Bihar: Incarcerated Politician Anant Singh Granted Parole Ahead of Mokama Bypoll

Bihar: Incarcerated Politician Anant Singh Granted Parole Ahead of Mokama Bypoll Gangster-turned-politician Anant Kumar Singh, whose MLA wife recently crossed over from the opposition RJD to CM Nitish Kumar's JD(U), on Sunday walked out of jail on parole. Singh, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Patna court a couple of years ago in a case under the stringent UAPA, has been released for 15 days, officials said. He came out of the Beur jail, on the outskirts of Patna, in the early hours and reached his ancestral home in Mokama, about a 100 km away, in an ambulance. A swarm of supporters greeted Singh, who had been disqualified in his fourth consecutive term as the MLA from Mokama following conviction, only for the seat to be retained by his wife Neelam Devi. Slogans in praise of ''Chhote Sarkar'', the epithet he enjoys on his home turf, rent the air even as Singh declared ''a victory by more than 4 lakh votes'' for JD(U)'s former president Rajiv Ranjan Singh ''Lalan''. A key aide of the CM, Lalan seeks to retain the Munger Lok Sabha seat, under which Mokama falls. Voting will take place in the constituency on May 13. Interestingly, in 2019, Neelam Devi had contested against Lalan on a ticket of Congress, the RJD's junior ally in Bihar. Singh, once known to be close to the CM, had by then burnt his bridges and in 2020 he contested the assembly poll on an RJD ticket. Singh and his supporters had squarely blamed a ''conspiracy'' by Lalan when grenades and rocket launchers were seized from his Mokama residence, leading to the UAPA case. A couple of months ago, when Nitish Kumar pulled the plug on a short-lived alliance with RJD and returned to the BJP-led NDA, Neelam Devi switched sides. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari targeted the Nitish Kumar government over Singh's release from jail. ''Here is a government that itself seems to be on parole, what to speak of the release of one individual. All know how this government in Bihar was formed. Some favours have to be returned,'' remarked Tiwari. The release of Singh, whose influence spreads beyond Mokama, is being viewed as an attempt to galvanise upper caste Bhumihars in favour of the NDA in Munger. The RJD has fielded Kumari Anita, wife of dreaded gangster Ashok Mahto who is known to be a staunch critic of upper caste dominance in society and politics.

Andhra Pradesh: Sec 144 imposed in Dy CMs village Taruva

Visakhapatnam: The Anakapalli district police has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Taruva, the home village of deputy chief minister Budi Mutyala Naidu, who is candidate for Anakapalli Lok Sabha. The ban on assembly in public places will remain in force till Monday evening. Circle inspector of K Kotapadu, Swami Naidu, said a police picket has been set up in the village with eight members of the police force to prevent any incident. We are allowing people to do their normal work but would not allow crowding in the streets, the CI said. He said three cases have been registered. One case was registered against the use of a drone without permission. Another case against the brother-in-law of Budi Mutyala Naidu Ch Gangadhar and his three friends for violence. A third case was registered against Budi Mutyala Naidu for his alleged attack on Gangadhar and his friends. The case against Mutyala Naidu was registered on the basis of a complaint given by BJP leader and MP candidate for Anakapalli, CM Ramesh. We have not made any arrests so far. We are investigating the case in detail. Some arrests are likely, the CI said. Condemning the incident, Budi Ravi Kumar, the Independent candidate contesting for Madugula constituency and son of Budi Mutyala Naidu, said the district police failed to give him protection despite writing letters to the district election officer and returning officer. Today, they gave me a gunman but I still fear attacks on me, Ravi Kumar told this correspondent. He said his father Mutyala Naidu engineered the attack on him on Saturday afternoon out of a fear that he would lose the polls. Visakhapatnam district BJP president Rabindra Reddy condemned the attack on his party worker Gangadhar and said that the party might win the sympathy of the people. He said the incident was brought to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central party leaders.

Naveen Appoints Office Bearers of BJD Aaprabasi Sammukhya

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal Supremo Naveen Patnaik today appointed the various State office bearers of BJD Aaprabasi Sammukhya. According to a press release from the Party, Dr Amar Patnaik will be the Chief Advisor of the Aaprabasi Sammukhya with five advisors namely Dr Achyuta Samanta, Rajendra Dholkia, N Bhaskar Rao, Sujit Kumar and Bhupinder Singh. [] The post Naveen Appoints Office Bearers of BJD Aaprabasi Sammukhya appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat criticises TDP for joining hands with BJP in Andhra Pradesh

There seems to be a conspiracy to sabotage the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant by preventing supply of coking coal, she says

Simmering discontent against ruling YSRCP in Mangalgiri

Locals ire at shift of capital from Amravati to Vishakhapatnam is helping TDPs Lokesh

Congress Names Jay Narayan Patnaik as Lok Sabha Candidate from Puri

Puri: The Congress party has announced Jay Narayan Patnaik as its Lok Sabha candidate from Puri in Odisha. This decision comes after Sucharita Mohanty returned her ticket, citing the party's alleged denial of funding.In a statement, the Congress said, The Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge) has approved the candidature of Shri Jay Narayan Patnaik (In place of Smt. Sucharita Mohanty) as the party candidate for the ensuing general elections to the Lok Sabha from 17 - Puri Parliamentary Constituency of Odisha. Patnaik, who has been associated with the Congress for the past few years, will be making his electoral debut in this election. The last date for filing nominations in Puri is May 6.Mohanty, who stood second from Puri in the 2014 polls, returned her ticket on Saturday, expressing her inability to campaign in Puri without financial support from the party.In a letter to party general secretary KC Venugopal, Mohanty mentioned, Our campaign in the Puri Parliamentary constituency has been hit hard because the party has denied me funding. AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar ji categorically asked me to fund for myself. I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. Mohanty also stated, I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far. I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum.She further mentioned that the party's central leadership did not respond to her repeated requests for funds.Puri is among the high-profile poll battles that will unfold in Odisha, with the BJP fielding its national spokesperson Sambit Patra for the second straight time and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's BJD fielding former Mumbai Police commissioner Arup Patnaik. The constituency, currently held by the Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) Pinaki Misra, votes in the sixth phase on May 25. In 2019, the Congress secured only 3.94 per cent of the votes in Puri. This was way down from 2014, when Mohanty's vote share was 18.5 per cent and she finished second.Like in 2019, the simultaneous elections in Odisha this time will be held in four phases, with the only difference this time being that the state will vote in the last four of the seven phases, unlike last time when it voted in the first four phases. During the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, BJD under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik won 12 of the 21 seats. The BJP won eight seats and Congress got one seat. The BJD swept the Odisha assembly polls in 2019, winning 112 seats. BJP won 23 seats and Congress nine seats. Alleged BJP Video Portraying SC/ST/OBC Communities Raises Uproar: Congress Lodges Complaint NCP leader Yoganand Shastri Rejoins Congress Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls BJP Afflicted with Phobia Due to Rahul Gandhi's Popularity: Congress leader Nav Prabhat

Bihar: Anant Kumar Singh released from jail on parole

Patna: Ahead of the crucial third and fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, gangster-turned-politician Anant Kumar Singh was released on parole from Patnas Beur Jail on Sunday morning. The home ministry of the Bihar government approved his parole for 15 days. Following that, he came out from Patnas Beur jail on the direction of 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 .

BJD seeks restriction on Chhattisgarh Governors visit to Odisha till end of polls

Bhubaneswar: Accusing Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan of violating the model code of conduct (MCC), the BJD Sunday urged the Election Commission to restrict his visit to Odisha till the completion of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the eastern state. The Naveen Patnaik-led party alleged that Harichandan, who hails from Odisha, violated the []

Ex-RJD MLA, out on parole, rallies support for JDU candidate in Bihar

Former Mokama MLA Anant Kumar Singh, released on a 15-day parole, swiftly organized a grand roadshow supporting a JDU-backed candidate in Bihar. Despite his recent conviction in an arms case, Singh's arrival from Beur Central Jail in Patna sparked enthusiastic receptions. The event, aimed at boosting support for JDU's Lalan Singh in the Munger constituency, showcased Singh's enduring political influence and regional significance.

Congress replaces candidates in five Odisha Assembly constituencies

BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Sunday changed its candidates in five assembly constituencies in Odisha while naming Akshaya Acharya from the Nilgiri assembly seat. The party has nominated former minister and four-time MLA Debashish Nayak for the Bari assembly constituency replacing Arati Deo. Nayak had joined the Congress on Saturday after BJP denied him a ticket. Nayak had joined the BJP in February from the BJD. Nayak was elected to the state assembly from the Bari Assembly seat in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014 on BJD ticket. Congress spokesperson Sudarshan Das has been nominated for the Jaleswar Assembly constituency replacing Debi Prasanna Chand. For the Athamallik assembly segment, the party has fielded Himanshu Chaulia in place of Bijayananda Chaulia while Sujit Mahapatra has been replaced by Uma Ballav Rath for the Puri Assembly segment. Sudarshan Sahoo is the new Congress nominee for the Athagarh Assembly segment. The party had earlier nominated Maheboob Ahmad Khan for the seat. On Saturday, the party changed its Puri Lok Sabha constituency candidate Sucharita Mohanty after she returned the ticket due to alleged lack of funding from the party. The Congress has nominated Jay Narayan Patnaik for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. With this list, the Congress party has announced candidates for 145 out of 147 Assembly segments in Odisha. The Congress has left one seat for JMM and another for CPI (M). The Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

Candidates replaced in five assembly constituencies due to ongoing criminal cases

Candidates replaced in five assembly constituencies due to ongoing criminal cases The Congress on Sunday changed its candidates in five assembly constituencies in Odisha while naming Akshaya Acharya from the Nilgiri assembly seat. The party has nominated former minister and four-time MLA Debashish Nayak for the Bari assembly constituency replacing Arati Deo. Nayak had joined the Congress on Saturday after BJP denied him a ticket. Nayak had joined the BJP in February from the BJD. Nayak was elected to the state assembly from the Bari Assembly seat in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014 on BJD ticket. Congress spokesperson Sudarshan Das has been nominated for the Jaleswar Assembly constituency replacing Debi Prasanna Chand. For the Athamallik assembly segment, the party has fielded Himanshu Chaulia in place of Bijayananda Chaulia while Sujit Mahapatra has been replaced by Uma Ballav Rath for the Puri Assembly segment. Sudarshan Sahoo is the new Congress nominee for the Athagarh Assembly segment. The party had earlier nominated Maheboob Ahmad Khan for the seat. On Saturday, the party changed its Puri Lok Sabha constituency candidate Sucharita Mohanty after she returned the ticket due to alleged lack of funding from the party. The Congress has nominated Jay Narayan Patnaik for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. With this list, the Congress party has announced candidates for 145 out of 147 Assembly segments in Odisha. The Congress has left one seat for JMM and another for CPI (M). The Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

10 new wild animals will come to Van Vihar

Will be brought from Vizag Zoo in Visakhapatnam Chronicle Reporter, Bhopal Now, people will also get to see wild cats and wild dogs in Van Vihar of the capital Bhopal. Wild cats, wild dogs and 10 wolves will be brought to Van Vihar from Vizag Zoo Visakhapatnam under animal exchange. In exchange for these animals,... The post 10 new wild animals will come to Van Vihar first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

PM Modi, BJP Chief Nadda Embark on Two-Day Odisha Sojourn from Sunday

PM Modi, BJP Chief Nadda Embark on Two-Day Odisha Sojourn from Sunday Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda will arrive in Bhubaneswar on Sunday on their two-day visit to Odisha. PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in the Odisha capital around 9.30 pm and will make a night halt at Raj Bhavan. He will address election rallies at Berhampur and Nabarangpur on Monday, a BJP leader said. PM Modi will again come to the state on May 10, when he will lead a road show in Bhubaneswar. On the following day, he would address an election rally in Bolangir, he said. Odisha Police have tightened security arrangements for the PM's visit on Sunday. Tight security will be ensured from Biju Patnaik International Airport to Raj Bhavan on Sunday evening, a police officer said. Nadda, on the other hand, is slated to reach Bhubaneswar this afternoon. He is scheduled to release the election manifesto of the state unit of the BJP in Bhubaneswar around 3 pm. The BJP president will also hold meetings with party leaders and workers in Bhubaneswar and neighbouring Cuttack to discuss the party's strategies for the ensuing Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. The state will go to polls from May 13 to June 1.

