Congested streets, traffic mess and sanitation woes plague Delhi's commercial hub, Sadar Bazaar
NEW DELHI: Sadar Bazaar Assembly constituency, nestled in the heart of the national capital, stands as one of Delhis bustling commercial hubs among the 70 assemblies. Sadar Bazar forms an integral part of the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat. Encompassing vibrant locales like Anand Nagar, Anand Parvat, Bagh Kare Khan, Kishan Ganj, Bahadur Garh Road, Bara Hindu Rao, Beri Wala Bagh, Chander Shekhar Azad Colony, and many others, Sadar Bazar assembly constituency boasts a voter base of over 1.84 lakh individuals, inclusive of 84,000 female voters. Primarily inhabited by traders, this constituency witnessed the reign of the grand old party during the 15-year tenure of Sheila Dikshit-led Congress rule from 1998 to 2013, with Rajesh Jain representing the seat thrice. However, a shift occurred in 2015 when the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) Som Dutt clinched victory, triumphing over BJPs Praveen Kumar Jain and the Congress chief ministerial candidate Ajay Maken. Dutt secured over 56.60 per cent of the votes, a substantial lead over his competitors. This victory was not an anomaly but rather a continuation of AAPs success, as evidenced by Dutts triumph in the 2013 assembly polls, where he defeated the three-time incumbent Congress MLA, Rajesh Jain. Despite its prominence as Asias largest wholesale market, Sadar Bazar grapples with a myriad of challenges. The lack of essential amenities such as parking, pathways, washrooms, drinking water, and ATMs mars the trading experience for many. Traders lament that these issues have persisted for decades, with narrow lanes, congested streets, and tangled wires remaining unaddressed. The absence of official traffic management exacerbates the situation, often forcing commuters to intervene amidst chaotic traffic jams. Navigating the stretch from Tis Hazari courts towards the Rani Jhansi flyover unveils the precarious state of affairs, as motorists cautiously avoid U-turns and manoeuvre through hazardous conditions, risking collisions. Former mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Sadar Bazaar councillor, Jai Prakash, expressed frustration over the lack of government intervention despite repeated appeals in an earlier interaction with this newspaper. Initiatives such as the development of the Rani Jhansi flyover, undertaken during his tenure, have been left neglected, highlighting the systemic apathy towards addressing longstanding infrastructural deficiencies. When I had become the mayor, I had initiated the development of the Rani Jhansi flyover and got it completed in one and half years but later on no one took care of it. I have written several letters but to no effect, said Jai Prakash. In essence, Sadar Bazar Assembly Constituency stands as a testament to Delhis commercial vibrancy intertwined with persistent infrastructural challenges, underscoring the imperative for comprehensive urban revitalization efforts.
Mastermind in UP police recruitment paper leak case arrested from Jewar
LUCKNOW: In a major breakthrough, the Special Task Force (STF) of UP Police nabbed Ravi Atri, 38, the mastermind of the police constable recruitment paper leak, on Wednesday. He was arrested from Jewar in Gautam Budhh Nagar. A native of Gautam Budh Nagar and based in Delhi before going underground following a probe into the police recruitment paper leak, Atri happens to be the 401st accused arrested so far in connection with the paper leak racket. UP Police Recruitment Board had held an examination to recruit 60,000 constables on February 17 and 18 where over 48 lakh candidates had appeared. Later, the government cancelled the tests and ordered re-examination following the paper leak. While the re-examination will be done in next 6 months, a manhunt was launched for those behind the fiasco. Atri was on the run ever since. An intensive investigation unfolded across various states including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana and districts of UP including Varanasi, Jhansi, Agra, Kanpur, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Hathras, Noida, and Ballia. A total of 12 cases have been registered in connection with the scandal. Additional DG, law and order, Amitabh Yash, said that efforts of STF Field Unit Meerut tracked Atri and arrested him. During interrogation, Atri said that after passing the Intermediate examination from Shriram Inter College, Thora, Gautam Budh Nagar, in 2006, the accused went to Allen Coaching Centre, Kota, Rajasthan for medical preparation where he came in contact with the examination mafia in 2007. He then started appearing as a solver in various competitive examinations. After passing the HPMT examination in the year 2012, he got admission in PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana and passed the third year in 2018 but did not appear in the fourth-year examination. Prior to it, he was nabbed by Daryaganj Crime Branch, Delhi in the paper leak case of NEET PG exam in the year 2012 and went to jail. He was also incarcerated the same year after Shahbad Dairy police station, Delhi arrested him for getting the paper of SBI exam out. In 2015, the AIPMT paper was out. The STF said that now Delhi police constable Vikram Pahal, Goldy, Guniya, Dawood, Neetu, Monu Dhakla, Anurag and Ankit Mishra were wanted in connection with the case. Held for getting paper of SBI exam out Prior to it, he was nabbed by Daryaganj Crime Branch, Delhi in the paper leak case of NEET PG exam in the year 2012 and went to jail. He was also incarcerated the same year after Shahbad Dairy police station, Delhi arrested him for getting the paper of SBI exam out.
UP BEd JEE 2024: Revised Dates Announced; Check the Updated Schedule Here
The Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, has made significant revisions to the schedule for the UP BEd Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) 2024. This decision, communicated through the official website of UP BEd JEE 2024 - bujhansi.ac.in, aims to accommodate the upcoming Indian General Elections 2024,
YSRC will oppose steel plant privatization: YV
Visakhapatnam: Regional coordinator for YSRC, YV Subba Reddy, has said his government would stand by its word and continue to oppose privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Addressing an election meeting held in Gajuwaka on Sunday, YV Subba Reddy noted that the chief minister told Narendra Modi during his visit to Visakhapatnam and in the presence of thousands of people that AP would not compromise on the privatization of the steel plant. The chief minister promised the PM that the state government would cooperate in procurement of raw material to reduce the steel plants capital costs, Subba Reddy said. He said the state government would protect not only the steel plant but all the public sector units in Visakhapatnam. Subba Reddy asked the people to question the Jana Sena and TD leaders on their stands on privatisation. The BJP is already committed to privatizing the steel plant. These two parties joined the BJP. These two parties have no public interest. They allied to protect their self interests, Subba Reddy said. Appealing to the people to support Gajuwaka assembly candidate Gudivada Amarnath, Subba Reddy said an amount of `1,800 crore was spent on social welfare schemes in the constituency during the last five years. Visakhapatnam MP candidate Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi said the YSRC government and the people would not give up the sentiment of Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku. She pointed out that the AP assembly passed a resolution against privatization of VSP. She said the TD-Jana Sena-BJP alliance would do more harm to Visakhapatnam than good. Minister and Gajuwaka assembly candidate Gudivada Amarnath said the YSRC government gave 25,000 house site pattas to the residents of Gajuwaka. District president of YSRC Kola Guruvulu, sitting MLA Tippala Nagi Reddy and a large number of local leaders were present. Later YV Subba Reddy, MP candidate Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi and other leaders attended the Iftaar party hosted by Visakhapatnam North assembly candidate KK Raju.
