latur, and Solapur. It is a real test of Sharad Pawar, Uddhav ThAackeray, Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis. Each one is fighting hard to either retain or wrest old forts. Senior Sharad Pawar at the age of 84 years has again showed again that he has charisma. Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are good election managers. However, senior Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray have a lot sympathy among voters, said a political observer. In Baramati, third time Lok sabha MP Supriya Sule is facing an uphill challenge by her cousin Deputy CM Ajit Pawar who has fielded his spouse Sunetra Pawar against Supriya Sule. The victory and defeat of both Pawars will decide their political career in Maharashtra therefore, both junior Pawar and senior Pawar have campaigned for their candidates until the last day. Ajit Pawar with the help of the BJPs top leadership has brought the right mathematical calculations on paper, but it will be interesting whether he has the right chemistry. Facing the loyalty test are some of his old political rivals who turned friend such as BJPs Harshvardhan Patil and Shiv Senas Vijay Shivtare. The third phase is very crucial for Sharad, Uddhav, Ajit and Devendra Fadnavis. Each one is fighting hard to either retain or wrest old forts, said a political observer. 258 candidates in the fray The Lok Sabha constituencies going to the polls are Raigad , Baramati, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Latur , Solapur, Madha ,Sangli ,Satara ,Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Hatkanangale. Two Lok Sabha constituencies are from the Konkan Division, seven are from the Pune Division, and two from the Aurangabad Division. There are 23,036 polling stations and 2,09,92,616 voters will cast their vote on May 7. As many as 258 candidates are in fray in the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies. The constituencies going to the polls are Raigad , Baramati, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Latur , Solapur, Madha ,Sangli ,Satara ,Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Hatkanangale. Two constituencies are from the Konkan Division, seven are from the Pune Division, and two from the Aurangabad Division.

Voting commences for 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra

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

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

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

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Dalits, Muslims may decide result in Aurangabad

Key constituency will see three-way fight among four-time MP Chandrakant Khaire, minister Sandipan Bhumre and AIMIMs Imtiyaz Jaleel

Not in politics for any gains...: BJP candidate Ujjwal Nikam

Ahead of filing his nomination for Lok Sabha elections, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam submitted his resignation from all his cases where he was appearing as Special Public Prosecutor. He was handling cases related to the 1993 blasts, the 26/11 terror attacks and the Aurangabad arms haul case but he says that if needed, he will take back these cases as a Special Public Prosecutor.

Bihar Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Sand Mining, Issues Directives to Officials

Bihar Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Sand Mining, Issues Directives to Officials In a bid to check illegal sand mining in the state, the Bihar government on Thursday directed officers concerned in all districts to inspect sand ghats in their respective areas and send reports to the headquarters daily. The decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting attended by senior officials of the Mines and Geology department and other related departments. According to a statement issued by the Information and Public Relations Department, the district mining officers across the state have been ''directed to inspect sand ghats in their respective areas and send reports to the headquarters on a daily basis''. Directions have been issued to erect display boards at all auctioned sand ghats and also install National Informatics Centre (NIC) integrated weighing machine to check overloading and illegal transportation of sand,'' it said. Officials have been asked to ''keep a tab on the entire sand quarry activity and track trucks carrying sand from the quarry to depots and other designated destinations in the state, the statement said. Instructions have also been issued to erect display boards at sand ghats which have not been auctioned. Any sand mining activities on ghats which are not auctioned can be easily checked and strict action will be taken against violators,'' the statement said. The state has been witnessing incidents of violent attacks by the sand mafia on policemen and senior officers of the department. Such incidents are mainly reported from Patna, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Saran and Vaishali districts. The sand ghats along the Sone river in Rohtas, Bhojpur and Aurangabad districts of Bihar and adjacent Garhwa and Palamu of Jharkhand are known for good quality.

Have to visit 5 Jyotirlingas together, make a plan to go to Maharashtra immediately

Are you ready to embark on a spiritual journey to visit the five sacred Jyotirlingas nestled in the picturesque state of Maharashtra? Exploring these divine abodes promises a soul-stirring experience filled with reverence and enlightenment. Let's chart out a detailed plan to ensure a seamless pilgrimage to these revered sites. Understanding the Jyotirlingas Before delving into the itinerary, it's essential to grasp the significance of Jyotirlingas. These are shrines where Lord Shiva, the destroyer and transformer in the Hindu pantheon, is worshipped in the form of a radiant lingam. Maharashtra is blessed with five such sacred Jyotirlingas, each holding profound spiritual importance. The Five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga: Located near Nashik in the quaint town of Trimbak, this Jyotirlinga is nestled amidst lush greenery and holds immense religious significance. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga: Situated in the Sahyadri range, Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is surrounded by pristine natural beauty, offering devotees a serene ambiance for worship. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga: Positioned near the holy town of Ellora, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is renowned for its architectural splendor and spiritual aura. Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga: Located in the Hingoli district, Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga exudes tranquility and draws devotees seeking divine blessings. Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga: Nestled in the Beed district, Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga is revered for its ancient heritage and sacred atmosphere. Crafting the Itinerary Now, let's craft a well-structured itinerary to ensure a fulfilling pilgrimage to these revered Jyotirlingas: Day 1: Arrival in Nashik Arrive at Ozar Airport or Nashik Railway Station. Check into a hotel in Nashik and unwind after your journey. Visit Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga in the evening for darshan and prayers. Enjoy local cuisine and rest for the night. Day 2: Nashik to Bhimashankar Depart from Nashik early in the morning. Reach Bhimashankar and offer prayers at Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga. Explore the surrounding natural beauty and wildlife sanctuary. Overnight stay in Bhimashankar. Day 3: Bhimashankar to Aurangabad Depart from Bhimashankar after breakfast. Journey towards Aurangabad, a historical city. Visit the famous Ellora Caves en route. Check into a hotel in Aurangabad and relax. Day 4: Aurangabad to Parli Depart from Aurangabad after breakfast. Head towards Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga. Seek blessings at the sacred shrine. Overnight stay in Parli. Day 5: Parli to Aundha Nagnath to Nashik Depart from Parli after breakfast. Visit Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga on the way back to Nashik. Offer prayers and soak in the spiritual ambiance. Return to Nashik by evening. Relax and reminisce about the spiritual journey. Essential Tips for the Pilgrimage Travel Essentials: Carry comfortable clothing, adequate water, and essential medications. Respect Customs: Adhere to the religious customs and traditions at each Jyotirlinga. Transportation: Arrange for reliable transportation or hire a local guide for hassle-free travel. Accommodation: Book accommodations in advance, especially during peak pilgrimage seasons. Stay Hydrated: Keep yourself hydrated throughout the journey, especially during outdoor visits. Embarking on a pilgrimage to the five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra promises a deeply enriching and spiritually uplifting experience. By following this meticulously crafted itinerary and embracing the divine aura of each sacred site, you can embark on a transformative journey that rejuvenates your mind, body, and soul. AC or cooler, which is better for health in summer? Psychotic disorder is increasing due to not giving time to children, know what to do Walk for so many minutes before sleeping, these changes will start happening in the body within a week

TRAVEL TIPS: There is a gathering of foreign tourists throughout the year at these 8 famous tourist places of India.

India is known for its unique culture, history, lifestyle, food, and many other things due to which foreign tourists are attracted to the country and enjoy traveling here. There are some places in the country where there is a gathering of foreign tourists throughout the year. Today in this episode we are going to give you information about some such places. Some of these places are also included in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The views and historical stories of these places attract foreigners a lot. So let's know about these places... Mysore Palace, Karnataka The three-storey palace of Mysore Palace was completely rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1897. There are square towers and domes inside the palace. There is also a marriage hall in the court. Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur Mehrangarh Fort, built in the 15th century, is the largest fortification in India. This building was designed keeping in mind the safety of the people of Jodhpur. The fort also houses a museum that houses a collection of artifacts belonging to the Maharajas. Gateway of India, Mumbai A beautiful view of the Arabian Sea is visible from the 26-meter-high Gateway of India built in Mayanagari Mumbai. It is counted among the most special tourist places in Mumbai. Yellow basalt and concrete have been used to build the Gateway of India, famous for its Indo-Saracenic design. Ellora Caves, Aurangabad This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by sages and saints of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism in the fifth and sixth centuries. It consists of carved monasteries, shrines, and temples, of which 12 are of Buddhism, 17 are of Hinduism and 5 are of Jainism. Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal located in Agra is included among the seven wonders of the world. It is a beautiful example of Islamic design which includes many elements including arches, minarets, and domes. The Taj Mahal built on the banks of river Yamuna is made of white marble. Red Fort Shahjah built the Red Fort in 1648. Red sandstone has been used to build the Red Fort. This historical monument is spread over an area of approximately two kilometers. Its two main gates are 'Lahore Gate' and 'Delhi Gate'. Qutub Minar, New Delhi Qutub Minar built in the capital Delhi is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 73-meter-high tower was built by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak after the defeat of the last Hindu kingdom of Delhi in 1193. Qutub Minar has five different floors. Amer Fort, Jaipur Amer Fort was built in 1592. Jaleb Chowk, The Shila Devi Temple tells the specialty of this fort. Along with this, there is also a hall for the people, which is called Diwan-e-Aam. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Bihar's people will ensure grand alliance's victory: Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar's people will ensure grand alliance's victory: Tejashwi Yadav Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday expressed confidence in the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) winning the Lok Sabha election in the state, stating that the people of Bihar will ensure the Grand Alliance's victory. The Mahagathbandhan is an opposition coalition in Bihar, which includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties. Tejashwi Yadav also took a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of not delivering on the promises he made to the people of Bihar. The environment is favourable. The process of nomination has begun in many places... This election is very important. It is to save the Constitution and the democracy. The people of Bihar are going to make the grand alliance win... The Prime Minister made promises to the people of Bihar but did not deliver anything, he said. The 40 seats in Bihar are undergoing polls in all seven phases. In 2019, BJP-led NDA swept the state by winning 39 out of 40 seats, while Congress won just one seat. RJD, a formidable force in the state failed to open its account. The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), recently announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats. As part of the NDA, BJP and JD(U) will contest on 17 and 16 seats, respectively. Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest five seats, and Jitan Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest one seat each. Five Lok Sabha constituencies Bhagalpur, Banka, Purnia, Kishanganj, and Katihar went through polls in the second phase of voting on Friday. Out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, four seats Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad went to polls during the first phase of voting on April 19. (ANI)