Economic Concerns Dominate Poll Discourse in Odisha's Nabarangpur Parliamentary Constituency

Economic Concerns Dominate Poll Discourse in Odisha's Nabarangpur Parliamentary Constituency Lack of industry, irrigation facilities and unemployment are the major issues in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency in southern Odisha which will go to the polls on May 13. The Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency comprises some parts of Nabarangpur district and also some areas of Koraput and Malkangiri district. The BJD has fielded Pradeep Majhi, a former MP, the BJP nominee is Balabhadra Majhi, also a former MP, while the Congress has nominated Bhujabal Majhi, a veteran tribal leader and three-time MLA from Dabugam for the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency. There is no industry in Nabarangpur district. The government has also failed to provide irrigation facilities to farmers while unemployment is at an alarming stage in the area, the Congress candidate alleged. ''I was an MLA for three terms and the people are praising the works done in Dabugam during my tenure. People have voted for other candidates and have seen that no work was done during their tenure. I hope that this time people of Nabarangpur will vote for me because I am a new face for the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency,'' he said. Nabarangpur Lok Sabha (ST) constituency was traditionally a Congress bastion. Of the 17 general elections held since Independence, Congress has won the seat for 12 times. In the first Lok Sabha election in 1951, Ponada Subarao of Gantantra Parishad won the seat by defeating Jagdish Chandra Naik of Congress. Khagapati Pradhani of the Congress party won the seat 10 times in a row from 1967 to 1998. The Congress retained the seat in 2009. However, the Congress narrowly lost the Lok Sabha seat in the last two elections. BJD candidate Pradeep Majhi said, ''Due to the efforts of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Malkangiri district has become a leading district in Odisha. We will seek votes presenting our developmental programmes in the constituency during the BJD regime.'' Pradeep Majhi had won in the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket. BJP candidate Balabhadra Majhi alleged that the Nabarangpur constituency was totally neglected by the BJD government. ''People have a strong feeling that until BJD is removed from the helm, no development activity can take place in the area. The people want a change this time,'' Balabhadra claimed. He had won from the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 on a BJD ticket. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Ramesh Chandra Majhi of BJD had won the seat defeating his BJP rival Pradeep Kumar Majhi. Tribal voters and about two lakh Bengalis, who migrated from Bangladesh in the 1970s, will play a key role in the elections. The Bengali settlers, who had migrated from Bangladesh, live in 213 villages in Malkangiri district and 64 villages in Nabarangpur district after acquiring citizenship in the early 1970s. Almost all of them belong to the scheduled castes category. Umerkote, Jharigam, Nabarangpur and Dabugam assembly segments in Nabarangpur district, Kotpad constituency in Koraput district and Malkangiri and Chitrakonda assembly segment of Malkangiri district come under the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Odisha: Debasis Nayak quits BJP, joins Congress

BHUBANESWAR: Nearly two months after resigning from the BJD and joining BJP, former minister and four-time MLA Debasis Nayak quit the saffron party and switched over to the Congress. Nayak joined Congress in the presence of Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar and former president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) NIranjan Patnaik. Addressing the joining ceremony, Kumar said an outsider has taken over BJD and making all attempts to sideline founder members of the party. The sole intension of 5T chairman VK Pandian is to merge BJD with BJP. This is the last election which the BJD will be contesting as an independent party, he said. Kumar said Nayaks entry in the Congress will strengthen the party in Jajpur district and the entire state. Nayak said he was happy to join Congress as he will now be part of the fight to establish democracy in the country and Odia Asmita in the state. The induction of Nayak to Congress has given rise to possibility of changing its candidate for Bari Assembly constituency and field him instead. Nayak had announced he will contest from Bari, through a social media post, after the BJP fielded Umesh Chandra Jena from the seat. People of Bari are my strength. Party is not paramount for me. I will contest the poll to serve them, he added. Nayak was hoping for a ticket after joining BJP on February 25, having won from Bari for four consecutive terms from 2000 to 2014 on BJD ticket. He had also served as officer-on-special duty during Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks stint as Union steel and mines minister.

Alleged drone incident sparks conflict between Anakapalle MP candidates

VISAKHAPATNAM: Tension prevailed in Taruva village of Devarapalli mandal in Anakapalle district, when supporters of YSRC Lok Sabha candidate and Deputy Chief Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu clashed with those of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance candidate CM Ramesh on Saturday. The conflict arose when alleged drone operations by the latters supporters to hoist BJP flags triggered objections from Mutyala Naidus backers. The dispute centred around allegations of unauthorised drone operations, with Mutyala Naidu claiming surveillance was aimed at him while BJP workers said their actions were part of their campaign. The situation escalated when YSRC workers reportedly smashed the drone and assaulted BJP workers. Following the altercation, Mutyala Naidu himself reportedly got involved, purportedly assaulting his brother-in-law (first wifes younger brother) Ch Gangadhar, a local BJP leader, who was among those operating the drone. Gangadhar and his associates lodged a complaint at the Devarapalli police station, claiming they were detained by the police without any action taken against their assailants. CM Ramesh, on the other hand, demanded action against the attackers and staged a sit-in protest at the police station. Despite police advisories against visiting Taruva, Ramesh attempted to console Gangadhar, only to be stopped on the outskirts of the village. According to the police, both groups were dispersed, with Ramesh being escorted back to Anakapalle town. Multiple cases have been registered in connection with the incident.

Triangular contest expected in Angul, tough battle for BJD

ANGUL: In Angul Assembly segment, a stronghold of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) since 2000, a fierce three-way clash among Congress, BJD, and BJP is imminent. Both the Congress and BJD have opted for new faces but the BJP has stuck to Pratap Pradhan as its nominee. Pradhan is set for a fight against Congress candidate Ambika Prasad Bhatta and BJDs Sanjukta Singh, wife of incumbent legislator Rajanikant Singh. Despite the BJDs efforts to reinvigorate its campaign with a change in candidate, political analysts predict a not-so-easy path to victory, citing internal dissent within the party. Key local leaders such as Bhakti Prasad Das and Mahesh Dhal have defected to the BJP, while the BJD has strengthened its ranks with the inclusion of Biplab Jena, a former Congress member. Compounding the BJDs woes are public grievances over its alleged failures, particularly inability to address issues like elephant attacks and the non-establishment of a fire station at Bantala. A wave of anti-incumbency sentiment further threatens the partys electoral prospects. Nevertheless, BJD remains optimistic, banking on the charisma of CM Naveen Patnaik. In contrast, both the Congress and BJP have intensified their campaign to clinch the coveted seat. Congress nominee Ambika Prasad Bhatta is rallying support across the constituency, highlighting the alleged shortcomings of both central and state governments. Meanwhile, BJPs Pratap Pradhan, buoyed by recent defections from the BJD, is confident of victory, with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan actively canvassing for him and seeking voter support.

CMs new poll pitch: Is Naveen good?

KORAPUT/BERHAMPUR/BHUBANESWAR: In a marked shift from the Apana mane khushi ta (Are you happy about with the government) pitch, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seems to be making a bid to turn the focus on himself during these elections. While campaigning in four southern districts on Saturday, the party supremo departed from his earlier style of electioneering and wanted to know more about himself and the performance of schemes introduced by his government. At Majhiguda in Nabarangpur, Naveen began his address by asking the gathering Naveen Patnaik bhala ki? (Is Naveen Patnaik good?). As people gathered there stood up from their seats and responded in affirmative, the chief minister went on asking Apana mane bhala achhanti ta (Are you all good?). The BJD president lambasted the BJP stating the Opposition is telling lies and spreading misinformation. Its leaders are shedding crocodile tears. They are not supporting development in the state. Bless me and BJDs MLA and MP candidates, he said. Highlighting various schemes launched by the BJD government in the state, the chief minister said his government has been ensuring welfare of 4.5 crore people of Odisha with a battery of schemes and people-friendly initiatives. Be it Mamata, KALIA, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), Mission Shakti or other welfare programmes, all are aimed at upliftment of the people in the state, he said. Naveen also tried to strike a chord with the people by asking 11 questions on whether the welfare schemes launched by the state government are good and whether they were getting the benefits. Are the BSKY, Mamata, Mission Shakti, KALIA, Puri Parikrama project, Laxmi Bus, school transformation and Nua-O scholarship schemes good?, he questioned the public and sought their blessings to continue the programmes in future. After addressing the meeting in Nabarangpur district, the BJD supremo addressed three massive election rallies at OMP ground in Koraput, Tikiri in Rayagada district and Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district. Addressing a meeting at Paralakhemundi under Berhampur parliamentary constituency, the chief minister urged people not to vote for a thief. Without taking the name of the BJP candidate, he said, Dont give your vote to a thief. 5T chairman VK Pandian listed out welfare schemes and sought votes for BJD candidates to continue the development agenda of the chief minister, who he said is working day and night for development of the state.

50 per cent netas in fray for May 13 LS elections are crorepatis

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha seems to be shedding its poor state tag, if the property of the netas contesting this election are any indication. Nearly half of the candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections in the state in phase IV are crorepatis. Interestingly, of the four constituencies - Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Berhampur that are going to polls on May 13, three were unpopular as most backward regions for a long time. As per an analysis of affidavits by Odisha Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), an election watchdog, of 37 candidates, including seven women, in the fray, 17 have assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. While all four contenders of both BJP and BJD are crorepatis, three from Congress, four Independents, one each from Naba Bharat Nirman Seva Party (NBNSP) and Bharatiya Bikash Parishad (BBP) have assets of over Rs 1 crore. The average assets per candidate contesting in this phase is Rs 3.7 crore. BJPs candidates are richer than others as their average assets is Rs 13.76 crore and that of Congress is Rs 3.64 crore and BJD Rs 3.11 crore. BJPs Kalahandi candidate Malvika Devi is the richest with total assets worth over Rs 41.89 crore, followed by Independent candidate of Berhampur constituency V Chandra Shekhar, who has declared assets of Rs 28.7 crore. The BBP nominee for Berhampur Rajendra Dalabehera has assets worth Rs 10.3 crore. BJPs Balabhadra Majhi from Nabarangpur has assets of Rs 7.88 crore and Pradeep Panigrahy from Berhampur has assets of Rs 3.78 crore. Among BJD leaders, Berhampur candidate Bhrugu Baxipatra owns assets of Rs 5.25 crore, followed by Kausalya Hikaka of Koraput (Rs 3.5 crore) and Pradeep Majhi of Nabarangpur (Rs 2.32 crore). With assets worth over Rs 7 crore, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka from Koraput is the richest among Congress candidates. The partys Berhampur candidate Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik has assets of over Rs 4 crore and Nabarangpur candidate Bhujabal Majhi has assets of Rs 2.97 crore. As per the ADR report, SUCI (C) candidate for Koraput Lok Sabha segment Pramila Pujari is the poorest candidate as she has assets of only Rs 20,625. Panigrahy has the highest liabilities worth Rs 3.82 crore. The analysis indicated that seven of the candidates have declared criminal cases pending against them and six of them face serious criminal charges for which maximum punishment is five years or more. Maximum 17 cases are pending against BJDs Nabarangpur candidate, nine against Panigrahy, seven against Baxipatra, three each against Bhujabal and Kaliram, two against Balabhadra and one against Congress candidate from Kalahandi Droupadi Majhi. Altogether 14 candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between Class V and Class XII while 14 candidates are graduates and six are post graduates. Four among them are aged between 61 and 70 years, 23 are in the age group of 41 to 60 and 10 are aged between 25 to 40 years, the report added. Rich and yearning for more The average assets per candidate contesting in 1st phase (in the state) is Rs 3.7 crore BJPs candidates average assets is Rs 13.76 crore BJPs Kalahandi candidate Malvika Devi the richest with assets worth over Rs 41.89 crore With assets worth over Rs 7 crore, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka from Koraput is the richest among Congress candidates

Coffee planters in Araku Lok Sabha constituency voice discontent over pending dues

Coffee planters in Araku Lok Sabha constituency voice discontent over pending dues Growing discontent among coffee planters over unpaid dues from the government may emerge as a significant electoral issue in the Araku (ST) Lok Sabha constituency in Alluri Sitharama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh. The YSR Congress is aiming to score a hat trick in the segment while the NDA is slugging it out to wrest the seat from the ruling party. In 2019, YSRCP candidate G Madhavi won the seat with a margin of over two lakh votes. This time the ruling party has fielded Chetti Tanuja Rani, a doctor, while former MP Kothaplalli Geetha, a BJP contestant, was pitted against her by the NDA. Geetha won the seat in 2014 on YSRCP ticket and later floated her own outfit, which was merged with the BJP. The CPI (M), as part of the INDI alliance also fielded P Appala Narsa, who may potentially split the opposition votes. Perched at a height of 1000 m above sea level in the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh, Araku boasts of producing coffee beans with distinctive flavours which has gained recognition both domestically and internationally. The crop which was initially started as an experiment in early 2000, is now grown across 2.30 lakh acres in the valley, which produces more than 15,000 tons of the commodity annually. According to Gemmili China Babu, sarpanch of Sunkarametta village in Araku region and a planter himself, the plantation was earlier brought under MGNREGA and later the Centre stopped extending wages under it. Despite the state government sending proposals to the central government to reverse its earlier order, there has been no reponse. As many as 2.15 lakh farmers, besides sellers and others from 10 mandals under Araku Lok Sabha segment depend on the coffee plantations. China Babu said the plantations were raised in 2000 and picked up pace during former Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddys regime. The successive governments also encouraged it as the tribals started giving up Podu cultivation which is an ecological disaster. The farmers are supposed to get a total of Rs 18,800 per acre for three years from 2019 as an incentive from the ITDA. Despite several assurances by officials, from 2019 till date, a due amount of over Rs 60 crore is to be paid. There are over 58,000 farmers who have to receive the amount, he told PTI. Though ITDA officials collected the account details of the farmers who are supposed to receive the amount, nothing has materialised so far. V Abhishek, Project Officer of Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) Paderu said it is not due, but the Centre has removed coffee plantation from the MGNREGA many years ago. Agricultural activities are covered under the MGNREGA. However, Coffee plantation comes under commercial crops and hence it was removed, the official said. Another official of ITDA said they already received Rs 5.5 crore towards pending dues. But, could not release it as the Model Code of Conduct is in place due to ongoing general elections. Appala Narsa said the issue of pending dues from the government is being highlighted in his poll campaign. The ITDA and the state government have been extending support to planters by way of providing free saplings and other equipment required for cultivation, some farmers said. The pending dues from the government is not a major issue. The real issue is providing marketing opportunities to the farmers who are forced to sell their commodity at lesser prices to middlemen and other businessmen, an official earlier associated with ITDA said. Ram Kumar Varma, Founder and CEO of Native Araku Coffee, which has outlets at eight airports in India, said their blend is famous in several places. We are buying about 100 tonnes of coffee beans from Araku farmers. We have our own grinding and blending facility in Visakhapatnam, he said, adding that their brand is also sold online.