Will leave no stone unturned to protect VSP, assures YSRCP MP candidate Botcha Jhansi
Jhansi Lakshmi said that it was the YSRCP which responded immediately following the VSP privatisation proposal and asked the centre not to privatise it.
Nomination of SP's Khajuraho candidate rejected; Akhilesh calls it murder of democracy
Nomination of SP's Khajuraho candidate rejected; Akhilesh calls it murder of democracy In a jolt to the opposition's INDIA bloc in Madhya Pradesh, nomination of the Samajwadi Party's (SP) candidate from Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency, Meera Yadav, was on Friday rejected by the returning officer. The development left the SP fuming with its chief Akhilesh Yadav terming it a ''blatant murder'' of democracy and demanding judicial probe. Meera Yadav would challenge the rejection in the High Court, her husband Deep Narayan Yadav said. Congress, the main opposition party in the BJP-ruled state, had left the Khajuraho seat for SP as per the seat-sharing arrangement within the INDIA bloc. Polling will be held for the seat in the second phase, on April 26. The Panna district collector, who is also the election returning officer, rejected Meera Yadav's nomination as she had not signed the `B form' and also failed to attach a certified copy of the 2023 Assembly elections voters' list, a senior official said. The BJP has fielded its state unit president and sitting MP Vishnu Dutt Sharma who is seeking a second term from Khajuraho. Yadav's husband Deep Narayan told reporters that they would move the high court against the returning officer's order. ''The form was verified yesterday after scrutiny. There is a rule that if there is any discrepancy, it is the duty of the returning officer to get it rectified even if the candidate is illiterate,'' he said. ''Yesterday, the form was found to be alright. Today, two shortcomings were pointed out. First, the voters' list attached with the form is not certified or it is old. Signature was supposed to be made at two places, but it was made only in one place,'' he added. Yadav also claimed that they did not get a certified copy of voters' list till April 3, and hence attached a copy that was available. ''We requested him (collector) that we still had time as we had come before (the deadline of) 3 pm, and it could be rectified. He should have told us yesterday about it and we could have done it by now,'' Yadav added. To a question, he said there were 15 other candidates in the fray, and ''we will support one of them after consulting our senior leaders.'' The election will be contested under any circumstances, he added. Taking to X , SP chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted,|'' The rejection of INDIA bloc's SP candidate from Khajuraho seat was a blatant murder of democracy. ''It is being said that it (nomination form) was not signed. Why the officer looking after |(such things) accepted the form. This is all just excuses and frustration of the defeated BJP,'' he stated. There should be a judicial probe as the rejection of a candidate's nomination is a crime in democracy, Yadav wrote. Notably, the SP had announced on March 30 that Manoj Yadav, who belongs to Shikohabad in Uttar Pradesh, would be given ticket from Khajuraho. But two days later, it replaced him with Meera Yadav, a local face, to take on V D Sharma who had won Khajuraho seat by more than 4.5 lakh votes in 2019. Meera Yadav had won from Niwari assembly seat, part of Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency, as SP candidate in 2008. Her husband Deep Narayan was the SP MLA in 2007 and 2012 from Garautha in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, which shares a border with MP's Niwari district. He has also been the SP's Madhya Pradesh unit chief. The BJP has been winning the Khajuraho seat since 2004.
Two toll plaza staff die after falling into well in bid to escape attack by goons in MP
Two toll plaza staff die after falling into well in bid to escape attack by goons in MP Bhopal: Two employees of a toll plaza located on the Gwalior-Jhansi highway in Madhya Pradeshs Datia district died after they fell into a well while trying to escape a dozen masked goons. The incident happened late [] The post Two toll plaza staff die after falling into well in bid to escape attack by goons in MP appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Five dead, 3 critical in road accident in Madhya Pradesh's Chitrakoot
Tragic accidents in Madhya Pradesh: 5 dead, 3 critical in dumper-auto collision on Jhansi Mirzapur National Highway. Another incident injures 30 in bus overturn near Morena on National Highway 44.
NDA Alliance Is a 1,000 Lies Marriage: Botsa
Visakhapatnam: Education minister Botsa Satyanarayana has termed the NDA alliance as a marriage of thousand lies. Addressing election meetings along with his wife Botsa Jhansi, who is YSRCPs Lok Sabha candidate from the Visakhapatnam seat, Satyanarayana maintained that TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu wants to benefit his son Lokesh through the NDA alliance. The alliance is not going to serve the people of the state, he remarked. The minister said a study of the seats allotted by the NDA alliance shows that the rich have been crowned. Further, the tickets have gone to non-locals. He pointed out that Pawan Kalyan's party Jana Sena gas announced two MP candidates. There is no BC candidate. Satyanarayana felt that giving Anakapalli's ticket to C.M. Ramesh sets a wrong example, though in a democracy anyone can contest from anywhere. However, the candidates of NDA coalition parties have only one qualification they are wealthy. North Andhra people must understand this fact, as it sets a very dangerous trend in politics, he remarked. The minister appreciated Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for giving top priority in allotment of seats to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities. YSRC Vizag MP candidate Botsa Jhansi, in her address, echoed the sentiments of her husband Satyanarayana. She expressed confidence in the leadership of Jagan Mohan Reddy and pledged to work for development of Visakhapatnam city.
