Woman dead, nine injured as hospital's under-construction wall collapses in Dwarka

NEW DELHI: A 35-year-old woman died, and nine others were injured after the wall of an under-construction basement at Akash Hospital in Dwarka collapsed on Thursday evening, an official said. The deceased, identified as Santosh Pal, was a resident of Dhanmod village in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district. She is survived by her husband and three children, a son and two daughters. DCP (Dwarka) Ankit Singh reported that information about the wall collapse at Akash Hospital in Sector 12, Dwarka, was received around 6:30 PM, prompting a swift police response. Two of our Head Constables from Dwarka North police station were on patrol when they noticed a gathering near an under-construction building at Akash Hospital's basement in Sector 12, Dwarka, near a petrol pump. They immediately rushed to the scene, the DCP said. At the hospital, the policemen discovered that a portion of the basement wall on the northeast side had collapsed, causing injuries to several individuals. The injured were taken to Akash Hospital in Sector 3, Dwarka, and IGI Hospital in Sector 9, Dwarka. Further inquiries revealed that Santosh was brought in dead, while nine others were still receiving treatment for their injuries. The DCP told this newspaper that a forensic team from the district was called to the incident site for a thorough examination of the area. A case under relevant sections of the law is being registered, the officer said, adding that further investigation is ongoing.

Arid Bundelkhand turns investment hub with projects worth Rs 8,000 crore

The Bundelkhand region in UP comprises seven districts - Chitrakoot, Banda, Jhansi, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Lalitpur

Delhi Kanwar Yatra Traffic Advisory: Routes to Avoid, Road Closures, and Diversions

The Delhi Traffic Police have issued an advisory for motorists in light of the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, which began on July 22. With a large influx of devotees expected, significant traffic congestion is anticipated throughout the city. Kanwariyas will be traveling on multiple routes, including: Apsara Border to Rajokri Border : Passing through Shahdara Flyover, Seelampur T' Point, ISBT Flyover, Boulevard Road, Rani Jhansi Road, Faiz Road, Upper Ridge Road, Dhaula Kuan, and NH-8. Bhopura Border via Wazirabad Road : Through Loni Flyover, Gokulpuri T' Point, 66 Foota Road, Seelampur T' Point, NH 1, and the new ISBT Bridge. Loni Border : Entry/Exit via Pusta Road, Khajoori Flyover, Wazirabad Road from UP. Bhopura Border via Wazirabad Bridge : Outer Ring Road, Mukarba Chowk, NH1, Singhu Border, Auchandi Border, Madhuban Chowk, Peeragarhi, and Tikri Border. Maharajpur Border : Through Road No.56, Ghazipur Border, NH24, Ring Road, Mathura Road, and Badarpur Border. Kalindi Kunj : Via Mathura Road, Modi Mill, Maa Anand Mai Marg, M.B. Road, New Rohtak Road (from Kamal T-Point to Tikri Border). Najafgarh Road : From Zakhira to Najafgarh, Rohtak Road (from Zakhira to Tikri Border), Najafgarh Road (from Zakhira to Jharoda Border). Outer Ring Road : From Madhuban Chowk to Peeragarhi Chowk to Keshopur Mandi to District Centre Janakpuri. Dev Prakash Shastri Marg : From Rattanpuri Chowk to Loha Mandi. Traffic Diversion Plans To manage the anticipated congestion, the traffic police have implemented several diversion plans: Heavy Trucks (HTVs) : Will be diverted by UP Police from Mohan Nagar towards NH-24, avoiding Wazirabad Road and GT Road. HTVs, except city buses : Will be barred from GT Road towards Shahdara and Wazirabad Road. Heavy commercial vehicles from GT Karnal Road : Will be redirected to NH-24, avoiding Wazirabad Road and GT Road. Vehicles from Loni Road (Shahdara side) : Will be diverted onto Wazirabad Road to exit from Outer Ring Road. Vehicles from internal areas like Sonia Vihar : Will be redirected towards Outer Ring Road via Wazirabad Road to take NH-24. Expected Traffic Congestion The movement of Kanwariyas and the setup of Kanwaria Camps on the roadside are likely to cause traffic congestion at various locations, including Najafgarh Firni, Rohtak Road, Pankha Road, Dev Prakash Shastri Marg, Nangloi-Najafgarh Road, Outer Ring Road, Rani Jhansi Road (from Baraf Khana Chowk to Fire Station), Boulevard Road, Azad Market Chowk, Gokul Puri Flyover, 66 Foota Road, Maujpur Chowk, Badarpur T Point, Mathura Road, and NH-08 from Dhaula Kuan Metro Station to Rajokri Border. Commuters Advice Commuters are advised to plan their routes in advance to avoid inconvenience and delays. The Delhi Traffic Police have made arrangements to segregate the movement of Kanwariyas and other road users to minimize disruption. Devotees and road users are advised to follow traffic rules and obey the directions of policemen on duty, stated a traffic police officer. Violations will be monitored through on-the-spot prosecution and by photography/videography. Rain-Induced Traffic Disruptions In addition to the Kanwar Yatra, recent moderate rainfall has caused waterlogging in several parts of Delhi and Noida, affecting traffic flow. Impacted areas include: Chatta Rail Chowk Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg Nigam Bodh Ghat Anand Parvat Zakhira underpass Vir Banda Bairagi Marg The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for the next two days, forecasting moderate to intense rain. On July 24, the weather office recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 68%. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was satisfactory at 93. Due to waterlogging at Chatta Rail Chowk, traffic has been affected on Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg. Diversion points include Chatta Rail Red Light and Lothian Road. Commuters are advised to use alternate routes like Kodia Pul, ODRS Pul Mithai, Mori Gate, and Boulevard Road. Motorists are encouraged to adhere to traffic advisories and be mindful of road conditions to ensure smooth travel during this period of disruption. Latest Updates: Kanwar Yatra 2024: Thousands Embark on Arduous Journey to Appease Lord Shiva, Seeking Blessings and Enlightenment Top Court Orders Pause on Uttar Pradesh's Directive for Kanwar Yatra Shop Displays Ramdev Untroubled, So Why the Fuss from Rahman? Yoga Guru Weighs in on Kanwar Yatra Order

Sub-jr Women, Men North Zone Hockey: U.P, Haryana win titles

Sub-jr Women, Men North Zone Hockey: U.P, Haryana win titles Jhansi (U.P): Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Hockey Haryana secured the titles in the mens and womens categories of the 2nd Hockey India Sub Junior Women and Men North Zone Championship 2024 respectively here on Monday. Hockey Haryana beat Uttar Pradesh Hockey 5-2 in the womens [] The post Sub-jr Women, Men North Zone Hockey: U.P, Haryana win titles appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Kanwar Yatra on, traffic tips are here

