Kabir Khan Lauds Kartik Aaryans Physical Transformation For Chandu Champion

Mumbai: The trailer of Kartik Aaryans Chandu Champion finally made its way to social media platforms. Now, the director of the film Kabir Khan revealed that Kartiks transformation was all-natural, and he did not take any support substances or steroids. Talking about the transformation at the films trailer launch, Kabir proudly exclaimed, Nowadays, those [] The post Kabir Khan Lauds Kartik Aaryans Physical Transformation For Chandu Champion appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Nimapara MLA Samir Dash switches to BJP

Bhubaneswar: Nimapara MLA on Sunday joined BJP at a special function held at Bhubaneswar. Dash was reportedly upset after he was not given ticket by BJD to contest the 2024 elections from his constituency. Dash was denied a ticket and it subsequently triggered resentment among his supporters. Prior to his joining BJP, Dash said [] The post Nimapara MLA Samir Dash switches to BJP appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

OSSSC Forest Guard 2023 Answer Key Out Now: Learn How to Challenge It

The Odisha Sub-Ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) has taken a significant step by releasing the tentative answer keys for the written test conducted for various positions including Forester, Forest Guard, and Livestock Inspector under CRE 2023 (II).

Swati Maliwal slams AAP ahead of protest outside BJP HQ

New Delhi: Swati Maliwal, an Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP, on Sunday slammed the party, saying it was out on the street to save the accused, as Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MLAs and MPs are set to march to the Bharatiya Janata Partys headquarters in Delhi to protest against the arrest of the chief [] The post Swati Maliwal slams AAP ahead of protest outside BJP HQ appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals AAP to march BJP HQ today, Security beefed up

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrest all AAP leaders and announced on Saturday that he will go to Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Delhi on Sunday at 12 pm with all the top leaders of his party. The political [] The post Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals AAP to march BJP HQ today, Security beefed up appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Patanjalis soan papdi fails quality test, 3 arrested

New Delhi: Three persons, including the assistant manager of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, were fined and sentenced to six months in prison by chief judicial magistrate in Pithoragarh after Patanjalis food product failed a quality test conducted at a testing laboratory in Uttarakhands Rudrapur, Live Hindustan reported. A food safety inspector had raised concerns about [] The post Patanjalis soan papdi fails quality test, 3 arrested appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Won't turn it down if offered: BJP's Jual Oram amid buzz as contender for Odisha CM

Won't turn it down if offered: BJP's Jual Oram amid buzz as contender for Odisha CM Amid speculations that he could be among the frontrunners for chief minister should they wrest Odisha from the BJD in the ongoing assembly elections, sitting BJP MP and the party's candidate from Sundergarh Lok Sabha constituency, Jual Oram said he doesn't aspire for the top post but will faithfully assign his duties if entrusted with the job of leading the state. The ruling Biju Janata Dal fielded former India hockey captain Dilip Tirkey as its candidate against Oram from the Sundergarh constituency. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, the BJP leader said, If I am entrusted with the job, I will faithfully discharge my duties as the chief minister. Though I do not aspire to be the CM, I won't turn down the job if offered. There are plenty of other capable leaders in our party who could be considered for the CM's post. However, we will abide by whatever our party leadership decides. Taking a jab at the ruling BJD in the state, the BJP MP said, There is no democracy in Odisha. The state is being ruled by bureaucrats. The CM has been rendered ineffective due to his advancing age and failing health. He has failed to project a leader whom he could pass the baton to. VK Pandian (a former IAS vested with a cabinet rank in the government) roams the state and acts as per his whims, without bothering to pay heed to ministers. In a way, the state is under an autocratic rule, a dictatorship. Their expiry date has been fixed for June 4. Confident that the BJP was on course to forming the government at both the Centre and the state, Oram said, Sensing the pulse of the people here, I can say with absolute confidence and conviction that the mandate will be in favour of 'Dilli mein 400 paar, Odisha mein BJP Sarkar' (returning to power at the Centre with 400-plus seats and also forming the government in Odisha). The dream of a double-engine government here will be fulfilled. Reflecting on his political career, the tribal leader said the ongoing Lok Sabha elections will be his last as he wants to pass the baton to the next generation of leaders. I have contested eight Lok Sabha elections while also fighting the assembly elections twice. So, I have fought as many as 10 elections. While I do wish to remain in active politics, I don't want to contest elections any more. It takes a lot of hard work to fight elections. Being a senior leader in the party, I am entrusted with a lot of responsibilities. I often wish to be relieved of some of my burden and pass the baton onto the next generation of leaders. I want to leave it (contesting elections) to younger leaders. This will be my last election, Oram said. Meanwhile, speaking to ANI on Saturday, BJD's Dilip Tirkey said, The campaign ends today and we have received a positive response from the people. The people are with the BJD and our CM Naveen Patnaik. Everyone wants Naveen Patnaik to return as CM for the sixth time. We will secure an absolute majority in the assembly and will also fare well in the Lok Sabha elections. I would urge the people of Sundargarh to vote early as the heat is likely to be unbearable as the day wears on. Earlier, exuding confidence in the BJP winning the assembly elections, the party's Lok Sabha candidate Aparajita Sarangi, on Saturday, said a BJP chief minister will take the oath of office on June 10. Aparajita along with the BJP's state president Manmohan Samal, national vice-president Baijayant Panda, Sambalpur Lok Sabha candidate and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Balasore Lok Sabha candidate Pratap Sarangi were part of an elaborate roadshow in Balasore on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Aparajita said, The directive of the central leadership was for the five of us to speak to our workers and listen to their problems while paving the way for our victory. Our workers are upbeat and excited about our poll prospects. PM Modi, in Balangir, urged the people of Odisha to give us 5 years at the helm so that we can show them real development on the ground. PM said the Centre and the BJP government in the state will make Odisha the Number 1 state in the country. Without a doubt, a BJP CM will take oath on June 10. The assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the BJD-ruled state are being held across four phases--May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes for all phases has been scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Wont turn it down if offered: BJPs Jual Oram amid buzz as contender for Odisha CM

The News Mill

CM Naveen Patnaik's 'tourist jibe will cost BJD, says BJP

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik termed top BJP leaders and his counterparts from BJP-ruled states campaigning in the state political tourists, the saffron party came down on BJD for disrespecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues. Addressing three separate meetings of BJP workers in Bhubaneswar, Kendrapara and Balasore, the top five leaders of the party held a first-of-its-kind roadshow in Balasore to put up an united face. The leaders- state BJP president Manmohan Samal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, national vice-president Baijayant Panda, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi told party workers that BJPs victory in Odisha is certain as the people of the state are fighting the ongoing elections for the party. The BJP is going to form the next government in the state. The chief minister will get a fitting reply from people for terming the prime minister a political tourist. Samal said the BJP will show BJD how development can be achieved in five years. The BJP will take the state to the pinnacle of progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said. Dubbing the BJD government as lethargic and corrupt, Pradhan said the prime minister has appealed people of the state to give a chance to BJP as BJD has failed them in every front even after getting popular mandate for five consecutive terms. He (Modi) has also given the guarantee to make Odisha the number one state. Panda said BJD has turned out to be a two leader party as none of its leaders are visible. The prime minister has given the desired push. It is for the BJP workers to capitalise on the goodwill of Modi to bring the party to power. Sarangi said the thin crowd at the chief ministers roadshow in the state capital gives the impression people have lost interest in this government.

BJP a factory of lies, BJD retorts

BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Saturday hit out at BJP accusing it of spreading lies about Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa in Puri. The regional party also said that Ratna Bhandar will be opened in July this year. Addressing mediapersons at Sankha Bhawan, BJD Lok Sabha candidate for Berhampur Bhrugu Buxipatra slammed the BJP leaders for playing petty politics over Parikrama project and accused them of being in the habit of lying. Buxipatra said there is no truth in the claims of BJP that Rs 4,500 crore has been spent on project. The state government has spent only Rs 325 crore for the Parikrama project and has set aside another Rs 4,200 crore for the overall development of Shrikhetra under Abhada scheme. Work on these projects is still continuing, he said. He said, the Srimandir Ratna Bhandar will open in July. A committee headed by a retired Supreme Court justice has been formed to look into the matter. The committee has already convened its first meeting in May last year, he added. Buxipatra also criticised BJP chief ministers and central ministers terming them as political tourists. These political tourists have no idea about Odisha. They are saying whatever they are being fed by their party leaders in the state, he said while claiming that there will be no sighting of these leaders once the elections are over in the next 15 days and that they will turn up again in 2029. The BJD leader also accused the saffron party leaders of insulting people of the state and causing damage to Odia culture through their rude and derogatory remarks.

Look at your own states first: CM Naveen to visiting BJP counterparts

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday hit out at his counterparts from BJP-ruled states, who during their campaign here are reiterating party promise to make Odisha no 1, saying they should look at their own states before commenting on the state. In a video message, Naveen said,They are making a lot of promises which include making Odisha number one state in the country. But people of the state are laughing at them. He advised the BJP chief ministers to concentrate on their own states first. Particularly taking a dig at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been aggressive in his speeches, Naveen said,The per capita deficit of Assam is double than that of Odisha. The Assam chief minister should really look into the matters of his own state. This is for the second time that the chief minister has taken on the visiting BJP leaders in two days. On Friday, he had stated that some chief ministers and Union ministers come to Odisha as political tourists only at the time of elections. Their speeches have no effect on the people of Odisha.

Poll-related seizures touch Rs 254 crore in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has seized cash, liquor, drugs and other valuable materials worth Rs 254 crore as part of its enforcement drive for election management in the state. Chief electoral officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said Rs 17.18 crore in cash, 31 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 35.63 crore, contraband, mostly ganja, worth Rs 74 crore along with precious metals worth around Rs 14 crore and other materials worth Rs 112.66 crore have been seized by different enforcement agencies so far in the state. The seizures also include freebies. In Bargarh, Kandhamal, Sundargarh, Aska and Balangir, where elections will be held in the second phase on May 20, the cash seizure exceeds Rs 2 crore. Around Rs 1.26 crore in cash has been seized from Bargarh, while Rs 36 lakh has been recovered from Kandhamal and Rs 40 lakh from Sundargarh during the enforcement drive. Dhal said 25 per cent of the 31 lakh litre liquor, has been seized from Bargarh parliamentary constituency. The Election Commission of India appreciated the local administration and enforcement squads for their efforts.