Maharashtra Political Parties Use 42 MLC Vacancies to Pacify Rebels

Mumbai: Political parties in Maharashtra are dangling the carrot of legislative council membership to keep the disgruntled party leaders in check. There are 21 vacant seats in the legislative council and the vacancies will double by the end of July this year. According to sources, all parties have promised the leaders, who were eager to contest Lok Sabha but denied tickets, a seat in the state legislative council. Some have been promised Rajya Sabha membership. Maharashtra has a total 78 members of the Legislative Council. Of these, 31 are elected by members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), 21 members are elected by local body authorities (like Municipal Corporations), seven members each are elected by graduates and teachers from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Amravati divisions. In addition to this, 12 members are nominated by Maharashtra Governor. The governor has not nominated 12 members in the Legislative Council. These nominations are done on the recommendations of the state government to the Governor. Besides this, six members, who were elected by local authorities, are retiring by June 21 of this year. Two members each from graduates and teachers constituencies are retiring by July 7 of this year. In addition to this, out of the total 31 members elected by MLAs in the Legislative Council, the tenure of 11 members will end by July 27 of this year. There are already nine vacant seats, which are elected by local bodies, in the council. An official of the state legislature said that the members elected by the MLAs, who are retiring, include BJP's Nilay Naik, Ramrao Patil, Ramesh Patil and Bhai Girkar, NCP's Babajani Durrani, Congress's Wajahat Mirza, Dr. Pradnya Rajiv Satav, Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena (UBT) Anil Parab, Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena's Manisha Kayande, PWP's Jayant Patil and RSP's Mahadev Jankar. They are going to retire by July 27, 2024. We are going to conduct an election on 11 seats, which are elected by the MLA, after the Lok Sabha election, the official said. Nine vacant seats are not being filled due to non-existence of local bodies for more than a year. Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has denied ticket to its sitting MPs Hemant Patil from Hingoli, Bhavana Gawali from Yavatmal-Washim and Krupal Tumane from Ramtek. The three are reportedly upset with their party. BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil had opposed supporting the Ajit Pawar faction due to traditional political rivalry in Baramati. In addition to this, Shiv Sena leader Vijay Shivtare's decision to challenge Ajit Pawar in Baramati had caused tension among Mahayuti. Subsequently, Mr Patil and Mr Shivtare have been pacified by Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Shinde. A Mahayuti leader said that chief minister Eknath Shinde held meetings with Gawali, Patil and Tumane individually. All of them have been assured about their rehabilitations. We have asked the disgruntled leaders to ensure the victory of our candidates in Lok Sabha. We will do their proper political rehabilitation. They will be given an opportunity to go to the Legislative Council or they can get a ticket in the upcoming assembly elections later this year, the Mahayuti leader said. A BJP office bearer said that Harshvardhan Patil will be given an MLC ticket after Lok Sabha election if Mahayuti candidate wins Baramati Lok Sabha seat.

447 Candidates Nominated for 11 Tripura Assembly Seats Up for Grabs on May 13

447 Candidates Nominated for 11 Tripura Assembly Seats Up for Grabs on May 13 A total of 447 candidates have filed nomination forms for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polling in Maharashtra on Thursday, which was the last date for the process, an official said. Eleven constituencies in north Maharashtra, western Maharashtra and Marathwada will go to polls in the fourth phase on May 13. As per poll officials, 18 candidates have filed their papers in Nandurbar, 24 in Jalgaon, 31 in Raver, 47 in Jalna, 51 in Aurangabad, 38 in Maval, 42 in Pune, 46 in Shirur, 43 in Ahmednagar, 31 in Shirdi and 76 in Beed.

What did you give to Bihar in 10 years: Tejashwi Yadav asks PM Modi

What did you give to Bihar in 10 years: Tejashwi Yadav asks PM Modi A day before 2nd phase of voting, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday levelled a series of allegations against the prime minister and asked, What PM Modi has given to Bihar in last 10 years? Five Lok Sabha constituencies Bhagalpur, Banka, Purnia, Kishanganj, and Katihar will go to polls in the second phase of voting on Friday. I want to ask Prime Minister Modi, why do you want to end the Constitution and democracy? Why do you want to snatch away the reservation and jobs of Dalits, backwards, deprived and poor? Yadav said in Hindi in a post on 'X.' Why do you (PM Modi) want to make the poor poorer and the rich richer? Bihar gave you 39 out of 40 MPs but what did you give to Bihar in 10 years? Why don't you come to Bihar and talk about work? he further asked. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the NDA won 39 out of 40 seats in Bihar. Earlier, Yadav has alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda brought five bags of cash to distribute among the voters during his recent visit to Bihar ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26. Speaking to reporters in Patna on Wednesday, Tejashwi Yadav said, I have received news that he (BJP chief JP Nadda) has brought several bags with him. He is distributing them at places where elections are taking place. Get this checked, the allegations are true. I am not lying. Agencies are helping him openly. He is coming from Delhi and bringing five bags with him. Out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, four seats Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad went to polls during the first phase of voting on April 19. The rest of the seats will go to polls in the remaining six phases of the general elections, with 2nd phase on April 26. Overall, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections will witness voting in 89 constituencies spread across 13 states and union territories. (ANI)

Nanded: Little ground clearance for ex-CM

MUMBAI: Two months ago when former Maharashtra Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan joined the BJP, the saffron camp went euphoric about its forgone victory prospect in the Lok Sabha polls. A red zone turned safe zone in Nanded in the saffron parlance. Today, the constituency is anything but safe for the BJP even though Congress has fielded fresh and new candidate Vasant Chavan against BJPs Lok Sabha MP Prataprao Chikhalikar. In 2019, BJPs Chikhalikar won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat by over 40,000 votes against Congress Ashok Chavan. Interestingly, Prakash Ambedkar-led party candidate polled 1,65,341 votes that is 14.9% of the total votes while Ashok Chavan lost by mere 3.6% vote share. This was the second defeat of Ashok Chavan in Lok Sabha elections in his political career. Historical links Nanded holds a significant historical importance. The 10th and last Sikh Guru Sri Gobind Singh spent his last days in Nanded and passed on the mantle to the sacred Guru Granth Sahib before his passing in 1708. During the Marathawada Mukti Sangram, Shankarrao Chavan, the father of Ashok Chavan, who originally belonged to Paithan in Aurangabad, shifted base to Nanded and contested the first municipal corporation election and won. The Chavan family became Nanded residents. Later, Shankarrao Chavan and Ashok Chavan became CMs twice. The Chavan family nurtured Nanded as it grew into a Congress bastion. It was breached in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Given the age-old ties, Nanded continued to support the Congress ideology. 2019 equations In the previous Lok sabha polls, the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) turned out to be a spoiler for Congress Ashok Chavan by grabbing 1,65,341 votes while Chavan lost by 40,000 votes only. This time too, the VBA factor is important as it is giving headaches to the BJP and Ashok Chavan who has taken the responsibility of this seat. The VBA has fielded a Lingayat community candidate in Nanded; the community has over 1.5 lakh votes, most of which predominantly comprise BJP supporters. The demography of the Nanded is very interesting. Out of the total 18 lakh voters, eight lakh are Maratha while 4.5 lakh are Dalit and Muslim and 1.5 lakh Lingaya. The remaining belong to various communities. Saffron spoiler This time too, VBA candidate Avinash Bhosikar may turn out to be a spoiler, not for Congress but for the BJP. Put together, the Lingayat vote can change the poll outcome which would not be good for the BJP. This time, Dalits could be rallying behind the Congress candidate given the narrative around the so-called changes in the Constitution whose chief architect was Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar said an observer. Muslims, too, could be looking at the Congress due to a campaign of hatred launched by sections of Hindu outfits, he added. The stance of the Maratha community is not very clear, making the Nanded contest tough. The first sign of disturbance for the saffron camp emerged a few days ago when reports came in that Ashok Chavan and his wife have started facing adverse reactions from people, particularly the Maratha community during Chavans campaign meetings. The couple was even barred from entering some villages in Nanded. At one place, the mob was so huge that the elderly Congressman of that particular village came out for Chavans rescue. The former CM has never faced this kind of public wrath. A video of Chavan speech being disturbed by Maratha community youths went viral. In the latest video, Chavan is seen addressing barely 50-80 people, as most chairs of the audience are seen empty. Chavan is seen pleading with the people that that he has given his word to the top BJP leadership that party candidate Prataprao Chikalikar would win from Nanded. If BJP loses Nanded, my political support will go down within the BJP. People should trust his guarantee even if they dont believe in Modis guarantee, Chavan has told villagers. Difficult situation The BJPs initial exuberance is somewhat calmed down as party leaders campaign rallies are scheduled one after another. Initially, it was planned that BJP chief JP Naddas rally would compensate for the voter anger. But ground reality. To encourage the cadre further, Union minister Amit Shahs rally was also planned. That, too, has helped little. An internal survey continued to give an edge to Congress candidates. Finally, the BJP state leadership decided to organise PM Narendra Modis rally in Nanded. It is rarely in the BJP that both Shah and Modi address the same election campaign rally. It was necessary because each seat is important in such a closely fought political battle, said a senior BJP leader, adding that the BJP gave a Rajya Sabha seat to Chavan to secure Nanded, but it turned out that the decision was wrong. The BJP leader said the reason people are not coming out in BJP support is that PM Modi raised the Adarsh housing scam which took place during Ashok Chavans tenure -- and a few days later, Chavan was not only inducted into the party but was also given the Rajya Sabha seat. Losing steam In the last 15 years, the BJPs committed workers fought against Ashok Chavan and Ajit Pawar. Both Chavans Adarsh housing scam and Ajit Pawars Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam were hammered time and again to get votes. These leaders were termed as epitome of corruption, but have now become the strength of the party. For loyal party workers, it is like losing trust in the party, said a BJP leader. We not only lost the perception battle but also the ground support, which is now visible in Nanded and other parts of the state, he said. Congress candidate Vasant Chavan says Ashok Chavan left the Congress, but not the Congress workers. When he was in Congress, he was one of the most sought-after campaigners across the state, but sadly, Chavan cannot freely campaign in his home town, said a senior Congress leader who worked with Ashok Chavan.