Will spare no effort in developing Visakhapatnam, says the YSRCP leader who had served as a Lok Sabha MP twice in the past, representing Bobbili and Vizianagaram
Ganesh, Jhansi urge voters to re-elect YSRC
As part of their election campaign, they promised to allocate 10 acres of land for an alternative wholesale market, addressing the demands of the Convent Junction Wholesale Market traders
The Return of controversys child in Mandi
The girl from Bhambla in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh was always ambitious, and a little outspoken. She wanted to be in medical profession, but failed to clear the pre-medical test. The teenager was restless and reached Delhi to become a model, and then Mumbai to become an actor. And thus Kangana Ranaut was reborn, being increasingly seen as a rebellious rabble-rouser by her critics. Controversies have followed her on and off-screen as an element of devilment replenished her persona, year after year. It was director Anurag Basu who spotted Kangana and signed her for her first movie Gangster when she was 18 years old. She gave many hits such as Tanu Weds Manu, Manikarnika The Queen of Jhansi and Tejas. Finally, Kanganas full-throated Jai Shri Ram at the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya gave away that part of her life thats unfolding in Mandi. The BJP candidate has arrived back home, fully loaded and unforgiving. Her actions have followed the roles that she has played of two most powerful women politicians in the country: Thalaivii in 2021 showed her as J Jayalalithaa, and the yet-to-release Emergency where she is portraying the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Like all other times, controversy again followed her: the latest was when Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate allegedly posted an offensive comment against her on social media which she later deleted. Kangana responded saying she was considering legal action. She said the remarks made against her were insulting for Mandi, its public and the lands hugely revered saints and seers. If a young man gets a party ticket, his ideology is attacked, and if a young woman gets a nomination, her sexuality is attacked. Any derogatory word about a woman, be it a teacher, actress, journalist, politician or a sex worker, is condemnable. The dignity of a woman should always be maintained, especially when Mandi is also known as Mini Kashi, she asserted. Kangana admires Swami Vivekananda who has instilled nationalism in her and Sadhguru who has inspired her to become a karmayogi. She supported CAA before joining the BJP. She calls herself a common party karyakarta and is an ardent Narendra Modi fan. Dont think Kangana is a heroine, that she is a star. Consider Kangana your sister, your daughter. Everyone is my family, she said as she hailed PM Modi with Jai Shri Ram and asserted that the BJPs main agenda is development. Her name had figured among the probable party candidates in the 2021 bypolls for Mandi parliamentary seat after BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma died. Kangana, 37, is known for taking on bigwigs of Bollywood. Lyricist Javed Akhtar filed a defamation case against her in the court of the metropolitan magistrate in Mumbai in November 2020. He said that Kangana dragged his name while referring to an existing coterie in Bollywood during a TV interview after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Actor Aditya Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab filed separate criminal defamation complaints against Kangana in an Andheri court in October 2017. Her strong views on farmers agitation landed her in the soup as Mahinder Kaur of Bathinda filed a defamation case against her in January 2021. Kaur alleged in an X post that Kangana compared her, when she was participating in the farmers protests on the Delhi-Haryana borders, with the Dadi at Delhis Shaheen Bagh. A case was registered against Kangana on November 23, 2021 at the Khar police station in Mumbai for allegedly portraying the Kisan Morcha as a Khalistani movement and calling the Sikh community Khalistani terrorists on the complaint of Amarjeet Singh Sandhu, a Mumbai-based businessman. The Himachal Pradesh BJP has posted the details of these cases on its X handle, @BJP4Himachal, in compliance with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
Mukhtar Ansari lived in constant fear in jail
Mukhtar Ansari lived in constant fear in jail At least four of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari's close aides were killed in custody since 2018, making him fear for his own life. The five-time Mau MLA's son Umar Ansari had even filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court apprehending the ''assassination'' of his father in jail. The 63-year-old Mukhtar Ansari was brought to the Rani Durgavati Medical College in Banda from the district jail in ''an unconscious state'' on Thursday evening and died at the hospital following a cardiac arrest. The noose around Mukhtar Ansari, who had over 60 cases lodged against him, began tightening after the BJP government came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. A year after the change of government Ansari, the five-time MLA from Mau, got a blow when his close aide Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi was killed in Baghpat jail. Bajrangi was killed by another gangster Sunil Rathi on July 9, 2018, a day after he was brought to Baghpat jail from Jhansi jail. According to senior police officials, Mukhtar Ansari was jittery after the sensational murder and his lawyers began making efforts to get him shifted outside Uttar Pradesh. In January 2019, he was taken to Ropar Jail in Punjab in connection with an extortion case. Despite 23 reminders to the Punjab government, Mukhtar Ansari stayed in Ropar Jail for almost two years. The then Congress government in Punjab led by Capt Amarinder Singh kept avoiding his transfer from Ropar Jail citing his medical condition. Ansari was eventually brought back and sent to Banda Jail in April 2021 following the Supreme Court orders. Just weeks after Mukhtar Ansari returned, his two aides Merajuddin and Mukeem Kala were shot dead by another gangster inside Chitrakoot jail. Anshu Dixit, the gangster who killed the duo, was also gunned down by the police. In June last year, gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari alias Jeeva, another aide of Mukhtar Ansari, was shot dead by an assailant inside the court premises in Lucknow in broad daylight. Maheshwari had 26 cases lodged against him, including the murder of BJP lawmaker Brahm Dutt Dwivedi. Along with Munna Bajrangi, Jeeva was also a co-accused with Mukhtar Ansari in the murder of sitting BJP MLA Krishnanad Rai. The murders of Jeeva and Munna Bajrangi were also mentioned in the writ petition filed by Umar Ansari in the Supreme Court in December last year. Apprehending that the state government was planning to ''assassinate'' his father in Banda jail, Umar Ansari had appealed to transfer Mukhtar Ansari to a jail outside the state. In response to the writ petition, the Uttar Pradesh government on December 15 assured the apex court that ''necessary augmentation of security as needed will be made'' to ensure that no harm is done to Mukhtar Ansari while in custody. While his aides were being killed the state government kept the heat on Mukhtar Ansari. According to information provided by the police headquarters, the police took action against 292 people linked to Mukhtar Ansari. Several of these associates were booked under the Gangsters Act while 186 were arrested, till December 2023. The state government also attached properties worth crores linked to Mukhtar Ansari or his aides across the state and broke the financial backing that supported his criminal empire, senior officials said.