PM Modi roadshow in Puri on May 20

BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive on a two-day visit to the state for his third leg of campaign for BJP. The prime minister will arrive here on Sunday evening and make a night halt at Raj Bhawan. The next morning he will leave for Puri at 7 am and have darshan of Lord Jagannath at Srimandir. After paying obeisance to the Trinity, the prime minister will hold a roadshow from Singhadwar to Medical Chhak from 7.30 am. After the roadshow, Modi will leave for Angul where he will address an election rally at 9.30 am at Angul stadium. He will address another Vijay Sankalp rally at Killa Padia in Cuttack at around 11.30 am. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also arrive on a days visit to the state on Sunday. He will address three public meetings, the first at Naktideul near Rairakhol at 10 am, the second at Keonjhar Patna at 11.40 am and the last at Khurda at 1.30 pm.

Campaign ends for State's Ph-II poll, 102 CAPF units to be deployed

BHUBANESWAR: Curtains came down on the high-pitched campaign for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments that will go to polls in the states second phase on May 20. Voting will be held in Aska, Bargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal and Sundargarh Parliamentary constituencies and the Assembly seats under them. This round will also seal Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks fate in two constituencies of Hinjili under Aska and Kantabanji under Balangir Lok Sabha seats. Keeping in view the pre-poll violence reported from several parts in the last few days, the Election Commission of India has ordered deployment of 102 companies of central armed police forces (CAPFs) for the phase. Chief electoral officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal said around 20 per cent of the 9,162 polling booths in phase two have been identified as critical while there is provision of web-casting in 60 per cent of the booths. Accordingly, 22 companies of CAPFs will be deployed in Maoist-affected Kandhamal district, while 20 will guard Ganjam. This apart 16 companies will be deployed in Sundargarh, 14 each in Bargarh and Bolangir, five each in Jharsuguda and Boudh, four in Sonepur and two in Nayagarh, he said. The pre-election violence in Ganjam district is a matter of concern. Police have already registered a case and apprehended some of the accused, while hunt is on to arrest the remaining persons. Clear instructions have been issued to police to act fast and restore normalcy at the earliest whenever such incidents occur, Dhal said. He said an additional DGP rank officer has already been appointed to oversee law and order arrangements in Ganjam, especially Aska Parliamentary constituency in view of pre-poll violence in Khalikote. A total of 79.69 lakh voters, including 40.33 lakh men and 39.35 lakh women, will exercise their franchise at 9,162 polling stations in the second phase to decide the fate of 265 MLA and 40 MP candidates. Around 1,541 will be model polling stations, while 1,041 will be managed by all-women personnel and 25 by differently-abled staff and officials. The ECI has appointed 10 general observers, 15 expenditure observers and three police observers for the phase. An air ambulance will be kept on standby at Balangir for emergency. With IMD predicting rise in temperature on May 20, the CEO said adequate drinking water, ORS and essential medicines will be made available at each polling station. Besides, paramedical staff, ASHA workers, ambulances and mobile health units will also be deployed, he said. In 2019, Bargarh Lok Sabha seat had recorded 77.87 per cent turnout, followed by Sundargarh at 71.67pc, Balangir at 74.75pc, Kandhamal 72.90pc and Aska 65.53pc. This time too we are taking various steps to ensure maximum voter turnout in these constituencies, the CEO said.

RPF rescues baby stolen from Ranchi, five held

CUTTACK: Railway Protection Force (RPF), Cuttack rescued a nine-month-old baby boy who was kidnapped from Ranchi in Jharkhand and arrested five persons. The accused are Amit Sanatan Pal (36), Radha Sahoo (38) and Sunil Mishra (18) of West Bengal, Nusrat Jahan (37) and Sohana Begum of Kalapancha within Charichhak police limits in Puri. Cuttack RPF IIC Anil Kumar Singh said one Pradeep Lohra of Dhagar Tola in Latehar district of Jharkhand had lodged a complaint with Chutia police station in Ranchi alleging his nine-month-old baby boy was stolen from his wife while she was taking rest near the ticket counter at Ranchi railway station on May 12 night. Pradeep and his wife had come from Agartala along with the baby in a train and decided to spend the night near Ranchi railway station as there was no communication to their native Latehar district. A little later, Pradeep left to buy some food for his wife and son. In his absence from the spot, two men and a lady offered tea to his wife which she drank only to be rendered unconscious. When Pradeep returned he found his wife in a semi-conscious state with his baby boy missing. Chutia police verified CCTV footages near Ranchi railway station basing upon which a team from the police station visited different locations including Cuttack. We investigated the case with Chutia police and found a family comprising two male and a female staying in a rented house at Jobra to have been missing from the locality for the last few days. We then arranged the contact number of the family and obtained the mobile location around Khurda railway station leading to the arrest of Pal, Sahoo and Mishra who confessed to have sold the baby to Nusrat Jahan, said Singh. During interrogation, Nusrat Jahan confessed to have sold the baby to Sohana Begum for Rs 58,500 for a commission of Rs 20,000. While the baby was handed over to his parents, Ranchi police took all the five accused on transit remand after producing them in Nimapara court for further investigation, informed Singh.

Orissa HC sets June 26 date for decongesting jails in State

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has set June 26 as deadline for the state government to ensure decongestion of Bhubaneswar special jail, Jajpur district jail and the Bhadrak district jail. The high court had set the deadline on Friday after taking note of deputy inspector general (DIG) Prisons Gariba Sahus affidavit which said 20 jails in the state are overcrowded and three of them at Jajpur, Bhadrak and Bhubaneswar were constantly accommodating inmates much more than their capacity. In the other 17 jails, overcrowding was a temporary phenomenon due to sudden rise in under-trial prisoners (UTPs) remanded by the courts in new cases, Sahu said in the affidavit. The division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice MS Raman observed, The affidavit discloses a very gloomy picture concerning overcrowding in jails. It has been stated by the state authorities. We shall pass appropriate orders in this regard in the next date (June 26), if in the meanwhile there is no satisfactory progress in the situation. The bench was taking stock of the progress in tackling overcrowding as part of adjudication on a PIL on problems in jails of the state filed by Krushna Prasad Sahoo in 2006. In the affidavit, the DIG Prisons said, To decongest the three overcrowded jails, construction of three new jails with higher scheduled accommodation is underway. As an urgent measure to reduce overcrowding, inmates of the rest of the overcrowded jails are being shifted to nearby less populated jails in regular manner after obtaining permission from concerned courts. As on May 15, 2024, the Bhubaneswar special jail had 46 per cent excess population with 1,345 inmates against a capacity to accommodate 991.With 199 inmates against a capacity of 133, the Jajpur district jail has 44 per cent excess. As for Bhadrak district jail which had a capacity to accommodate 201 there were 266 inmates, burdened with 32 per cent more inmates. In the case of Kamakhyanagar sub-jail there was 97 per cent overcrowding with 136 inmates against the capacity of 69, the affidavit stated. The affidavit further said that additional wards have been constructed in 23 jails during 2020-23 enhancing the total prison capacity by 2,240. Additional wards are under construction in 23 jails to enhance capacity by 1,625 inmates for further mitigating the problem of overcrowding, the DIG Prisons stated. The 87 jails in the state have a capacity of accommodating 23,656 prisoners. At present, there are 18,497 inmates, 14,907 (80 pc) of them are UTPs.

Odisha Crime Branch issues advisory on online investment frauds

BHUBANESWAR: The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Saturday issued an advisory for citizens on online investment frauds that promise lucrative returns to investors. In 2023, CID-CB had registered about 22 cases in connection with online investment frauds amounting to Rs 8.5 crore. Such crimes witnessed a sharp jump in the state this year. The agency has already registered 25 cases of online investment frauds amounting to a whopping Rs 17 crore in the last four months. The Crime Branch pointed out that in recent years there has been a steep rise in incidents related to frauds through online investment applications, WhatsApp and Telegram group links, among others. Many people have lost their money by investing in such fake online schemes. Fraudsters are luring people on the promise of providing them high returns within a short period by investing their money in stock market, shares, mutual funds and IPOs, read the Crime Branchs advisory. The Crime Branch has advised citizens to use only genuine and authorised applications/websites to invest in IPOs, stocks, mutual funds and others. People must remain careful on unrealistic promises being made to them like providing high returns. They should scrutinise the investment opportunities thoroughly before taking any step, said the agency. Another cause of concern is the low recovery rate and most of the scamsters managing to remain away from police radar. The fraudsters are operating from various parts of the country and immediately utilise the money gained through illegal means. In some cases, they also transfer the swindled money outside the country which makes it tough for the agency to recover the amount, said Crime Branch sources. Be aware CB has asked people to be careful while investing through online investment apps, WhatsApp and Telegram group links Fraudsters are promising high returns through investment in stock market, mutual funds and IPO Citizens are advised to use genuine and authorised apps/websites to invest in different schemes

IIT Bhubaneswar to set up centre for coastal erosion

BHUBANESWAR: IIT Bhubaneswar will establish a centre for coastal and river bank erosion, primarily focusing on research related to the morphological aspects of coastal landforms, river bank stability, and scour and deposition issues related to various offshore structures. The centre will be set up by the School of Infrastructure under the Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST) scheme of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The institute has signed an MoU with Chennai-based NeXHS Renewables Private Limited as per which the latter will provide partial funds for procuring necessary equipment for the proposed centre. By combining academic expertise with industry insights, the partnership aims to accelerate the development and deployment of scalable renewable energy solutions that address the evolving needs of society and contribute to a sustainable future, IIT Bhubaneswar officials said. IIT Bhubaneswar director Prof Shreepad Karmalkar said the collaboration represents a significant step towards the institutes efforts to harness the power of renewable energy technologies for a greener and more sustainable future.