Indian Railways Introduces Affordable Economy Meals at Select Stations

Hyderabad: The railways will provideeconomymeals at affordable pricesto rail passengersin the summer. The facility will be available at 12stationsnear the general coaches, a statement said. There are two categories, the economy meal which costs `20 and thesnackmeal which comes at `50. Passengers can buy their refreshments directly from these counters, eliminating the need to search for vendors or venture outside the station In the South Central Railway (SCR) zone, the facility will be available atHyderabadandVikarabad in Telangana; Vijayawada, Renigunta, Guntakal, Tirupati, Pakala, Rajahmundry, Dhone and Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and Purna and Aurangabadin Maharashtra. SCR General ManagerArun Kumar Jainsaid a pilot project of the servicewasrunsuccessfully at 51 stations last year acrosstheIndian Railways. Overall, these meal counters are operational at over 100 stations and nearly 150 counters across Indian Railways, and the facility will be expanded further.

HC annuls marriage as couple fails to consummate it due to mans relative impotency

HC annuls marriage as couple fails to consummate it due to mans relative impotency The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has annulled the marriage of a young couple that could not consummate it due to the mans relative impotency, noting their agony of frustration cannot be ignored. A division bench of justices Vibha Kankanwadi and S G Chapalgaonkar in the judgment on April 15 also noted that this was a fit case to help young sufferers of marriage who could not connect with each other mentally, emotionally or physically. A 27-year-old man had approached the bench after a family court in February 2024 refused an application filed by his 26-year-old wife, seeking to annul the marriage on the admission stage itself. The high court in its order said the expression relative impotency is a known phenomenon and is different from the normal impotency, which means the inability to copulate in general. Relative impotency broadly points to a situation where a person might be capable of having intercourse but incapable of performing it with the spouse. The court said there could be various physical and mental causes for such relative impotency. In the present case, it can be easily gathered that the husband has relative impotency qua (towards) the wife. The reason for non-consummation of the marriage is this apparent relative impotency of the husband, the HC said. The high court said it could not ignore the fact that this was a matter concerning a young couple who faced the agony of frustration in the marriage. The man may have initially blamed his wife for non-consummation as he was hesitant to admit he had relative impotency towards her, it said. However, subsequently, he candidly admitted the same, being satisfied with the fact that it would not put lifelong stigma on him. The relative impotency is somewhat different than the general notion of impotency and the acceptance of relative impotency would not brand him impotent in general parlance, the HC said. The couple got married in March 2023 but separated after 17 days. The couple said their marriage was not consummated. The woman claimed the man had declined physical relations with her. In her plea seeking for annulment of marriage filed before the family court, the woman said the man had relative impotency. She said they could not connect with each other mentally, emotionally, or physically. The man initially filed an affidavit before the family court stating that the marriage was not consummated but blamed the woman for it. He later submitted a written statement admitting relative impotency. The man claimed he was unable to establish physical relations with his wife but otherwise he was normal. In the statement, he said he did not want any stigma that he was impotent in general. Following this, the wife filed an application seeking the family court to decide the divorce plea at the admission stage itself as per provisions of the Civil Procedure Code instead of conducting a trial. The family court, however, rejected the application claiming the man and woman had raised collusive claims. The HC bench quashed the family court order and annulled the marriage declaring it null and void.

LS Polls: Shiv Sena fields cabinet minister Sandipan Bhumre from Aurangabad seat

The News Mill

INDIA Bloc Leaders Slam BJP's 400 Paar Film as a Flop Show

NEW DELHI: INDIA bloc partners, Congress' Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav claimed on Saturday that the winds of change are blowing as the first day show of the BJP film 400 paar has turned out to be a flop show. During his campaigns for the INDIA bloc candidates in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Mr Gandhi asserted that the BJP will not win more than 150 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Mr Yadav, at a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha, said winds of change emerging from western UP will sweep the ruling BJP out of power, while Tejashwi Yadav said, The BJP's 400 paar film is a flop on Day 1. From new ad campaigns to verbal attacks in the election rallies, the Congress, along with the other partners of the INDIA bloc, have upped the ante against the BJP, particularly against its top leadership, as the elections for the 18th Lok Sabha enter the second phase. Keeping up the attack on the BJP's top leadership, Mr Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a school of corruption in the country and teaching all chapters in the subject of entire corruption science. Addressing an INDIA bloc rally in Bhagalpur, where Congress candidate Ajit Sharma is in a direct contest against sitting Janata Dal-(United) MP Ajay Kumar Mandal, Mr Gandhi said that this general election is important as the Constitution and democracy are under threat. He said that all the privileges and opportunities people got through the Constitution will be gone if the Constitution is changed, which the BJP is keen to do. He accused the BJP-led NDA government of favouring a few industrialists. Speaking at a joint rally in Amroha with the SP chief, Mr Gandhi said on one side stands the INDIA bloc, committed to defending democracy and the Constitution, while on the other side, the BJP-RSS is engaged in dismantling these foundational principles. There is no force on earth that can alter the Constitution, asserted Mr Gandhi. The Congress leader added that the contest between the INDIA bloc and the BJP is one of ideologies. He claimed that Mr Modi has turned India into the epicentre of unemployment and promised every graduate to have a guaranteed first job, scrap the Agnipath scheme and amend GST with lesser taxes. Promising radical reforms, Mr Gandhi outlined the INDIA bloc's agenda, which includes farm loan waivers, direct financial assistance to the poor through schemes like the Mahalaxmi Yojna and the creation of 30-lakh government jobs to address youth unemployment. Coming together with Mr Gandhi for the Amroha rally, Mr Yadav said the first phase of voting was the trailer for the picture that is to come. Yesterday's first-day first-show of the BJP turned out to be a flop show. Their film of lies failedThe winds of change emerging from western UP will sweep across the nation, ushering in a transformation that will not only reshape Uttar Pradesh but will also sweep the BJP out of power, said Mr Yadav. He was responding to Mr Modis statement against the INDIA bloc made a day earlier in Amroha. The shooting of the film do shehzade ki jodi ' (pair of two princes) is going on. But their film has already been rejected. Every time these people go out to seek votes from the people of UP, they carry a basket of dynasties, corruption and appeasement, Mr Modi had said in a veiled attack. Responding to Mr Modi's jibe, Mr Yadav said the BJPs flop show is visible to all, as no one is buying their falsehoods. Yesterday's first-day first-show of the BJP turned out to be a flop show. Their film of lies failed. Their worn-out dialogues are no longer acceptable to the people. People in UP welcome guests very warmly, but at the same time they send them off with dhol nagara , said Mr Yadav, hinting at Mr Modis visuals with a dhol at the Amroha rally. He further said: We do not want the BJP's guarantee; we want the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution by B.R. Ambedkar. And we want to safeguard that Constitution. Speaking with the media in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav mocked the BJP, saying the saffron party's 400-plus movie turned out to be a flop on the first day of voting. Their (the BJP's) '400-plus film' has turned out to be a super flop on the first day (phase) of polling. We (Mahagathbandhan) will win all four seats in Bihar -- Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad -- that went to polls on April 19. We will also perform well in the coming phases, he said.

Modi Talks Like BJPs PM, Not Indias: Sharad Pawar

MUMBAI: NCP founder Sharad Pawar on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking like BJPs PM. Taking a dig at Mr. Modis speeches in the election campaign, Mr. Pawar said that after listening to Mr. Modi, the conclusion can be drawn that he is talking like BJPs Prime Minister. The Prime Minister belongs to the whole country. After listening to his speeches, one thing is very clear that he is not the Prime Minister of the country but of the BJP, the veteran leader said. The 83-year-old NCP founder was canvassing for the MVA candidates Chandrakant Khaire, who is contesting from the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency on a Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket, and Congresss Kalyan Kale from the Jalna seat. Mr. Pawar said that the PM is only criticising him, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Rahul Gandhi, but is not informing people about his plans for the country. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru contributed a lot during the freedom struggle. By criticising Nehru, the incumbent Prime Minister is expressing his mentality, he said. The former Union agriculture minister slammed Mr. Modi for failing to control inflation and unemployment in the country. He referred to a report of ILO (International Labour Organisation) and stated that after completing higher education, 87 per cent of students did not get jobs. It means that 87 per cent of students are unemployed in the country, Mr Pawar said. He was referring to the ILO report published last month, which said that more than 80 per cent cent of Indias unemployed workforce comprises its youth. The report said that that the proportion of young individuals with secondary or higher education among the total unemployed youth surged from 35.2 per cent in 2000 to 65.7 per cent in 2022. Mr. Pawar further said that Maharashtra is witnessing a drought-like situation, there is no fodder for the cattles, but the ruling parties are not speaking about how to address this issue. The NCP leader alleged that Mr. Modi had promised to reduce the rate of inflation and cost of fuels within 50 days after coming to power but he failed to deliver. Instead of slashing prices of LPG cylinders, he has doubled them. The women are facing hardship to manage household expenses. The Prime Minister and his government do not take any measures to curb the prices of the essential commodities, he said.