Congress names Jay Narayan Patnaik as Puri candidate after Sucharita Mohanty exits Lok Sabha race citing lack of funds

New Delhi, May 5: The Congress has named Jay Narayan Patnaik as its candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha after Sucharita Mohanty pulled out of the race on Saturday, claiming that the party denied her funds for her campaign. In a statement issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, the party said [] The post Congress names Jay Narayan Patnaik as Puri candidate after Sucharita Mohanty exits Lok Sabha race citing lack of funds appeared first on Northlines .

Ensure smooth conduct of polls: CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena

VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena urged the district officials to ensure the smooth conduct of elections through coordinated efforts and efficient discharge of duties. During his visit to Visakhapatnam on Saturday, the CEO directed the officials to take strong measures to ensure peaceful conduct of elections. Meena began his one-day tour by inspecting the strong rooms and material distribution centres at Andhra University Engineering College. He closely observed the commissioning process of electronic voting machines (EVMs) along with District Collector A Mallikarjuna, Joint Collector K Mayur Ashok, and ADC KS Viswanathan. The CEO enquired about the performance of the ballot unit, control unit, and VVPAT, as well as the training provided to polling officers (POs) and assistant polling officers (APOs) on EVM usage. He scrutinised the process of uploading names and symbols, emphasising the importance of meticulous examination. He visited the Postal Ballot Facilitation Centre, where he advised the district officials to take concrete steps to enable employees to vote.

Odisha: BJD office bearers resign en masse, give ultimatum

NIMAPARA: In a dramatic turn of events, office-bearers at the block, NAC, and GP levels of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have collectively resigned from their positions, citing dissatisfaction over the partys candidate selection process. They have issued an ultimatum to the BJD supremo, and CM Naveen Patnaik, demanding a change in the partys candidate for the upcoming elections by Sunday noon. Nimapara MLA and former Minister Samir Ranjan Dash spearheaded the revolt, declaring that unless his wife, Sangeeta Dash, is granted a party ticket, he will be compelled to resign from the BJD and pursue alternative courses of action. Speaking at a gathering convened at the Saheed Bhawan ground here, Dash set a deadline of 12 oclock on Sunday for the party leadership to accede to their demands. Expressing solidarity with Dashs cause, NAC president of BJD Jibanananda Mohapatra lamented the partys failure to address their grievances despite prior representations made on April 20, 2024. Speculation is rife that Dash is contemplating a switch to the saffron party, with plans allegedly underway for his imminent induction in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Station master dozes off, forgets to give Patna-Kota Express the green signal

We have issued a charge sheet to the station master and disciplinary action is being taken, Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava told the press.

Station master dozes off on duty, makes train wait for 30 minutes near Etawah

Patna-Kota Express faced delays at Udi Mor Road station due to the sleeping station master. Agra Division took disciplinary action. Loco pilot intervened. DRM Agrawal emphasizes punctuality to avoid risks to train operations.

Patna-Kota Express Waits For Half an Hour After Station Master Dozes off on Duty Near UP's Etawah

According to sources, the loco pilot of the train had to blow the horn multiple times to wake up the station master and make him turn on the green signal for the train to pass

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress Picks Jay Narayan Patnaik As Suchitra Mohanty Pulls Out Of Race In Puri

Sucharita Mohanty pulled out of the race and claimed that her campaign was hit hard because the party denied her funding.

BJP finds faults in Rohini Acharyas poll affidavit

PATNA : Rohini Acharya, the RJD nominee and daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has found herself embroiled in controversy following objections raised by BJP leaders against her nomination filed with the returning officer for Bihars Saran Lok Sabha seat. Leading the objection is SD Sanjay, the in-charge of the BJP legal cell, who formally lodged complaints with the returning officer of the Saran Lok Sabha constituency and the Election Commission of India. They have urged the relevant authorities to scrutinize the documents thoroughly. In their complaints, BJP leaders alleged that Rohini Acharya misrepresented her income and movable assets in both her income tax return and affidavit. According to her affidavit, while Acharya claims to possess movable and immovable assets worth Rs 15.82 crore, her husband purportedly holds assets valued at Rs 19.86 crore. Additionally, Rohini declares having Rs 20 lakh in cash on hand, whereas her husband states possession of Rs 10 lakh. Rent is cited as the primary source of income in the affidavit. Sanjay, who also practices as an advocate at the Patna High Court, asserts that Acharya withheld crucial information in her affidavit, including her true address, nationality (as an NRI), and the source of income used to acquire a luxury flat worth Rs. 25 crore in Mumbai. Contrary to her declaration, Acharyas actual residence is in Singapore, not Kautilya Nagar, Patna. Her nomination papers were submitted on April 29, with her father, former railway minister Lalu Prasad.

RJD chief Lalu tried to save those behind Godhra train carnage: PM Modi

PATNA : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that RJD chief Lalu Prasad tried to shield those who were responsible for burning more than 60 kar sevaks by setting up the Banerjee committee to probe the 2002 Godhra train burning incident. Addressing an election rally in Darbhanga, Modi said the opposition always pursued appeasement politics, and it was the reason the father of Bihars shehzada (referring to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra arson. After all, it was the rule of Sonia madam, PM said. He recalled that Lalu who was the then Railway Minister had constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the Godhra train arson, which under his influence gave a report that exonerated those guilty of the arson. He said that the court dumped the report. PM alleged that Congress was trying to give reservation to Muslims by cutting into quotas of SCs, STs and OBCs, even by going against the sentiments of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and backstabbing B R Ambedkar. Since these deprived sections are disillusioned with INDIA bloc, the alliance is now trying to give reservation to Muslims by cutting into their quotas, he added. Targeting Tejashwi for his comment on X in which he pointed out all three service chiefs of the armed forces are Hindus, PM said that now even the religion of service chiefs was counted and asked whether anybody while remembering the martyrdom of Captain Abdul Hamid looked him from the prism of religion. Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi, PM said, There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their fiefdom. Addressing a rally at Palamu in Jharkhand, Modi said the Pakistan government is praying Congress prince to become PM, but strong India wants strong government only. He said, Leaders of JMM and Congress have collected huge assets through corruption, but I dont even have even a bicycle or house of my own.

Congress Names New Puri Candidate As Sucharita Mohanty Drops Out Over Lack Of Funds

Congress on Saturday night named Jay Narayan Patnaik as its candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha after Sucharita Mohanty pulled out of the race, claiming that the party denied her funds for her campaign.

Congress names Jay Narayan Patnaik from Puri Lok Sabha after Sucharita Mohanty pulls out of race

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Candidates at loggerheads over parties stand on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

While the YSRCP nominee demands Prime Minister Narendra Modis clear statement at the May 6 election campaign in Anakapalli, the TDP candidate demands Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddys position on it

Candidates at loggerheads over parties stand on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant - The Hindu

Candidates at loggerheads over parties stand on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant The Hindu

Puri Congress candidate Sucharita Mohanty withdraws amid funding concerns, Jay Narayan Patnaik chosen as replacement

Puri Congress candidate Sucharita Mohanty withdraws amid funding concerns, Jay Narayan Patnaik chosen as replacement Congress on Saturday night named Jay Narayan Patnaik as its candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha after Sucharita Mohanty pulled out of the race, claiming that the party denied her funds for her campaign. In a statement issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, the party said its president Mallikarjun Kharge approved the candidature of Patnaik in place of Mohanty. Sucharita Mohanty, the daughter of former Congress MP Brajamohan Mohanty, in a mail to Venugopal on Friday claimed that her campaign was hit hard because the party denied her funding. She alleged that Congress in-charge of the state Ajoy Kumar ''categorically'' asked her to fight from her own resources. ''I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far. I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum,'' she said. Mohanty said that she approached all senior leaders of the party for funds. ''It is clear that only fund crunch is holding us back from a winning campaign in Puri. I regret that without party funding, it won't be possible to carry out the campaign in Puri. I, therefore, return the party ticket for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency herewith,'' she said in her mail. However, Mohanty said she will remain a loyal Congress worker. Later, she told reporters that in assembly segments under the Puri Lok Sabha constituency, weak candidates were given tickets by the Congress. ''BJP and BJD are sitting on mountains of money. Vulgar displays of wealth are everywhere. It was difficult for me to fight the election,'' she said. Reacting to her claims, Kumar said, ''Funds will be provided to a candidate when the candidate launches the campaign and seriously fights at the ground.'' The BJP has fielded its national spokesperson Sambit Patra in Puri, while the BJD candidate is ex-IPS Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police commissioner. Puri will vote on May 25.

Budi, CM Ramesh followers come close to a clash

Visakhapatnam: Two groups of people one led by Deputy Chief Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu and the other by BJPs C.M. Ramesh came close to a clash in Taruva village under Madugula mandal in Anakapalli district on Saturday afternoon. Both these leaders are contesting from the Anakapalli Lok Sabha constituency. Trouble began when BJP workers led by Mutyala Naidus brother-in-law Gangadhar, a local BJP leader, took videos of their party flags using a drone in several villages, including Taruva, as a part of their campaign. A group of YSRC workers objected to the flying of the drone and smashed the equipment. They also attacked Gangadhar and three BJP workers who used the drone. Budi Mutyala Naidu, who came to the spot, allegedly hit his brother-in-law with chappals when questioned about the attack. Following this, C.M. Ramesh went to Devarapalli police station and staged a dharna, demanding action against the attackers led by Mutyala Naidu. Later, Ramesh left for Taruva to meet Gangadhar. Police stopped him on the outskirts of the village. Tension built up as Mutyala Naidu was present in the village. YSRC workers smashed a car belonging to Ramesh and hurled abuses at BJP leaders. Around this time, a large number of police personnel led by a DSP reached the village to take stock of the situation. Mutyala Naidu told reporters that the opposition is planning to attack him by keeping a watch on him through drone cameras. Talking to reporters, CM Ramesh came down heavily on police for not deploying enough personnel in the village and obstructing him from visiting Gangadhar. Anakapalli SP K.V. Muralikrishna said they had prevented a major clash in Taruva involving the followers of Deputy Chief Minister Mutyala Naidu and his opponent C.M. Ramesh. Both the groups, each comprising 200 to 300 workers, entered into a standoff. But we dispersed them, the SP said. He did not name persons against whom cases will be booked.

Sunitha Reddy Promises Metro Expansion for Malkajgiri

Hyderabad: Congress candidate for Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, Patnam Sunitha Mahender Reddy, appealed to voters to elect her as MP to speed up Metro Rail expansion in Medchal-Malkajgiri district. Sunitha Reddy on Saturday undertook campaigning in the constituency and addressed street corner meetings. Sunitha Reddy said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had taken a decision to expand Hyderabad Metro Rail services to Medchal-Malkajgiri district. If the people elected her MP in the upcoming elections, she would ensure completion of Metro Rail works at the earliest. Suneetha said that people in Medchal-Malkajgiri district were facing frequent traffic jams due to negligence of the BRS and BJP governments in the state and Centre in the last ten years in the completion of flyover works. She said the flyover works in the constituency had moved at a snail's pace in the past decade and that she would ensure early completion of these pending works if elected as MP.