One-Day Trip: Explore these wonderful places located around Gwalior in a one-day trip
One-day trip near Gwalior: Almost everyone likes to travel. Whenever someone gets 3-4 days, he goes out to visit some place or the other. Travelling for 3-4 days is a different kind of fun, but for those who do not have much time, their dream of travelling remains only a dream. In such a situation, if you live in Gwalior and around Gwalior, then your dream of travelling can be fulfilled. In this article, we are going to tell you about some wonderful places around Gwalior, that you can visit one day to turn your dream of travelling into reality. Shivpuri Shivpuri is one of the few places in Madhya Pradesh where not only Indians but also foreign tourists come to visit. Yes, Shivpuri is a beautiful hill station in Madhya Pradesh. If you like to visit a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of Gwalior, then you should reach Shivpuri. This is no less than a beautiful paradise for nature lovers. Here you can come to spend quality time with family, friends or partner. Distance-The distance from Gwalior to Shivpuri is about 115 km. Orchha If you want to explore any historical place on a day trip from Gwalior, then you should reach Orchha. Situated on the banks of Betwa River, this city is also called the royal city of Madhya Pradesh. In Orchha, you can explore many famous sites like Orchha Fort, Jahangir Mahal, Ram Raja Temple, Raj Mahal and Chaturbhuj Temple. You can also enjoy river rafting in Betwa River. Apart from this, you can see many animals including tigers, jackals, monkeys, and peacocks in Orchha Wildlife Sanctuary. Distance-The distance from Gwalior to Shivpuri is about 120 km. Madhav National Park If you are planning to visit around Gwalior, then you should reach Madhav National Park to explore. It is a world-famous park. It is said that this park was once a hunting ground for Mughal emperors and Maharajas. Madhav National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Madhya Pradesh. Here you can see many animals closely. Many extinct trees and plants can also be seen in the park. Here you can also enjoy a jeep safari. Distance- The distance of Madhav National Park from Gwalior city is about 123 km. Jhansi If the name of any historical city located around Gwalior city is taken, then the name of Jhansi city is definitely included. Although Jhansi is a city in Uttar Pradesh, due to its proximity to Gwalior, it can be easily explored on a day trip. Jhansi city is today known as the place where the Queen of Jhansi lived. The stories of the bravery of Rani of Jhansi still resonate in the streets of the city. In Jhansi, you can explore the best places like Jhansi Fort, Rani Mahal, Jhansi Museum, Raja Gangadhar Rao Ki Chhatri, St. Jude Church, Karguwan Jain Temple and BaruaSagar. Distance- The distance from Gwalior city to Jhansi is about 101 km.
Subba Reddy Says CM Will Take All Measures to Stop VSP Privatisation
Visakhapatnam: YSRC north Andhra regional coordinator and Rajya Sabha MP Y.V. Subba Reddy on Wednesday assured that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government will take all measures to stop privatisation of the Visakha Steel Plant (VSP). Addressing a meeting of key party leaders in Gajuwaka constituency, he said BJP is ready to privatise VSP even though it will hurt the sentiments of Telugu people, who had fought for establishment of the steel plant. The YSRC MP said Telugu Desam and Jana Sena have formed an alliance with BJP despite knowing the latter wants to privatise the Visakha steel plant. If people vote for the NDA alliance, it will mean giving up the steel plant, he remarked. Subba Reddy asserted that Jagan Mohan Reddy will come back to power and will stop the privatisation of VSP. He pointed out that the Chief Minister has already solved many problems of Gajuwaka, which had remained unresolved for 40 years. Speaking on the occasion, education minister Botsa Satyanarayana said many had disbelieved when Jagan Mohan Reddy had spoken about various welfare schemes. These schemes are now being implemented. Jagan does what he says, he remarked. YSRC Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha candidate Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi said it is because of CM Jagan that women of AP have become financially independent. Gajuwaka constituency MLA candidate Gudivada Amarnath pointed out that Jagan Mohan Reddy has stood by workers of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant by not interfering with their years long agitation. He appealed to all leaders and cadres to understand that the CM has stood by the steel plant workers. Sitting MLA Tippala Nagireddy, former legislator Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy, mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari and corporator Urukuti Chandu, Urukuti Apparao, Kola Guruvulu and others participated in the programme. Subba Reddy also campaigned for Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, YSRC MLA candidate in Visakhapatnam South constituency. The campaign began with traditional ceremonies at Kanakadurgamma Temple, where Kumar, along with other political leaders such as Vizag MP candidate Botsa Jhansi and senior leaders, offered prayers. The YSRC party coordinator asked voters to be cautious of the strategies of Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, who are part of the opposition alliance. He underlined that only YSRC can safeguard the states interests, particularly in opposing the privatisation of crucial assets like the steel plant. Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, the MLA candidate, echoed Subba Reddys thoughts. He highlighted the significant progress that has taken place in the South constituency under the YSRC government.
Kos Minar In Delhi, Gunner Burkill`s Tomb In Jhansi: Why ASI Is `Delisting` Some Old Monuments?
In a notable move marking a significant shift in policy, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to delist 18 centrally protected monuments from its registry, citing their diminished national significance. This decision stems from a compilation of 24 untraceable monuments identified by the Union Ministry of Culture, which was presented to a parliamentary committee in the preceding year.
Kangana Ranaut: What 'Queen of Jhansi' brings to poll battlefield
Known for rarely backing out of a controversy, Ranaut has hit the ground running by challenging derogatory remarks made by some opposition leaders against her after her candidature from Mandi was announced. It's not unusual for a Bollywood artist to join politics, but the energy Ranaut brings to her politics, ever ready to remark on controversial issues and openly endorsing the BJP's Hindutva ideology, marks her out as not your usual actress-turned-politician.
Honoured, gratitude: Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil on being fielded for LS polls by BJP
Honoured, gratitude: Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil on being fielded for LS polls by BJP Actors Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil, who were named as part of the list of 111 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls by the BJP on Sunday, expressed happiness and gratitude to the political party for nominating them for the upcoming elections. While Ranaut will contest on a ticket for the Bharatiya Janata Party from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi constituency, her birthplace, Govil has been fielded by the party from the Meerut Lok Sabha seat. The news of Ranaut taking the political plunge comes months after she hinted at entering electoral politics when she offered prayers at Gujarat's Dwarkadhish temple in November 2023. Ranaut, a four-time National Award winner known for films such as ''Fashion'', ''Queen'', and ''Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi'', said she is elated to officially join the BJP and is looking forward to being a reliable public servant. ''My beloved Bharat and Bhartiya Janta's own party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have always had my unconditional support, today the national leadership of BJP has announced me as their Lok Sabha candidate from my birthplace Himachal Pradesh, Mandi (constituency),'' said Ranaut, who has been a vocal supporter of the ruling party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ''I abide by the high command's decision on contesting Lok Sabha polls. I feel honoured and elated to officially join the party. I look forward to being a worthy 'karyakarta' and a reliable public servant. Thanks,'' the 37-year-old actor wrote on her Instagram Stories. In 2022, Ranaut said she has a keen interest in politics but has no plans to enter it professionally. Govil, best known for playing the role of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's classic TV serial ''Ramayan'', thanked PM Modi for entrusting him with such a big responsibility. ''Heartfelt gratitude to Shri Narendra Modi ji and the selection committee who have given me such a big responsibility by making me the MP candidate of Meerut. I will make every effort to fully live up to the trust of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the expectations of the public Jai Shri Ram @narendramodi @BJP4India @BJP4UP,'' the 66-year-old actor, who essayed PM Modi in the recently released film ''Article 370'', wrote in an X post. Govil along with singer Anuradha Paudwal recently joined the BJP. Ranaut, Govil and Paudwal were some of the several film personalities who attended the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January.