BJPs Maharashtra Target Hangs in Balance Due to Indecision on Candidates

MUMBAI: With less than a month left for the last phase of polling in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti is still struggling to reach consensus over six Lok Sabha seats in the state. Several alliance leaders are now skeptical about achieving their target of winning at least 45 Maharashtra seats because of the delay in announcing candidates. The alliance of BJP, chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party had launched their campaign a month ago by setting a target of winning 45 out of 48 seats. The voting in Maharashtra will conclude in the fifth phase on May 20 when 13 seats will go to polls. Out of these 13 the alliance is yet to declare candidates on six seats including three Mumbai seats due to differences among the alliance partners. Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday announced the candidature of state minister Sandipan Bhumre for the Sambhaji Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, which was also under dispute. The voting in Sambhaji Nagar will be held on May 13 and the last day for filing the nomination is April 24. A triangle contest is expected in the city, earlier known as Aurangabad. Shiv Sena UBT has fielded two-term MP Chandrakant Khaire while sitting MP Imtiyaz Jalil is contesting as AIMIM candidate. The Shiv Sena UBT and AIMIM candidates have already started their election campaigns. Mr. Bhumres campaign will start now. It is the same situation for the six seats where the opposition candidates have started campaigning while Mahayuti is yet to decide its candidate. This could prove to be our disadvantage, a senior alliance leader said. The alliance is yet to break a deadlock on Mumbai South, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North Central, Thane, Nashik and Palghar seats. Thane is the home turf of CM Shinde and Shiv Sena has always contested the seat as a member of Sena-BJP alliance. However, this time the BJP is putting pressure on its alliance partner to give up the seat as sitting MP Rajan Vichare has remained with the Uddhav Thackeray faction. A Shiv Sena leader said, Mr. Shinde is not going to give the Thane seat to BJP. We have already given the Ratnagari-Sindhudurg seat. We have accepted several suggestions in the interest of Mahayuti. But the Thane seat has been Shiv Senas stronghold for almost four decades now and we are not going to compromise on it. The decision on Nashik has been delayed because the Shiv Sena, which has sitting MP Hemant Godse, is not willing to give the seat to the NCP. Similarly, the party is fighting with the BJP over Palghar and two Mumbai seats while the BJP is still trying to find a suitable candidate for Mumbai North Central seat. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday announced that he is withdrawing from the race for the Nashik seat because of the delay in taking the decision. Mr. Bhujbal said that Union home minister Amit Shah wanted him to contest the Nashik seat, but the alliance could not announce his candidature even after three weeks of discussions. The MVA declared its candidates (Shiv Sena UBTs Rajabhau Waje) three weeks ago and he has started campaigning. The more time we take the more loss we will face.This deadlock had to be broken and therefore I decided that I will not be the candidate. Now the Mahayuti must announce its candidate at the earliest, Mr. Bhujbal said while announcing his decision.

Low Voter Turnout Worries NDA Leaders in Bihar

Patna: NDA leaders in Bihar are concerned about the low voter turnout in the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Both the BJP and JDU have become active and have alerted their workers to this issue. They have instructed their workers to intensify campaigning at the grassroots level. JDU has asked booth committees and Panchayat Samitis to reach out to the people and urge them to cast their votes. Similarly, BJP has assigned the task of door-to-door canvassing to their workers, starting from booth chiefs. The opposition party RJD has also brainstormed ways to increase the voting percentage. In the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, held on Friday, voting took place in four seats of Bihar: Nawada, Jamui, Aurangabad, and Gaya. The voter turnout in this phase was only 48.23 percent, which is five percent lower than the previous Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This low voter turnout has posed challenges for political parties and may impact the election results. Consequently, all parties have started emphasizing the importance of maximum voter turnout in the upcoming phases of the Lok Sabha elections. Following the low voter turnout, JDU reviewed the situation and emphasized the need to intensify their public awareness campaign. They have tasked their workers at the booth and Panchayat levels with increasing awareness about voting. Similarly, Bihar BJP has instructed its lower units to be more proactive. Booth chiefs and Panna chiefs have been asked to increase their public outreach efforts. Party leaders have been instructed to appeal to the people to cast their votes during the election campaign. In a meeting at the state office of the opposition party RJD, it was decided to increase the participation of the poor, laborers, and people belonging to extremely backward and backward classes. After the meeting, the state RJD chief spokesperson, Shakti Singh Yadav, stated that efforts will be intensified to increase voter turnout at the party level. Female YouTuber Dies After Jumping from Second Floor of PG Accommodation in Delhi School Principal Faces Investigation After Being Caught Getting Facial Instead of Teaching Teenage Grandmaster D Gukesh Takes the Lead in Candidates Chess Tournament

Modi's speeches project him as PM of BJP, not country: Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar criticized PM Modi for focusing on BJP in speeches instead of addressing national issues. Pawar supported Maha Vikas Aghadi, Chandrakant Khaire in Aurangabad, Kalyan Kale in Jalna, and mentioned Nehru, Rahul Gandhi, Nanded, and Parbhani.

BJP's '400-paar' film has flopped on day 1 of the polls: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

BJP's '400-paar' film has flopped on day 1 of the polls: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav After the completion of the first phase of the Lok Sabha election, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that the BJP's 400 paar film has become a super flop on the first day itself. Tejashwi Yadav told ANI that there is no competition in the first phase as Bihar will give shocking results this time. The Mahagathbandhan is winning all four seats in the first phase. We have held block wise meetings and the feedback that has come is very good the BJP's 400 paar film has become a super flop on the first day itself. The people of Bihar are aware and will teach them a lesson, he said. There is no competition in the first phase. We have said many times before that Bihar will give shocking results this time. They have not done anything for the people of Bihar. The promises made by Modi ji in 2014 and 2019 were not fulfilled. Now the public is tired of their statements and false promises. We have promised that we will give special package to Bihar along with special status, Tejashwi added. Further, former Bihar Chief Minister pointed out that the local issues hold dominance in this election. Today our rally is with Rahul Gandhi ji in Bhagalpur. The entire Mahagathbandhan and INDIA bloc are working together. Unemployment is the biggest issue in Bihar. Inflation, poverty, investment in the state is an issue. Migration and floods are also issues. This time the people of BJP are very worried. They say that they will abolish the Constitution. Those who destroy the Constitution will themselves be destroyed, Tejashwi said. Meanwhile, according to the Election Commission, voter turnout in Bihar was recorded at 48.88 per cent in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election. In Phase 1, voting on four seats- Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad concluded on Friday. The state will witness polling on five seats from Phase 2 to Phase 5. In Phases 6 and 7, elections will be held for eight seats each. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, composed of the BJP, JD(U) (Janata Dal-United), and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party), secured victory by winning 39 out of 40 seats. While the Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD Rashtriya Janata Dal), INC (Indian National Congress), and RLSP (Radhtriya Lok Samta Party), only managed to win one seat. (ANI)