Government Staff Should Use Postal Ballots in Their Respective Facilitation

Government employees proudly display their inked thumbs after casting their postal ballots at IGMC Stadium in Vijayawada on Saturday. Government employees proudly display their inked thumbs after casting their postal ballots at IGMC Stadium in Vijayawada on Saturday. Vijayawada: Krishna district election officer and district collector, D.K. Balaji, announced that government staff should use postal ballots in their respective facilitation centres being set up across constituencies. The facilitation centres will be open on the 5th and 6th of this month for different groups. Balaji explained that, on the 5th, it's for OPOs, and on the 6th, it's for police, essential service workers, drivers, videographers, and others. Employees must vote in the district they work in. Those in Krishna district with votes elsewhere can use a facilitation center at Panduranga High School in Machilipatnam on the 6th. Centres will also be available on the 7th and 8th at returning officers' offices. Postal ballots should be used in the same constituency where one has the right to vote. Balaji stated that facilitation centres for postal voting will be at various locations like ZP High School Boys in Gannavaram, VKR VNB Engineering College in Gudivada, and others. For those in other districts of Andhra Pradesh, a centre is set up at Panduranga Municipal Corporation High School in Chilakalapudi, Machilipatnam.

Transgender contesting from Kurupam for first time

VISAKHAPATNAM : Geetha Rani, a transgender person from Jatapu tribe, is contesting the forthcoming assembly elections from the Kurupam constituency in the combined Vizianagaram district. Geetha believes that the major political parties in the area, TD, YSRC and CPM, have not done enough to address the issues that Kurupam has been facing since generations. Kurupam constituency is home to hilltop villages that lack road facilities. Tribal people, who live in these villages, still carry their sick inmates or pregnant women in dolis a makeshift bed for hours before the patient can reach a hospital. Geetha says many MLAs have promised to solve this issue during their election campaigns. They do not bother once they win. Adivasi living in these villages also do not have access to drinking water. Geetha says she is entering politics and contesting as an independent candidate from Kurupam for many reasons, which have deeply affected her. She says there are around 500 transgender people in the area. They face an identity crisis and other challenges, including lack of employment opportunities. To deal with them, I founded an organisation named 'Giri Nestham', Geetha stated. She has developed robust connections with people of Kurupam through this organisation. She has executed service programmes in every village where transgender live. They have been trained in sewing. Those not interested in sewing have been encouraged to rear sheep. These initiatives have enabled transgender in Kurupam to become self-reliant, she remarked. Geetha says when she announced her candidacy, people from all walks of life supported her. Mainstream YSRC, TD and CPM are useless. Problems in Kurupam have remained as they are. I will solve the problem in the constituency I have been living in, Geetha remarked.

Anakapalli LS Emerges as Political Hotspot Ahead of 2024 Elections

VISHAKHAPATNAM: The Anakapalli Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh has transformed into a cauldron of political fervor as the 2024 elections process is currently under way. With prominent leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari actively campaigning for their respective candidates, the political landscape is seeing hectic activity. Nitin Gadkari has already rallied supporters in Anakapalli, setting the stage for further political showdowns. Notable figures like Pawan Kalyan, Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy have also thrown their weight behind their candidates, adding to the intensity of the electoral battle. The allure of the elections has attracted celebrities like Jabardasth actors and heroine Khushbu, who are lending their support to CM Ramesh, amplifying the excitement surrounding the constituency. This parliamentary constituency, comprising seven assembly segments, has had a significant voter turnout and has historically been a battleground between the Congress, TD and YSRC. In the 2019 elections, Beesetti Venkata Satyavathi from the YSRC won the parliamentary seat with a winning margin of 7.2 per cent over Adari Anand Kumar from the TD. The YSRC secured 47.33 per cent of the vote share, while the TD garnered 40.13 per cent. For the present 2024 elections, the alliance has fielded BJPs Chintakunta Munuswamy Ramesh, who has been a prominent figure in the state's political landscape. Ramesh, who won his second consecutive Rajya Sabha term in 2018, filed his nomination amid much fanfare and in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The ruling YSRC has chosen Budi Mutyala Naidu as its candidate. Naidu is the current MLA of Madugula constituency, he having won the 2019 elections for the YSRC with 78,830 votes against the TD leader Gavireddy Ramanaidu. He had begun his political journey with the Congress Party, but later aligned with the YSRC and is serving as MLA in Madugula, Visakhapatnam from 2014. Additionally, for the first time, local and non-local concerns have surfaced in the constituency. According to sources, there's speculation that leveraging this non-local issue could potentially bolster Budi's chances. The constituency has historically been a battleground between the Congress, TD and YSRC, with the Congress winning it nine times, the TDP five times and the YSRC once -- since 1962.

Prakash Karat to campaign in AP from May 8

Vijayawada: CPM Politburo member Prakash Karat will be campaigning for the I.N.D.I.A. Bloc candidates in Krishna, NTR, and Guntur districts from May 8 to 10, according to a party release on Saturday. On May 8, he will arrive at Gannavaram airport from New Delhi and take part in a public meeting at Gannavaram in support of CPM Gannavaram assembly constituency candidate Kallam Venkateswara Rao, and Gollu Krishna, the Congress party candidate for the Machilipatnam MP seat. Prakash will participate in another public meeting to support Jonna Siva Sankar, the CPM candidate for Mangalagiri, and Jangala Ajay Kumar, the CPI candidate for the Guntur MP seat. On May 9, Prakash Karat will be attending a meeting in Guntur, the party sources said. On May 10, Prakash Karat will address a public meeting at the Gymkhana grounds in Vijayawada in support of the Vijayawada Lok Sabha and Vijayawada assembly I.N.D.I.A. Bloc candidates. For that meeting, the left parties, Congress and Aam Admi parties are planning to gather people in a large numbers. CPM state secretariat member Ch Babu Rao and CPI candidate G Koteswara Rao are contesting from Vijayawada Central and Vijayawada West respectively. Congress candidates B Nancharaiah is contesting from Vijayawada East and Valluru Bhargav is in fray for the Vijayawada Parliamentary Constituency.

Congress Candidate Sri Ganesh Vows Development for Secunderabad Cantonment

Hyderabad: Sri Ganesh Congress candidate for the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly bypoll on May 13, assured that he would put development of the constituency after his victory. He was speaking at an election meeting in Ward 5, Valmikinagar, Gandhinagar on Saturday. He was accompanied by Congress Malkajgiri Lok Sabha candidate Patnam Sunitha Mahender Reddy, which covers the Secunderabad Cantonment segment. Addressing a street corner meeting, Sunitha Reddy said that the previous BRS government had cheated the poor by not giving them double bedroom houses. She promised to work towards the merger of the Secundeabad Cantonment Board with the GHMC, if the people elected Congress candidates in election. Sri Ganesh promised that he would be in the midst of the people to solve their problems. He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had special plans for the development of SCB area which would be unveiled after the election code ended in June.

Visakhapatnam Citizens Forum releases election manifesto

Modi Attacks Opposition, Recalls Godhra in Bihar Rally

NEW DELHI: In one of his fiercest election speeches in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson, an issue that he rarely mentions even at such events, to attack the Congress-led UPA and the then railways minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav for practicing appeasement politics at a rally in Bihars Darbhanga. Earlier in the day, the PM addressed two rallies in Jharkhands Palamu and Lohardaga and later in the evening, he held a roadshow in Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur, where he continued his attack on the Opposition over corruption, votebank politics and attempts to change the Constitution for providing reservations to Muslims. Addressing his third rally of the day in Bihars Darbhanga, Modi raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson issue and accused Lalu Prasad of trying to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks. It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's shehzada (allusion to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident, said Modi, adding that after all, it was the rule of Sonia madam. He (Lalu Prasad Yadav), who has himself been convicted (in fodder scam cases), was railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report, which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away, said Modi. Kicking off his gruelling campaign schedule for the day from Palamu, Jharkhand, the PM took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him and said Pakistan wanted him as the Prime Minister, but India wants a strong country with a strong government. Maa Bharati's disrespect won't be tolerated anymore. New India's surgical and air strikes shook Pakistan, which was known for supporting terror attacks on India during the Congress regime The new India knows how to enter enemy territory and strike... Shaken by the surgical and air strikes, leaders in Pakistan are now praying that the Congress' shehzada' becomes PM of India... But our strong nation wants a strong government and leader, Modi said at the rally to campaign for the BJP candidate from Palamu, V.D. Ram. The Prime Minister said that earlier, after any terror attack on the country, the Congress-led governments were helpless. But that has changed under the strong BJP-led government at the Centre. Now, Pakistan is seeking help from the world to save the nation. He told the audience that their one vote had contributed to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya after generations struggled for 500 years, as well as the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress and the INDI alliance want to usurp your land. They want to snatch SC, ST and OBCs' quotas to provide reservations to Muslims by altering the Constitution. Till I am alive, I will not now allow any such design of the Congress to succeed, he asserted. In his address, the Prime Minister claimed that over 25-crore people came out of poverty in the last 10 years of the NDA government. He said: The Congress never bothered for the welfare of people. The party's shehzada was born with a silver spoon and poses for the camera when he visits the house of the poor. But it is my commitment to transform IndiaThere has been no blot of corruption on me in the past 25 years as Chief Minister and Prime Minister. I don't own a home or even a bicycle... The corrupt JMM and the Congress leaders have amassed huge wealth for their children. In Sisai, Lohardaga, Modi said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces and all those who indulged in corruption will face action under law in the next five years. Hitting out at jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren without taking his name, Modi said: The former Jharkhand CM is behind bars for corruption... Modi is committed to wipe out the menace of corruption. In the next five years, all those who indulged in corruption will face legal action, he said. The INDI alliance leaders, neck-deep in corruption, hold rallies, including in Delhi and Ranchi, voicing support for corrupt people, which reveals their true character, the PM said. Modi also blamed the Congress for the backwardness of tribal districts, alleging that food grains used to rot in godowns during the UPA regime from 2004 to 2014, while tribal children died due to starvation. Modi said the NDA government ensured that the poor got access to the internet unlike the Congress, which was against it. Today's youths are the heroes of social media. The Congress had made the internet a thing for the rich, but Modi ensured it became available for the poor. We made mobile data affordable for all, he said. The PM also slammed the Congress for not taking any action against Maoists to preserve the party's votebank. He said: But, as long as Modi is alive, no one will be allowed to put tribal lives at risk. Modi also accused the Opposition parties of trying to rob SC, ST, OBC and tribals of reservations because of the disillusionment these deprived sections feel towards the INDIA bloc. The INDI alliance is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines, Modi claimed. He also slammed Tejashwi Yadav for bringing up the Hindu Muslim narrative at rallies while talking about the Agnipath scheme and said, When we talk about the martyrdom of Captain Hameed, do we think of him as a Muslim? Without referring to Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav by their names, he said, There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their jaagir (fiefdom). He added: Their mindset was exposed when they raised questions about the surgical strikes and spoke ill of the armed forces. A large crowd cheered for the Prime Minister at the Kanpur roadshow in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Modi visited the Gumati Gurdwara before starting his roadshow in support of the BJP's candidates for the Kanpur and Akbarpur Lok Sabha seats.

Bureaucrats running BJD, 'outsiders' in CMO trying to capture Odisha: BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan

BJD faces unprecedented public revolt under Naveen Patnaik as outsiders led by V K Pandian threaten Odia identity and state power. Dharmendra Pradhan warns of challenges in 2024 elections.

NETA NATTER | 2024 ELECTIONS, A TALE OF DONKEYS AND CROWS?