Digvijaya Singh, Karti Chidambaram In Congress' 4th List of Candidates
New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday released its fourth list of 45 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, fielding its Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.While the Congress fielded veteran leader Digvijaya Singh from Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh, it nominated newly-inducted leader Lal Singh from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur to take on Union minister Jitendra Singh. MLA Vikas Thakare will take on Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Maharashtra's Nagpur, according to the list. In its fourth list, the party announced candidates for 12 seats of Madhya Pradesh, nine of Uttar Pradesh, seven of Tamil Nadu, four of Maharashtra, two each of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir, and one each of West Bengal, Assam, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. The Congress has left the Nagaur parliamentary constituency in Rajasthan for the Hanuman Beniwal-led Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP). The tie-up with the RLP is significant as the Congress looks to boost its position in the desert state, where it lost the Assembly polls recently and had not won a single seat in 2019 Lok Sabha election. The party is looking to expand its support base among the jats with the tie-up with Beniwal, who has a significant following among the community. For Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and contesting 17 seats, it has announced candidates for nine seats. These include Rai from Varanasi, Danish Ali from Amroha, Imran Masood from Saharanpur and Alok Mishra from Kanpur. The suspense over whether Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest the polls from Amethi and Raebareli respectively continued. There is speculation that Rahul Gandhi may also contest the polls from Amethi, besides his declared seat of Wayanad in Kerala, and Priyanka Gandhi from Raebareli, a seat which was previously held by her mother, Sonia Gandhi. This will be Rai's third direct contest against Modi in the general election after 2014 and 2019. He had lost both times to the prime minister by big margins. Amethi and Raebareli are considered bastions of the Gandhi family and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the family contest the polls from there. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has also fielded Ram Nath Sikarwar from Fatehpur Sikri, Pradeep Jain Aditya from Jhansi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC), Akhilesh Pratap Singh from Deoria and Sadan Prasad from Bansgaon (SC). In Tamil Nadu, the party has renominated Karti Chidambaram from Sivaganga, Manickam Tagore from Virudhunagar, S Jothimani from Karur and Vijay Vasanth from Kanniyakumari, among others. In Madhya Pradesh, the party has fielded Digvijaya Singh from Rajgarh, Kantilal Bhuria from Ratlam (ST), Akshay Bam from Indore and Arun Shrivastav from Bhopal, among others. Singh had last contested the polls from Bhopal but lost to the BJP's Pragya Thakur in 2019. Among other significant nominations by the party, it has fielded Kawasi Lakhma from Bastar (ST), Raman Bhalla from Jammu, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam from Inner Manipur, Alfred Kanngam S Arthur from Outer Manipur (ST), Anil Chopra from Jaipur Rural, Bhajanlal Jatav from Karauli Dholpur, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat's son Virender Rawat from Haridwar and Piya Roy Chowdhury from Coochbehar (SC). With this, the Congress has declared a total of 183 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls starting April 19.
In UP, 'cradle' of Holi decks up for festival of colours
Erach, 70km from present-day Jhansi, is believed to have been King Hiranyakashipu's capital where Holika sat in a fire with Prahlad and was reduced to ashes, while Prahlad came out unscathed. Erach, revered as a major Buddhist site, is mentioned in Buddhist scripture Petavatthu as Erikachha or Erakachha and was a prominent city in the Dasanna janapada.
Women Benefited Most Under YSRC: Jhansi
Visakhapatnam: Ruling YSRCs Lok Sabha candidate from Visakhapatnam Botsa Jhansi has declared that women have benefited the most during the rule of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy during the last five years. Addressing an election meeting in Tallavalasa under Bheemili assembly constituency on Saturday, she said all social welfare schemes have been targeted at women. This has resulted in women regaining their self-respect within their families. Jhansi slammed the opposition parties for neglecting women when their parties had been in power. She underlined that Jagan Mohan Reddy must be re-elected if the social welfare schemes targeting women and others are to continue. Speaking on the occasion, former minister and Bheemili MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao asked people to chase away opposition parties, which are desperately trying to come back to power by making false promises to the people. He pointed out that the government has recently spent 25 crore on laying internal roads and construction of the Rythu Bharosa Kendram. District YSRC president Kola Guruvulu said YSRC has protected the interests of backward classes. Hence, BCs should ensure that YSRC wins with a huge majority in the ensuing elections. All the three leaders interacted with the people of Tallavalasa and surrounding areas. They inquired about their well-being and the welfare schemes they have been receiving. Response from women in these areas has been good, Jhansi told reporters.
LS polls: Cong releases 4th list of candidates, fields Ajay Rai to take on Modi in Varanasi
LS polls: Cong releases 4th list of candidates, fields Ajay Rai to take on Modi in Varanasi The Congress on Saturday released its fourth list of 45 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding its Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the Congress fielded its veteran leader Digvijaya Singh from Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh, it nominated newly-inducted leader Lal Singh from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur to take on Union minister Jitendra Singh. Vikas Thakare will take on Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur, according to the list. In its fourth list, the party announced candidates for 12 seats of Madhya Pradesh, nine of Uttar Pradesh, seven of Tamil Nadu, four of Maharashtra, two each of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir, and one each of West Bengal, Assam, Andaman and Nicobar, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. The Congress has left the Nagaur parliamentary constituency in Rajasthan for the Hanuman Beniwal-led Rashtriya Loktantrik Party. For Uttar Pradesh, where the party is in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and is contesting on 17 seats, the Congress announced candidates for nine seats. These include Rai from Varanasi, Danish Ali from Amroha, Imran Masood from Saharanpur and Alok Mishra from Kanpur. Suspense over whether Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Amethi and Raebareli continued. There is speculation that Rahul Gandhi may also contest from Amethi, besides his declared seat of Wayanad in Kerala, and Priyanka Gandhi from Raebareli, a seat which was previously held by Sonia Gandhi. Both the seats in Uttar Pradesh are considered bastions of the Gandhi family and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the Gandhi family should contest from there. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has also fielded Ram Nath Sikarwar from Fatehpur Sikri, Pradeep Jain Aditya from Jhansi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC), Akhilesh Pratap Singh from Deoria and Sadan Prasad from Basgaon (SC). In Tamil Nadu, the party has renominated Karti Chidambaram from Sivaganga, Manickam Tagore from Virudhunagar, S Jothimani from Karur and Vijay Vasanth from Kanniyakumari, among others. In Madhya Pradesh, the party fielded Digvijaya Singh from Rajgarh, Kantilal Bhuria from Ratlam (ST), Akshay Bam from Indore and Arun Shrivastav from Bhopal among others. With this, the Congress has now declared a total of 183 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls beginning on April 19.