First day, First show and the polling begins

The first round of 7-phase parliamentary polls was held across 21 states, with sporadic incidents of violence being reported from Manipur and West Bengal. In the biggest round of the elections, all 39 seats of Tamil Nadu, 12 of Rajasthan and 8 of Uttar Pradesh went to polls. With PM Modi eyeing a third term in office, the BJP hopes to win 22 of the 25 seats in Northeast, hold on to its 2019 tally in the Hindi heartland and Maharashtra and better its show in West Bengal as well as in the South. The Opposition INDIA bloc insists that it will do well across the country, especially in the saffron bastion of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar this time. The counting of votes will take place on June 4 Rajasthan: Total seats - 25 1st phase - 12 It was subdued enthusiasm among voters in 12 seats. Voting was largely peaceful in most constituencies, though some witnessed sporadic clashes. In Kuchera, Nagaur, one of the hot seats, supporters of BJP candidate Jyoti Mirdha and INDIA Alliance candidate Hanuman Beniwal of RLP clashed with each others, injuring Tejpal Mirdha, the chairman of Kuchera municipality. Nagour is a Jat-dominated seat. In another hot seat of Jhunjhunu in the Shekhawati region, BJP candidate Shubhakaran Chaudhary fought with security personnel and in Churu, an MLA was involved in altercation with a policeman Uttar pradesh: Total seats - 80 1st phase - 8 The overall turnout seemed to be lower than the 2019 elections. The eight constituencies which went to the polls included Saharanpur (63.29%),Pilibhit (60.2%), Kairana (58.68%), Nagina (SC) (58.05%), Moradabad (57.65%), Muzaffarnagar (54.91), Bijnor (54.68%), Rampur (52.42%). No major incident was reported during the polling. Last time, a turnout of 66.47% was recorded in the eight constituencies. Overall turnout in Uttar Pradesh during 2019 was 59.21%. In the Neuria area of the district, villagers said they would not vote as they are peeved at man-animal conflict Bihar: Total seats - 40 4 A low turnout of 48.23% was recorded in four constituencies where 38 candidates were in the fray. In 2019, 53.47% voters had exercised their franchise. Gaya has the highest 14 candidates in the fray. There is a decrease of around 5.24% of turnout in 2024. According to chief electoral officer H R Srinivasa, Gaya (SC) recorded the highest 52% turnout, Jamui (SC) and Aurangabad 50% each. In Nawada, only 41.50% voters exercised their franchise. In 2019, Aurangabad had recorded 53.63% turnout, Gaya 56.16 %, Nawada 49.33% and Jamui 55.21%. Voters called for poll boycott in six stations, there was no report of clashes or violence though, according to Srinivasa. WEST BENGAL: Total seats - 42 1st phase - 3 Sporadic incidents of violence marred the first phase, with TMC and BJP workers clashing in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. Three reserved seatsJalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Beharin North Bengal went to polls. The TMC and the BJP lodged 80 and 39 complaints, respectively, related to violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar. Union MoS Nisith Pramanik is contesting from Cooch Behar. TMC leader Udayan Guha said that the BJP, along with central forces, unleashed a reign of terror to rig the elections. The BJP, however, denied the allegations. chhattisgarh: Total seats - 11 1st phase - 1 The voters defied the Maoist threat, as the encouraging turnout eclipsed the terror that haunted Bastar zone ahead of the polling. A CRPF personnel, Devendra kumar, was killed in an IED blast at Usoor in an edgy district of Bijapur during an area domination operation. He died of his injuries while on the way to Raipur in a chopper. In the same district, an assistant commandant of CRPF was injured during a poll-related duty at Bhairamgarh. Barring the two incidents, the polling across Bastar remained peaceful. For the first time, 102 new polling stations were set up for the convenience of voters. Madhya Pradesh: Total seats - 29 1st phase - 6 Six constituencies recorded around 67% turnout till 6.30 pm and the figure is likely to go up. The six seats had registered 75.23% polling in. The high-profile Chhindwara seat (where ex-CM Kamal Naths MP son Nakul Nath took on BJPs Vivek Sahu) stood on top in terms of poll percentage with 78.67% as shared by chief electoral officer Anupam Rajan. Another key constituency Mandla-ST (where sixth-time BJP MP and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste was pitted against ex-minister and fourth-time Congress MLA Omkar Markam) reported 72.92% polling. The Maoist-hit Balaghat seat reported 72.60% polling Jammu & Kashmir: Total seats - 5 1st phase - 1 For the first-time in over three decades, residents at the International Border in Hira Nagar sector of Kathua district exercised their right to vote for the Udhampur seat without any fear or threat of cross-border firing. It was the first major electoral exercise in J&K since the abrogration of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories. People men, women, including young and old thronged at the polling station in Kadyala village close to International Border. India and Pakistan on February 24, 2021, announced to strictly uphold the November 2003 border ceasefire pact between the troops of two countries. Residents said due to the ceasefire, more people have come to vote in this election UTTARAKHAND 5 5 Despite clear weather and relatively low temperature, the turnout was below expectation. Villagers of Jalal in Nainital and Tehri parliamentary constituency boycotted the election for lack of infrastructure, posing risks to their travel and safety. Newlywed couples, dressed in their wedding attire, arrived at several polling stations to cast their votes. However, around 350 were not able to vote on polling day due to wedding ceremonies. Bhagwan Singh, father of the groom from village Chhedi in Srinagar, expressed regret for not being able to vote on polling day due to clash over marriage date Maharashtra: Total seats - 48 1st phase - 5 Voting for the five seats took place without untoward events in Maharashtra. The voting began on a slow pace due to the scorching heat in the Vidarbha region. The tribal and Naxalite district of Gadchiroli witnessed the highest turnout at 64.95%, while Nagpur reported lowest at 47.91% till 5pm. In Ramtek-SC seat, 53.38% turnout was reported, 56.87% in BhandaraGondia and 55.11% in Chandrapur seat. To avoid technical snags cropping up in EVMs in the remote polling booths in Gadchiroli, three spare EVMs were dispatched by a helicopter to the Sironcha area of the district, said an official. Manipur: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 Sporadic incidents of gunfire and intimidation of voters as well as Congress workers by armed miscreants marred Lok Sabha elections in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Friday. The turnout was 72.32% in the Inner Manipur seat and 61.98% in Outer Manipur. The violence occurred in places falling under the Inner Manipur seat which straddles the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley. The armed men fired several rounds outside a polling station at Thamnapokpi in Bishnupur district. Three persons were reportedly injured.The voters and the Congress polling agents were intimidated by the armed miscreants Tamil Nadu: Total seats - 39 1st phase - 39 The polling began at 7am amid tight security in most of the 39 constituencies. Argument broke out between voters and officials in some polling stations as authorities did not allow people to carry their smartphones/mobiles inside the booths. People belonging to Parandhur village with over 1,000 voters near Sriperumbudur did not turn up to vote till 9.30 am. Around 1,000 voters of Ennore who had called for boycott of the election over the ammonia gas leak incident at Ennore Creek withdrew their decision and decided to vote Puducherry: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 The Union Territory gets to elect their lone representative to the Lok Sabha. A visit to some of the polling stations in rural areas brought to the fore a mixed picture. Pink booths were the centre of attraction. The green environment at a booth housed on the premises of the more-than-century-old VOC Government Boys school in the town added to the lustre of the arrangements. Gruel, nutritious cereals, millets and buttermilk were given to the voters Lakshadweep: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Nearly 60% voter turnout was recorded until 5pm in the Lakshadweep constituency spanning across 10 inhabited islands of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, with an electorate of 57,784, as per data shared by the Election Commission. Out of this total, 28,506 are women. The polling began at 7.30am across the 10 inhabited islands and concluded at 6.30 pm. An official said that the figures provided are preliminary, as voters who were in line by this deadline were given the opportunity to cast their votes Andaman & Nicobar islands: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Around 3,15,148 voters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have exercised their franchise till 3pm for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Union Territory. Seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs) of the Great Nicobar Islands, on Friday exercised their voting rights for the first time, an election official said. Other two primitive tribes, too, exercised their voting rights like in 2019, the CEO said Arunachal Pradesh: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 The unique Malogam polling station in Anjaw district of the state recorded cent per cent polling with the lone female voter, exercising her constitutional right on Friday, officials said. Supporters of two candidates clashed at the Bameng Assembly constituency in East Kameng. Irate mobs damaged EVMs in polling stations elsewhere in the state. Miscreants tried to snatch EVMs in three polling stations in the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri and in one in Kurung Kumey district, where polling was also suspended Assam: Total seats - 14 1st phase - 5 Long queues were seen outside booths since morning as polling was underway for five constituencies. Poling began at 7 am in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Kaziranga seats, and 86.5 lakh voters are eligible to vote. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP and Congresss deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi were among those who cast their votes in the first hour Meghalaya: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 2 Voters at numerous polling stations were seen queuing up as early as 6 am, underscoring their enthusiasm to participate in the electoral process. The first five voters were rewarded with mementoes and first-time voters were also felicitated. Voters in a model polling station planted trees after casting their votes. Polling was being held at 3,512 polling stations in which 10 candidates are in the fray Mizoram: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 At least 6,500 polling personnel, over 3,500 policemen and 12 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed for the polls in the state. All international borders and inter-state borders have been sealed to ensure peaceful elections, a senior police officer said. Although there are six contenders, it is believed that the fight will be mainly among ZPM, MNF and Congress Nagaland: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Polling personnel in six eastern districts of Nagaland waited for nine hours in booths, but not one of the four lakh voters of the region turned up following a shutdown call given by an organisation to press for its demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). Of the 13.25 lakh voters in Nagaland, 50.41 per cent have exercised their franchise, the officials said. Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan exercised his franchise at Model Polling Station Sikkim: Total seats - 1 1st phase - 1 Over 50% of the 4.64 lakh voters in Sikkim exercised their franchise in the 32 Assembly seats and in the lone Lok Sabha constituency till 3 pm on Friday, an official said. Thirteen companies of CAPF have been deployed in Sikkim, of which five companies are from ITBP and eight from SSB, he added. Former Indian Football captain and SDF vice president Bhaichung Bhutia who is contesting from Barfung (BL) assembly seat voted Tripura: Total seats - 2 1st phase - 1 The opposition Congress and CPM alleged that largescale rigging in several places across the constituency, with the Election Commission saying that it received some complaints and was looking into those. In the bypolls to the Ramnagar assembly seat, which was being held simultaneously, a turnout of 56.68% was recorded. Altogether 14.61 lakh people are eligible to vote in this phase of Lok Sabha polls in Tripura

Peaceful polling in Bihar, 48 pc voter turnout in four LS seats

Bihar's phase one Lok Sabha polls had a 48.23% turnout, lower than 2019 due to heatwave. Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jamui had 38 candidates including Jitan Ram Manjhi. Several key entities and details were highlighted.