Crows in Telangana better watch out. TPCC president and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy the other day declared that even if a crow from the BRS wants to land on a Congress wall, his party workers would shoot it down. His comments came while countering the BJP narrative that the Congress and the BRS were together and his allusion was to the old Telugu adage on personal rivalries and how crows from one house wont even land on the home of a rival. Swooping down on Revanths comments, BRS leader T. Harish Rao declared that the CM had nothing much to crow about after having admitted a slew of BRS leaders into his party, and even giving them tickets to contest the LS polls. What you allowed to land in your territory are eagles and kites. Be careful about them, was Harishs advice to Revanth. Now that they appear to have been done with birds, the Congress has launched a new campaign evoking donkeys with its Gadida Guddu campaign, playing again on how the BJP government at the Centre gave nothing to Telangana. Of course, donkeys dont lay eggs, and just as that has never happened, all that the BJP has given is a non-existent donkeys egg, is the Congress contention. With just about a week to go for the polls, it remains to be seen if anymore of Gods creatures will make it to the political shoot-outs now on in Telangana. CANDIDATE THREATENS VOTERS WITH EXPULSION In an electoral season that has seen its fair share of promises, parades, and pandemonium, Mekapati Rajagopal Reddy, YSRC candidate for the Udayagiri Assembly segment, has arguably taken campaigning to a new controversial high. At a recent campaign event in Mulapalle and Shakunalapalle villages, Rajagopal decided to spice things up by issuing a rather medieval edict: Vote for the cycle symbol and find yourself excommunicated from the village. Rajagopals approach to voter persuasion was immediately met with dismay and outrage from villagers, who expressed disbelief at being treated as serfs in their own land. Opposition leaders seized the opportunity, denouncing Reddys threats as an affront to the very foundations of democracy. REVANTH THE CRICKETER TO THE CONGRESS RESCUE Politics in some ways is like cricket. History is replete with last minute googlies from one party bowling the other out. The LS elections, Telangana state Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy appears to have decided, provide the perfect pitch for some hard hitting aimed at the BJP and the BRS. And with the ongoing IPL raising passions, to woo younger voters, Revanth has been talking about how the last Assembly polls were the semi-finals and the Lok Sabha polls the finals. The Congress trounced KCR in the semi-finals last December and will defeat Narendra Modi in the finals on May 13, is his pitch. The CM has also been bowling some beamers at the BRS and the BJP, comparing them with the Bangladesh and Pakistan cricket teams. The Congress defeated Bangladesh in the semi-finals and entered the finals where it will face Pakistan on May 13, indicating just how fierce the battle between the Congress and the BJP is, just like a cricket match between India and Pakistan. Not stopping there, he also says the LS polls are also a match between Telangana and Gujarat teams, adding the state team will duck out Modi and Amit Shah on May 13 and register a grand victory. TD, YSRC CONTINUE WITH THEIR PROMISES Once written manifestos are by no means a legal document with which people can hold political parties accountable, but that does not stop them from going at each other, waving the other sides manifesto and pointing out just how the promises made were not kept. Doing this has been AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy who has taken to showing to the public TDs 2014 manifesto, and reading out aloud every promise TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu failed to fulfil. The promises by the TD then were impractical, and the ones now are impossible, goes Jagan. For the YSRC manifesto? Jagan says he fulfilled 99 per cent of promises in his partys 2019 manifesto and vows to come up with more welfare and development in the future. Whether the TD, or the YSRC, who the people believe in will all become clear soon enough. BRITISH VS ITALIANS THIS TIME AROUND Whats in a name? Clearly a lot when it comes to taking potshots at one another by political parties amidst the electioneering heat. In other times, too, as the renaming of the TRS as the BRS showed, it lost some of its sheen as the party that stands up for the state. That aside, the campaigning has shown that if left to themselves, leaders will play on acronyms of party names and try to reap political benefit as is being witnessed in Telangana. The other day, after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy called the BJP British Janata Party, BJP state president and Union minister G. Kishan Reddy hit back calling the Indian National Congress, the Italian National Congress. And so it goes FROM KAPU TO REDDY IN ONE ELECTION? Senior Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham often makes puzzling statements, leaving those around him scratching their heads. The other day, he said if he cannot defeat Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan in the Assembly elections, he will change his name to Padmanabha Reddy leaving many from the Reddy community wondering what was up with the Kapu leader. However, some Kapus who expressed support to Pawan Kalyan, commented that Padmanabham can call himself whatever he wants, and issue meaningless challenges but cannot defeat the Jana Sena chief. ONLY RICH CAN CONTEST THESE DAYS: SRIBHARAT Can cash carry an election? Or rather, how rich should a candidate be to contest and have hopes of winning? The answer to this was provided, sort of, by M. Sribharat, the TDs MP candidate from Visakhapatnam, who also found himself in hot water after his remarks at a speech on Viksit Bharat that were made in the presence of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a poll ally. Addressing students, Bharat implied that one needs substantial financial resources to run for a Lok Sabha seat and cited Sitharamans absence from the electoral fray as an example. He remarked that he, unfortunately or fortunately, was contesting the 2024 elections because of this financial factor. The comments unfortunately for the man have not gone down well within his party. FUTURE UNCERTAIN THANKS TO POLITICAL MIGRATION Friends? Enemies? Frenemies? Leaders from the BJP, Congress and the BRS in the erstwhile unified Adilabad district are a confused lot these days what with migrations from one party to another by leaders and their followers leaving the long-timers in such parties wondering what their future or roles will be. Some leaders and former MLAs are clearly a frustrated lot with their political enemies joining their parties, while others are happy to see their enemies leave their political homes and go to another with little impact on their own prospects. All the migrants are wondering if they did the right thing as they are not receiving the kind of support they expected from the long-timers in the parties they joined recently. The latest such instance is that of former minister A. Indrakaran Reddy who joined the Congress after quitting the BRS, leaving Nirmal district Congress president K. Srihari Rao gnashing his teeth in frustration. HOT SUN PLAYS SPOILSPORT THIS ELECTION Step out into the open and the searing sun hits you. The heat from the previous day still hangs over the air like a heavy blanket. Campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls this summer is proving a challenge for political parties and their candidates, with the latter literally sweating it out every day. Public meetings are sought to be completed by 11 am, something that was not heard of in the past. Candidates from various parties in Nizamabad, setting their political differences aside, have urged the ECI to allow campaigning after the 10 pm deadline, and are keeping their fingers crossed hoping the ECI would hear their plea. Contributions from Pillalamarri Srinivas, Narender Pulloor, Balu Pulipaka, Laxmi Pranathi, Vadrevu Srinivas, Sampat G. Samritan, G. Ram Mohan, L. Venkat Ram Reddy, Avinash P. Subramanyam

If CM has age and health issues, he should give responsibility to one of Odishas citizens, rather than an employee: Pradhan

Pradhan emphasizes trust in PM Modi for India's growth. Criticizes Naveen Patnaik's governance failures and lack of democratic principles. Advocates for Odisha's development and restoration of Odia pride under BJP leadership, rejecting electoral alliances.

Hyderabad: Railway police arrest man with 7 kg silver ornaments

Hyderabad: The Government Railway Police Secunderabad apprehended a man who was carrying 7 kg silver ornaments from Secunderabad to Miryalaguda. Pogula Vasanth, 63, a resident of Machilipatnam, Krishna district Andhra Pradesh was carrying silver ornaments to Miryalaguda from Hyderabad by Janmabhoomi Express train, but he didnt show any valid documents. The ornaments were handed over 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 .

Nandyal Records 46C, Emerges India's Hottest for Third Straight Day

Visakhapatnam: Nandyal registered a temperature of 46 degrees Celsius on Saturday and became the hottest place in India for the third consecutive day while five cities reeled under heat wave in the day. Intense heat conditions prevailed in parts of Rayalaseema districts and few parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh in the state with maximum temperatures recording in the range of 42-46 degree Celsius. The mercury on Saturday settled at 45.9C at Kurnool, 45.4C in YSR Kadapa, 44.8C at Jangamaheswarapuram, 44.7C at Anantapur and 44.1C at Tirupati. The IMD-Amaravati said the ongoing heat wave spell in the state will continue until May 5 and abate thereafter. Andhra Pradesh witnessed two spells of heat waves in April. S Karuna Sagar, scientist at IMD-Amaravati said Anantapur, Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa and Arogyavaram experienced heat wave conditions on Saturday while the other parts of the state experienced hot and humid weather conditions. The scientist said the state would have a respite from heat waves from May 6 onwards and receive heavy rain at isolated places over CAP and Rayalaseema on May 7.

Hyderabad: Railway police arrest 2 for transporting 34 kg ganja from Vizag

Hyderabad: The Government Railway Police (GRP) Secunderabad apprehended two persons who were transporting ganja from Visakhapatnam and seized 34 kilograms of dry ganja worth about Rs. 8.50 lakh. The accused Vikesh, 25, and Akash Kumar, 19, were transporting the dry ganja in two trolley suitcases and transporting it to Delhi by Rajdhani Express train via 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 .

PM Modi to visit Odisha twice in a gap of 4 days to hold poll rallies, road shows

Bhubaneswar: Keen to wrest power from the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making its last ditch effort to see that the party gets an absolute majority in the forthcoming polls for the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The saffron party has lined up almost all the top guns, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, to add further momentum to the party's ongoing high-decibel campaign. The party is also eying to win at least 16 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The polls for Lok Sabha and Odisha Legislative Assembly will be held simultaneously in four phases - on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha twice in a gap of four days to campaign for the party candidates. He will have two poll rallies in Berhampur and Nabarangpur on May 6 and a road show in Bhubaneswar on May 10. In Berhampur, the BJP has fielded Pradeep Panigrahy, a one-time close aide of Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Pantaik, who quit the party recently and joined the saffron party. In Nabarangpur, the party has landed former Lok Sabha member Balabhadra Majhi. According to political observers, the PMs visits to the state in a short interval of four days shows the BJPs seriousness to fight the Lok Sabha and Odisha Legislative Assembly elections. The BJP has been desperately trying since 2009 to form its government in the state by unseating the 24-year-old BJD government. However, it has not succeeded in its attempt as it lacked orgnisational bases. The party has lined up a battery of its central leaders this time to canvas for the party candidates. It clearly indicates, it wants to leave no stone unturned to capture power in the state, said Prasanna Mohanty, a political analyst. Sources said the PM will have at least six election rallies in Odisha by May 30.

'There is shehzada in Patna just like one in Delhi': PM Modi takes jibe at RJD's Tejashwi Yadav

Ganja smugglers nabbed at Secunderabad

Hyderabad: Government Railway Police during surprise checks arrested two persons at the Secunderabad station for transporting 34 kg ganja worth Rs 8.4 lakh to New Delhi from Visakhapatnam. Shaik Saleema, superintendent of railway police, identified the accused as South Delhi residents Vikesh Roop Lal, 25, and Akash Kumar Thakur, 19.

Station Master Falls Asleep on Duty; Patna-Kota Express Delayed

New Delhi: The, waited for a green signal for about half an hour at Udi Mor Road station near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh on May 3 as the station master fell asleep on duty.Taking serious note of the incident, the Agra Division, under which the station falls, has asked the station master to explain the reason for negligence which could have resulted in an untoward incident. We have issued a charge sheet to the station master and disciplinary action is being taken, Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava told PTI. Railway officials said the Udi Mor Road station is a small but important station before Etawah as trains going towards Prayagraj from Agra as well as Jhansi pass from this station. According to sources, the loco pilot of the train had to blow the horn multiple times to wake up the station master and make him turn on the green signal for the train to pass. The station master has admitted his mistake and apologised for the lapse. He said that he was alone at the station as the pointsman who was on duty with him had gone for track inspection, a source said. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Tej Prakash Agrawal has taken serious note of the incident as his focus is on improving punctuality. He has been insisting on and encouraging employees to improve punctuality which has resulted in achieving 90 per cent punctuality recently. However, dereliction of duty on the part of the station master has not only ruined others' hard work and dedication but also posed grave risk to train operations, the source said.

Station Master dozes off on duty, makes Patna-Kota Express wait for half an hour near UP's Etawah

The Patna-Kota Express train waited for a green signal for about half an hour at Udi Mor Road station near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh on May 3 as the station master fell asleep on duty. Taking serious note of the incident, the Agra Division, under which the station falls, has asked the station master to explain the reason for negligence which could have resulted in an untoward incident.

Station Master Dozes Off On Duty, Delays Patna-Kota Express Train Near UP

The Patna-Kota Express train waited for a green signal for about half an hour at Udi Mor Road station near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh on May 3 as the station master fell asleep on duty.