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Kanwar Yatra, the Delhi Police issued a detailed traffic advisory on Sunday, warning of expected congestion at various locations due to the movement of Kanwarias. The Kanwar Yatra, set to commence on the first day of Sawan (Shravan) on Monday, involves devotees carrying Ganga water to offer to Lord Shiva. According to police estimates, about 15-20 lakh Kanwarias are expected to travel through Delhi, with many continuing to Haryana and Rajasthan via Delhis borders. The advisory outlined the primary routes Kanwarias will take, including Shahdara Flyover, Seelampur T Point, ISBT Flyover Boulevard Road, Rani Jhansi Road, Faiz Road, Upper Ridge Road, Dhaula Kuan, and NH-8, exiting Delhi at Rajokri Border for Haryana. To mitigate traffic disruptions, the advisory noted that heavy transport vehicles (HTVs) would be diverted from Mohan Nagar towards NH-24, prohibiting their movement towards Wazirabad Road via Bhopura or towards GT Road via Apsara Border. Similarly, HTVs, except city buses, will not be allowed on GT Road towards Shahdara and Wazirabad Road. Heavy commercial transport vehicles coming from GT Karnal Road at Outer Ring Road will be redirected towards NH-24 and will not be permitted to travel on Wazirabad Road and GT Road towards Shahdara. The police said that traffic violations would be monitored through on-the-spot prosecutions and photography/videography, followed by appropriate actions. Traffic congestion is anticipated on major roads such as Najafgarh Firni, Rohtak Road, Pankha Road, Outer Ring Road, Rani Jhansi Road from Baraf Khana Chowk to the fire station, Boulevard Road, Maujpur Chowk, Badarpur T-Point, and Mathura Road. Additionally, significant congestion is expected on NH-8 from Dhaula Kuan Metro Station up to Rajokri Border. The diversion of vehicular traffic bound for the Apsara Border and Maharajpur Border to Ghazipur by UP Police will likely result in congestion on NH-24. Motorists and road users are advised to plan their travel in advance to avoid inconvenience and delays. The advisory noted that Kanwarias movement, though primarily concentrated on the main routes, is also observed in smaller numbers across various other locations in the national capital. The traffic police implemented extensive measures to segregate the movement of Kanwarias from other road users, aiming to minimize inconvenience to both the general public and the devotees. The advisory urged all road users to follow traffic rules and obey police directions to ensure smooth traffic flow.

Sub-jr Mens North Zone Hockey: Chandigarh hold Uttarakhand to1-1 draw

Sub-jr Mens North Zone Hockey: Chandigarh hold Uttarakhand to1-1 draw Jhansi (U.P,): Hockey Chandigarh played out a 1-1 draw against Hockey Uttarakhand in the Mens section on the sixth day of the 2nd Hockey India Sub Junior Men North Zone Championship 2024 at Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium here on Saturday. In the first quarter, [] The post Sub-jr Mens North Zone Hockey: Chandigarh hold Uttarakhand to1-1 draw appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

RLDA invites bid to redevelop railway colony in Delhis Civil Lines for Rs 318 crore

The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) of Indian Railways has initiated the bidding process for the lease and redevelopment of the Boulevard Road Railway Colony in Delhi. Spanning approximately 2.156 hectares, the site boasts a prime location near Tis Hazari Metro Station and the Rani Jhansi Flyover along Lala Hardev Sahai Marg/GT Karnal Road. The lease, set for 99 years, carries a reserve price of Rs 318 crore, offering a substantial Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 16,176.26 sqm. Positioned within the Residential Bungalow Zone, the redevelopment must align with Delhi's Master Plan and Development Control Regulations.

NETA NATTER | CONGRESS SENDS BRS FOR A SIX

Luck is a fickle partner. It could be a lucky number, a colour, or anything that one gets fixed upon for bringing good tidings to themselves. So was the case with Number 6 for K. Chandrashekar Rao, BRS president and former Telangana chief minister. But with time, the tide turns, and it appears, also the luck of the draw, so to speak. If the goings-on are anything to go by, the ruling Congress in Telangana seems determined to make the same six as an unlucky number for KCR. Political circles are agog with gossip on how the once lucky number is no longer so for KCR, and fingers are being pointed to the six MLCs from the BRS joining the Congress as a group. By the time this happened, six BRS MLAs had joined the Congress and word doing the rounds is that the get-them-by-the-sixes attack from the Congress is payback for the BRS allegations that the ruling party is not implementing its Six Guarantees and apparently July 24 is the date for BRS Legislature Party merger with Congress in other words almost all BRS MLAs will join the Congress by then. No guesses why July 24 was picked as the date for the event. IAS, IPS ALLOWED TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER Family makes all the difference, or so the saying goes. For those in service, it is never easy with the husband and wife posted far away from each other. The government is now allowing transfers and applying the spouse clause for even IAS and IPS officers. This being the case, All India Service (AIS) officials, for instance, the Nizamabad police commissioner Kalmeshwar Shinganevars wife, IPS officer Rohini Priyadarshini has been posted as commandant of the Telangana State Special Police 7th Battalion at Dichpally in Nizamabad. At the same time, Nirmal district collector Ashish Sangwan was transferred and posted as Kamareddy district collector. Kamareddy shares the border with Sangareddy district, where Ashishs wife Valluru Kranthi is the collector. A senior TPCC functionary said the hope is that bureaucrat couples will serve the people better with flexible transfers. NARA LOKESH THE GREAT EDUCATOR Nara Lokesh, Telugu Desam general secretary and AP minister for HRD, advised students to help 10 persons each to bring change in their lives as he helped them. Lokesh acted swiftly based on a WhatsApp message from a student claiming that due to some technical issues, several differently-abled students were unable to get admission in IITs and NITs even as they got good ranks in the JEE and directed the officials to contact IIT Madras and, accordingly, a GO was also issued. With this, 25 specially-abled students got admission in prestigious technical institutions. The students met Lokesh to thank them. Then he said that though he studied in the US, it was his dream to study in the IITs and NITs, adding that everyone should try and help 10 others, and keep the movement going to bring a change for the better. BOTSA JHANSI MISSING IN ACTION When the YSRC allotted the MP ticket to Botsa Jhansi, she grabbed the peoples attention saying, YSRC has allowed me to serve my birthplace, Visakhapatnam. I will serve this land despite the election results, win or lose. It turned out that 4,03,220 voters believed her and voted for her. But, after she lost, Jhansi disappeared from Visakhapatnam, disappointing the voters who supported her. Worse, she wasnt around for the debate about the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, leaving her supporters speechless. BANDI TONES DOWN HIS TEMPER Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, known for his no-holds-barred approach at times, and for his punchy comments, and strong stand on Hindutva, was in Hyderabad recently after taking charge. During an informal interaction, a question that came up was that if Bandi would temper his Dookudu (aggression) now that he is a Union minister. When needed, was the response. If the past is any indication, then Bandi being Bandi, can be expected to take a tough stand on issues in the days to come, and speak his mind. COPS TOLD TO ABANDON THEIR FORMER MASTERS IN AP Nandyal MP Dr Byreddy Shabari has urged police officials to shed their perceived YSRCP affiliations, suggesting those unwilling to comply could relocate from the district. This sentiment echoes statements from several leaders in Andhra Pradesh since the new alliance-led government took office. However, these remarks have stirred discomfort among police officials, who asserted their dedication to serving any government faithfully. They emphasised their status as permanent employees within the government, committed to their responsibilities until retirement, irrespective of political changes. THE CASE OF ANDHRAS MISSING SAND MOUNTAIN There is no desert in Andhra Pradesh but a sand storm is brewing in the state. Soon after the new government took charge in the first week of June, it announced a policy which makes sand available for free to users. However, between the time the new government took charge, and the policy announcement, allegations were flying thick and fast that a huge quantity of sand went missing from the ramps and stock points. YSRC leaders are alleging that 35 lakh tonnes of sand was looted within 30 days and they demanded that the government conduct a probe. The question doing the rounds is where did all the missing sand go, and who blew the sand away. Contributions from Vadrevu Srinivas, P.V. Prasad, Neeraj Kumar, Aruna, Sampat G. Samritan, Narender Pulloor, L. Venkat Ram Reddy