Rise above caste, religion and vote... Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary

Rise above caste, religion and vote... Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary As the first phase of polling commenced on Friday, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary appealed to the voters to cast their votes based on the developments done in the state. He requested the people eligible to vote to rise above caste and religion and vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Polling is taking place on the four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar regarding that I want to make a special request from the voters to cast their votes on 'development, development and development.' With the progressive work done by PM Modi in the last 10 years and the fight that he (PM) picked up against corruption, therefore common people have to rise above caste and religion and vote for PM Modi, he said. People of Bihar are quite smart, they know very well whom to give the mandate and this time 40/40 seats will be accorded to BJP by them (people), the BJP leader added. Voting for four parliamentary seats in Bihar- Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada- is underway. Bihar will see polling in all the seven phases. The second phase of polling in the state will be held on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. Mahagathbandhan, the opposition coalition in Bihar, comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats in the elections. The NDA is also in a seat-sharing agreement in Bihar with the Janata Dal-United (JDU) and the LJP for the Lok Sabha polls. The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to contest 17 seats and JD-U 16. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, dominated by winning 39 out of 40 seats. In the last general elections, all four seats went to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- the BJP in Aurangabad, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) in Gaya, and the then-united Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) from both Jamui and Nawada. With 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is seen as among the most significant states in Indian politics. (ANI)

Uproar over abusive language used against Chirag Paswans mother at RJD's Bihar poll rally

PATNA: A day ahead of Bihars four Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls, a video purportedly showing RJD workers using abusive language against LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswans mother Reena Paswan in RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadavs election rally has gone viral. RJD workers allegedly made adverse comments against Chirags mother during the rally in Jamui constituency from where Chirags brother-in-law Arun Bharti is contesting. RJD candidate Archana Ravidas was also present on the dais when party workers used the alleged offensive language. Reacting sharply, Chirag said, Tejashwi was present on the dais when RJD workers used abusive language against my family. Instead of stopping his party workers from making comments, Tejashwi was standing quite to make sure that his party workers finished making unsavoury comments against my mother and my sister. It is very unfortunate. When mediapersons approached Tejashwi, he asked, Have I used abusive language? I have also seen that video. Nobody present on the dais was involved in it but somebody from the gathering did it. He added, I would not have tolerated had I heard such a language being used against Chirags mother. Former CM and Hindustani Awam Morcha patron Jitan Ram Manjhi wrote on X, Till now, RJD goons used to attack Dalits behind the camera and played with our honour, but in Jamui, a Dalit leader like Chirag was abused along with his mother and sister on the instructions of Tejashwi. It is shameful. People of Bihar will take revenge for every insult of yours on the day of elections. Bihar all set for first phase of Lok Sabha polls The stage is set for the first of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in Bihar on Friday. Four Lok Sabha constituencies Aurangabad, Gaya (SC), Nawada and Jamui (SC) are going to polls in the initial stage for which foolproof security arrangements have been made. Over 7.6 million voters are eligible to vote for 38 candidates in the fray in the first phase. A total of 7903 polling stations have been set up in all the four Lok Sabha constituencies. A total of 92602 first time voters will exercise their franchise in the first phase. Of the 7.6 million voters, 39,63,223 were male and 36,38,151 were female voters.

Lok Sabha polls: Bihars Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada to vote in first phase tomorrow

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Bihar Lok Sabha 2024 Elections Phase 1 April 19: Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada to go to polls. Check key candidates

Bihar gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in seven phases starting from April 19. Candidates from various parties like BJP, RJD, and Lok Janshakti Party contest in the first phase for seats in Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada.

ECI issues notification for 4th phase for 11 LS seats in state

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued notification for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 for 11 constituencies, including Aurangabad, in the fourth phase election to be held on May 13. These constituencies include Aurangabad, Beed, and Jalna in the Marathwada region. Pune,Shirur, Maval, Ahmednagar, and Shirdi are in the []

Aurangabad Lok Sabha Constituency: BJPs Sushil Kumar Singh to take on RJDs Abhay Kumar Kushwaha

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Centre Was Not Prepared for Covid Pandemic: Owaisi

Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi blamed the Centre for its lack of preparedness during the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in oxygen shortages and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Owaisi criticised Prime Minister Modi's absence from the public eye for 20 days during the second wave of Covid-19. Asserting citizens' right to vote for their preferred political party, Owaisi pointed to the devastating impact of the pandemic, with millions succumbing to the virus. He highlighted the failures of the government, including the grim scenes of bodies floating in rivers and migrant labourers perishing on railway tracks due to a lack of oxygen and support. We had bodies of people floating on various rivers. We have seen migrant labourers walking in Aurangabad. They died on railway tracks. The government failed to provide oxygen, he said. Owaisi further accused the government of neglecting crucial issues such as unemployment, rising prices, increased instances of mob lynching, communalism, and growing hostility towards minorities. He raised concerns about threats to constitutional values and pluralism in the country, questioning the government's claims of economic prowess against the backdrop of persistent challenges like low per capita income.

Owaisi Announces Support for VBA Chief Prakash Ambedkar in Akola

Owaisi Announces Support for VBA Chief Prakash Ambedkar in Akola AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has declared his party's support for Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Akola seat in Maharashtra. Notably, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and VBA tied up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but the alliance broke during the Maharashtra assembly elections held later that year. ''We believe the leadership of Dalits should come up. I appeal to the AIMIM team from Akola to vote for Prakash Ambedkar,'' Owaisi said on Tuesday. Prakash Ambedkar is the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar. The AIMIM will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Pune, Owaisi said and declared the candidature of Anis Sundke. Owaisi also tried to reach out to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, saying, ''A person with a thin physique has shaken the state government. I was expecting that Jarange would form a political party. Because justice will be done only after forming a political party and winning elections''. Owaisi alleged that all parties are ganged up against AIMIM's Aurangabad Lok Sabha member Imtiaz Jaleel in the elections. ''Two Shiv Senas, two NCPs, BJP and half Congress have come together. People should ask them about their stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR),'' he added.

PM Modi claims 90 percent of Constituent Assembly members were 'Sanatanis' in Bihar poll rally

PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday refuted the oppositions allegation that the BJP was trying to change India's Constitution and reiterated that even Baba Saheb BR Ambedkar, who had drafted the Constitution, cannot alter it . PM Modis reactions came a day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Union minister Lalu Prasad alleged that the BJP was planning to change the Constitution . The RJD chief had remarked that Dalits, poor and backwards would not forgive the BJP and PM Modi if it happened. Addressing an election rally in Bihars Gaya, PM Modi took a jibe at Lalu and other opposition leaders by contending that they were using the Constitution as a political weapon and spreading lies that the BJP would change the Constitution if voted to power for the third consecutive term. Those who want to use the Constitution as political power and spread distorted narratives for the last three decades with an intention to intimidate and scare people like the country will burn and will not survive if the BJP and RSS come to power, the prime minister claimed, adding: ...even Dr BR Ambedkar, who had drafted the Constitution, cannot change the Constitution of India. Stop spreading lies. Those insulting the Constitution do not have the right to remain in public life. Election 2024 is to punish those who are against Constitution: PM Modi in Bihar Modi further said, When I brought the proposal to Parliament to observe the Sambhidhan Diwas, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge opposed it by arguing what the need for it was when we celebrated Republic Day. Kharge could not understand that we should constantly keep generating 'shraddha' and creating 'sanskar' towards the Constitution. Modi highlighted that Dr Rajendra Prasad had led the Constituent Assembly, with Dr BR Ambedkar chairing the drafting committee, supported by Sanatanis. He emphasised the inclusion of numerous eminent figures in the assembly who diligently worked to shape the constitution, considering the sentiments of the people. In the Constituent Assembly, more than 8090 percent of the members were Sanatanis as they extended their support to Ambedkar to draft such a great Constitution of India, he remarked. Meanwhile, Modi claimed that global instability necessitated a strong government capable of making bold decisions. He also appealed to the people to make the BJP candidate from Aurangabad Sushil Kumar Singh and NDA ally Jitan Ram Manjhi victorious in the election. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had last month alleged that the ultimate goal of Narendra Modi and the BJP is to destroy Babasaheb's Constitution after BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde's statement that the party needs a two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution . On Monday, RJD chief Lalu accused the BJP and PM Modi of trying to change the Constitution of India. Lalu had alleged that the people of the country, especially Dalits, OBCs and EBCs, would not forgive the BJP and PM Modi if the Constitution was changed for political gains. Congress slams BJP after its Nagaur candidate Jyoti Mirdha campaigns on 'constitutional change' Country's democracy in danger, conspiracy being hatched to change Constitution: Sonia Gandhi

Yogis new slogan: 80 banega aadhaar, NDA 400 paar...

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who led the ruling partys campaign in neighbouring Bihar, unveiled a new slogan while explaining the BJPs manifesto in the state capital on Monday: 80 banega aadhaar, NDA 400 paar, phir ek baar Modi sarkar. 80 refers to the number of LS seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJPs star campaigner also launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal in Aurangabad and Nawada, appealing to the people to reject nepotism and caste-based politics. Addressing the media at the BJP office, Yogi called the BJP manifesto Modis guarantee. It reaffirms our dedication to building a developed India while reinforcing our firm stance against corruption, he said. Yogi said the first four copies of the BJP manifesto released on the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution were to represent the four social pillars of the country, which are the poor (Garib), youth (Yuva), farmers (Annadata), and women (Nari). He added that the BJP was more than just a political entity, embodying the aspirations of 140 crore people with a commitment to realising Indias vision on a mission mode. The aspirations of the nation today align with PM Modis vision, which guides our mission. The country places its trust in Modis Guarantee, he remarked. Yogi said the BJPs manifesto served as the blueprint for a new, great, self-reliant and developed India. Besides declaring a resolute war on corruption, it reaffirms the commitment to elevate India from Antyodaya to Sarvodaya and position it as a global leader, he added. Four social pillars Yogi said the first four copies of the BJP manifesto released on the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar were to represent the four social pillars of the country, which are the poor (Garib), youth (Yuva), farmers (Annadata), and women (Nari).

Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui and Nawada prepare to vote on April 19 in the first of the seven-phase election in Bihar

While all four constituencies went to the NDA in 2019, the Opposition mahagathbandhan too is geared up for the complex voter composition, with the BSP candidate creating a tough battle for both major alliances in Aurangabad

Bihar: Choose NDA to end Goonda Raj, dynasty politics, says Yogi

Aurangabad/Nawada: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday, April 15, urged people in Bihar to vote for the NDA to put an end to goonda raj and dynasty politics in the state. Addressing election rallies in Bihars Aurangabad and Nawada districts, Adityanath, without mentioning the Samajwadi Party by name, alleged, Like the RJD here, 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 .