At Bihar rally, Modi slams Lalu over Godhra, blasts oppn parties for quotas

At Bihar rally, Modi slams Lalu over Godhra, blasts oppn parties for quotas Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad, the BJPs principal opponent in Bihar, with having tried to ''shield'' those guilty in two-decade-old Godhra train burning incident and put blame on kar sevaks. Addressing an election rally at Darbhanga, Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat where riots had erupted after the incident, also alleged that the RJD supremo had acted in connivance with the Congress, which headed the UPA, in power at the Centre. This is probably the first time Modi raised the Godhra issue during the ongoing elections. Without mentioning Prasad by name, Modi described the RJD supremo, who was the Railway minister in the first UPA government, as one serving sentences, out on bail (in fodder scam cases)''. He had tried to shield those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident in which more than 60 kar sevaks were burnt alive. Was it not the reign of Sonia (Gandhi) madam, remarked PM, referring to the former Congress president and UPA chairperson. Modi recalled that the Banerjee Commission, although headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, was often called ben raazi (the sister is willing), and ''under pressure'' from Prasad it submitted a ''bogus'' report that ''tried to exonerate those who were guilty and put the blame on kar sevaks themselves''. ''But the court consigned the report to the dustbin. Those who were guilty got punished, some of them even getting death sentences,'' said the prime minister. Modi alleged that all constituents of the opposition bloc INDIA had a propensity towards appeasement and lambasted the RJD for ''counting Muslims among armed forces''. The remark seemed an oblique reference to Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD presidents son and heir apparent who has spoken of all the three armed forces being headed by Hindus while slamming the ruling BJP at the Centre for repeatedly claiming that the faith of the majority community was in danger. In his speech which lasted for more than 30 minutes, Modi also took potshots at Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, mentioning neither by name but observing ''there is a 'shehzada' (crown prince) in Delhi. Likewise there is a 'shehzada' in Patna. Both have had a dismal track record''. ''Their tendency for appeasement makes them behave in this fashion. Earlier, they had insulted the armed forces by raising questions on surgical strikes. We never think in terms of Hindus and Muslims while talking about our armed forces and our martyrs,'' the prime minister said. Modi also alleged that in 2007, when Prasad was the railway minister, ''he had advocated reservations for Muslims'' and that the RJD supremo and Congress ''want to divert quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs, who feel disillusionment towards them''. ''These parties are going against Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and even Jawaharlal Nehru, both of whom were opposed to reservations along religious lines but let me assure you, as long as Modi is alive, nobody can snatch away reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs,'' said the PM at the rally here. Slamming the INDIA bloc for ''spreading lies that I want to change the Constitution, which I worship'', Modi said, ''I have been challenging them for 12 days to give in writing that they will not snatch away quotas meant for deprived people and provide these along religious lines. They are yet to do so''. The prime minister also noted that the Mithila region, named after an ancient kingdom of which Darbhanga was the capital, was the land of Goddess Sita, and therefore, had special sentiments for Ram temple at Ayodhya. ''India was first attacked on its western boundary about 1,000 years ago. It led to a millennium of enslavement. When we freed Ayodhya after a nearly-500-year-long fight, I had said that for the next 1,000 years, India will script a new history,'' said Modi who also asserted that the country had begun to get its rightful place in the comity of nations. ''When bad days fell on the nation, Bihar was among the worst sufferers. We must not allow the state to return to the era of the lantern'', said Modi, referring to the RJDs poll symbol. He also made an indirect reference to the land-for-jobs scam under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in which Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav have been named, saying the people of Bihar have been made to do away with their land to get jobs. The people of Bihar must also not forgive constituents of the INDIA bloc, which ruled Delhi and Maharashtra when mass exodus of labourers took place during the COVID pandemic, asserted the prime minister. He also lauded ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister who heads the JD(U), for his governance track record. Modi added, We had been occupying the 11th spot among economies of the world. Now we are the fifth largest economy. Referring to the inheritance tax controversy, the prime minister alleged that the Congress wants to bring in a law by which one will be deprived of 55 per cent of whatever one's parents have earned and saved. They wish to place a fatwa on one's inheritance. In keeping with his penchant for connecting with locals wherever he goes, the prime minister addressed the rally wearing the traditional headgear Mithila paag, on which the lotus, the BJPs poll symbol, was printed. He also took note of an enthusiastic supporter who brought a cut-out of the PM to the venue. ''I appreciate that you have made Modi dance. Now you please hand it over to the SPG people'', said the PM.

Election 2024: Political Campaigns and Early Votes

Youngsters click a selfie with a towering replica of an EVM placed outside Shivaji Park in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, to raise public awareness for the impending general election. Youngsters click a selfie with a towering replica of an EVM placed outside Shivaji Park in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, to raise public awareness for the impending general election.

Opposition parties spreading lies, shedding crocodile tears: Naveen Patnaik

Koraput/ Nabarangpur: Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik Saturday alleged that the opposition parties are spreading lies and shedding crocodile tears. Addressing election rallies in tribal-dominated Koraput and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies Patnaik asked the people whether they are happy with his government. Patnaik also asked the people whether Naveen Patnaik is a []

There is shehzada in Patna just like one in Delhi: PM Modi takes jibe at RJDs Tejashwi Yadav

The News Mill

Opposition parties spreading lies, shedding crocodile tears: Patnaik

Opposition parties spreading lies, shedding crocodile tears: Patnaik Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday alleged that the opposition parties are spreading lies and shedding crocodile tears. Addressing election rallies in tribal dominated Koraput and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies Patnaik asked the people whether they are happy with his government. Patnaik also asked the people whether Naveen Patnaik is a good person and whether welfare schemes beneficial for the poor and tribal people of the region are reaching them. The people responded by saying 'Yes' and shouted Naveen Patnaik Zindabad slogans. ''If Naveen Patnaik is good, then bless him and vote in conch symbol,'' Patnaik told the gathering. ''The opposition parties are spreading lies and shedding crocodile tears for the people,'' Patnaik said. Patnaik's close aide V K Pandian, BJD's Nabarngpur Lok Sabha candidate Pradeep Majhi, Koraput LS candidate Kausalya Hikaka and nominees of different assembly seats were present at the meeting. Both Pandian and Majhi came down heavily on the opposition and alleged that BJP leaders were opposing several welfare schemes and also Shree Jagannath Temple Heritage Corridor project. The BJD leaders told the people about the state government's flagship schemes like school transformation, Mission Shakti, Kalia Yojana for farmers, Mamata Yojana for pregnant women, renovation of temples, mosques, churches and improvement of place of worships of tribal people.

Nepal Decides to Print New Rs 100 Currency Note with Controversial Map

Kathmandu: N epal has announced the printing of a new Rs 100 currency note featuring a map that includes the disputed territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani, a move criticized by India as an artificial enlargement of Nepal's territorial claims. The decision to print the new map on the Rs 100 currency note was taken during a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda', according to government spokesperson Rekha Sharma.The cabinet approved the redesigning of the Rs 100 banknote to include the new map, replacing the old map printed in the background of the banknote, said Sharma, who is also the Minister for Information and Communication. In June 2020, Nepal updated its political map to include the strategically important areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura by amending its Constitution, a move that India strongly opposed, calling it a unilateral act and rejecting the artificial enlargement of Nepal's territorial claims.India maintains that Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura belong to it. Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.During Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda's visit to India in June 2023, both India and Nepal pledged to resolve the boundary dispute in a spirit of friendship.Currently, India and Nepal have border disputes over the Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh trijunction between India, Nepal, and China, as well as the Susta area in the West Champaran district of Bihar. Kalapani, administered by India as part of the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, lies along the Kailash Mansarovar route. The Kali River in the Kalapani region marks the border between India and Nepal, with discrepancies over the source of the river leading to boundary disputes.The Susta area, located on the banks of the Gandak River, is another area of contention. The Gandak River, known as the Narayani River in Nepal, merges with the Ganges near Patna in Bihar. Changes in the course of the Gandak River have fueled disputes over the Susta area. Mansukh Mandaviya, BJP Candidate from Porbandar, Equates Party Workers to God Crorepati Candidates Dominate Odisha Lok Sabha Polls: A Detailed Analysis of Wealth Distribution Malaysia Teams Up with MWL to Host Big Religious Conference in Asia

At Bihar rally, Modi highlights Godhra incident to emphasize opposition's alleged appeasement policies

At Bihar rally, Modi highlights Godhra incident to emphasize opposition's alleged appeasement policies Raking up the 2002 Godhra train arson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad with having tried to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks during the rule of Sonia madam. Modi, who addressed an election rally at Darbhanga in north Bihar, recalled the incident that took place while he was the chief minister of Gujarat, alleging that the opposition parties always practice politics of ''appeasement''. It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's 'shehzada' (allusion to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident, said Modi, adding after all, it was the rule of Sonia madam, referring to the UPA chairperson who was also the president of the ruling Congress. He (Lalu Prasad), who has himself been convicted (in fodder scam cases), was then the Railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report made which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away, said Modi. Modi accused the opposition parties of trying to rob SCs, STs and tribals of reservations because of the disillusionment these deprived sections felt towards the INDIA bloc. The INDIA bloc is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines, Modi claimed. He also slammed Tejashwi Yadav for bringing up the ''Hindu Muslim narrative'' at rallies while talking about Agnipath scheme and said when we talk about the martyrdom of Captain Hameed, do we think of him as a Muslim? Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav by name, he said, ''There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their fiefdom (jaagir).'' Their mindset was exposed when they raised questions about the surgical strikes and spoke ill of the armed forces, said Modi.

Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns BJP ticket after being denied party funds

Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns BJP ticket after being denied party funds Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party. Mohanty, daughter of former Congress MP Brajamohan Mohanty in a mail to AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal on Friday claimed that her campaign in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency has been hit hard because the party has denied funding. She alleged that AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar ''categorically'' asked her to fight from her own resources. ''I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far. I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum,'' she said. As she was not able to raise funds on her own, the Congress leader had approached all senior leaders including the party's central leadership for funds for an impactful campaign in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. ''It is clear that only fund crunch is holding us back from a winning campaign in Puri. I regret that without party funding, it won't be possible to carry out the campaign in Puri. I, therefore, return the party ticket for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency herewith,'' she said in her mail to the AICC. However, Mohanty said she will remain a loyal Congress worker and her leader is Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to media persons, Mohanty said ''I was denied funds from the party. In Assembly segments under the Puri LS constituency, weak candidates were given tickets. BJP and BJD are sitting on mountains of money. Vulgar displays of wealth are everywhere. It was difficult for me to fight the election.'' The Congress leader said she wanted a people-oriented campaign but that was also not possible with the lack of funds. The party is also not responsible for that as the BJP government has crippled the party. There are a lot of curbs on expenditure and many bank accounts have been frozen, she added. AICC in-charge of Odisha, Ajoy Kumar said ''Mohanty is saying that no fund provided and weak MLA candidates have been fielded. The party has nominated its best candidate for the MLA seats and funds will be provided to a candidate when the candidate launches the campaign and seriously fights at the ground.'' Before coming to the ground, she (Mohanty) has alleged that no funds were given. But, at the time when she was requesting a party ticket, Mohanty had said that she would seriously fight the election, Kumar said. The party has already decided to change the Puri LS candidate and a proposal was submitted to the Congress high command. The name of the new candidate will be announced very soon, he said. Sucharita has been fielded by the Congress from the Puri Lok Sabha seat against BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and BJD candidate Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Its Jhansi vs Sribharat in high-profile Visakhapatnam

Its Jhansi vs Sribharat in high-profile Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam: A direct close fight is on the cards between two highly-educated leaders from prominent political families in the high-profile Visakhapatnam constituency. Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YRSCP) will take on Sribharat Mathukumilli of the TDP who finished runner-up with the loss by [] The post Its Jhansi vs Sribharat in high-profile Visakhapatnam appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Srikakulam: Collector Denies Reports of Employees Casting Vote Openly

Visakhapatnam: The concept of secret ballot seems to have been given a go bye in Narasannapeta assembly constituency in Srikakulam district on Saturday where government employees used postal ballots. As per reports, groups of employees entered the compartment and cast their ballots openly consulting each other. Video clips of the open ballot went viral in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Polling had to begin at 7 pm but due to delay in arrival of poll officials, the polling station was opened at 9.30 am. After the opening of the station, there was a rush of employees which led to confusion among the officials and voters. There were also reports of YSRC activists hovering around the polling station and there were no police. Denying the reports of open casting of votes, Srikakulam collector Dr Manazir Jeelani Samoon said the returning officer confirmed him that the ballots were used in secrecy. There was a galata and confusion in the early hours but everything went off smoothly, the collector said.