Ankita Lokhande's candid chat on Swatantra Veer Savarkar: Researched a lot for Yamuna Bai
Ankita Lokhande is set to return to the silver screen after her successful stint on the reality show Bigg Boss 17, with the upcoming film 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar'. Her last outing was also a periodic film, 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi' alongside Kangana Ranaut, where Ankita played Jhalkarli Bai. In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Ankita expresses her gratitude for the positive response received for her character 'Yamunabai Savarkar' and her experience working with Randeep Hooda and more.
Ankita Lokhanda's candid chat on Swatantra Veer Savarkar: Researched a lot for Yamuna Bai
Ankita Lokhande is set to return to the silver screen after her successful stint on the reality show Bigg Boss 17, with the upcoming film 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar'. Her last outing was also a periodic film, 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi' alongside Kangana Ranaut, where Ankita played Jhalkarli Bai. In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Ankita expresses her gratitude for the positive response received for her character 'Yamunabai Savarkar' and her experience working with Randeep Hooda and more.
After failed BSP experiment in 2019, SP pins hope on Congress tie-up to stop BJP juggernaut in UP
After failed BSP experiment in 2019, SP pins hope on Congress tie-up to stop BJP juggernaut in UP The coming general election may throw some surprising results in Uttar Pradesh with the SP-BSP alliance now replaced by the SP-Congress pact under the INDIA bloc. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in 2019 had offered some resistance to the BJP on a handful of seats in the western and eastern parts of UP, but failed to make a big impact. With BSP supremo Mayawati deciding to duke it out alone this time, it will be up to the SP and Congress to stop the marauding juggernaut of the NDA, which has now has RLD on its side, as well as a number of caste-based regional parties in the Poorvanchal region. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and allies won 73 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The party ceded some ground in the 2019 general election, when the opposition parties scraped their combined tally to 16. Even with the conventional anti-incumbency apprehensions at work, the saffron party laid its claim on the state winning 62 seats, bolstered further by two more won by its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal). In 2019, the maximum seats -- 23 -- for the BJP came from the state's western part, where the SP-BSP alliance could manage to win only four seats each. The BSP won Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha and Nagina (SC seat) in the western UP, while the Samajwadi Party emerged victorious in Sambhal, Moradabad, Mainpuri (first held by Mulayam Singh Yadav then by Dimple Yadav in a bypoll) and Rampur that year. The central region of the state has prominent parliamentary constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli -- both long considered bastions of the Congress. In 2019, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi retained her Rae Bareli seat, while her son Rahul Gandhi lost the long held Amethi constituency to Union minister Smriti Irani. Defence minister Rajnath Singh won from Lucknow. The BSP won only one seat from this region in Ritesh Pandey, who bagged Ambedkarnagar Lok Sabha constituency. The SP scored a zilch. The BJP won 13 seats from the region, which includes the coveted Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, the epicentre of a Hindu reverie that drowned parts of the nation in a collective religious fervour after the Ram Temple consecration. Varanasi, represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha, is one of the 30 seats in the eastern part of the state. From this region, the BSP won five seats, while the SP won one, Azamgarh. Apna Dal (Sonelal) won two seats from here. The Bundelkhand region was swept in 2019 by the BJP, which won all four Lok Sabha seats of Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur, and Jalaun-SC. The parched Bundelkhand region has been seeing the start of some irrigation projects and its residents getting safe drinking water. Expressways, new airports in different parts of the UP have narrowed the regional disparity the state has witnessed for a long time.
35-year-old killed in road accident in Gurugram
35-year-old killed in road accident in Gurugram An employee of a private company was killed after a car hit his motorcycle near the Shankar Chowk on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, police said. The accident happened around 7 pm on Friday. Police said after hitting the motorcycle, the car collided with a divider. Dharmender (35) was killed in the accident, they said. An FIR has been registered against the car's driver, who is at large, police said. Dharmender was a native of Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district and was working with the company here, they said. He was rushed to a hospital after the accident but was declared brought dead, according to the police complaint from a colleague of the victim.
15.34 crore eligible to vote in UP's seven-phase election; Polling in Varanasi, Gorakhpur in final phase Around 15.34 crore people are eligible to vote in Uttar Pradesh - a politically crucial state with 80 Lok Sabha seats where elections will be held in seven phases from April 19. According to the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission on Saturday, single-phase polling will be held in 15 states and seven Union Territories, while staggered elections will be held in the rest of the 13 states and Jammu and Kashmir. Elections will be held in seven phases in the three states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. ''At present, there are around 15.34 crore voters in Uttar Pradesh, of which 8.17 crore are males and 7.17 crore are females. ''There are 6,638 third gender voters, while there are more than 12.51 lakh divyaang voters,'' State Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa told reporters. He said there are 92,587 polling stations in the state, while there are over 1.62 lakh polling booths. According to the election schedule, eight parliamentary constituencies in UP will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19. These are Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina (SC), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit. The seventh and final phase of polling will be held on June 1, and among the seats it will cover are Varanasi -- represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- and Gorakhpur, the pocket borough of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Voting in the second phase will take place on April 26 and it will cover eight parliamentary constituencies of Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautambuddh Nagar, Bulandshahr (SC), Aligarh and Mathura. Ten parliamentary constituencies of Sambhal, Hathras (SC), Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Budaun, Aonla and Bareilly will go to polls in the third phase on May 7. The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in UP will witness voting on May 13 and will cover the 13 constituencies of Shahjahanpur (SC), Khiri, Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur and Bahraich (SC). State capital Lucknow will go to polls on May 20, in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The other (13) seats going to polls in the fifth phase in the state are --- Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. The sixth phase of the general elections will cover 14 seats of Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Phoolpur, Allahabad, Ambedkarnagar, Shravasti, Domariyaganj, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj (SC), Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Machhlishahr and Bhadohi. Voting in the sixth phase will be held on May 25. Apart from Varanasi and Gorakhpur, the other parliamentary constituencies that will go to polls in the seventh phase are Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC). The counting of votes will be held on June 4. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 62 seats and its ally Apna Dal (S) two seats, brushing aside the challenge of the SP-BSP alliance. The Congress won the lone Rae Bareli seat of Sonia Gandhi. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was the biggest gainer in the alliance with 10 seats. Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party won five seats and the smallest partner Rashtriya Lok Dal couldn't open its account in the polls.