Three of family killed as truck hits two-wheeler in MP's Gwalior district

GWALIOR: Three persons of a family, including a sister-brother duo, were killed and a minor girl was injured when a truck hit a motorcycle in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, police said on Saturday. The victims were travelling on a two-wheeler when they met with the accident near Sikroda square on Jhansi Highway on Friday evening, an official said. City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Hina Khan said that Karan Kushwaha, his sister Malti Kushwaha and her one-and-a-half-year-old son died at the scene after a truck hit their bike. Malti's 3-year-old daughter suffered injuries and is being treated at a hospital, the CSP said. Enraged by the accident, the victims' family members and locals blocked the road. Later, they were persuaded to allow vehicular movement on the carriageway, the official said. The truck has been seized and efforts are underway to arrest the driver, who is on the run, the official added.

Uttar Pradesh govt inks over 154 defence deals worth Rs 25,000 crore

The defence projects are coming up in the mega UP Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) spanning six nodes of Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Agra districts

Hargun Kour wins title of Indias Talent War Season 3

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 4: Hargun Kour, daughter of S. Gagandeep Singh and Gagandeep Kour of Jodhamal Public School Jammu, won the title of Indias Talent War Season 3 in the junior category. The information in this regard was shared by the CEO and Founder of Roop Production, Firoj Khan, here today. The Roop Production House renowned in the modelling and fashion industry hosted the Grand Finale of Indias biggest TV reality show, Indias Talent War Season 3, in Jhansi. [] The post Hargun Kour wins title of Indias Talent War Season 3 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

In Telangana's Nalgonda, Actress Sets Up Tiffin Service Centre

Actress Jhansi continues to live as an actor in one way and run a tiffin centre in another.

Jr Hockey teams flagged off for Natl Cship

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 28: Junior Hockey teams both (Men and Women) were flagged off from Jammu to participate in the 2nd Hockey India Junior North Zone National Championship, set to take place in Jhansi (UP) from July 1 to 8, 2024. Prior to their departure, hockey sticks, safety equipment and uniforms were distributed to the players. The junior men team comprised Paramjot Singh, Rajveer Singh, Balvinder Singh, Taranjot Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Nishant Balotra, Raja Sheer Ali, Simranjeet Singh, [] The post Jr Hockey teams flagged off for Natl Cship appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Hyderabad: Cops Detain Protesting ABVP Activists

Hyderabad: Police detained a number of ABVP activists, led by their general secretary Ch Jhansi, who were protesting in front of the office of the director of school education. They were demanding the implementation of the Fee Regulation Act in private schools. They also called for action against unrecognised private schools, the provision of basic amenities in government schools. They also urged the government to announce a mega DSC with 25,000 teacher posts. The BJP condemned the police actions on ABVP activists. The police attacked indiscriminately and injured many students, said Dr S. Prakash, state BJP spokesperson. Maulana Azad Varsity Extends Admission Deadline for 2024-25 Maulana Azad National Urdu University (Manuu) has extended the deadline for admission into its merit-based programmes for 2024-25 to July 7, said Prof. M Vanaja, director of admissions. These courses cover MA in various subjects, MCom and MSc. Candidates can reach out via email at admissionsregular@manuu.edu.in. Detailed information, including the e-prospectus and online application forms can be found on the university's website at www.manuu.edu.in.

Railway Board reduces speed of Vande Bharat, Gatiman Express trains to 130 kmph

The letter specifically mentions three trains - train number 20171/20172 (New Delhi-Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat Express), 22470/22469 (Hazrat Nizamuddin-Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express) and train number 12049/12050 (New Delhi-Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Gatiman Express).

UP B.Ed Entrance Exam 2024-2026 Results Declared: Check Rank and Counseling Details

Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, has announced the Uttar Pradesh Joint Entrance Examination UP BEd 2024 notification for candidates aspiring to pursue B.Ed courses across state universities in Uttar Pradesh. Here's a detailed guide on UPBED 2024 admissions, including important dates, eligibility criteria, and application process.

SunSource Energy commissions 3 open access solar plants in Uttar Pradesh

Solar solutions provider SunSource Energy on Tuesday announced the commissioning of three open access solar power plants totalling a capacity of 45 MWp in Uttar Pradesh. Located in Jhansi and Lalitpur districts on a combined area of 150 acres, these projects have a total capacity of 45 MWp and signify the continued commitment of SunSource Energy to expanding its footprint in the state, a company statement said.

CCTV Visuals Spot Big Cat at Shamshabad Home

Hyderabad: Forest department officials reported on Monday that a big cat was captured on CCTV wandering into a residence in Jhansimiyaguda area, Shamshabad. District forest officer Sudhakar Reddy stated, The big cat, which has recently caused panic, was seen walking inside an independent house in Jhansimiyaguda area on Sunday night. Sudhakar Reddy explained that during the previous incident, the department managed to capture the big cat while it was within the airport boundaries. However, this time it was spotted outside the airport perimeter. We have collected pug marks from the house, but we are still verifying if it's a leopard, he added. In response to the situation, Rajendra Nagar MLA V. Prakash Goud inspected the area and urged the forest department to install camera traps. Seven camera traps have been set up to capture the leopard, and villagers have been alerted, he mentioned. A month ago, a leopard with two cubs was sighted roaming in the RGIA premises. Forest officials had then set up five cages and successfully captured the animals after four days, relocating them to the Amrabad tiger reserve.

'Come Out, You've Betrayed Me...': In Jhansi, 22-year-old Woman Shot Dead by Ex-boyfriend on Wedding Day

The incident took place only hours before the wedding when the woman was getting her makeup done at a salon and was in the final stage of getting ready

Railway Ordered to Compensate Passenger for Stolen Luggage

Railway Ordered to Compensate Passenger for Stolen Luggage In a recent ruling, a consumer commission has mandated the Indian Railway to provide compensation exceeding Rs 1.08 lakh to a passenger who had their luggage stolen during transit. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Central District) determined the railway's negligence led to this incident, which occurred in January 2016 on the Malwa Express between Jhansi and Gwalior. The commission, consisting of President Inder Jeet Singh and member Rashmi Bansal, highlighted that it had jurisdiction over the matter as the complainant boarded the train from New Delhi, maintaining continuity of the journey till Indore. Reprimanding the railway for lack of action and rejecting its claim of passenger negligence, the commission concluded that the complainant's efforts to file an FIR revealed considerable harassment and inconvenience. The commission awarded the complainant Rs 80,000 for the stolen valuables, Rs 20,000 for damages related to harassment and mental agony, and Rs 8,000 towards litigation costs. The ruling underscores the responsibility of the railways to ensure the safety and security of passengers and their belongings.