BJD-BJP trying to hoodwink people, says Sachin Pilot

BHUBANESWAR: Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday said BJD and BJP have a covert understanding and are fighting elections in the state only to hoodwink people. They (BJD and BJP) are running a double-engine government to exploit the resources of the state and its people, Pilot told mediapersons during his visit to the state to campaign for his partys candidates in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency. Coming down on the BJD government in the state, Pilot said it has failed on all fronts during the last 24 years of its rule. No steps were taken for development of the state during the period, he added. Corruption, unemployment and price rise have increased during the BJD governments tenure and the Congress has emerged as the only alternative for people, Pilot said. The Congress leader said INDIA bloc has forged ahead in the four phases of elections completed so far. On the other hand, BJP has gone on back foot in several states in north India including Rajasthan where it is in power. Addressing an election rally in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency in support of party candidate and former Union minister Srikant Jena, Pilot lashed out at the Centre for trying to demolish democratic structures in the country. He accused the Narendra Modi government of making India Opposition-free. They have frozen the bank accounts of the Congress and sent two chief ministers to jail, he added.

Hi-tech tower to study carbon sequestration in Similipal

BHUBANESWAR: An Eddy covariance flux tower has been installed in the core area of Similipal Biosphere Reserve to study forest carbon sequestration which would help understand the impact of climate change on forest carbon dynamics. The tower has been installed at Pithabata south range by CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow. It will measure exchange of CO2, H2O and energy between the vegetation surface and the atmosphere, allowing researchers to generate scientific understanding on forest carbon dynamics and net ecosystem exchange (NEE). A first-of-its-kind study in Similipal Biosphere Reserve to measure forest carbon sequestration and predict climate change impact on forest carbon dynamics, it is also the first initiative by CSIR to measure forest carbon flux in any semi-evergreen forest of India. It will lead to developing a model for predicting impact of climate change on Indian forest carbon dynamics. The long-term data generated from this study will help formulate effective strategies for futuristic forest management, CSIR-NBRI officials said. Forest carbon sequestration is a process of increasing carbon content of forest through processes that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Forest carbon is stored within the forest ecosystem in five pools such as above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, deadwood, litter and soil organic matter. As per the India State of Forest (ISF) report 2019, Odisha has around 6 per cent of Indias total forest carbon stock. This Eddy Covariance flux tower was jointly inaugurated by CSIR-NBRI director Ajit Kumar Shasany and Similipal field director Prakash Chand Gogineni. The installation was led by Soumit Kumar Behera, senior principal scientist and one of the principal investigators of the project entitled Biotechnological Interventions for Management of Protected Areas along with a team of scientists from CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar and IIT Kharagpur along with officials of Similipal tiger reserve. The project has been established under sponsorship of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and department of Biotechnology. Whats in it The system will continuously measure exchange of CO2, H2O and energy between the vegetation surface and the atmosphere It will empower researchers to advance scientific understanding on forest carbon dynamics and net ecosystem exchange

PM Modi To Arrive In Bhubaneswar Today, Road Show In Puri On Monday

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Odisha on a two-day visit on Sunday evening. Upon his arrival on Sunday evening, PM Modi will convene a meeting with state BJP leaders in Bhubaneswar and spend the night at the Raj Bhawan. On Monday, he is slated to visit Puri Jagannath Temple [] The post PM Modi To Arrive In Bhubaneswar Today, Road Show In Puri On Monday appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Missing mans body fished out of reservoir

Koraput: The body of Suku Pradhani, a 35-year-old man who was missing since Thursday in a boat capsize incident at Jabagad river ghat under Bilaput panchayat and Nandapur block in Koraput district, was fished out by a team of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), Saturday, informed Nandapur Tahasildar, Anadi Charan Sahu. According to reports, []

Man, son held for womans murder in Odishas Keonjhar district

Dhenkikote: A woman was allegedly beaten to death by her neighbours following a fight over the erection of a fence at Parabha Sahi, Khantaghar village under Dhenkikote police beat house limits in Odishas Keonjhar district, Friday night. The deceased was identified as Kuntala Nayak, 55, wife of Banshidhar Nayak in the village. On being informed, []

Three arrested with five quintal mangrove roots in Kendrapara

KENDRAPARA: Forest officials caught three persons red-handed while they were allegedly transporting around five quintal mangrove roots in a boat in Bhitarkanika national park on Saturday. The accused were identified as Hrusikesh Majhi, Bhajahari Majhi and Ajay Mahalik of Chaudia village. Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Manas Das said acting on a tip-off, forest officials nabbed the trio in the wee hours of the day. The accused were booked under sections 17 (A), 27, 29, 30, 31 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, section 56 of the Odisha Forest Act and sections 5 and 12 of the Odisha Timber and other Forest Produce Transit Rules, 1980, Das added. This particular variety of mangrove is called salacia and is used as a medicinal plant for treatment of diabetes. Some people also illegally sell the dry salacia roots as fake sandalwood by spraying them with scented water as the colour of the root is yellow, the forest officer informed. In a similar case last month, four persons were arrested and around eight quintal salacia roots seized from them.

Vaishnaw returns to Bonai, reconnects with locals

ROURKELA: Union Minister for Railways, IT, and Telecommunications, Ashwini Vaishnaw, returned to Bonai in Sundargarh district on Saturday, nearly three decades after serving as the sub-collector.He struck a personal chord with the local population while campaigning for the BJP. Speaking at a well-attended Vijay Sankalp Samavesh at the Babu Nuagaon playground, Vaishnaw expressed his nostalgia and deep emotional connection with the people of Bonai. He recalled his time as Bonai sub-collector in 1995, sharing that the local residents helped him navigate his early career in the Indian Administrative Service. Vaishnaw, who arrived by helicopter, was accompanied by Sundargarh Lok Sabha candidate and former union minister Jual Oram, as well as BJPs Bonai Assembly constituency candidate Sebati Naik. The trio offered prayers at the Baneswar and Hanuman temples before meeting Bira Keshari Indradeb Deo, the erstwhile king of the Bonaigarh princely estate. Addressing the gathering Ashwini declared that the people of Odisha, Sundargarh district and Bonai have decided to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi as PM for the third time and also install first BJP government in Odisha. Speaking about the PMs firm, bold and able leadership he highlighted the achievements of the Modi government. Bonai AC is an agriculture dependent region. After BJP comes to power in Odisha, the government would provide Rs 3,100 MSP for paddy to bolster income of farmers and fulfil other promises of Modi guarantee, he said urging voters to vote for Jual and Sebati. Speaking on the occasion, Jual reassured the gathering to serve the region with dedication till his last breath. Also present at the samavesh were the erstwhile Bonai king, BJP state vice-president and general secretary Sukeshi Oram and Purnima Kerketta respectively, Bonai unit president Manoj Pradhan and general secretary Abhiram Mahakul. Speaking to the media, Vaishnaw emphasised land acquisition hurdles from the state government was delaying the completion of the Talcher-Bimlagarh new rail line project, adding the Modi government provided above `10,000 crore in annual budget to Odisha for the railway sector alone. The minister also briefly interacted with the prominent people of Bonai and together with Jual flew to the Rajgangpur AC to campaign for BJP candidate Narsingh Minz. They participated in a three-km roadshow from Ranibandh to the Vijay Sankalp Samavesh venue in Rajgangpur town.

Elections end, migration resumes in Rayagada district

Rayagada: There seems to be no let-up in migration from Rayagada as labourers from the district have again started migrating to their work places in other states to earn a livelihood after the first phase polling in the district ended, May 13. According to reports, Rayagada district has turned into a hub for trafficking of []

BJP leaders criticise BJD government, promise development

BALASORE: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lambasted the BJD government for its alleged neglect and demolition of religious sites in Odisha during a BJP workers meet here on Saturday. Pradhan, also the BJPs Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, claimed that monks in the state have lost faith in the BJD due to its monopolistic practices over the past 25 years, which have purportedly led to the destruction of mathas and temples in Puri and other areas. He accused the BJD of distributing benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to party workers instead of the intended beneficiaries. He urged BJP workers to inform the public about the central governments schemes, which he said have been misrepresented by the BJD. The BJD looted the state for 25 years. When the Modi Government is giving rice free of cost and house under PMAY, the BJD government distributes the house to its party workers ignoring the real beneficiaries, Pradhan asserted. Highlighting instances of mismanagement, Pradhan cited the loss of the Ratna Bhandar keys in Jagannath Temple, misuse of government funds for propaganda, and excessive travel expenses of BJD leader VK Pandian. He assured that the BJP would address these issues and enhance Odishas development if elected. Aparajita Sarangi, the incumbent MP from Bhubaneswar criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the states underdevelopment. She pointed out the lack of proper road connectivity, healthcare and water supply. She also claimed Naveen has lost popularity as few attend his public meetings compared to BJP events, indicating a shift in public support towards the BJP. After 25 years of ruling the state, patients are being carried on cots to hospitals due to failure of ambulance, absence of motorable roads and lack of drinking water in most places have become commonplace. These are serious issues that should have been addressed by the state government, she alleged. National vice president of the BJP and Lok Sabha candidate of the party from Kendrapara Baijayant Panda, attacked the BJD for generating unemployment and urged voters to support the BJP for industrial growth and better infrastructure. The Odisha government is the only one generating lakhs of unemployed youths in the state. People who want to see the augmentation of industries, road connectivity to inaccessible areas, job opportunities along with other development in the state, will vote for lotus symbol and pave way for a BJP government in the state and the Centre, he appealed. Balasore candidate Pratap Chandra Sarangi also emphasised the BJPs commitment to their manifesto promises. Pradhan participated in a massive roadshow along with top party leaders earlier in the day.