Maharashtra's Aurangabad LS seat to see 2019 rerun of contest between key candidates

Maharashtra's Aurangabad LS seat to see 2019 rerun of contest between key candidates The Lok Sabha constituency of Aurangabad, which has undergone a name change, will see a repeat of the fight witnessed in 2019 when the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) caused a big upset in Maharashtra by dislodging the undivided Shiv Sena from its citadel. Though the district has been rechristened Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar by the state government, in records of the Election Commission (EC), the prestigious Lok Sabha constituency in the Marathwada region is still known by its old name of Aurangabad. Aurangabad had been won by the undivided Shiv Sena six times since 1989, but five years ago the Bal Thackeray-founded party suffered a setback when its veteran leader Chandrakant Khaire faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of AIMIM candidate Imtiaz Jaleel by a narrow margin of less than 4,500 votes. The central Maharashtra constituency, which goes to polls in the fourth phase on May 13, will see Khaire, now the candidate of the Shiv Sena (UBT) post-split in the party, and Jaleel, re-nominated by the AIMIM, locking horns again for electoral supremacy. However, much has changed in Maharashtra politics between 2019 and 2024. The Shiv Sena suffered a split in June 2022 and the faction headed by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has acquired a new identity and got a new poll symbol. Khaire is with the group led by Thackeray. It remains to be seen if the Hyderabad-based outfit led by Asaduddin Owaisi retains hold over the constituency or the Shiv Sena (UBT), facing first Lok Sabha polls post-split, stages a comeback. Aurangabad, an industrial hub, is the biggest city of the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. This constituency consists of the rural assembly segments of Kannad, Gangapur, Vaijapur and urban seats of Aurangabad Central, West and East. The Lok Sabha constituency comprises 30,52,724 voters, including 16,00,169 men, 14,52,415 women and 140 third gender persons. Aurangabad was initially a Congress stronghold with the grand old party winning the seat multiple times in elections post-independence. It acquired saffron hue in the late 1980s and 90s when the Shiv Sena made inroads and established itself as a prominent political player. The seat became one of the bastions of the undivided Shiv Sena after Mumbai and Thane. As a result, all six assembly segments of the Lok Sabha constituency were bagged by the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in the October 2019 polls. Suresh Chandra of the Indian National Congress (INC) was the first Lok Sabha MP from Aurangabad (1952 to 1957). Later, freedom fighter and prominent leader of Hyderabad freedom struggle Swami Ramanand Teerth, also a Congressman, became the second MP from Aurangabad. The seat remained with the Congress till 1971. However, the tide turned in 1977 when Bapusaheb Kaldate of the Janata Party defeated the Congress candidate with a margin of 57,089 votes. Sahebrao Dongaonkar of the Indian Congress (Socialist) won the seat in 1984. Shiv Sena corporator and then-Mayor Moreshwar Save bagged the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat in 1989 and retained it in 1991. Save, a Hindutva leader, was associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. After 1991, the seat remained with the Shiv Sena till 2019 barring in 1998 when Ramkrushna Baba Patil of the Congress won it in mid-term polls. Then-Shiv Sena MLA Khaire emerged as a formidable figure and won Lok Sabha polls four straight times from the seat - in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014. In the interim, Jaleel, a journalist-turned-politician, joined the AIMIM and started cultivating a voter base in Aurangabad district, which has a significant presence of Muslim electors. Jaleels efforts paid off in 2014, when he won the Aurangabad Central assembly seat by defeating Shiv Sena candidate Pradeep Jaiswal. In 2019, the journalist-turned-politician was rewarded by the AIMIM with a Lok Sabha poll ticket and he did not disappoint his party as he emerged victorious by defeating Khaire by a margin of 4,492 votes. That was first time the AIMIM won a Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lower House of Parliament, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80). In 2024, Aurangabad will see a different battle following the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, whose voter base is now divided between the two rival factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. After the split, three out of the four Shiv Sena MLAs from the district, representing Aurangabad (Central), Aurangabad (West) and Vaijapur, joined the Shinde camp. The fourth MLA, Udaysingh Rajput (Kannad), is with the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT). The ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance (Mahayuti) is yet to announce its nominee, but the main fight is likely to be between Jaleel and Khaire. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve, who is Leader of Opposition in the legislative council, wanted to contest Lok Sabha polls from Aurangabad, but the party once again reposed faith in Khaire to wrest the seat from the AIMIM. Water shortage remains one of the key issues in the city whose residents get supply once every eight days. A water pipeline is being laid from the Jayakwadi dam, located 55km south of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, to meet the water shortage. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is an industrial hub and houses breweries, pharma, automobile, seed and steel units. It is listed among the top 30 exporting cities of the country. The district is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- Ajanta and Ellora Caves -- which are popular tourist destinations.

Amit Shah: MVA Government resembles an auto-rickshaw with mismatching spare parts, set to fail

Amit Shah: MVA Government resembles an auto-rickshaw with mismatching spare parts, set to fail Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Congress in Maharashtra was like an ''auto-rickshaw with mismatching spare parts'', and it will fail to perform. Speaking at a campaign rally for BJP candidate and sitting local MP Pratap Patil Chikhalikar at Naigaon in Nanded district of central Maharashtra, he also said that in the BJP-led NDA, voters have a strong nationalist option available. Former Congress leader Ashok Chavan who was Nanded MP from 2014 to 2019 (before being defeated by Chikhalikar in 2019), and who joined the BJP earlier this year, was also present on stage. ''There is a pseudo-Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, pseudo-NCP of Sharad Pawar and a leftover Congress in Maharashtra. These three parties are like an autorickshaw with mismatching spare parts. How will it ever perform and do anything good for Maharashtra?'' the BJP leader asked. ''Such autorickshaws do not even have any direction, and no future. This (alliance) is going to sink for sure after the elections,'' he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the Indian economy from the 11th position in the world in 2014 to the fifth position, he said, adding that if Modi gets another term, he will make India the third largest economy. ''Every vote given to Chikhalikar will also strengthen Modi's chances of becoming prime minister for the third time,'' Shah said. The Union home minister also claimed that it was thanks to the BJP that Aurangabad in central Maharashtra was renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. ''Late (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray used to demand renaming of Aurangabad district as Sambhajinagar, and Sharad Pawar always opposed it. Now, the Shiv Sena-BJP government changed the name, but there is no smile on Uddhav Thackeray's face,'' he quipped. As prime minister, Manmohan Singh remained silent when terrorists from Pakistan attacked the country, while Modi conducted surgical strikes in response to such attacks, Shah said. ''Anyone from Pakistan used to come to our country, carry out a terror attack, and return. Manmohan Singh would never utter a single word against it. After Modi became prime minister, he saw the Kashmir issue from a different perspective. The (terror) attacks of Uri and Pulwama did happen, but within ten days of each attack, a surgical strike and air strike were carried out by entering Pakistan and killing hundreds of terrorists,'' the Union minister said. Modi gave a message to the world that no one can mess with India's soldiers and its borders, he added. Congress ''nurtured Article 370 (which gave a special status to Jammu & Kashmir) as an illegitimate child for 70 years,'' the minister said, adding that PM Modi, on August 5, 2019, abrogated it and ''made Jammu & Kashmir an integral part of the country.'' Naxalism was a major problem in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Shah said, claiming that prime minister Modi ''uprooted'' it from these states. Accusing the Congress of stalling the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said in the last five years, the (Supreme Court) judgement on the issue came, groundbreaking ceremony for the temple took place, and Ram Lalla's consecration was also completed. ''After 500 years of waiting, Ram Lalla will celebrate his birthday on April 17 (on Ram Navami) in the huge temple, not in a tent,'' the Union minister said. Shah also targeted Congress party for `not respecting' the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony held in January. ''I can understand Congress' stand on not solving the Ram temple issue, as it would have feared losing its vote bank. But when Congress leaders were invited to attend the consecration ceremony, nobody attended it. They even ousted their leaders who wished to attend the ceremony,'' he claimed. Seeking votes for the BJP candidate, Shah said Maharashtra can progress only at the hands of PM Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. Notably, Shah did not mention NDA ally and another deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Both Ajit Pawar and Shinde were not present at the rally. Chikhalikar is facing Congress' Vasant Chavan in Nanded constituency.

BIhar: Shah calls for BJP win in all 40 seats, 3rd term for Modi

PATNA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked Congress for its appeasement policy and accused it of working to re-divide the country. He also cornered the grand old party on corruption, saying those who have looted money of the poor would not be spared. Addressing an election rally at Guraru in Bihars Gaya district, Shah alleged that the Congress could go to any extent for votes. The country was divided in 1947 by the Congress. Today, the party is inclined to repeat it. The BJP and PM Modi will not allow it to do so, he said. Shah referred to the remarks of a Congress leader who spoke of the countrys division into north and south. He accused the Congress leadership of maintaining silence over such remarks and alleged that the party has favoured the appeasement policy for generations starting with Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi. On corruption, he said: The RJD-Congress alliance doesnt know that the BJP and PM Modi will not spare the corrupt. They will have to return the money at all costs. Calling upon people to elect Modi for a third term, he said this election was important because if the BJP returns to power, the country would become the third-largest economy in the world. He reminded the people of his partys slogan of Abki baar 400 ke paar and said Bihar had given 31 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 39 seats to the NDA in the 2019 elections. I renew my appeal to the people to give 40 out of 40 seats in this election to make Modi Prime Minister for a third term, he said. Shah highlighted the NDA achievements, saying Maoist activities are contained to a large extent across the country and development works were underway in the Maoist-hit areas. Taking a jibe at Lalu Prasads RJD for making derogatory remarks against Ramcharitmanas and other religious books of the Hindus, he said: These people are anti-sanatana dharma and even opposed to chanting Vande Matram. Maoist hotbeds Polling is due in Bihars Aurangabad in the first phase on April 19. The state will witness polling in seven phases. NDAs Sushil Kumar Singh (BJP) faces Abhay Kumar Kushwaha of RJD from Aurangabad while Jitan Ram Manjhi from Gaya will take on Kumar Sarvajeet. These areas are Maoist hotbeds where armed men of the extremist group CPI (Maoist) are involved in political killings.