Woman, 22, Getting Ready For Her Wedding Day, Shot Dead By Ex Boyfriend

A 22-year-old woman was getting her bridal make-up done at a beauty parlour in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi when her ex boyfriend forced his way in and shot her multiple times, just hours ahead of her wedding on Sunday.

Man, 60, Murders Woman, Dumps Body Parts Inside 2 Trains, Arrested: Cops

A man who cremated his 40-year-old wife four days ago in this Uttar Pradesh district was reunited with her after she was found alive about 600 kilometres away in Jhansi, police said on Sunday.

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Tragic Heatstroke Incident: Head Constable's Sudden Demise Sparks Probe

Tragic Heatstroke Incident: Head Constable's Sudden Demise Sparks Probe In a tragic turn of events, Head Constable Brij Kishor, aged 52, succumbed to a suspected heatstroke at Kanpur Central station on Tuesday, as confirmed by senior police officials on Wednesday. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Collectorganj) Mohd Mohsin Khan emphasized there was no negligence in the treatment provided to Kishor, a resident of Jhansi, who had been en route to his native place. Initial investigations reveal that Kishor fell unconscious after feeling dizzy at the station gate. He was promptly aided by Sub-Inspector Jag Pratap Singh, who administered CPR and took him to the hospital. However, a video of the incident went viral, showing a colleague recording Kishor in an unconscious state. The ACP clarified that the video was made by the SI to gather information, and not intended for public dissemination. Despite the efforts to revive Kishor, he unfortunately passed away during treatment.

From Manu to Warrior Queen: A Look at the Life of Rani Lakshmi Bai on Her Death Anniversary

Jhansi: Rani Lakshmi Bai, also known as Laxmi Bai, was born on November 19, 1835, in Kashi (Varanasi) into a Brahmin family. Her father, Moropant Tambe, worked for Peshwa Baji Rao II. She died on June 18, 1858, at Kotah-ki-Serai near Gwalior during a valiant battle against the British East India Company. As the queen of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi, located in present-day Uttar Pradesh, she became a prominent figure in the Indian War of Independence in 1857, symbolizing resistance against British rule. Originally named Manikarnika Tambe and affectionately called Manu, she was born to Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathi Sapre, a Marathi Karhade Brahmin couple. Her mother passed away when she was just four years old. Manu's father worked for Peshwa Baji Rao II in Bithoor, who nicknamed her Chhabili for her playful nature. Educated at home, she grew up more independent than most girls her age, excelling in shooting, horsemanship, fencing, and mallakhamba, alongside her friends Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope. In 1842, she married the Maharaja of Jhansi and was renamed Rani Lakshmibai in honor of the Goddess Laxmi. Following her husband's death, she led a fierce resistance against the British, ultimately dying on June 18, 1858. Her loyal troops ensured her body was taken away, honoring her wish to avoid capture by the British. Rani Lakshmibai became a leading symbol in the 1857 War of Independence. She often rode on horseback, sometimes with a small escort or in a palanquin, and was known for her horses, Sarangi, Pavan, and Baadal. Historical records indicate she rode Baadal during her escape from the fort in 1858. Her palace, the Rani Mahal, is now a museum. Battle at Jhansi and Final Sacrifice The British attacked Jhansi on March 21, 1858. Despite requesting reinforcements from Tatya Tope, his forces were defeated. Rani Lakshmibai personally supervised the defense of the fort. On April 3, 1858, General Rose stormed the fort, and by April 5, Jhansi had fallen under British control. According to historian S.N. Sinha, Rani Lakshmibai, disguised as a man, left the fort on April 4 or 5 and headed towards Kalpi, where the revolutionaries planned a resistance that ultimately failed. They then moved to Gwalior, achieving initial success. On June 18, 1858, the British attacked again, leading to a retreat and her death in the ensuing battle. General Rose reported that she ordered a funeral pyre and lit it herself. Another account suggests she chose death over living under British rule. Twenty years later, Colonel Malleson wrote in History of the Indian Mutiny that despite her faults from the British perspective, her countrymen would remember her as someone who, driven by ill-treatment, rebelled and lived and died for her country. Rani Lakshmibai's bravery, courage, and fighting spirit are commemorated with numerous statues across India. Institutions named in her honor include Lakshmibai National University of Physical Education in Gwalior, Laksmibai National College of Physical Education in Thiruvananthapuram, and Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi. The Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi was established in 2013, and the Rani Jhansi Marine National Park is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A womens unit of the Indian National Army was named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. In 1957, two postage stamps commemorated the centenary of the rebellion. Rani Lakshmibai's dedication to Indian independence is celebrated in novels, poetry, and film, solidifying her legacy as a hero of India's fight for freedom. Temperatures Soar to 45 Degrees Celsius in Northern Rajasthan When Does Jordan Peele's Fourth Movie Release in Theaters? Breaking! Fire Breaks Out at Garments Factory in Delhi's Gandhi Nagar, Dousing Operation Underway

Gujarat homeopath pays Rs 16 lakh for MBBS course from UP, gets degree in just 1 month

A shocking case of medical education fraud surfaced in Mehsana, Gujarat, where Suresh Patel paid for a forged MBBS degree from Bundelkhand University in Jhansi through Dr. Prem Kumar Rajput and others.

Homeopath pays Rs 16L for MBBS seat, gets 'degree' in a month

A homeopath in Mehsana, Gujarat paid Rs 16.32 lakh to Dr. Prem Kumar Rajput for an MBBS degree from a university in Uttar Pradesh. The forged degree, issued by Bundelkhand University in Jhansi and endorsed by the Medical Council of India (MCI), led to an FIR five years later.

Rani Lakshmibai Death Anniversary: How was the last day of the queen of Jhansi? Know the heroic story of warrior Lakshmibai