Samir Dash Quits BJD Over Ticket Denial

Bhubaneswar: Former Minister and Nimapara MLA Samir Ranjan Dash on Sunday resigned from the primary membership of BJD after being denied a ticket to fight assembly elections. He sent his resignation letter to party president Naveen Patnaik. The leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has lost confidence on me and the party organisations [] The post Samir Dash Quits BJD Over Ticket Denial appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

At 12, this cycling prodigy completed Firefox MTB Shimla

Rourkela: At a tender age of 12 he is competing with people much older than him in an arduous game like mountain terrain biking, and winning too. Meet Tanush Kohli, 12, a Standard VI student of Delhi Public School (DPS) in Rourkela, who made the sport a passion ever since he turned eight when []

BJD launches intensive campaign in Puri

PURI: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) intensified its campaign for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday, with star campaigner VK Pandian addressing multiple public meetings to garner support for its Lok Sabha candidate, Arup Patnaik and Assembly nominee Umakant Samantaray. Pandian spoke at Krushna Prasad and Kerandia in the Brahmagiri Assembly segment, as well as Pipili, Chilika, and Ranpur. At Kerandia, Pandian criticised the Opposition parties for their alleged false promises and highlighted the BJPs intent to halt popular state schemes such as the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) health insurance and Biju pension schemes. He questioned BJP star campaigners promises to make every state number one, pointing out the inconsistency in Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmas claims during campaign in Odisha. Pandian assured voters of continued and expanded welfare programmes, including free electricity for farmers and consumers up to 100 units, increased remuneration for anganwadi and Ashas, and various initiatives to support women and youth. He urged the electorate to support Arup Patnaik and Umakanta Samantaray, promising that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would secure a historic sixth consecutive term on June 9. Patnaik and Samantaray also addressed the crowds, appealing for votes. Earlier, they held a meeting at Krushna Prasad. Meanwhile, Biswa Sarma also campaigned on the day for BJPs Nimapara nominee Pravati Parida at a rally in Gop under the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a roadshow in Puri from Simhadwar area of Badadanda to Gundicha Temple on May 20, to strengthen the BJPs campaign efforts. Security measures are being put in place for the event.

OCPL coal mine holds occupational health and safety awareness programme

BHUBANESWAR: An occupational health and safety awareness programme focusing on pneumoconiosis was organised at Odisha Coal and Power Ltd Manoharpur coal mine project recently. The programme organised under the aegis of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) Bhubaneswar Region-II saw participation of around 200 workers. While a health check-up of the workers was conducted, they were also sensitised on the occupational hazards. A detailed and informative presentation on Pneumoconiosis - a dust related lung disease was given by the medical team on this occasion. It covered essential aspects such as the causes, symptoms, various stages, treatment and preventive measures of pneumoconiosis, aiming to educate and raise awareness among the workers. Director of mines safety (mining) Prafulla Ranjan Thakur emphasised the importance of adhering to statutory requirements to prevent occupational health problems. He highlighted the critical need for effective dust control measures at workplaces, regular airborne dust surveys in mines and the consistent use of dust masks by all workers and supervisors. Deputy director of mines safety (mining) Ulimella Shrivashankar, head of mines LRC Reddy, mine agent Praveen Ranjan, mine manager Sudhansu Sinha and other senior officials attended the programme.

With 25 rallies, Bengal no. 1 on PM Narendra Modi's campaign trail this year

PM Narendra Modi to address 5 more rallies in Bengal, totaling 25 since March. Bengal BJP seniors highlight his focus on development, 'Purvoday,' and the role of women. He emphasizes development plans for states like Odisha and Bengal as key to India's progress. Modi addresses porous border vulnerability in Bengal.

Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma Cant Hold Back Tears As RCB Edge Past CSK To Enter IPL Playoffs

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru rose like a phoenix and earned themselves a playoff spot in style on Saturday night. In a match which went past midnight, RCB held their calm against the defending champions and came out victorious. Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to secure the fourth [] The post Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma Cant Hold Back Tears As RCB Edge Past CSK To Enter IPL Playoffs appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Horoscope May 19: In business Gemini will have glittering success, Capricorn can hear wedding bells

Aries: You are likely to remain careful and watchful today, foretells Ganesha. And because youll be invited to parties and other social events, your enthusiasm will remain buoyant. You will also strike the right balance between business and pleasure, says Ganesha. Taurus: In all probability, you will discuss certain sacred issues with your beloved today, []

Voter turnout less than my expectations in Central Kashmir: JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah

Voter turnout less than my expectations in Central Kashmir: JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Chief Farooq Abdullah expressed concern over the low voting percentage in Central Kashmir, saying that he expected around 70 per cent polling percentage in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, the JKNC chief said, I expected the percentage to be 70 per cent. I don't know the reason why it was so low. People are so eager to express themselves and send their representatives to the Parliament. Our children are taking drugs. An entire generation is in danger. The percentage is less than my expectations. It should have been 70 per cent, Abdullah further said. Jammu and Kashmir recorded low voter turnouts at 38.49 in the recently concluded fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls. The fourth phase of polling for Lok Sabha polls on May 13 in 96 constituencies saw a voter turnout of 69.16 per cent, the Election Commission said on Friday. It said 69.58 per cent of male voters, 68.73 per cent of female voters, and 34.23 per cent of third-gender individuals exercised their franchise. Andhra Pradesh recorded the highest voter turnout, with a total voter turnout of 80.66 per cent. West Bengal recorded the second-highest voter turnout at 80.22 per cent. Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also recorded relatively low voter turnouts at 58.22, and 58.21 per cent, respectively. Voting was held in 96 Lok Sabha seats in the fourth phase, out of which 25 were from Andhra Pradesh, 17 from Telangana, 13 from Uttar Pradesh, 11 from Maharashtra, eight each from Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, five from Bihar, four each from Jharkhand and Odisha, and one from Jammu and Kashmir. The voting in Baramulla is set for May 20 while the Anantnag-Rajouri seat will vote on May 25. In the electoral battleground of Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for Phase 5 present a compelling tripartite contest. Omar Abdullah, representing the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), faces off against Fayaz Ahmad Mir of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Sajjad Gani Lone from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC), allied with the NDA. Notably, the BJP is not contesting from any of Jammu and Kashmir's three Lok Sabha seats--Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP had six candidates in the fray in Jammu and Kashmir but failed to win a single seat in Kashmir. Voting for the Udhampur and Jammu seats concluded on April 19 and 26 respectively while in Srinagar, voting was concluded on May 13. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

73-year-old tries his luck again from high-profile seat

Pandian: Oppn misleading people with lies

Sundargarh villagers warn of poll boycott over paved road

BJD & BJP are two sides of the same coin: Pilot

Home voting in Sambalpur dist ends, 593 votes collected

BDA introduces solar grids in housing projects

SIT starts probing poll violence

Union minister Vaishnaw adresses 2 rallies in Sgarh

Puri hoteliers offer 20% food discount on polling day to encourage voting

Vedanta holds week-long health campaign

Naveen is operating a proxy govt: Dharmendra

BJD, BJP Submit Memos to Odisha CEO, Complain Against Each Other

Bhubaneswar: Continuing their spree of allegations, the leaders of the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP again knocked on the doors of the Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha (CEO) seeking actions against each other. While the ruling party alleged model code of conduct violation by Puri BJP MP candidate Sambit Patra, the saffron party urged [] The post BJD, BJP Submit Memos to Odisha CEO, Complain Against Each Other appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

RCB vs CSK, IPL 2024: RCB beat CSK by 27 runs, qualify for playoffs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs on Saturday to secure the fourth and final play-off spot in the 2024 Indian Premier League. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and now Royal Challengers Bengaluru have qualified for the playoffs. It has been a fantastic run for RCB, which has now won [] The post RCB vs CSK, IPL 2024: RCB beat CSK by 27 runs, qualify for playoffs appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

RCB beat CSK by 27 runs to secure fourth play-off spot in IPL

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to secure the fourth and final play-off spot in the Indian Premier League here Saturday. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already qualified for the play-offs. Sent into bat, RCB posted a challenging 218 for five against CSK in []

Odisha DGP Emphasizes Zero-Tolerance Policy Towards Violence

Bhubaneswar: Odisha DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi today took stock of the law & order situation across the state and emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for violence. He discussed with the SPs of all districts through video conference and reviewed measures to be taken to ensure the remaining three phases of elections in Odisha remain peaceful. Violence [] The post Odisha DGP Emphasizes Zero-Tolerance Policy Towards Violence appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

LS polls: Campaigning ends for phase five; 49 seats to witness voting on May 20

LS polls: Campaigning ends for phase five; 49 seats to witness voting on May 20 The campaigning for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections ended on Saturday, as 49 constituencies across eight States and Union Territories will vote on May 20. The states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal will be going to polls in the fifth phase, along with two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir; and Ladakh. The last date of filing nomination for this phase was May 3. In this phase, Prime Minister continued attacking opposition parties on the reservation issue, saying that INDIA bloc will snatch away rights of reservation rights of ST, SC and OBC community. He also said that the Opposition will impose 'inheritance tax' and take away more than half of people's property. During his address at UP's Pratapgrah, PM Modi stepped up the attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that after the announcement of Lok Sabha results on June 4, opposition's INDIA bloc will get scattered Khatakhat, Khatakhat, Khatakhat. This was a dig at Congress' Rahul Gandhi's earlier remarks that money will be credited to the bank accounts of women Khatakat Khatakat... after the formation of the INDIA bloc government. He also came down heavily against the Congress party's manifesto, Prime Minister Modi said that if the Maoist manifesto is implemented, the country will become bankrupt. On one hand, Modi has a report card of 10 years and a roadmap for the next 25 years. On the other hand, you have INDI Alliance: Where there are as many parties that many promises, as many PM candidates as many parties, he said at a public meeting in Mumbai. If the Maoist manifesto of the Congress party is implemented, the country will become bankrupt, he added. The Opposition attacked the government, highlighting issues of inflation, unemployment and alleging that BJP, if returns to power, will end Constitution. In Raebareli, one of the key seat going to polls in fifth phase, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi urged the people of Raebareli to accept his son Rahul Gandhi just like the way they accepted her while assuring that he won't disappoint them. Everything I have is yours...I am handing over my son to you. You have to accept him and keep him, just like you accepted me. Rahul will not disappoint you, she said. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, during his address in Bandipora said that the Muslim community is being targeted in the nation and further questioned that do Muslims have no right to participate in development of the nation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is seeking a third term from Lucknow, hit back at the opposition for accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of destroying democracy and reminded the Congress of the Emergency of 1975, when fundamental rights of citizens were suspended. Another notable issue ahead of this phase was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal getting interim bail in the Delhi liquor policy case. He was given interim bail by the Supreme Court till June 1. Coming out of jail after 50 days, he attacked the BJP over his arrest, claiming that his fault was making schools and giving free electricity. Apart from Delhi, the AAP national convenor also held public meetings in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. From Rahul Gandhi to Smriti Irani, from Karan Bhushan Singh to Chirag Paswan; many big names will have their fate at stake during the fifth phase of general elections. Other big names like Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD leader Rohini Acharya will also be looking for electoral success. The general elections are being held across seven phases. The first four phases were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, and May 13, while the subsequent phases are scheduled on May 20, May 27 and June 1. The counting of votes will happen on June 4. While the Bharatiya Janata Party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term in power, while the Opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to form its government at the Centre. (ANI)