LS polls: Jhansi vs Sribharat in high-profile Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: A direct close fight is on the cards between two highly-educated leaders from prominent political families in the high-profile Visakhapatnam constituency. Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YRSCP) will take on Sribharat Mathukumilli of the TDP who finished runner-up with the loss by a narrow margin in 2019. Jhansi is the Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Epic Bhutan road trip on my BMW R 1200 GS: Covered 5500 km in 16 days

BHPian cjt2012 recently shared this with other enthusiasts. This trip was on my mind for a couple of years, after having planned the trip last year, we dropped the plan a few days before the trip due to the extreme heat in May. This year, however, we decided to venture on the trip towards the end of March. A road trip is always about the adventure and thrill of the journey and not just about the destination. As a group of four (Parvez Patel Age 70 - 2022 BMW R1250GSA, Khodaram Zandbaf Age 62 - 2017 BMW R1200GS, Darayus Dastoor Age 61 - 2022 Kawasaki Versys 1000 and myself Clement Thomas Age 48 - 2017 BMW R1200GS); we started planning for the trip at the beginning of January 2024, a WhatsApp group was made and that was about it. It was not until 14 days before the trip that we really sat down and did some groundwork on the possible routes and arrangements in Bhutan. One of the group members had his sister undertake the journey by air last year, so we decided to employ the services of the same travel company, to arrange our Hotel bookings, bike clearances and meet us at the Indo-Bhutan border. Odometer Reading the day before the trip Loading the Base attachment of the Moskomoto Reckless 80 setup Initially, inside Bhutan we were contemplating renting Bhutan-registered RE Himalayan, however, thankfully better sense prevailed once we reached Bhutan. Some arrangements inside Bhutan are mandatory a brief list of requirements as listed below:A Bhutanese tourism department-approved guide is mandatory to accompany tourists along with a Taxi and driver for the guide.Passports or Voter ID is required to enter Bhutan. We used our Passports which were duly stamped upon entry. Tourist must pay a sustainability fee at Immigration of Rs1200/- head/ night of stay in Bhutan (For Indians, Srilankans and Maldivians). For all other nationalities, USD 250/- night must be paid as sustainability fees.The tour operator has to present Proof of hotel reservations. All hotels for tourists have to be three-star and above. Travel insurance is also required which is set at Rs700/- per person for the duration of the stay.Original RC of the bike, Valid insurance, PUC, Original Valid Indian Driving license card, are the necessary documents for any Motor vehicle including Motorcycles.It is preferable to have the motorcycle in your name otherwise you may need an authorization letter from the owner permitting you to ride in Bhutan.Rs 4500/- per Night of Stay in Bhutan for Motorcycle/Motorcar is to be paid in cash at the Regional Transport office in Phuentsholing.These documents have to be submitted to the RTO in Bhutan who will then issue the Route Permit.Indian Currency is accepted, and the exchange rate is 1:1One very important point - Make sure you have your bank cards cleared for transactions in Bhutan (generally on most Indian bank-issued cards - it's written in the small print that the cards cannot be used in Nepal and Bhutan). You will be required to call your Bank helpline number and ask them to allow usage of the cards in Bhutan.Please also ensure that you have sufficient INR currency at hand, as everything has to be managed by cash inside Bhutan.My bike is generally well-kitted for long trips, but I did a small service at home only wherein I, changed the Oil, cleaned the K&N air filter, Cardan shaft removed and greased, Cardan Oil changed, Checked torque values on all crucial nuts and bolts and Tyre pressure checked. I have both Aluminium Panniers and Soft Luggage and for this trip, I decided to go with the soft luggage basically to manage the weight (Panniers tend to be heavier) Some very essential generic requirements on the motorcycle are as below:USB Charging port 12V (My bike has 3 USB ports)Aux LightsHeadlight guards / protectorsThe Connected cradle to accommodate the phone is a very essential requirement when using a Phone for Google map Navigation.In hindsight, I should have probably used a Tail bag instead of the dry bag in my Moskomoto Reckless 80 set up along with the two dry bags on the side. Pack one bag with all necessary travel essentials (preferably the tail bag) which should contain everything that you may require for the night stay at the hotel and your next day's morning routine, The other bags can be left secure on the Motorcycle itself, this saves you time and effort to get back on the road the next morning.Ensure you have a good set of riding gear, this is non-negotiable - I was using Klim Adventure Rally Pro Jacket, Klim Badland Pants, Rynox Gloves, Scorpion AT950 modular helmet, Rynox Dry Innerwear (Not a big fan of this product- I found it to be a little uncomfortable as it sticks to your body after sweating, I rather prefer a cotton t-shirt inside in this heat).All four of us were using the Parani intercom, but the pairing was not as seamless as they claimed and the four of us could never get connected with each other. Only two of us could always remain paired. I am not entirely sure if we were pairing it the correct way, but it was very frustrating after having invested in a new intercom only to see it unable to connect all four of us.Other equipment carried were: Sony Action cam with loop recording charged by the bikes 12v USB port, essential tools, a Puncture repair kit, a compact air compressor (12V supply from the bike), a jump starter, Cable ties (very important), straps, bungee chords, Essential first aid and medicines, Spare Brake pads front and rear, Spark Plug set, key fob spare battery, Emergency key. Throughout the trip, only regular fuel was used on my bike, however, my friends used 95 octane wherever possible, but as we realized on the highways it was not easily available. The only thing unanimously decided was that we would not be riding late into the night, and that, we should find a decent hotel with safe parking by sunset.Day 1: 24.03.24 Mumbai (MH)- Akola (MH) (583Km)As usual, group members were not exactly on time. By the time we congregated and started the trip, it was 6:15, getting out of Mumbai in the early hours of the morning was easy, however, roads after Thane for about 30-35 km are under repairs and have a lot of diversions. Lack of route planning meant that we were just following Google and it did take us through some villages. Not a very smart idea, and we decided that the route needed to be better thought out, We all decided that, we would stick to National Highways only, and if they were not available, only then take a State Highway. For the most part, the roads were good. We stayed at the Grand Jalsa resort off the highway at Akola.Day 2: 25.03.24 Akola (MH) - Rewa (MP) (780km)After the previous day's experience, we decided to only stick to NH, and the route took us via Nagpur, Seoni, Jabalpur, Katni to Rewa. By far, the best National Highway in the entire trip, first NH53 until Nagpur (absolutely brilliant roads ) then NH 44 and NH 30 towards Rewa, The roads were so good that I could engage Cruise control at 100kmph and leave it for up to 15min on some stretches. The motorcycle being absolutely planted and stable, it just gobbles up distances effortlessly. We stayed at Hotel Chandralok, the hotel is owned by a Sikh gentleman and he is a bike enthusiast. Nice hotel and good food. The festival of Holi was around and this meant that traffic on the road was not as bad, but this would impact us the next day. Near Pench Tiger Reserve - Hydration stop At Hotel Chandralok Rewa - Brilliant Hospitality specially for Bikers Day 3: 26.03.24 Rewa (MP) - Muzaffarpur (BR) (530km)Started late from Rewa due to the good hospitality, Again sticking to NH as planned we made rapid progress, However, soon we realized a serious problem, It was Holi and it was a very big festival in Bihar. So big in fact, that everything, and I mean every damn thing is closed in the entire state of Bihar. This meant that Petrol would become an issue, and sure enough, three of the bikes were down to one line on the fuel gauges (The GSA with 31ltr fuel tank was very comfortable / not concerned) and no petrol pumps were open, we had already started riding very conservatively but we were very concerned with our fuel situation. Towards late afternoon, we found a petrol pump which was closed, however, there was a pushcart next to the pump and they were selling petrol in Black, Selling 750ml whiskey bottles filled with petrol (say about 700ml per bottle) at Rs150/-. We bargained and were able to strike a deal for one bottle of petrol at Rs110/- . We bought 6ltrs each, enough to propel us until Patna. This entire fuel fiasco meant that we wasted a lot of time trying to find a petrol station. Contrary to popular belief, Roads were very good initially via Hanumana, Mirzapur, Mughalsarai, Mohania, Arrah, Patna towards Muzaffarpur, NH30, NH135, NH35, AH1, NH319, NH922, NH22. We got some traffic on the outskirts of Patna. As dusk set in we stopped for the night at Hotel The Premier in Muzaffarpur (BR). Don't even ask how rubbish that hotel was, but nonetheless a place to stay the night. Near Mirzapur - road side eatery Highway services after a Toll plaza Day 4 27.03.24 Muzaffarpur (BR) - Bagdogra (WB) (438km)Started later than planned, got very heavy traffic to exit the town, following NH only as planned, The roads were, for the most part, good. Towards evening, we were tired and decided to stop for the night at Bagdogra. Route taken was Darbhanga, Phulparas, Forbesganj, Araria, Purnia, Dalkhola, Kishanganj, Islampur, to Bagdogra. That is NH27 all the way. The section of road after Dalkhola until Kishanganj was no so good with some potholes. The night was spent at Orbit Hotel, which had decent facilities with food. Near Purunia - The best and simple Dhaba food experience during the trip Day 5 :28.03.24 Bagdogra (WB) - Jaigaon (WB) (158km)We had a leisurely breakfast and left the hotel late since this was the last leg to Bhutan, we took the most scenic and stunning northern route, surprisingly the roads were excellent and through some densely forested areas with tall trees on both sides, after which started the tea gardens, we crossed the famous Coronation Bridge on the Teesta river, which is a sight to behold, towards evening we reached Jaigaon. At Jaigaon, as we were approaching the border the roads were very bad with chaotic traffic. We have a friend who is a businessman and an avid motorcycle rider at Jaigaon, so we had a good evening tea and snacks while we waited for our Guide to take us into Bhutan. After the immigration process, we proceeded to Hotel Gardhen, Since Parvez was tired and exhausted, he decided that he would not be riding the motorcycle inside Bhutan and instead sit in the car with the Guide and Driver, and to give him company, Khodaram also decided that he will also not ride inside Bhutan. Both the bikes were left at Jaigaon with our friend and only Darayus and I got our bikes into Bhutan. As mentioned in the beginning, we were contemplating renting Bhutan-registered RE Himalayan, but when we saw the bikes on offer, we quickly changed our mind and decided to use our own bikes. The difference between Jaigaon and Phuentsholing is stark and you will be amazed at how clean and quiet Bhutan is. Tea Gardens in West Bengal Jaigaon/Phuentsholing Border Entry gate to Bhutan Day 6 : 29.03.24 Phuentsholing - Thimpu (150km)We checked out of the hotel at 9:00 am and went to clear immigration which was a time-consuming process, Indians make up the bulk of the tourists who visit Bhutan, and Immigration clearance took about 1.5hrs. Then we went to file the route plan and clear the paperwork for the two motorcycles which we intended to ride, it was also a slightly lengthy procedure which took about an Hour to complete, we paid Rs22500/- per bike for the 5 nights route plan inside Bhutan. Formalities completed, and we started our trip to Thimpu. The quality of the roads is excellent and they are completely built and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation, the roads are totally winding in nature and are a real pleasure and fun experience. On the way we stopped at Takthikoti canteen operated by BRO on the invitation by Chief Engineer of Project Dantak, towards evening we reached Thimpu and checked into Hotel Nordenma. One of the fellow riders knew Kelly Dorji (Actor and Model), he invited us to his Restobar in Thimpu called Grey Area, we had some great food with impeccable hospitality from Kelly. A huge thanks to him for inviting us. Enroute to Thimpu - Kawasaki Versys 1000 and the BMW R1200GS Day 7: 30.03.24 Thimpu Local SightseeingStarted the day visiting the Buddha Dordenma, Simply Bhutan, Royal Takin Pzeserve (Takin is the national animal of Bhutan), Bhutanese Cuisine at an authentic restaurant, and some local shopping. Buddha Dordenma at Thimpu- Angels look mesmerizing Day 8: 31.03.24 Thimpu - Punakha (73km)Again a day on the motorcycle, with excellent roads and breathtaking scenery, The two of us on the motorcycles would take off using Google maps and reach the pre-determined meeting point. as discussed with the guide, driver and our two other friends. We stopped at Dochula Pass which is a monument with 108 stupas in memory of the fallen soldiers. The bikes always generate a lot of interest among the public wherever we stop, At Dochula, we saw a lot of tourists, specially a group of Ladies only tourists group from various parts of India, we ended up meeting the same group a few times more along the trip in the next couple of days. We also met a group of three German riders who rented RE bikes locally and were exploring Bhutan. Onwards we rode to Chime Lhakhang The Divine Madman temple, whilst there, we witnessed a freak accident, burning down and gutting the Monastery which was being newly constructed for the Monks, we chipped in to help in any way we could to remove combustible material from the immediate vicinity. This put us behind schedule to visit a few more places in Punakha, We later went to our Hotel and called it a day. We stayed at Hotel Lobesa, it had a beautiful view outside the windows, a good balcony and big rooms, by far the best hotel we stayed at in Bhutan. Punakha Fort Entry - Note the large honeybee comb Day 9: 01.04.24 Punakha - Paro (115km)Started after breakfast, since we missed a few sightseeing locations the previous day due to the fire at the Monastery, we went to the Punakha Fort. This is an impressive structure with unmistakable Bhutanese architecture, a sight not to miss is the school of Trout fish which you can see from the bridge leading to the fort, after spending some time at the fort we were on the road again back along the same road for most of the way. Stopping again at Dochula Pass, the cafe is very good and since the sky was a bit more clear than the previous visit, we were able to see a few of the tall Himalayan mountain peaks at a distance. The highlight of the day was our invitation from the Chief Engineer of Project Dantak to visit the headquarters. We were deeply honored and thrilled to have received his Invitation, we had a very good interactive dialogue with the Chief Engineer, who was kind enough to explain the various aspects of the BRO's mandate in Bhutan, the history behind the entire project and the Museum. We were presented with a coffee table book consisting of the entire history of Project Dantak. Deeply honored and Salute to our soldiers who work in such extreme terrains. We then took to the road leading to Paro, as usual, the roads were brilliant with swooping curves at every turn. Paro is a beautiful town located in the Valley, this is also the town with the International Airport. Towards evening we reached our Hotel. We stayed at Hotel Ratna Vara, a decent hotel, However, the food could have been better. We retired early as the next day was the big trek to Tiger's Nest.Day 10: 02.04.24 Paro Local sight seeingWe left the Hotel early to the Tiger's Nest base, but before that, we stopped and had a refreshing breakfast at a local diner. Tiger's nest by far symbolizes Bhutan, it's a must-do trek for tourists arriving in Bhutan. It's by no means easy, and definitely not for the faint-hearted, and you need to be relatively fit to attempt such a Trek. The base camp is at 7300ft and the Nest is at 10500ft, the trek itself is about 5.5km, Parvez, the oldest among us chose to sit this one out, We started climbing at about 8:40 am and finally reached the summit at about 12:00, spent about an hour in the temples on top, the view of tiger's nest from any direction is breathtaking and beautiful. The trek consists of trails and steps both paved and stone steps. The cafe midway is a good place to rest your legs and re-energise. The trek down was also quite daunting, by the time we reached the base it was about 2:30pm, and we were all tired and decided to head back to the hotel. In the evening, we went out for a bit of souvenir shopping. Tiger's Nest - A Bhutan trip - must do trek Day 11: 03.04.24 Paro - PhuentsholingWe had a leisurely breakfast and then headed back on the road to the border town of Phuentsholing. We again had the same invitation to refresh and recharge at the Takthikoti GREF canteen which we accepted. Reached Phuentsholing towards evening, and headed to the same Hotel (Hotel Gardhen). Parked the bikes and came out to Jaigaon to have tea at our friend's place. After that, we headed back to the Hotel in Phuentsholing and retired early since we planned an early start for the return road trip.Day 12: 04.04.24 Phuentsholing - Darbhanga (BR) (530km)The previous night's food did not seem to go down well with my gut. I felt sick in the stomach and threw up a few times in the night. My friends did not think I was fit enough to ride, but, that was not a choice. The friend in Jaigaon was also riding with us for a few hundred kms on his Triumph Tiger 800, he offered to take me to a hospital on the way. By 10:00am my condition had worsened, I had thrown up about 5 times and was feeling severely dehydrated, I spoke to a doctor's friend, and she prescribed Tab Ondem and an Antibiotic to fight the food poisoning. The tab immediately helped and I was feeling a lot better, thus decided to continue as much as possible, and took the same roads back so we knew that the roads were good. By nightfall we were in the town of Darbhanga and decided to stop for the day at Hotel Garcia International, It was a very nice hotel and we had a nice peaceful night.Day 13: 05.04.24 Darbhanga (BR) - Hanumana (MP) (500km)I felt a lot better in the morning, starting at about 8:30 am roads were good as we were taking the same road back, the afternoon heat was too much and we were stopping often to hydrate and stretch our legs as we were having cramps. Passed UP in the evening, it was very sad to see the lack of any hotels after Mirzapur, by nightfall we had passed Mirzapur but could not find any hotels, so we kept pressing ahead, it was only after entering MP we saw a newly built hotel, we took the rooms even though it did not have any AC, it was about 9:30 pm by the time we reached the hotel, had dinner and retired for the day. We stayed at the Highway Treat Hotel.Day 14: 06.04.24 Hanumana (MP) - Nagpur (MH) (598km)Road were as good as they could be, made rapid progress. These bikes on such wonderful roads are really a treat and a dream ride. The skies were overcast and that also meant that the heat was a little lesser than usual. Reached Nagpur by sunset and called it for the day.Day 15: 07.04.24 Nagpur (MH) - Wadner (MH) (370km)Since we were not in a tearing hurry to reach, we took it easy with the riding, the day time heat had again started to rise, the roads were excellent and by early evening we decided to stop for tea at a roadside hotel which had just newly launched, since rooms were available with AC we decided to stay put there. Stayed at Hotel Gurukripa.Day 16: 08.04.24 Wadner (MH) - Mumbai (MH) (520km)Started around 7:30am and took a slightly different route than when we had left from Mumbai, using NH53 passing through Bhusawal, Jalgaon, Dhule then onto NH60 towards Malegaon, Nashik, Igatpuri, Thane and Mumbai. NH60 was good but every intersection has multiple speed breakers and as such has to slow down. The real agony was the poor condition of roads leading to Thane which starts about 30km before Thane and the afternoon traffic with the scorching heat was really unbearable. Finally reaching home by 6:00 pm. The epic round trip was about 5500km, In hindsight, we could have accomplished this trip in 2 weeks, but with a group of riders, we have to cater to the pace at which everyone is comfortable. The bikes which accomplished this trip were the real gems, each of the motorcycles did not miss a beat or give us any kind of mechanical trouble. The benefit of shaft drive was amply apparent as the Versys chain needed to be lubed before the return trip. The superior comfort of the GS/GSA is also something I wish to highlight, the suspension is truly an engineering marvel. Without a doubt, the BMW GS/GSA is one of the best motorcycles ever made. I wish here to thank my fellow riders for such a great trip, a memory etched forever in my mind. Before I conclude, I have to say that our Highway systems have seen a remarkable improvement, they were simply fantastic. One takeaway for anyone planning a road trip - stick to the National highways for as long as you can before you consider altering to SH or any other roads. Few more photos for your viewing pleasure Enroute to Thimpu - On Arguably the best purpose-built motorcycle At Takthikoti GREF Canteen Enroute to Thimpu One of the Few waterfalls on the route to Thimpu With Mr Anil, Road trip back to Mumbai somewhere in the forest of Jalpaiguri All the bikes in formation, a nice photo opportunity William Tell is aiming for the Apple on the head of Mr Parvez Finally After an Epic trip - Odometer on arrival back home A small Bhutan sticker to highlight the achievement Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Oppositions are lying, says CM Naveen Patnaik while addressing public in Koraput