The first freedom movement to liberate India from the slavery of the British was fought by a woman. This fight is also called a rebellion against the British soldiers. The leader of this movement was Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, who gave a tough time to the British at the age of just 16. Her heroic saga is recorded in the pages of history and is told to every child in the form of a story or tale so that they become courageous. This is an incomparable example of women's empowerment. June 18 is the death anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai, which is remembered as her sacrifice day. In the last battle of her life, she wrote such a unique story of bravery on the last day, which will be remembered for centuries. Let us know the heroic saga of Rani Lakshmibai and how was the last day of her life. Biography of Rani Lakshmibai Rani Lakshmibai was born on 19 November 1828 in a Marathi family in Banaras. Her childhood name was Manikarnika and people affectionately call her Manu. In 1842, she was married to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao Nevlekar of Jhansi. After marriage, she was named Lakshmibai. After marriage, her son died at the age of just four months. After 11 years of marriage, the Maharaja also died. Rani Lakshmibai, who was broken by the loss of her husband and son, adopted Maharaja Gangadhar's cousin Damodar as her son to handle her empire. However, the British refused to accept the adopted son Damodar as the heir of Jhansi and turned against Lakshmibai. They asked to hand over the fort of Jhansi to the British rule. Invasion of Jhansi The British, under the leadership of Sir Hughrose, laid siege to Jhansi on 23 March 1858 and attacked the next day. The army of Jhansi taught a lesson to the British army. She kept protecting the fort somehow but on 2 April, the British planned to attack the fort of Jhansi and started heavy shelling. The British army was successful in infiltration. The queen of Jhansi left the fort To save the lives of the queen and Damodar Rao, they had to leave the fort and go to Tatya Tope or Nana Saheb. Lakshmibai tied Damodar Rao on her back and jumped from the fort on horseback. During this, her horse died. But she reached Kalpi. On 22 May, the British attacked Kalpi and the queen had to flee from there along with her companions. Rani Lakshmibai, Tatya Tope and Rao Saheb reached Gwalior. The British attacked Gwalior on 17 June. The queen fought directly with the British. During this time, the queen was in the attire of a soldier. During the fight, the queen was shot. She was bleeding a lot, and then a sword hit her head and she was martyred. (PC: Instagram)

Railways forms panel to look into speed limit violations by train drivers

NEW DELHI: Concerned over loco pilots (train drivers) violating speed limits, the Railway Board has constituted a committee to look into such instances. The committee is tasked with finding out the reasons that prompt the drivers to overlook the prescribed speed limits at various points. The violation of speed limits poses a serious threat to train safety. A source in the railways cited a case of speed limit violation reported on a river bridge where the driver violated the speed restriction of 20 kmph and took the train at above 100 kmph. Since the bridge was under maintenance, it could have turned into a major accident. Sources also cited another incident where the driver and the assistant loco pilot of the Gatiman Express, which is Indias first semi-high speed train, drove at 160 kmph between Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi and Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Junction in UP. Similarly, drivers of Malwa Express, running between Katra and Indore, had also violated the speed limits. The board issued a circular to all zones on June 3 where it has stated that members of a committee formed to review the caution orders to drivers and train managers (guards) would interact with loco pilots via video conference to understand issues at the field level. In a meeting on June 5, more than 180 loco pilots and loco inspectors participated. At the virtual meeting, a plethora of suggestions and reasons were collected, said a source, adding that strict action would be taken against drivers if they are found overlooking the speed limits. Generally, speed restrictions are imposed on the rail routes only when repairing of tracks or bridges is going on and the railway provide complete route charts to loco pilots. An official said some drivers suggested that a train guard should remind a driver on a walkie-talkie 3 km before the starting point of the speed limits.

12 pilgrims injured as bus rams into truck in Chandauli

In Jhansi village, a tragic bus accident occurred on Sunday morning, injuring 12 pilgrims from Jharkhand and West Bengal on their way to Kedarnath shrine. Three seriously injured pilgrims were referred to Varanasi for treatment. The group of 30 pilgrims had hired the bus for the pilgrimage. The injured were taken to the district hospital for medical care.

Selection trials for Natl Hockey Cship on June 18, 19

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, June 15: Selection trials for 2nd Hockey India Junior Men-Women North Zone Championship to be held at Jhansi (UP) will be held on June 18 & 19 at Hockey Playfield Simbal Camp , Jammu at 4 pm. Organisers said players born on or after 01-01-2006 are eligible for trials. Players should be registered with Hockey India. The post Selection trials for Natl Hockey Cship on June 18, 19 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

14 killed, 12 injured as tempo traveller carrying tourists falls into Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand

14 killed, 12 injured as tempo traveller carrying tourists falls into Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand Fourteen tourists were killed and 12 injured when a tempo traveller skidded off the road and fell into Alaknanda river on Badrinath national highway here in Uttarakhand on Saturday, officials said. The tourists were on the way to Chopta when the accident happened around 11.30 am near Raitoli village. The vehicle carrying 26 people rolled 200 metres down the gorge and into the river, they said. Ten people died on the spot while four others succumbed later in hospitals, according to the district administration. Two persons were declared dead at Rudraprayag district hospital while two were declared brought dead at AIIMS, Rishikesh. Three of the dead are yet to be identified, according to hospital authorities. The driver of the tempo traveller, Karan Singh, is also among the dead. Victims of the accident were residents of Noida, Mathura, Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh, Haldwani of Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana. Rescue and relief personnel had to navigate extremely adverse terrain to reach the badly mangled vehicle. Senior officers, including District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar, Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane monitored the rescue and relief operations being carried out by the police and Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). A woman was flung from the vehicle due to the accident but later she was rescued from the bushes around 80 metres off the road, the SDRF said. Garhwal Inspector General of Police KS Nagnyal said the vehicle was carrying the tourists to Chopta. On Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's instructions, seven persons seriously injured in the accident were taken to AIIMS, Rishikesh through heli-ambulance, while six others were admitted to Rudraprayag district hospital, he said. A health bulletin issued by AIIMS-Rishikesh said that out of the seven injured brought to the hospital, two were brought dead. Trauma surgeon of AIIMS, Rishikesh, Dr Ruby Kataria said that a team of doctors of the trauma department is engaged in the treatment of five other injured. The injured have suffered deep injuries in many parts of their bodies and almost all of them are in critical condition, the doctor said. The chief minister has directed the district magistrate to investigate the incident, officials said. CM Dhami later reached AIIMS, Rishikesh and enquired about the condition of the injured and urged doctors to provide necessary treatment to them. The families of the injured have been contacted and they were assured of all possible help from the state government, the CM said. Officials have also been directed to ensure effective control of such accidents in the state, he said. The chief minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. The state government will provide Rs 40,000 to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 to others injured in the accident. The injured will also get Rs 50,000 from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and other leaders expressed grief over the loss of life. Terming the accident heartbreaking, the Prime Minister's Office posted on X, ''My deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish all the injured a speedy recovery.'' President Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said,''The local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work and all possible help is being provided to the injured.'' In a post on X, Vice President Dhankhar said he was pained to hear about the loss of lives in the accident. According to Uttarakhand government data, 1,674 accidents were reported in the state in 2022, in which 1,042 people died and 1,613 were injured. The country reported 4,61,312 road accidents with 1,68,491 deaths and 4,43,366 injuries the same year.

Tragic Tractor-Trolley Accident Claims Five Lives in Madhya Pradesh

Tragic Tractor-Trolley Accident Claims Five Lives in Madhya Pradesh In a tragic accident, five people, including an 11-year-old girl, lost their lives and 20 others were injured after a tractor-trolley overturned in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district early Friday, police reported. The victims were en route to the Ratangarh Mata shrine when the vehicle veered off the road near Maithana Pali at around 4:30 am. The tractor-trolley then overturned and plunged 15 feet into a culvert, according to a police officer. Karnik Shrivastava, Bhander Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), suggested that the driver might have fallen asleep, leading to the fatal accident. Authorities identified the deceased as Sonam (11), Kranti (17), Seema (30), Kamni (19), and Roshni (17). Seventeen of the injured were admitted to Datia district hospital, while two others were referred to Gwalior and one to Jhansi for further treatment. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed profound sorrow over the fatalities, as confirmed by an official.