LS polls: 49 constituencies in eight states and UTs to vote in fifth phase on May 20

LS polls: 49 constituencies in eight states and UTs to vote in fifth phase on May 20 People from 49 constituencies across eight States and Union territories will be voting in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20, during which several key candidates will be in the fray. The states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal will be going to polls in the fifth phase, along with two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir; and Ladakh. Notably, the fifth phase is the smallest in terms of number of seats being polled across all seven phases. The following seats will vote on May 20 across the eight states and Union Territories: Maharashtra: Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central and Mumbai South. Uttar Pradesh: Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Raebareli, Amethi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad/Ayodhya, Kaiserganj and Gonda. Bihar: Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur. Jharkhand: Chatra, Koderma, Hazaribagh. West Bengal: Barrackpur, Bangaon, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampur, Hooghly and Arambagh. Ladakh: The sole constituency of Ladakh, will go to polls first time since the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir: The Baramulla constituency will go to polls first time since the abrogation of Article 370. From Rahul Gandhi to Smriti Irani, from Karan Bhushan Singh to Chirag Paswan; many big names will have their fate at stake during the fifth phase of general elections. Other big names like Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD leader Rohini Acharya will also be seeking electoral success. Congress leader Kishori Lal Sharma, the Gandhi family's close aide, has been fielded against Smriti Irani in Amethi. Being tasked with wresting power from the BJP, KL Sharma has exuded confidence in winning the polls. He is up against incumbent MP and Union Minister Smriti Irani. She ended the Gandhi family's stint in 2019 by defeating Rahul Gandhi by over 55,000 votes. Rahul Gandhi, who also contested from Wayanad, will be aiming to retain the lone standing bastion of the party in the state -- Raebareli. On Friday, Sonia Gandhi in her public address, had urged people to vote for her son, Rahul Gandhi. I am handing over my son to you, you have to accept him just like you accepted me, he won't disappoint, she said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be aiming for a third straight win in Lucknow. He will face Samajwadi Party candidate Ravidas Mehrotra in this seat Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time is up against Congress' Bhushan Patil from the Mumbai North seat. BJP has fielded 26/11 special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, replacing two-time MP Poonam Mahajan against Congress' Varsha Gaikwad from Maharashtra's Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat. After much contention, BJP dropped Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh from Kaiserganj after sexual harassment allegations by female wrestlers. The party has fielded his son Karan Bhushan Singh from the seat, who will be seeking to retain his family stronghold. LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan is aiming to carry forward his father Ram Vilas Paswan's legacy. He is pitted against RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram. Rohini Acharya, the daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, is contesting against BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy who registered resounding wins against Lalu Prasad's kin in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the first general elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Baramulla will go to polls on May 20. National Conference (NC) leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah is pitted against Sajad Lone of the Peoples Conference (PC) and Mir Mohammad Fayaz of the Peoples Democratic Party. Ladakh is going to polls as a separate union territory for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 bifurcated the erstwhile state into UTs J-K and Ladakh. BJP's Tashi Galsyan is pitted against Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal. The general elections are being held across seven phases. The first four phases were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, and May 13, while the subsequent phases are scheduled on May 20, May 27 and June 1. The counting of votes will happen on June 4. While Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term in power, while the Opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest back power from the incumbent BJP. (ANI)

Modi, Shah, Rajnath Singh to campaign in Odisha from Sunday

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are scheduled to address election meetings in Odisha in the next three days, a senior BJP leader said Saturday. The defence minister will address three meetings on Sunday at Rairakhol, Patna and Khurda, Odisha BJP vice-president Golak Mohapatra said. Modi []

Jharkhand: 5 arrested for kidnapping, selling 9-month-old boy

Jharkhand: 5 arrested for kidnapping, selling 9-month-old boy Five people, including three women, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and selling a nine-month-old boy at Rs 58,500, police said on Saturday. The kidnapping had happened on May 12 at Ranchi Railway Station when three persons, including a woman, had allegedly stolen the boy from his parents. They sold him at Puri in Odisha on May 13, he said. Ranchi senior superintendent of police (SSP) Chandan Kumar Sinha, in a press conference, said that the child was rescued from Puri and five people involved in the crime were arrested. According to a police statement, Pradip Lohra, along with his wife, child and a friend, had returned from Agartala in Tripura where they worked as labourers. They arrived at Ranchi Railway Station at 4.30 pm on May 11. ''Since they are residents of Ghagar in Latehar district and found no communication to reach the destination, they decided to stay there. They slept at the railway station that night,'' the statement said. ''The next day, two men and a woman came and befriended them,'' it said. At an opportune moment, the trio kidnapped the little boy and fled. They then sold the baby boy to a woman in Puri in Odisha, it stated. After the child's father registered a complaint, the Ranchi police set up a special team and solved the case, the statement said.

86 MLA candidates in Odisha in third phase involved in serious crimes, says ADR report

Bhubaneswar: Eighty-six candidates in the fray for the third phase of the assembly elections in Odisha have serious crime cases pending against them. Of them, four face murder charges. This was revealed by a report jointly prepared by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Odisha Election Watch based on the affidavits filed by the contestants. The report which was presented on Saturday pointed out that there are 383 candidates of various political parties who are in the fray in 42 Assembly seats. The report was prepared based on the analysis of the affidavits of 381 candidates. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Ranjan Mohanty, a member of the Odisha Election Watch said, Of these candidates, various criminal cases are pending against 100 while 26 candidates have confessed to have attempt-to-murder cases against them and 28 of them are involved in crimes against women. Even one of the candidates is accused in a rape case. Moreover, the report stated that 126 MLA aspirants in the fray are crorepatis. The report added that the BJD MLA candidate for Champua, Sanatan Mahakud topped the list of crorepatis with declared assets of Rs 227. 67 crore followed by Independent candidate Soumya Ranjan Patnaik at Rs 122.86 crore. Patnaik is fighting the election from the Ghasipura Assembly seat. The third crorepati candidate is BJPs Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, who is in the fray from the Nayagarh Assembly seat with declared assets of Rs 120. 56 core. The poorest among the candidates is Samrudha Odishas nominee Kailash Chandra Nayak who is contesting from the Baramba Assembly seat. In his affidavit, he has declared assets of Rs 1000 only. That apart, two of the candidates have not passed the matriculation examination while the educational qualifications of two others are below class 5.

People here want change: Congress Sachin Pilot confident of INDIA bloc candidates winning in Odisha

The News Mill

Maliwal assault case: Bibhav Kumar produced in court, police seeks 7-day custody

Maliwal assault case: Bibhav Kumar produced in court, police seeks 7-day custody Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar was on Saturday produced before a magisterial court here in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal. The Delhi Police arrested Kumar earlier in the day and his anticipatory bail plea was subsequently observed as becoming ''infructuous'' by a Delhi court. Kumar was later produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal. Police, through their counsel, have sought his seven-day custody to question him in connection with the assault case. It is alleged that Kumar, the personal assistant of Kejriwal, assaulted Maliwal at the CM's house on May 13. Police told the court that Kumar's custody was necessary for questioning him about reason of assault. They said Kumar did not provide the password of his mobile-phone to the investigating agency and had also informed that his phone had been formatted in Mumbai due to some malfunctioning in the device. Police said before being formatted the data of a mobile phone has to be cloned and Kumar was required to be taken to Mumbai for retrieving the data. The accused's presence was also needed to get his mobile-phone opened by an expert, they said. Countering the arguments, Kumar's counsel Rajiv Mohan said neither was there any record of Maliwal's visit to the CM's residence before May 13 nor did she clarify the reason for registering the FIR only on May 16. The FIR was registered at the Civil Lines police station. He said that Maliwal visited the CM's residence without an appointment and that the Delhi Police was distorting facts. The advocate said neither did Maliwal seek any medical aid after calling the emergency helpline number 112 nor did the station house officer prepare any medical sheet after meeting her. Mohan alleged that Maliwal was politicising the issue of having suffered injuries and was also giving statements to the media. He said that Kumar's mobile-phone was not required for investigation as Maliwal had nowhere alleged about threatening on phone or WhatsApp calls.

LS Polls 2024: Manmohan Singh, LK Advani Cast Votes from Home

New Delhi: In a significant development, the newly introduced home voting facility is gaining traction. Today, several former ministers exercised their right to vote using this process. Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani exercised his right to vote from the comfort of his home during the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections. [] The post LS Polls 2024: Manmohan Singh, LK Advani Cast Votes from Home appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Phase 5 of Lok Sabha polls to decide fate of Rahul Gandhi, Smriti Irani, Rajnath Singh among others