Aurangabad Bihar Lok Sabha election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates, main parties, schedule

RJD releases list of 22 candidates for LS polls in Bihar

PATNA: In a late evening development, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) released a list of its 22 candidates, including party president Lalu Prasads two daughters, for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. The elections are to be held in seven phases in the state and the first phase of voting will take place on April 19. Lalus daughters Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya have been fielded from Patliputra and Saran Lok Sabha seats. Rohini, who remains active on social media platforms, came into limelight after she donated one of her kidneys to his ailing father. She is making debut in electoral politics from Saran from where Lalu had earlier been elected to Lok Sabha. Misa, a Rajya Sabha member, has unsuccessfully contested parliamentary elections from Patliputra twice. She was defeated by former union minister Ram Kripal Yadav. While Misa is pitted against Ram Kripal once again from Patliputra, Rohini is fighting against former union minister and BJP sitting MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran. The party has given tickets to a turncoat Bima Bharti from Purnea. A don-turned politician Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla, whose name had figured in the killing of former state minister Brij Bihari Prasad, has been fielded from Vaishali. He is pitted against LJP (Ram Vilas) nominee Veena Devi. Shahnawaz Alam has been fielded from Araria while Ritu Jaiswal will contest from Sheohar. Kumar Sarvajeet has been fielded from Gaya, Shravan Kushwaha from Nawada, Archana Ravidas from Jamui and Abhay Kumar Kushwaha from Aurangabad, respectively. All the four constituenciesJamui, Nawada, Aurangabad and Gayawill go to polls in the first phase on April 19. Jai Prakash Yadav will be party nominee from Banka , Lalit Yadav from Darbhanga, Sudhakar Singh from Buxar, Chandrahas Chaupal from Supaul, Shivchandra Ram from Hajipur, Surendra Prasad from Jehanabad, Anita Devi Mahto from Munger and Alok Kumar Mehta from Ujiarpur seats. Similarly, Arun Rai has been nominated from Sitamarhi, Md. AA Fatmi from Madhubani, Dipak Yadav from Valmikinagar and prof. Kumar Chandradip from Madhepura seats. Notably, RJD is contesting 23 seats. Grand alliance in Bihar, which is part of opposition INDIA bloc, comprises RJD, Congress, VIP, CPI-ML, CPI and CPI(M). Congress has been given nine seats under seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of grand alliance.

BJP leaders and PM Modi are most scared of Bihar...: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

BJP leaders and PM Modi are most scared of Bihar...: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, said on Tuesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are most scared of Bihar. Notably, PM Modi is likely to visit Bihar on April 16 for an election campaign for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Responding to this, Tejashwi said, During elections, everyone comes; let him (PM Modi) come. In this kind of situation, even if the PM comes 365 days, their defeat is certain. BJP leaders and PM Modi are most scared of Bihar; they will put all their energy and have kept their investigative agencies here only. Let Union Home Minister, PM Modi come, but I request them with folded hands to speak on topics of farmers, special status to Bihar, jobs; will industries be set up in Bihar or not? he said. They come to elections and make big promises but everything goes to Gujarat, he added. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address his first election rally in Bihar at Gaya district under the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday in favour of BJP candidate Sushil Kumar Singh and NDA allies Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) candidate Jitan Ram Majhi. Sushil Kumar Singh is a BJP candidate from the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat, and former Chief Minister of Bihar and HAM candidate Jitan Ram Majhi is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Gaya reserve seat as an NDA candidate. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, dominated the 2019 elections by winning 39 out of 40 seats. In the first phase, voting is to be held in 4 seats of Bihar on April 19. Those 4 Lok Sabha seats are Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui. Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase of polling will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19. Counting of votes on June 4. (ANI)

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

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

Bihar: Whats common between INDIA & NDA? The rebels

PATNA : In the emerging battle between the opposition Grand Alliance and the ruling NDA, a threat common to both sides is looming: rebels. From the RJD-led front, which is yet to announce its full list of candidates, two dissidents have already gone their ways. First is MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, and second Rajballabh Yadav. In the NDA camp, BJP MP from Muzaffarpur Ajay Nishad has resigned from the party and joined Congress. The buzz is that Congress may field him from Muzaffarpur. Another party MP from Buxar and Union minister Ashwini Choubey is questioning the leadership why he is replaced. I want to know the offence that I have committed for which I have not been given the ticket from Buxar, he said on Monday. Pappu Yadav raises banner of revolt as grand alliance list to be out today Bihar will have seven-phase polls. Jamui, Nawada, Gaya and Aurangabad are going to the polls in the first phase. While Pappu is a serious threat to the GAs official candidate Bima Bharti in Purnea, RJD rebel Vinod Yadav is also adding to the headache of the RJDs official candidate Shravan Kumar in Nawada. Pappu is likely to cut into not only the Yadav and other castes votes but also a substantial number of Muslim votes in Purnea. Pappu has not withdrawn despite warnings by the Congress leadership. So, RJD candidate Bharti faces a tough battle. JD(U) candidate and MP Santosh Kushwaha appears to have an edge in the given situation. Purnea goes to the polls in the second phase on April 26. Similarly, RJD official candidate Shravan Kushwaha is grappling with the challenge from rebel candidate Vinod Yadav, brother of rape convict and muscleman Rajballabh Prasad alias Rajballabh Yadav. In 2019, Rajballabhs wife Vibha Devi contested as an RJD candidate. She was pitted against Lok Janshakti Partys Chandan Singh who was elected. Similarly, former RJD MP and muscleman late Mohammad Shahabuddins wife Hena Shahab is contesting from Siwan as an Independent. Although she never demanded the RJD ticket, she is likely to eat into Muslim votes and would mar the prospects of RJD nominee Awadh Bihari Choudhary. The NDA, too, is beset with the rebel threat. BJP MP from Muzaffarpur Ajay Nishad has quit the party and joined Congress. He hopes Congress would field him from Muzaffarpur. Another BJP MP from Sasaram Chedi Paswan is not happy with the party leadership after being denied the ticket from the seat. He was the winner against Congress Meira Kumar in 2019. Chedi is replaced by former MLA Shivesh Ram. The saffron rebel is learnt to have sought an appointment with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. There is a buzz that he may join Congress and fight against Shivesh Ram. The Congress is yet to take a decision. In Buxar, Mithilesh Tiwary, a former MLA from Baikunthpur (in Buxar district) is a BJP candidate from where Ashwini Kumar Choubey won twice. Tiwary is BJPs state general secretary. He won the state polls from Baikunthpur in 2015 but lost in the 2020 assembly polls.

Mahagathbandhan rattled ahead of PM Modi's Bihar visit: BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain

Mahagathbandhan rattled ahead of PM Modi's Bihar visit: BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain Senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said on Sunday the grand Opposition alliance or 'Mahagathbandhan' in the state is rattled as Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi arrives to address an election rally in Bihar's Nawada on Sunday. PM Modi has been holding campaign events across the country, braving a hectic schedule as the polling dates near. On Saturday, PM Modi addressed election rallies in Saharanpur and Ajmer, followed later in the day with a roadshow in Ghaziabad. The RJD and the Mahagathbandhan are rattled as PM Modi is visiting Bihar. He is visiting Bihar because the state holds a special place in his heart and the people, too, love him back, Hussain told ANI. Expressing confidence of the NDA winning all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP leader added, This time, the Mahagathbandhan won't even get even one seat in the elections. The people of Bihar have decided to give all 40 seats in the state to PM Modi. At one of his rallies on Saturday, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying its manifesto was a 'bundle of lies'. He added that every page in the 'Nyay Patra' of the grand old party reeks of a mentality to 'tear India apart'. Yesterday, the Congress Party released its manifesto, a bundle of lies. Every page of this smells of breaking India into pieces. The Congress manifesto has echoes of the views that the Muslim League held at the time of independence. Congress wants to impose the views of the Muslim League of that time on the India of today, PM Modi said. The ruling National Democratic Alliance, earlier, reached a seat-sharing agreement in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls as part of which the BJP would contest 17 seats and the JD-U 16. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, dominated the standings, winning 39 of the 40 seats in the state. In the first phase of polling on April 19, voting is to be held for 4 seats of Bihar. These are Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui. Bihar, along with neighbouring Bengal, will poll across all seven phases--April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

PM Modi to address election rally in Bihar's Nawada

PM Modi to address election rally in Bihar's Nawada Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an election rally in Bihar's Nawada district on Sunday. This will be his second rally in the state after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. ''Once again, a massive wave of BJP-NDA is being seen in Bihar. I will have an opportunity to meet my family members, who are excited about voting, in the public meeting in Nawada around 11 am today,'' Modi posted on X ahead of the rally. The state police have put in place a multi-tier security cover at the venue ahead of the PM's rally. The BJP has fielded Vivek Thakur, the party's Rajya Sabha MP and son of senior BJP leader and former Union minister C P Thakur, from Nawada Lok Sabha constituency. Earlier on April 4, Modi had launched the Lok Sabha election campaign of the NDA in Bihar through a rally in Jamui constituency. Polling will be held in Nawada, Gaya, Aurangabad and Jamui Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase on April 19. As per the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is contesting 17 seats and its ally JD (U) 16. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest from five Lok Sabha seats in the state. Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest from one seat each.