Four killed, 20 injured as tractor-trolley overturns in Madhya Pradesh's Datia

DATIA: Four persons, including two girls and as many women, were killed and 20 injured after a tractor-trolley carrying devotees to a temple overturned in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district in the early hours of Friday, police said. The victims were on their way to the Ratangarh Mata shrine when the accident took place near Maithana Pali around 4.30 am, a police official said. The vehicle veered off the road and plunged 15 feet into a culvert. Two girls and two women lost their lives in the accident, the official said. The cause of the incident is not yet known, Datia Superintendent of Police Virendra Mishra said, adding that an injured girl was referred to Gwalior for treatment and another was taken to Jhansi. The other injured persons are being treated in the district, he added.

Tragic Accident Claims Four Lives in Madhya Pradesh Temple Trip

Tragic Accident Claims Four Lives in Madhya Pradesh Temple Trip A devastating accident resulted in the death of four individuals, including two girls and two women, and left 20 others injured early Friday in Madhya Pradeshs Datia district. Police reported that the victims were traveling to the Ratangarh Mata shrine when their tractor-trolley veered off the road and plunged 15 feet into a culvert near Maithana Pali at around 4:30 am. Details on the cause of the incident remain unclear, according to Datia Superintendent of Police Virendra Mishra. Mishra noted that an injured girl has been referred to Gwalior for treatment, while another victim was taken to Jhansi. The rest of the injured are receiving treatment within the district. Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to determine what led to the tragic accident that marred the temple pilgrimage.

Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement Surgery: Jhansi Orthopaedic Hospital Announces The Launch of Revolutionary Medical Technology

Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 11: When it comes to bringing new technologies and innovative techniques to the sphere of medicine and health care, Jhansi Orthopaedic Hospital has always been at the forefront. For years, Jhansi Orthopaedic Hospital has been providing high-quality orthopaedic care designed around the individual needs of a patient. Now, Jhansi Orthopaedic Hospital has announced the launch of robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery, a ground breaking advancement poised to revolutionize orthopaedic care in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This state-of-the-art technology sets a new standard for precision and efficiency, offering a transformative solution for patients requiring knee replacement surgery.

TGCSB Arrest Hacker, Accused of Breaching TSCOP Data, in Delhi

Hyderabad: Jatin Kumar, a 24-year-old BCA student from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, who has been arrested by Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) from his hideout in Delhi for hacking the police apps Hawkeye and TSCOP, reportedly used fake identity and transacted in cryptocurrency using multiple addresses. In order to track down the tech-savvy youth, the TGCSB investigation team had to use advanced software, police sources said. We have collected details of similar offences committed by him. Jatin is facing trial and the chargesheet is yet to be filed against him, sources said. Jatin had been arrested by the cyber special branch of the Delhi polices Dwarka unit. The bureau has seized technical evidence from him and is trying to retrieving data to identify his associates and the others who have purchased data illegally using cryptocurrency, sources said. Our teams were aware that Jatin had breached the TSCOP app but did not react immediately as he would be alerted. However, our teams were running a parallel operation the day we came to know about the breach and finally got him. Our teams are completing official formalities to get him into custody on a transit warrant from Delhi, a senior police officer disclosed. Immediately after coming to know about the breach, TGCSB took measures to prevent further hacking into the apps, sources disclosed. Jitin has not revealed the data he had sold and about his foreign-based associates, sources said, while adding that they would get a clear picture after questioning him. He has reportedly been into hacking since 2019 and has saved the breached data in his system. His PDF files have already been seized by the Delhi police. We still are not sure if Jatin is the actual culprit, a police officer said. We suspect that there are other professional hackers behind him. An official from the Dwarka police said, We are coordinating with TS police on legal formalities. We have provided information about Jatin's methods to the Telangana police. The TGSCB team said that Jatin had initiated comprehensive monitoring and vulnerability assessment & penetration testing (VAPT) not only from the TS police but also gained access across police data stored in the external and internal data storage networks and mobile apps in Delhi, Mumbai and other metro cities, police suspect.

CBI Arrests NHAI General Manager in Rs 10-lakh Bribery Case

CBI Arrests NHAI General Manager in Rs 10-lakh Bribery Case The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended Purushottam Lal Choudhary, a general manager at NHAI based in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, in connection with a Rs 10-lakh bribery scandal, officials confirmed on Sunday. Six additional suspects, including NHAI consultant Sharad Verma, resident engineer Prem Kumar Sinha, and four employees of PNC Infratechnamely Satyanarayana Anguluri, Brijesh Mishra, Anil Jain, and Shubham Jainwere taken into custody on Saturday evening, according to authorities. The accused were allegedly accepting bribes for the final handover, the issuance of a no-objection certificate, and the processing of the final bill for the Jhansi-Khajuraho Project awarded to PNC Infratech by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Highway Corruption Scandal: NHAI General Manager Arrested in Bribery Case

Highway Corruption Scandal: NHAI General Manager Arrested in Bribery Case In a significant crackdown, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended Purushottam Lal Choudhary, the General Manager of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stationed in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, for allegedly accepting a Rs 10 lakh bribe. Officials reported on Sunday that Choudhary, alongside six othersincluding an NHAI Consultant, his Resident Engineer, and four employees of a private companywere taken into custody on Saturday evening. Sources close to the investigation revealed that the accused were implicated in receiving bribes pertaining to the final handover, issuance of a no-objection certificate, and processing the final bill for the Jhansi-Khajuraho Project awarded to the implicated private company by NHAI.

20-year-old from Delhi arrested for hacking Hawk Eye and TSCOP applications of Telangana police

The hacker, who is a student from Noida and a native of Jhansi, had posted details of the breach on databreachforum.st, offering the compromised data from the two applications for sale at $150

Unable to Fund Education Abroad Student Dies by Suicide After

Nalgonda: A 20-year-old student, whose family was reportedly unable to fund his studies in Germany, made a video call to his sister to tell her that he was going to die by suicide, and sent her location. The family immediately informed the Nalgonda Rural police. By the time the police reached the spot, the student had died by suicide, Nalgonda Rural police. Police said the victim, Koradala Shivamani, had discontinued his BSc (Agricuture) cource at a college at Hyderabad, and wanted to join a nursing course in Germany. He had enrolled with the government-run Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (Tomcom) for facilitation in training in the German language and selecting colleges abroad. Tomcom officials said the process including training and accommodation in Germany would cost Rs 3.5 lakh. Shivamanis father K. Shanker, an autorickshaw driver, he tried to borrow the money but failed. According to the police, Shivamani went to his house in Chandanapally from Hyderabad about three days back. He left the house on Friday morning. At 3 pm, he made a video call to his sister Jhansi at 3 pm and informed her that he would die by suicide and shared the location. Nalgonda railway police shifted the body of the victim to the Government General Hospital mortuary for autopsy and began an investigation.