Phase 5 of Lok Sabha polls to decide fate of Rahul Gandhi, Smriti Irani, Rajnath Singh among others Voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held on May 20, which will cover 49 seats across 6 States and two Union Territories. Of the 49 Lok Sabha seats, 14 are from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, 7 from West Bengal, 5 from Bihar, 3 from Jharkhand, 5 from Odisha and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The fifth phase will witness key contests in various constituencies. Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Karan Bhushan Singh, LJP (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, JKNC chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD leader Rohini Acharya will be looking for electoral success. Key candidates and constituencies in Phase 5 polls Raebareli Rahul Gandhi, who also contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, is facing Congress defector and three-time MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh of the BJP in Raebareli. Rahul represented Amethi from 2004 until 2019. In her first public address in the ongoing election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader and AICC President Sonia Gandhi urged the people of Raebarelli to accept his son Rahul Gandhi just like they accepted her, while assuring that he won't disappoint them. I am very happy that I got the opportunity to come among you after so long...You all gave me the opportunity to serve you as an MP, this is the biggest treasure of my life. For the last 100 years, the roots of our family have been connected to the soil of this land. This relationship is as pure as Ganga Maa. It started with the farmer's agitation for Awadh and Raebareli, Sonia Gandhi said, addressing the public meeting. Sonia Gandhi held the seat for four consecutive terms since 2004, before she took the Rajya Sabha route to the Parliament this year. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday expressed confidence that BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh will defeat Rahul Gandhi here and took a dig at the Congress leader, stating that he should have told people of Wayanad in Kerala that he will contest from two seats. Anyone can contest from anywhere but Rahul Gandhi should have said before the elections that he is going to contest on two seats. I think, from a democratic point of view, it is not right to hide it. He should have told the people of Wayanad about it and then asked them to make their choice. When you see a threat in a post-poll survey, and then you come to Raebaerli, I think it is not correct, he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that Uttar Pradesh paves the way for the country and BJP will face its heaviest defeat here. INDIA Alliance and Akhilesh Yadav are going to win here. I give it to you in writing, a storm of INDIA Alliance is coming to Uttar Pradesh. I give it to you in writing, BJP is going to face its biggest defeat in the country, here in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said. Uttar Pradesh has made up its mind that a change has to set in here, that a change has to set in in India and that is why the decision has been made. The public has made up its mind, he added. Amethi Congress leader Kishori Lal Sharma, also the Gandhi family's close aide has been fielded against Smriti Irani in Amethi. Congress leader Kishori Lal Sharma has expressed confidence in winning the polls.Not contesting to lose. I have faith in the alliance, Sharma said in an interview with ANI. He said that the Amethi constituency was developed by the Gandhi family and urged voters to vote for the INDIA bloc based on their development work.The Gandhi family developed this constituency. Vote for us based on our development work and our (the Gandhi family's) legacy. Vote for them (BJP) for development work they have done, he said. Kishori Lal Sharma, a close associate and loyalist of the Gandhi family, is originally from Punjab's Ludhiana. He has been working for the Congress Party in Amethi for years. BJP candidate Smriti Irani said that people in the constituency have understood that development is possible when the leader has good character and the government has clarity in its policies. The people of Amethi have accepted me as their family. I am a voter in Amethi now. The people have understood that if the government is clear with its policy and the leader has good character, then a lot of development is possible in very little time, Smriti Irani told ANI here on Monday. The Amethi seat has been represented by Rahul since 2004, and he remained a member of Parliament from the constituency until 2019. His father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, too, was an elected member of Amethi in the Lower House from 1981 till his death in 1991. Sonia Gandhi contested elections from there in 1999 before passing the baton on to Rahul in 2004. Lucknow Defence Minister and BJP candidate Rajnath Singh will face Samajwadi Party candidate Ravidas Mehrotra in this seat. Rajnath Singh will be aiming for a third straight win in Lucknow. Rajnath Singh in 2019 had defeated Samajwadi Party Poonam Shatrughan Sinha with over 6.3 lakh votes. He had defeated Congress candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi by a margin of 2,72,749 votes in 2014. Rajnath Singh said that he tried to fulfil the dreams of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and left no stone unturned for the city's development. We have diligently worked towards realising Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji's vision for Lucknow, and we remain committed to advancing it further in the future. Lucknow currently ranks tenth globally, and we aim to elevate it to the fifth position, Singh said. Mumbai North The BJP has fielded Union Minister Piyush Goyal against Congress' Bhushan Patil from the Mumbai North seat. Union Minister and BJP candidate from Mumbai North, Piyush Goyal expressed confidence in the party's victory.I have faith in the work done under PM Modi's 10 years of governance. The public has made up its mind to give 400+ seats to PM Modi and the Mumbai North parliamentary seat will be won with a record margin, Goyal said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gopal Shetty from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Lok Sabha seat, defeating Congress actor-politician Urmila Matondkar by over 4.65 lakh votes. There were 16.47 lakh eligible voters in the 2019 elections from this constituency. Congress candidate Bhushan Patil said that him being a local will benefit his constituency. There are a lot of issues which need to be solved in my constituency. Piyush Goyal is a high-profile personality and meeting him is a bit difficult for common people I am local and connected to the people of the area, which will be a beneficial thing for me, he said. Mumbai North Central In a bid to retain the sitting seat, the BJP has fielded 26/11 special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, replacing two-time MP Poonam Mahajan against Congress' Varsha Gaikwad from Maharashtra's Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat. Varsha Gaikwad is currently serving as Dharavi MLA. Nikam, a senior Public Prosecutor, has appeared for the government in several high-profile cases, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack case. On his candidature, Nikam called it an important step in his life. For the common masses, Prime Minister Modi has worked a lot. He has increased the prestige of the country around the globe and he wants to contribute to his vision. No one can call our nation a banana country. I am not in politics for any gain. I have fought against organised crime, I have never fought from the accused side ever. A post as public prosecutor was not even well known in those days. I am glad I could put a stamp on it, Ujjwal Nikam told ANI during one of his campaigns. Kaiserganj After dropping sitting MP Brij Bhushan Singh from the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat and going with his son Karan Bhushan Singh, the move from the Bharatiya Janata Party retains the seat's contest within the family, highlighting the influence of the six-time Member of Parliament. The 67-year-old BJP's strong man was not given a ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief has been accused of sexual harassment by six women wrestlers, who had protested against him for a long period last year. Earlier this month, a Delhi court ordered that charges be levied against him. Brij Bhushan Singh's son Karan Bhushan Singh is in the electoral fray against the Samajwadi Party's candidate Ram Bhagat Mishra, the elder brother of Shravasti zila panchayat president and former BJP MP from Shravasti, Daddan Mishra, while Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded Narendra Pandey. Karan, Singh's younger son, will look to keep the family's hold on the seat tight, with his father Brij Bhushan having won from there six times, while his mother Ketaki was also a former MP from Gonda. Brij Bhushan's elder son, Prateek, was also an MLA from Gonda twice. In the 2019 election, Brij Bhusan Singh got 5,81,358 votes, beating BSP candidate 3,19,757. Hajipur LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan is aiming to carry forward father Ram Vilas Paswan's legacy. He is pitted against RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram. From 1977 to 2014, the seat was won eight times by Ram Vilas Paswan, who lost only twice, in 1984 and 2009. Chirag's decision to shift his constituency from Jamui to Hajipur, which has been a stronghold for the LJP, is aimed at asserting his position as the political heir to his father. In the 2019 elections, LJP candidate and Chirag Paswan's uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras emerged victorious, securing the seat for the first time, defeating RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram with a margin of 2,05,449 votes. Saran Rohini Acharya, the daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, is contesting against BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy. BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy recorded resounding wins against Lalu Prasad's kin in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, he defeated former CM Rabri Devi, wife of Lalu Yadav, from Saran. In the 2019 polls, he trounced Chandrika Rai, the father-in-law of Lalu's son Tej Pratap Yadav. Dismissing the Opposition claims, the BJP's Saran Lok Sabha candidate and former Union Minister, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, said the electoral outcome in Bihar was a foregone conclusion as his party was well on course to win all 40 seats in the state. As far as I can see, there is no election in Bihar as we are well on the way to winning all 40 seats in the state and are also confident of sailing past 400 seats across the country, he said. Meanwhile, RJD leader Rohini Acharya has criticised BJP's manifesto saying the issue of employment has disappeared from it. They should raise the issues of the people. The issue of employment has disappeared from the BJP's manifesto. They are only targeting Lalu Prasad's family, she said. Baramulla National Conference (NC) leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah is pitted against Sajad Lone of the Peoples Conference (PC) and Mir Mohammad Fayaz of Peoples Democratic Party. People's Conference President Sajad Lone slammed the National Conference leader, Omar Abdullah, and urged the people of Kashmir to stop him from humiliating the region by defeating him from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. Lone said, Let him stop humiliating the people of Kashmir. I am 100 per cent sure that for all this humiliation, he will get a gift on the result day. If there has been a saffron debut, then it was for Omar Abdullah. He was a minister whose party had passed an autonomy resolution that the Vajpayee government rejected in Parliament and he still stayed as a minister for two years. (ANI)

BJP get exposed for telling lies on Shree Mandira: BJD

BJPs CM will take oath on June 10: Aparajita Sarangi on Odisha assembly polls

The News Mill

RCB post challenging 218/5 against CSK

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a challenging 218 for five against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in a must-win Indian Premier League match here Saturday. Sent into bat, skipper Faf du Plessis (54) and Virat Kohli (47) shared 78 runs for the opening stand in 9.4 overs after the match was interrupted by showers for []

LOPAR likely to concentrate into Depression over BoB May 24: IMD

Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southwest Bay of Bengal around May 22 which will move initially northeastwards and concentrate into a depression over central parts of the Bay of Bengal, May 24, IMD said. It said Fridays trough runs from south Chhattisgarh to the Comorin area and now runs from []

Odisha CID-CB issues advisory on online investment fraud

Bhubaneswar: The CID- CB of Odisha Police has issued an important advisory to protect citizens from falling prey to the rampant rise in online investment fraud cases in the state. In a release issued here Saturday, the CID-CB said there has been a steep and concerning rise in cases of fraud through online investment apps, []

High pitched electioneering for Phase-V Lok Sabha poll ends

Odisha 3rd Phase Elections: Sanatan Mahakud, Soumya Patnaik Richest Among 126 Crorepati MLA Candidates

86candidates haveserious criminal cases against them. 2 candidates have never been to school, 2 under class-V. Bhubaneswar: Odisha is going tohold its third phase of elections in the state on the 25th. There are 383 MLA candidates for 42 assembly constituencies. Among them, 381 MLA candidates havebeen analysedby the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and [] The post Odisha 3rd Phase Elections: Sanatan Mahakud, Soumya Patnaik Richest Among 126 Crorepati MLA Candidates appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shows no fatigue while executing Modi mission in Odisha

Calls upon to send Odisha CMs close aide Pandia back to Tamil Nadu

Odisha: One convicted for dealing with fake currency note

Bhubaneswar: The Assistant Sessions Judge, Titilagarh, Saturday convicted one accused in a fake currency note case. Convict Lingaraj Behera, was convicted and sentenced to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for 5 Years for the offence U/s.489-B IPC & three years imprisonment for the offence U/s.489-C IPC and with fine. Both punishments will run concurrently, the judge []

Ukraines divisive mobilisation law comes into force as a new Russian push strains front-line troops

Kyiv: A divisive mobilisation law in Ukraine came into force Saturday, as Kyiv struggles to boost troop numbers after Russia launched a new offensive that some fear could close in on Ukraines second-largest city. The legislation, which was watered down from its original draft, will make it easier to identify every conscript in the country. []