YSRCP announces candidates for LS, assembly in Andhra
YSRCP unveils candidates for Andhra Pradesh elections at Y S Rajasekhar Reddy's 'samadhi' in Kadapa district. Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh reveals Lok Sabha candidates, while Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao discloses Assembly candidates. Notable names include B Jhansi Laxmi, G Uma Bala, and V Vijayasai Reddy. Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy present at announcement event.
Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh read out the names of the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections while Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao did so for the Assembly polls. As per the list, B Jhansi Laxmi will contest from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency while G Uma Bala be the candidate in Narasapuram and V Vijayasai Reddy will try his luck from Nellore.
UP paper scam main accused surrenders
LUCKNOW : In connection with UP Police Constable Recruitment paper leak case, the roots of which are being traced to Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi and Bihar besides UP, one of the prime suspects Arun Kumar Singh surrendered before the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Kaushambi on Friday. The UP STF immediately shifted Singh into the custody of the Manjhanpur Kotwali Police where the case has been registered in connection with the paper leak. Three other accused of the case have already been arrested. The top cops DGP Prashant Kumar and ADG UP STF Amitabh Yash, said that the other three prime suspects Abhishek Kumar Shukla of Prayagraj, Shivam Giri of Mirzapur and Rohit Kumar Pandey of Bhadohi were arrested from Lalkua flyover in Vijaynagar of Ghaziabad on Thursday. The STF also seized three mobile phones along with a question paper pertaining to the second shift of UP Police Recruitment Examination conducted on February 18, 2024. According to UP DGP, the STF conducted a swift operation across Varanasi, Jhansi, Agra, Kanpur, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Hathras, Noida, and Ballia in UP lodging 178 cases pertaining to the offence and arrested 396 individuals so far in connection with the paper leak of UP Police Constable Recruitment, RO and ARO paper leak case. As per the sources, the investigators are camping in Delhi, Bihar and Haryana to trace other conspirators. All the three accused arrested from Ghaziabad are former employees of TCI Express Company of Ahmedabad which was engaged in storage, transportation and distribution of question papers. As per the top cops, all the three accused along with the masterminds Rajeev Nayan Mishra took the photo of the leaked paper in the warehouse and sold it for lakhs. How it all started Feb1, 2024: Shivam Giri tells Abhishek Shukla about cop recruitment exam papers to TCI Exp Co. in Ahmedabad Feb 4: Shukla and Ravi Atri send photo of the trunks lying in TCI Exp Co. facility to Bhopal-based Rajiv Nayan Mishra, who transfers `3 lakh to Giris account Feb 5: The gang calls Dr Shubham Mandal, an expert in opening sealed trunks, to reach Ahmedabad Feb 5: Mandal, along with Mishra and Rohit Kumar Pandey, opens the trunk, takes pictures of the Code 2 exam paper Feb 9: Mishra and Atri leave Ahmedabad and sell papers to aspiring candidates for Rs 5 lakh each Feb 17-18: 48 lakh students appear for the exam in centres across 75 districts of UP for over 60,000 vacancies Feb 24: Following protests, Yogi Adiyanath cancels exam, orders probe March 14: Shukla, Giri and Pandey arrested from Ghaziabad; Atri, the main accused, elusive
Vande Bharat Express: Hazrat Nizamuddin-Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express going via Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has got the green signal from the Railway Board. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off this train from Delhi on March 12. The train will start from Hazrat Nizamuddin station and reach Khajuraho directly via Gwalior, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur. [] The post Vande Bharat: Good news, new Vande Bharat will leave for here after three days; Know the details immediately first appeared on informalnewz .
UP govt allocates Rs 23 crore for compensation to farmers for damaged crops
UP govt allocates Rs 23 crore for compensation to farmers for damaged crops The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday released an amount of Rs 23 crore for compensating the affected farmers in nine districts of the state that were impacted by hailstorms and rains in the last three days in terms of damaged crops. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed the relief department to immediately transfer the compensation amount to the accounts of the affected farmers on the basis of the survey report, an official statement issued here said. Principal Secretary (Revenue) P. Guru Prasad informed that on the instructions of the chief minister, all the district magistrates of the state were sent to the agricultural farms to conduct an on-site assessment of the damages caused to the crops by the inclement weather. Subsequently, the district magistrates of the nine most affected districts presented their reports on the damages caused to the crops by untimely rainfall and hailstorms to the chief minister on Tuesday, on the basis of which, the latter released a compensation of Rs 23 crore for the farmers in the nine districts, the statement said. Relief Commissioner GS Naveen said that the highest compensation of Rs 5 crore was sanctioned for Jalaun whereas Lalitpur, Mahoba and Saharanpur have been given Rs 3 crore each. Likewise, an amount of Rs 2 crore each has been sanctioned for Banda, Basti, Jhansi and Shamli and Rs 1 crore for Chitrakoot. The process of compensating the affected farmers in these districts is ongoing. The compensation is primarily given to the farmers whose crops are damaged by more than 33 per cent due to floods, hailstorms and untimely rainfall.