IRCTC: Route of Udaipur Khajuraho Express train changed, will pass through these cities of UP, note the date

Railway News. This news is very useful for railway passengers. The route of Udaipur-Khajuraho Express train has been changed. At present, this change is for one day only. Passengers should note its date. This train will run on June 8 via the changed route Veerangna Laxmibai Jhansi- Lalitpur- Khajuraho instead of its scheduled route. Due [] The post IRCTC: Route of Udaipur Khajuraho Express train changed, will pass through these cities of UP, note the date first appeared on informalnewz .

Barring two, NDA wins all in North Coastal Andhra

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP), has scored a landslide victory in the 2024 general elections in the erstwhile Visakhapatnam district, comprising Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts. The clear electoral mandate of the NDA in the district underscores the strategic prowess of the tripartite alliance and strong support for its agenda as it is set to win two out of three Lok Sabha segments. In terms of Assembly constituencies, the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance has secured all the seats, barring Araku Valley and Paderu. Visakhapatnam LS TDP candidate M Sribharat defeated Botcha Jhansi of the YSRC with a record margin. Similarly, BJP candidate CM Ramesh won the Anakapalle MP seat, defeating YSRC candidate Budi Mutyala Naidu. YSRC Araku Lok Sabha candidate Chetti Thanuja defeated the BJP candidate and former MP Kothapalli Geetha. In the ballot battle between the Guru and Shishya, TDPs Ganta Srinivas Rao is heading towards another electoral victory against Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao of YSRC in the Bheemili constituency. Gantas win over his former disciple reflects the intricate dynamics of local politics and the electorates assessment of leadership capabilities. It is interesting that Ganta has remained undefeated in the electoral arena since he made his debut in 1999. The defeat of key YSRC candidates across the Visakhapatnam district can be attributed to several factors. One significant aspect is the perceived failure of the incumbent administration to effectively address critical issues such as civic infrastructure, traffic management, environmental concerns, and lack of job opportunities. The electorates dissatisfaction with the lack of tangible progress on these fronts has likely influenced their voting decisions, leading to a loss of confidence in the ruling governance. Contributing to the landslide victory in the State, the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance made a clean sweep in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts by winning all the 19 Assembly segments and two Lok Sabha seats. Interestingly, this is the first time all the Assembly seats have been won by a single party or alliance after 1951 in the erstwhile Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. In the NDAs thumping victory, several ministers and senior politicians of the YSRC, including Botcha Satyanarayana, Dharmana Prasadarao, Dharmana Krishna Das, Tammineni Seetharam, Peedika Rajanna Dora, Seediri Appalaraju, Pamula Puspha Srivani, and Sambangi Chinna Appalanaidu, lost their ground. Though the YSRC senior leaders Botcha Satyanarayana and Pidika Rajanna Dora were in competition until the first ten rounds of the counting, they ended up losing to their counterparts by substantial majorities. NDAs cohesive campaign resonated with voters The alliance formed by the TDP, BJP, and JSP presented a formidable challenge, with their cohesive campaign strategy and united front resonating with voters across the region. Whereas, the Jana Sena, which is said to be a nominal contender in North Andhra, has won both the seats it contested. Its Nellimarla candidate Lokam Madhavi registered a thumping victory against sitting MLA Baddukonda Appalanaidu with nearly a 39,000-vote difference

Dynastic fortunes swing in Andhra Pradesh elections

TIRUPATI: The Andhra Pradesh state assembly elections saw mixed fortunes for the state's powerful political dynasties, with some reinforcing their grip while others faced setbacks. The Nara family continued their dominance, with father-son duo Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh of the Telugu Desam clinching massive victories. Naidu secured a majority of 48,184 votes in his bastion, Kuppam, over his rival. With this, Naidu has won his eighth term as MLA from Kuppam. Lokesh registered his first victory by securing a record majority of 91,431 votes against his YSRC rival. From the legendary Nandamuri clan, former chief minister and Telugu Desam founder NT Rama Rao's son Nandamuri Balakrishna retained his winning streak in Hindupur with a majority of 32, 597 votes against TN Deepika of the YSRC. The most powerful Yeduguri Sandinti (YS) family witnessed both triumph and defeat. YSR Congress party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy, secured an easy win in Pulivendula with a 61,687 votes majority. However, his sister YS Sharmila, leading the state Congress, lost to another YS family scion, YS Avinash Reddy, in Kadapa LS. The family's internal dynamics and rivalries have played out on the electoral stage. This could signal a shift in their influence, observed Ramakrishna Reddy, a political analyst. Other dynasts tasting victory included Kotla Jayasurya Prakash Reddy (Dhone), son of ex-CM Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy; Kinjarapu Atchannaidu (Tekkali), the TDs state chief, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, son of late Union minister Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu in Srikakulam. The YSRC's Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, the strongman of YSRC, won in Punganur along with his son PV Mithun Reddy (Rajampet) and brother Peddireddy Dwarakanatha Reddy (Thamballapalle). However, several political families faced defeats. The Botsa family, including YSRC minister Botsa Satyanarayana, former MP Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi and Botsa Appalanarasayya, lost their seats to the TD. The Mekapati family, with a legacy under Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, failed to win a single seat, with son Vikram Reddy and brother Rajagopal Reddy losing Atmakur and Udayagiri respectively. Nedurumalli Ramkumar Reddy of YSRC, son of former CM Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, faced defeat in Venkatagiri. Six-term Kovur MLA Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy also lost his bastion to TD's Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy. The voters have shown that they are willing to break away from dynastic loyalties. While one family won multiple seats, with father, son, and brother emerging victorious, another family failed to secure a single seat. This could mark the end of an era for some dynasties, opined Reddy.

Jhansi Election Result 2024 Live Updates: Counting of Votes Starts Today

Jhansi Election Result Live Updates: Get all the latest news and updates on Lok Sabha elections 2024 results on The Quint.

Fire in three coaches of Taj Express in Delhi, no casualties

New Delhi: Three coaches of the Jhansi-bound Taj Express train caught fire in southeast Delhis Sarita Vihar on Monday. No one was injured in the incident as passengers managed to get out of the affected coaches in time, officials said. The cause of the fire was not known immediately and the railway police are investigating Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

YSRC rebel MLC Indukuri disqualified

Vijayawada: YSRC rebel MLC Indukuri Raghu Raju has been disqualified under the anti-defection law. AP Legislative Council chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju issued a disqualification order on Monday. The council chairmans decision comes after Indukuri failed to turn up for the in-person hearings on May 27 and May 31, 2024. Indukuri Raghu Raju reportedly remained in touch with the Telugu Desam leader Nara Lokesh and conspired to defeat Srungavarapukota (S Kota) candidate Kadubandi Srinivasa Rao and Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha candidate Botsa Jhansi, both belonged to the YSRC. The MLC crossed over to the TD from the YSRC. Following this, the YSRC whip, Palavalasa Vikrant, filed a complaint with the council chairman about his defection. Subsequently, the chairman issued summons to Raghu Raju and asked him to appear before the Legislative Council in person. However, he skipped the hearing twice, citing health reasons.