Odisha Lok Sabha Election Phase 5: Key Constituencies to watch

Odisha Lok Sabha Election Phase Key Constituencies to watch

5 railway stations in Odisha's Sundargarh LS seat to be made world class: Vaishnaw

5 railway stations in Odisha's Sundargarh LS seat to be made world class: Vaishnaw Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said five stations falling under the Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha will be redeveloped as world-class ones. Bimlagarh, Rajgangpur, Panposh, Rourkela and Hemgir are going to become world-class railway stations, he said while speaking to media persons during campaigning for BJP candidate in the Bonai assembly segment. Asked about the status of the Talcher-Bimlagarh railway link, he said, It will be completed soon. This year, Rs 550 crore has been provided in the budget for the new railway line. The state government is not providing the required land for this important link. But we are working on it. Over 28 km of the new railway line on the Talcher-Bimlagarh route has been completed. ''The railway tracks have come up to Samal from Talcher and this year the link up to Khamar will be completed. From the Bimlagarh side, the work needs to be expedited but it depends on the availability of land,'' the railway minister said. Around 100 4G mobile towers have been set up in the Bonai area, he added. Odisha has got a special place in the PMs heart. Modi ji is always serious about Odishas development and how the dreams of the Odias are fulfilled, Vaishnaw said. He exuded confidence that the BJP will form the government in Odisha in this election. The second round of the simultaneous elections to five Lok Sabha seats and 35 assembly seats in Odisha will be held on May 20. BJP leader and veteran Bollywood actress Hema Malini on Saturday campaigned for Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and local MLA candidate Subash Panigrahi in Deogarh district. She also joined the campaigning trail in the Pallahara assembly segment in the Dhenkanal district. Malini said the people of Odisha have made their mindset to elect Pradhan in Deogarh, and the BJP to form double-engine governments in the state and at the Centre. The term ''double engine'' is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma sought votes for the BJP nominees in Bhubaneswar and Puri. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly constituencies.

Odisha Polls: Top 5 BJP leaders urge voters to offer party a chance to serve

Leaders lambasted the ruling BJD for its failure to bring prosperity to the state

Assam CM says BJP will win 15 out of 20 LS seats in Odisha

Guwahati: While campaigning for the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that BJP is confident of winning 15 plus seats out of the 20 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections. The Assam Chief Minister also that in the Odisha Assembly Elections, BJP is also assured of winning 75 [] The post Assam CM says BJP will win 15 out of 20 LS seats in Odisha appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Phase 5 Lok Sabha polls: Campaigning concludes; focus on high-profile seats

Polling will be held in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, J-K, and Ladakh on Monday.

Odisha: SIT visits pre-poll violence-hit Khallikote

Odisha: SIT visits pre-poll violence-hit Khallikote A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday visited Khallikote area in Odisha's Ganjam district, where pre-poll violence has left one person dead and seven others injured, police said. The SIT, formed for probing the violence, visited Srikrushnasaranapur village to collect information and ascertain various factors leading to the incident, a police officer said. The four-member SIT is led by Ganjam Deputy Superintendent of Police Mershy Purti. Three other police personnel, including cyber and forensic personnel, are part of the SIT to assist the DSP in the probe. The SIT was constituted by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Southern Range, J N Pankaj, following direction from DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi. BJP worker Dillip Pahan was killed and several others were injured in a clash between supporters of the BJD and the saffron party over putting up of posters on Wednesday night. Nine persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident. The SIT will collect proper evidence in the case and ensure early apprehension of the accused persons and closure of the case within 30 days, the DGP had stated. The SIT will report to IGP Berhampur from time to time on the status and progress of the probe, he had stated. Meanwhile, Ganjam Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said that normalcy is returning to the area and patrolling has been intensified to ensure free and fair elections on May 20.

Fifth phase: Campaigning ends for 49 seats; Amethi, Rae Bareli, Baramullah in limelight; WB sees highest security deployment

Fifth phase: Campaigning ends for 49 seats; Amethi, Rae Bareli, Baramullah in limelight; WB sees highest security deployment Campaigning concluded on Saturday for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls covering 49 constituencies in six states and two UTs including the high-profile Rae Bareli and Amethi seats from where former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Smriti Irani are in the fray respectively. In Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla, former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is among 22 candidates in the fray, held a roadshow in Soibugh - a central Kashmir village that was once a hotbed of militancy- on the last day of campaigning. While temperatures soared across the country, there was no let up in the campaign heat as the Lok Sabha election season entered the last fortnight. The Election Commission on Tuesday said it expects star campaigners, particularly of the national parties, to lead by example in the remaining three phases of the Lok Sabha polls and not vitiate the delicate fabric of society. With over 40 of these seats with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Prime Minister Narendra and other BJP leaders tried to fend off the challenge posed by the INDIA bloc parties by raising the pitch on issues of appeasement, dynastic politics, Ram temple, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), corruption and welfare initiatives taken by his government. ''If the SP and the Congress come to power, they will send Ram Lalla back to the tent and bulldoze the temple,'' Modi claimed. He also alleged that the opposition wanted to bring back Article 370. The Congress and other INDIA bloc parties accused the BJP of polarising voters with its ''Hindu-Muslim politics'', and not focusing on issues like unemployment and inflation. They also persisted with their offensive on the issues of reservations and protecting the Constitution. On Monday, polling will be held in 13 seats in Maharashtra, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, seven in West Bengal, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, five in Odisha and one each in J-K and Ladakh. This round covers the least number of seats (49) in the seven-phase election. The parties also wrapped up canvassing in 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha, where BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is among the candidates. Among other prominent candidates in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls are several Union ministers including Rajnath Singh (Lucknow, UP), Piyush Goyal (Mumbai North, Maharashtra), Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (from Fatehpur, UP) and Shantanu Thakur (Bangaon, WB); LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan (Hajipur, Bihar), Shiv Senas Shrikant Shinde (Kalyan, Maharashtra ), and BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy and RJD president Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya (both Saran, Bihar). Gandhi, who has contested from Wayanad in Kerala, is also in the fight for Rae Bareli, a Nehru-Gandhi family pocket borough that was represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi since 2004. The BJP has fielded UP minister Dinesh Pratap Singh. On Friday, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi tried to strike an emotional chord as she said at a rally that she is giving her son to the people of Rae Bareli and ''Rahul will not disappoint you''. ''My everything is all given by you. So, brothers and sisters, I am giving you my son'' said Sonia Gandhi, as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stood by her side on the stage at the rally. Speaking before his mother, Rahul Gandhi said the ''youth across the country have made up their mind that they don't want Narendra Modi''. ''Narendra Modi will not remain prime minister after June 4 and the INDIA coalition government will be forme,'' he said. In Amethi, Union minister Smriti Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019, is seeking a second term, while KL Sharma, an aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded by the Congress. From Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is eyeing a fourth term. He is up against sitting SP MLA (from Lucknow Central) Ravidas Mehrotra. During a rally in Lucknow, Singh said, ''These elections are also to see who has raised the country's stature in the world.'' In the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, the electoral contest is mainly between sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is seeking a hat-trick, and Awadhesh Prasad, the SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) assembly constituency in Ayodhya. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on May 15 announced that if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, it will double the quantity of free rations provided by the BJP government to the poor. Farmers' loans will be waived and Minimum Support Price will be guaranteed, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday. In Baramulla, besides Abdullah, former separatist Sajad Lone, former MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias 'Engineer Rashid', who is currently lodged in the Tihar jail, and the PDP's former Rajya Sabha member Fayaz Ahmad Mir are also contesting. With the separatist-sponsored boycott politics a thing of past now, the people are expected to participate in the elections in large numbers to chose their favourite. Political parties fielded their stalwarts as they gave the last push in Maharashtra where elections will conclude with polling in 13 constituencies in North Maharashtra and Mumbai Metropolitan Region on May 20. Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday addressed campaign rallies in Kalyan and Dindori in support of the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti coalitions candidates and also held a roadshow in northeast Mumbai. Modi was again back in Mumbai on Friday for a rally in the citys Shivaji Park. Opposition bloc INDIA also held a rally the same day at the city's Bandra Kurla Complex that was attended by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. On the concluding day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held public meetings at Malegaon in Nashik district and Palghar to canvass for Mahayuti candidates. Security has been stepped up in West Bengal's seven constituencies, with over 57 per cent of the polling stations identified as sensitive in the fifth phase, the highest till now in this election. Over 60,000 personnel of central forces, besides around 30,000 personnel of the state police, have been deployed, which is more than in the four previous phases in the state, an official said. Star campaigners, including Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, have held rallies for their respective party candidates. In Barrackpore, BJP candidate Arjun Singh is contesting against TMC's Partha Bhowmick and CPI (M)'s Debdut Ghosh. In Serampore, TMC's sitting MP Kalyan Banerjee is fighting against BJP's Kabir Shankar Bose. In Hooghly, actor-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee of the BJP is contesting against a fellow member of the film fraternity, Rachana Banerjee of the TMC. Voting will take place in Saran, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Sitamarhi and Madhubani Lok Sabha seats of Bihar. In Saran, former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy's bid to score a hat-trick has been challenged by RJD president Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya, who had donated her kidney to her father. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has suffered a back injury, campaigned for his elder sister in Saran. The curtains also came down on Saturday over campaigning for three Lok Sabha seats and Gandey assembly by-poll in Jharkhand. With the conclusion of Phase 4, polling for general elections had crossed the halfway mark as it was completed in 23 states/UTs and 379 Lok Sabha constituencies out of 543. The sixth and seventh phases are on May 25 and June 1 respectively. The counting of votes is on June 4.

Election-time seizures to cross Rs.9,000 crores soon

Election Commissions determined and concerted assault on money power and inducements in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has resulted in staggering seizures worthRs 8889 crores by the agencies. As per EC, Rs 17.17 crore cash, liquor worth Rs 35.84 cr, drugs worth Rs 74.46 crores, precious metals worth 14.35 crores, and other freebies worth Rs [] The post Election-time seizures to cross Rs.9,000 crores soon appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Those Promising To Make Odisha Number 1 Should...: Naveen Patnaik

Lashing out at visiting Union ministers and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said that political tourists promising to make Odisha number one in the country should first concentrate on their own states.