Bhubaneswar: BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik kicked off political campaign for the party in Koraput on Saturday. He attended a public meeting at the OMP Ground in Koraput where thousands of people welcomed him. Naveen thanked the people for coming and attending the meeting in huge numbers despite the scorching heat. [] The post Oppositions are lying, says CM Naveen Patnaik while addressing public in Koraput appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Debasis Nayak Joins Congress In Odisha After Being Denied Ticket By BJP

Bhubaneswar: Former Bari MLA and Odisha BJP leader Debasis Nayak joined the Congress party after being denied ticket from BJP. The senior political leader joined the Indian National Congress in the presence of Odisha Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar and other leaders including former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik at a programme in Bhubaneswar. Nayak won from [] The post Debasis Nayak Joins Congress In Odisha After Being Denied Ticket By BJP appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Denied funding, Congress' Puri LS seat candidate returns ticket, says state party chief asked to 'fend for self'

BHUBANESWAR: In a major setback to Congress ahead of polls, party's Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sucharita Mohanty has announced her withdrawal from the electoral race, returning her ticket for the parliamentary constituency, Mohanty attributed her decision to a lack of funds and what she perceives as nomination of weaker candidates in some seats across the seven Assembly segments. I have returned the ticket because the party was not able to fund me. Another reason is that in some of the seats in 7 Assembly segments, winnable candidates have not been given the ticket. Instead, some weak candidates got the ticket. I couldn't contest, she said. In a letter addressed to AICC general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Mohanty expressed her greivance over the denial of funding from the party, stating that it severely hampered the Congress's campaign efforts in Puri. Despite launching a crowdfunding campaign and attempting to minimize campaign expenses, Mohanty failed to secure sufficient funds, leading her to seek support from the party's central leadership, which she claims was not forthcoming. #WATCH | Congress candidate from Puri parliamentary constituency Sucharita Mohanty says, I have returned the ticket because the party was not able to fund me. Another reason is that in some of the seats in 7 Assembly segments, winnable candidates have not been given the ticket. pic.twitter.com/xNpQslvDQy ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2024 I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum. Since I couldn't raise funds on my own, I knocked at your's and all other doors of our Party's Central Leadership, urging them to commit the necessary Party funds for an impactful campaign in Puri Parliament Seat. The AICC Odisha in-charge Dr Ajoy Kumar Ji, however, categorically asked me to fend for myself, she wrote and added that without Party funding, it won't be possible for her to carry out the campaign in Puri. It is clear that only fund crunch is holding us back from a winning campaign in Puri. I, therefore, return the INC ticket for the Puri Parliamentary Constituency herewith, Mohanty stated. Worth noting is that voting for the Puri Lok Sabha seat and its seven assembly segments is scheduled for May 25, with the nomination deadline set for May 6. BJD candidate Arup Patnaik and BJP nominee Sambit Patra have already submitted their nomination papers.

Denied party funding, Congress Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns ticket

Congress candidate Sucharita Mohanty withdrew from Puri contest, citing lack of party funding. Despite difficulties, she remains loyal to Rahul Gandhi. The constituency includes BJP's Sambit Patra and BJD's Arup Patnaik as opponents.

CM Naveens Marathon Campaign In Four Southern Districts From Today

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal Supremo Naveen Patnaik will go for a marathon campaign in four southern districts of the state today. As per the schedule, Naveen is set to visit Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati districts. He will seek votes for the partys Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates from these [] The post CM Naveens Marathon Campaign In Four Southern Districts From Today appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Denied party funds, Congress denies ticket to Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty

Denied party funds, Congress denies ticket to Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party. Mohanty, daughter of former Congress MP Brajamohan Mohanty in a mail to AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal on Friday claimed that her campaign in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency has been hit hard because the party has denied funding. She alleged that AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar ''categorically'' asked her to fight from her own resources. ''I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far. I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum,'' she mentioned. As she was not able to raise funds on her own, the Congress leader had approached all senior leaders including the party's central leadership for funds for an impactful campaign in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. ''It is clear that only fund crunch is holding us back from a winning campaign in Puri. I regret that without party funding, it won't be possible to carry out the campaign in Puri. I, therefore, return the party ticket for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency herewith,'' she said in her mail to the AICC. However, Mohanty said she will remain a loyal Congress worker and her leader is Rahul Gandhi. Sucharita has been fielded for the Puri LS seat against BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and BJD candidate Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Heat waves forecast for 227 mandals in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday

Motorists cover Scarf their heads due to heat waves on Bandar Road in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director R Kurmanadh said 227 mandals in the state are expected to experience heat waves on Saturday. Of the 227 mandals, 58 of them would experience severe heat waves, while 169 are expected to witness heat waves, he said. Severe heat waves have been forecast for 12 mandals in Srikakulam district, Vizianagaram (23 mandals), Parvatipuram Manyam (14), Visakhapatnam (one) and Anakapalli (eight), he said in a press release on Friday. Heat waves are predicted in 13 mandals in Srikakulam district, Vizianagaram (three mandals) and one each in Parvatipuram Manyam, Nellore, Sri Satyasai, West Godavari and Annamayya. Similarly, Alluri Sitaramaraju and Krishna (nine each), Visakhapatnam (two), Anakapalli (10), Konaseema and Tirupati (five each), Kakinada (17), East Godavari (four), Eluru (11), NTR (six), Guntur (14) and Palnadu (22) are to witness heat waves. Heat waves have also been forecast for three mandals in Bapatla district, Prakasam (14), Kadapa (four) and Tirupati (five). On Friday, Gospadu and Bandi Atmakuru in Nandyala district logged a maximum temperature of 47.7 degrees celsius each, followed by Ardhaveedu in Prakasam (47.3 C) and Chinnacheppali in Kadapa (47.2 C). Likewise, Veepinapi Akkamambapuram in Nellore (47.1 C), Peddakannali in Tirupati (46.9 C) and Panchalingala in Kurnool (46.8 C), among others. Kurmanadh advised people to stay indoors as much as possible between 11 am and 4 pm, and take precautions.

Rainfall Alert: There is a possibility of heavy rain in this state for 4 days from tomorrow, know the latest update of IMD

Bihar Weather Report: SK Patel, scientist of Meteorological Center based in Patna, said that there has been snowfall in the mountains. North-westerly wind is coming to Bihar from the mountainous areas. Because of this, the weather is pleasant in the morning and evening but no significant change will be seen in the day temperature. Weather [] The post Rainfall Alert: There is a possibility of heavy rain in this state for 4 days from tomorrow, know the latest update of IMD first appeared on informalnewz .

Andhra Pradesh polls: Politics not 'five-minute noodles', needs patience, says Pawan Kalyan

Pawan Kalyan stresses trust in politics in Visakhapatnam, advocating for NDA in Andhra Pradesh. He urges support for TDP and BJP in the upcoming elections, criticizing YSR Congress and Congress's past decisions.

Politics not five-minute noodles, needs patience: Pawan Kalyan

Visakhapatnam: Politics is not a five-minute noodles and one can not expect quick results as leaders have to earn the trust of people by withstanding turbulence and setbacks, Janasena founder and actor Pawan Kalyan has said. Janasena, TDP and BJP are NDA partners in Andhra Pradesh for the May 13 polls. Comparing the vision of 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 .