Four killed in separate lightning strike incidents in UP
LUCKNOW: Four people died in separate lightning strike incidents in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday as rain and hailstorms lashed parts of the state, a senior official said. Relief Commissioner Naveen Kumar said that the deaths were reported from Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Sitapur and Shahjahanpur. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, according to a government release, expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to lightning in various districts of the state and has given instructions to immediately provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Adityanath has directed the concerned district magistrates to immediately provide permissible financial assistance to the affected people in cases of loss of animals, damage to houses due to disasters like lightning, hailstorm, heavy rain, storm etc, the release said. The relief commissioner said that Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Muzaffarnagar, Jalaun, Jhansi, Kanpur Dehat, Shahjahanpur, Lalitpur and Saharanpur were hit by hailstorms between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm. Rain was also reported in Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Badaun, Baghpat, Bahraich, Balrampur, Bareilly, Deoria, Etah, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Kanpur Nagar, Rampur, Sambhal, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Shravasti, Sitapur, Sonbhadra, Sultanpur, Unnao, Varanasi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Lucknow, Mainpuri, Mathura, Mau and Rae Bareli districts, Kumar said. He said there is a report of collapse of a house due to excessive rain in Mathura, where the tehsildar has been sent for investigation. Information has been received about partial damage to houses due to lightning in Saharanpur district, Kumar added.
UP CM orders survey of damages to crops by inclement weather, compensation to farmers
UP CM orders survey of damages to crops by inclement weather, compensation to farmers Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered survey of damages caused to crops by strong winds and hailstorm in the state since late Friday night and submission of report to the concerned department for transferring compensation amount to the accounts of the affected farmers within 24 hours. The chief minister has also warned the officers of strict action in case of any of kind of negligence in helping the affected farmers out. According to a press statement issued by the state government, on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Principal Secretary Revenue P Guru Prasad has directed all the district magistrates, SDMs and tehsildars of the state to conduct an on-the-spot survey. Also, instructions have been given to upload the survey report on the concerned department's portal as soon as possible. A total of 7020 farmers from 50 districts had applied for compensation for the damaged crops till March 2. Following completion of the survey, compensation for crop losses will be provided by both the insurance companies and the revenue department. According to provisions, the compensation is to be paid within 24 hours after survey has been completed. In light of the adverse weather conditions, the relief department has issued a warning and urged individuals to venture out of their homes only for essential works. Significantly, on-the-spot survey has been concluded for 2681 applications, while efforts are underway at an urgent pace for acting on 4339 applications. Additionally, with the adverse weather persisting, it is anticipated that further applications for compensation for crop damage will be submitted. The highest number of applications for crop damage compensation, totalling 1256, have been submitted by the farmers from Hamirpur. This is followed by 997 applications from Jalaun, 969 from Mirzapur, 812 from Lalitpur, 650 from Jhansi and 580 from Banda, in addition to more than 100 farmers from half a dozen districts. Compensation is paid only to those farmers whose crops are damaged by more than 33 per cent due to floods, hailstorms and non-seasonal rains.
BJP banking on its sitting MPs as it targets to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP
BJP banking on its sitting MPs as it targets to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP After the declaration of candidates on 51 seats by the ruling BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the political picture of the contest in Uttar Pradesh is becoming clear. INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party (SP) has so far declared tickets on 31 seats, including Varanasi, which it later withdrew due to the seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress. Amidst party workers' demand of fielding Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Amethi and Raebareli seats, the Congress is yet to come up with its list. As per the arrangement, the Congress will field candidates on 17 seats while the SP will contest on 63 seats. Apart from Raebareli, Amethi and Varanasi, the other seats on which the Congress will contest include Kanpur City, Fatehpur Sekri, Basgaon, Saharanpur, Prayagraj, Maharajganj, Amroha, Jhansi, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Sitapur, Barabanki and Deoria. Sonia Gandhi is currently the MP from Raebareli, while Rahul Gandhi lost his Amethi seat to BJP leader Smriti Irani in 2019 polls. Aiming to retain power at the Centre for the third time in a row, the BJP banked heavily on its sitting MPs and the party is working on a target to win all the 80 seats in the state. The notable names in the BJP's first list include Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow, Hema Malini from Mathura, Ajay Mishra Teni from Kheri, Smriti Irani from Amethi, Lallu Singh from Faizabad (Ayodhya) and Mahendra Nath Pandey from Chandauli among others. The new faces in the BJP list included Saket Mishra from Shrawasti and Kripa Shankar Singh from Jaunpur. Sitting MP from Ambedkar Nagar Ritesh Pandey, who recently resigned from the BSP and joined the BJP, has also been given a ticket. Saket Mishra, who is a sitting MLC, is the son of Nripendra Mishra, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Construction Committee's chairman and former principal secretary to Prime Minister Modi. Kripa Shankar had quit the Congress to join the BJP. The candidates for Pilibhit and Sultanpur, which are held by Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi respectively, are yet to be announced. Prime Minister Modi will be seeking re-election from Varanasi for the third time, winning the earlier two elections in 2014 and 2019 from the same seat with a handsome margin of more than 3.71 lakh and 4.79 lakh votes, respectively. Rajnath Singh will also be seeking re-election from Lucknow for the third time after winning it in two previous elections in 2014 and 2019 comfortably by a margin of 2.72 lakh and 3.47 votes, respectively. The BJP has again reposed faith in Ajay Mishra Teni from Kheri. Mishra had been in the thick of storm in connection with October 3, 2021, violence in which his son Ashish Mishra allegedly ran his car over the farmers protesting in Lakhimpur Kheri. Mishra won the Lok Sabha elections from the Kheri constituency in 2014 and 2019. The BJP has also reposed faith in Smriti Irani for the Amethi seat, regarded as a Gandhi stronghold. Irani had rendered a major blow to the Congress, defeating its then sitting MP Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 elections by a margin of more than 55,000 votes. From Raebareli, though the BJP has not declared any name yet but speculations are rife that it may field SP MLA Manoj Kumar Pandey, who recently resigned as the party's chief whip in the state assembly and cross voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls. The SP has so far released three lists of its candidates and has fielded Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri while Shivpal Yadav has been given a ticket from the Budaun seat. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who is an MLA from the Karhal seat, might also contest from Kannauj or Azamgarh. The party has given a chance to Ikra Hasan, daughter of former MP Tabassum Hasan, from the Kairana seat while Praveen Singh Aron has been given a ticket from the Bareilly seat and Afzal Ansari from the Ghazipur seat. The SP's first list also included the name of sitting Sambhal MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq, who died recently. The BSP has so far officially not declared its list of candidates. In 2019 polls, SP and BSP contested in an alliance in which they won five and 10 seats, respectively. The BJP and allies got 65 seats.
YSRCP in-charge for Visakhapatnam MP seat, Botcha Jhansi begins political campaign on a grand note
She promises to strive for the development of the region