FSSAI Alerts Fruit Traders to Ensure Compliance with Prohibition of Calcium Carbide in Fruit Ripening

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has alerted traders/fruits handlers/Food Business Operators (FBOs) operating ripening chambers to strictly ensure compliance with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, particularly during the mango season. FSSAI is also advising Food Safety Departments of States /UTs to remain vigilant and take serious [] The post FSSAI Alerts Fruit Traders to Ensure Compliance with Prohibition of Calcium Carbide in Fruit Ripening appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

126 Crorepati Candidates Contesting In 3rd Phase Of Odisha Lok Sabha Polls

One hundred and twenty-six candidates in fray for the third phase of Assembly elections in Odisha are 'crorepati', with BJD candidate from Champua segment Sanatan Mahakud the richest with Rs 227.67 crore assets.

Campaigning ends for five LS seats, 35 Assembly segments in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The high-decibel campaigning ended Saturday for five Lok Sabha seats and 35 Assembly constituencies in Odisha, which will go to polls May 20. Among the prominent candidates in the second round of simultaneous elections in the state are BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his colleagues in the state government Bikram Keshari []

Vietnam Nominates Public Security Minister To Lam as New President

Vietnam has nominated its Public Security Minister, To Lam, as the new president, the state media on Saturday reported.This decision follows the resignation of his predecessor amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign that has significantly impacted the countrys political landscape. The Communist Partys Central Committee has agreed To Lams nomination as president. The Politburo member, Lam, [] The post Vietnam Nominates Public Security Minister To Lam as New President appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Thailand Open 2024 Badminton: Satwik-Chirag Advance Into Final

Indias Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a spot in the Thailand Open final by defeating Lu Ming-Che and Tang Kai-Wei of Chinese Taipei with a score of 21-11, 21-12. Despite facing some challenges in the second game, the top-seeded pair maintained control and wrapped up the match in 35 minutes. Although the Taiwanese duo [] The post Thailand Open 2024 Badminton: Satwik-Chirag Advance Into Final appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pakistan: 14 Killed as Mini Truck Falls into Ravine in Khushab

New Delhi: At least 14 people including five children and two women were killed as a mini truck carrying a family plunged into a ravine in Khushab district in Pakistans province of Punjab on Saturday. According to the rescue officials, the family was travelling from Bannu to Soon Valley in Khushab when the tragic accident [] The post Pakistan: 14 Killed as Mini Truck Falls into Ravine in Khushab appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Southern states draw maximum participation in Indias biggest skill competition, TN tops the list

NEW DELHI: Indias biggest skill competition has drawn maximum participation from the southern states, with Tamil Nadu witnessing the highest number of competitors who are showcasing their expertise in areas as varied as traditional crafts to the latest technologies. From Tamil Nadu 86 participants - the highest from any state in India - are competing in the India Skills Competition 2024, followed by Karnataka with 61 competitors. This year, IndiaSkills is witnessing the participation of over 900 candidates from 30 states and Union Territories in 61 skill areas. Apart from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the other southern states are Andhra Pradesh (42), Kerala (34) and Telangana (33). Officials said the southern states have stamped their authority at the India Skills Competition 2024, emerging as the undisputed powerhouses by sending a formidable combined force of 265 skilled competitors. Driven by targeted skill development schemes, these southern states are fueling a skill renaissance, aligning human resources with industrial needs, the officials added. According to Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Managing Director, NSDC International (NSDCI), India is excelling in the WorldSkills Competition, moving from 39th to 11th place. This progress reflects our nation's advancement in skills. The NSDC's dedication has been crucial, offering continuous support and training to our competitors, he added. Through the Skill India Mission and collaborative efforts from state and central governments, we have made unprecedented progress, emphasizing that skills can conquer the world, he said. Apart from the southern states, Odisha has also drawn a good number of competitors. As many as 64 candidates are participating in the five-day event, which will conclude on May 19. The other states are Maharashtra (57) and Punjab (53). This year the participants will get the opportunity to earn credits, within the National Credit Framework. The NSDC, working under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is implementing the event. The winners of IndiaSkills 2024, with the help of best industry trainers, will prepare for the WorldSkills Competition scheduled to take place in Lyon, France in September 2024 and will bring together 1,500 competitors from over 70 countries. About 2.5 lakh candidates registered for the competition on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) Portal, out of which 26,000 were shortlisted through a process of pre-screening. This data was shared with the states for organising the state and district level competition, out of which 900+ students were further shortlisted for the IndiaSkills National competition. This year, IndiaSkills is supported by more than 400 industry and academic partners like Toyota Kirloskar, Autodesk, JK Cement, Maruti Suzuki, Lincoln Electric, NAMTECH, Vega, Loreal, Schneider Electric, Festo India, Artemis, Medanta, and Cygnia Healthcare. Among the 900 participants are more than 170 women who are competing in trades like logistics and freight forwarding, web technologies, visual merchandising, fashion technology, graphic design technology, painting and decorating, electrical installations, industrial design technology, and renewable energy. This time new-age skills like autonomous mobile robotics, automobile repairing, cloud computing, and mechatronics are also garnering a lot of popularity in this edition of IndiaSkills 2024, officials said.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: 889 candidates in fray across 8 States/UTs going for polls in Phase 6

New Delhi: A total of 889 candidates from 8 States/UTs to contest elections in Phase-6 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. This includes 20 contesting candidates for the adjourned poll in 3-Anantnag-Rajouri PC of Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 1978 nominations were filed for 57 PCs across the 7 States/UTs going for polls in this [] The post Lok Sabha Elections 2024: 889 candidates in fray across 8 States/UTs going for polls in Phase 6 appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Odisha Crime Branch Issues Advisory As Online Investment Fraud Becomes Rampant

Bhubaneswar: The Criminal Investiagtion Department (CID) of Odisha Crime Branch has issued an important advisory to protect citizens from falling prey to the rampant rise in online investment fraud cases. In recent times, there has been a steep and concerning rise in cases of fraud through online investment apps. WhatsApp group link, telegram group line [] The post Odisha Crime Branch Issues Advisory As Online Investment Fraud Becomes Rampant appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

CSK win toss, opt to bowl against RCB

Bengaluru: Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to bowl against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial Indian Premier League match here Saturday. CSK has made one change, bringing in Mitchell Santner in place of Moeen Ali. For RCB, Will Jacks has been replaced by Glenn Maxwell, while Swapnil Singh has been named as []

Satwik-Chirag pair enters Thailand Open final

Bangkok: Indias premier mens doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty entered the final of the Thailand Open badminton tournament with an easy straight-game victory over Lu Ming-Che and Tang Kai-Wei of Chinese Taipei here Saturday. The Asian Games champions needed just 35 minutes to beat their world No. 80 opponents 21-11 21-12 in []

Nadda rejects opposition claims, says BJP will retain North in LS polls and will be ahead of Congress in South

Nadda rejects opposition claims, says BJP will retain North in LS polls and will be ahead of Congress in South BJP president JP Nadda has hit out over south mein saaf and north mein haaf' jibe at the party by some opposition parties and asserted that the BJP will retain its Lok Sabha seats in north India while having a lead over Congress in the southern states. In an interview with ANI, Nadda expressed confidence of the BJP winning the Odisha assembly polls and also forming a government in Andhra Pradesh with its allies. He said the BJP will sweep Lok Sabha polls in Odisha and will achieve a landslide victory with its allies in parliamentary polls in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP is in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) in Andhra Pradesh. Nadda said the BJP will sweep the northern parts of the country in Lok Sabha polls as it did in the 2019 elections. We are keeping ourselves intact in the North and will retain (tally in) Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Jammu, Haryana, and Delhi, Nadda said. In Andhra Pradesh, we are going to form a government and in the parliamentary election, BJP and TDP are going to sweep. In Telangana, we are getting more than double (of the seats won last time), and in Tamil Nadu also we are getting a good start. We are also opening our account in Kerala and will maintain our seat share in Karnataka, Nadda. The BJP had done very well in Karnataka in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and won 25 of 28 seats. Asked if BJP will retain an equal number of seats, Nadda said they would get 25 and plus, minus one seat might happen. That's why in the South as well, we will have a lead over Congress in the tally. And in East as well we will maintain our tally Nadda said. Leaders of Congress and some other opposition parties have taken south mein saaf and north mein haaf' (wiped out in the south, half in the north) jibes at BJP, claiming that the party will not perform well in the Lok Sabha polls. Asked if Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is allergic to him and Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda said she has sensed that Bengal is getting out of her hands. She is allergic to everyone, this time Mamataji has sensed that Bengal is getting out of her hands. We will win a good number of seats in Bengal. They (TMC) will be in a minority, we will have a majority, Nadda said. We will form government in Odisha and BJP will have a landslide victory in the parliamentary election, Nadda said in response to a question. Asked about BJD leader VK Pandian's remarks that BJP does not have a CM face against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Nadda said the party did not have a CM face in states such as Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and emerged victorious in assembly polls. We did not have in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and in Chhattisgarh, he said, adding that the party did not take long to decide its CM candidates after victory in assembly polls. On poll-related violence in West Bengal, Nadda said law and order is a state subject. We (the centre) can support them but Mamata Banerjee's intentions are not clear. Her intention is dubious. He slammed the West Bengal CM over the Sandeshkhali violence and accused her of being silent. She was silent on the case of Sheikh Shahjahan, the High Court had to give the inquiry to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Women were shouting and you even didn't bother, he said. Asked about the allegations of Mamata Banerjee that the Sandeshkhali incident was a conspiracy of the BJP, Nadda said, Dishonest administrator, dishonest politician. If I'm the CM and a case like this comes to me, I'll say that I'll investigate into this. I'll go into the details of it. Why was she quiet at first and later she blamed the BJP. She compromised with the nation for a vote bank. TMC is providing shelter to infiltrators and giving them ID cards and ration cards, making them voters, this is anti-national activitiy They also give protection to such people, Nadda added. BJP President further accused Mamata Banerjee of spreading misinformation regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act. She is spreading misinformation about CAA. She's doing anti-national things. CAA will not be given to someone who is coming from outside. Doesn't Mamata understand this, is she so illiterate? No. She understands everything. But she is trying to misguide the innocent people. (ANI)