Reduction in heat wave intensity in next three days: IMD

NEW DELHI: A reduction in the intensity of heatwave conditions is likely in the country over the next three days, the weather office said on Sunday. Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh was the hottest in the country with a maximum temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius. Sirsa in Haryana and Ganganagar in Rajasthan sizzled at 45.4 degrees Celsius followed by Jhansi and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh which recorded 45.2 degrees Celsius each, and Prithvipur in Madhya Pradesh and Bhiwani in Haryana at 45.1 degrees. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heat wave conditions over northwest, central and east India were likely to continue with reduced intensity during the next three days. The maximum temperature in the national capital settled at 42.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above the normal for the season. Aya Nagar in south Delhi recorded 43.4 degrees Celsius, Ridge 43.7 degrees Celsius, and Palam 43.5 degrees Celsius. Light rain with thundershowers were experienced in parts of Rajasthan. The weather department has predicted more light to moderate rain in parts of Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Jodhpur divisions. Jaipur MeT department Director Radheshyam Sharma said the maximum temperature will settle below 45 degrees Celsius in the coming days and relief from the heat wave is expected. Today, maximum temperatures have fallen by 3-4 degrees Celsius over some parts of East Madhya Pradesh; by 2-3 degrees Celsius in some parts of interior Odisha, Vidarbha, Punjab and by 1-2 degrees Celsius over some parts of Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh & adjoining East Rajasthan, it said. It said maximum temperatures are in the range 43-45 degrees Celsius over some parts of north Rajasthan, south Haryana, Delhi, north Madhya Pradesh and southeast Madhya Pradesh; in the range 41-43 degrees Celsius over many parts of Punjab, remaining parts of Haryana, Delhi south Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh; over some parts of west Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Telangana and south Interior Odisha. The weather office said hot and humid weather is very likely to prevail over isolated pockets of Bihar during June 2-4, Konkan & Goa on June 2-3; Odisha on June 5-6. Among other places in Haryana, Bhiwani recorded a high of 45.1 degrees Celsius while Rohtak recorded a high of 44.2 degrees. Ambala recorded a maximum of 42.3 degrees Celsius, Hisar registered a high of 42.7 degrees Celsius while Gurugram and Faridabad registered 42.5 degrees Celsius and 43.9 degrees Celsius, respectively. Chandigarh recorded a high of 42.4 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Bathinda reeled at a maximum of 45.1 degrees Celsius. Amritsar recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 42.2 degrees Celsius while Patiala's maximum settled at 42.6 degrees Celsius. Gurdaspur recorded a high of 43.4 degrees Celsius while Faridkot's maximum settled at 42.5 degrees Celsius. The heat wave conditions persisted in Jammu which recorded the maximum temperature at 41.6 degrees Celsius, 2.2 notches above the season's average, the meteorological department said. However, the day temperature in Jammu was 1.3 degrees Celsius less than that of the previous day, a spokesperson of the Met department said, adding that the city may witness relief from the prevailing conditions after June 4. He said hot and dry weather over the plains of Jammu division is likely to continue till June 4. After that during the next three days, Jammu may see light to moderate rain or thunder in many places with gusty winds in a few places. The weather is likely to remain partly cloudy on June 8 and 9, the spokesperson said. He said Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district, recorded a high of 38.8 degrees Celsius and a low of 24.8 degrees Celsius. Srinagar, on the other hand, recorded a maximum of 30.3 degrees Celsius against 27.5 degrees Celsius the previous day, the spokesperson said, adding the day temperature in the city was four degrees above normal.

Every BRS critic snooped on, says ex-ASP

Hyderabad : Justice Sarath Kaja of the Telangana High Court appears to be one of the targets of the illegal phone tapping operation conducted during the BRS government tenure, according to the confession statement of former ASP N. Bhujanga Rao. In the confession statement, Bhujanga Rao also said that the phone of every politician, who criticised then minister and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao in the TSPSC question paper leak scam and of judges, was tapped on the instruction of then SIB chief T. Prabhakar Rao. Prabhakar Rao monitored and tapped the phones of High Court judges, according to the confession statements of Bhujanga Rao as well as other officers accused in the case, Mekala Tirupatanna, D. Praneeth Rao (SIB DSP) and task force former DCP G. Radha Kishan Rao. Bhujanga Rao and Tirupatanna on March 30 revealed to the special investigation team inquiring into the phone-tapping operations that after they had received instructions from Prabhakar Rao, they had used devices meant to track terrorist units to tap into the mobile phones of TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy, his brother Kondal Reddy, then Opposition leaders Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and other prominent political leaders. According to sources, Praneeth Rao collected details about the personal lives of judges, prominent Opposition leaders and BRS leaders and put them under GPS surveillance so that their movements could be tracked. Whenever the BRS faced protests, the then SIBs special operations team used to bring under surveillance important leaders and associates who were leading the protests or levelling criticism against the party. Bhujanga Rao in his confession statement also revealed that the phones of opposition leaders, student leaders, Congress and BJP leaders and journalists were tapped. We tapped the phones of the family members of Opposition leaders. Phone tapping was also done during the byelections (to Dubbak, Huzurnagar and Munugode) and the GHMC elections, Bhujanga Rao said in his statement before SIT officials. In October last, the Election Commission transferred Radha Kishan Rao and many others ahead of the Assembly elections. After that we planned to bring the BRS to power for the third time we started full-fledged civil dispute settlements, Bhujanga Rao stated. Many disputes involving companies, prominent persons and businessmen are settled under the instructions of BRS leaders. A large amount of money was moved from two private hospitals and money was taken in task force vehicles as per the orders of BRS leaders before the (Assembly) elections, Bhujanga Rao said. Realtor Sandhya Sridhar Rao was made to buy `13 crore worth electoral bonds and was threatened with criminal cases if he refused to do so, Bhujanga Rao stated. Bhujanga Rao also revealed that special arrangements were made for the Kamareddy Assembly election, where then chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was a contestant. We put special surveillance on BJP candidate Venkatrami Reddy, TPCC present and present CM A. Revanth Reddy's brother Kondal Reddy (sic). Based on info from phone-tapping and GPS location, the police officials seized `90 lakh from Revanth Reddy's friend Gali Anilkumar in Kollur and `1.95 crore from K. Vinay Reddy, `10.5 crore from Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's associate, `3 crore from Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy's friend Ch Venu, `50 lakh from G. Vinod of Visaka Industries, `50 lakh from Uttam mitrulu, `35 lakh from MLA Yashaswini Reddy's aunt from Jhansi Reddy, according to the confession statements. Tirupatanna also confessed that he along with Praneeth Rao destroyed all the data after the Congress won the Assembly elections. All the data in his three computers along with nine loggers were destroyed, which also erased information on Maoists stored from decades in SIB war rooms. Tirupatanna confessed that he was a key player in the phone tapping case and said that Prabhakar Rao and Bhujanga Rao had ordered lightning raids where money of BRS opponents was being transported and seized it. Over 40 officers were hand-picked for the phone tapping and extortion operations, the accused told the SIT.

Scorching Heatwave Grips Northern and Central India: Relief Expected Soon

Scorching Heatwave Grips Northern and Central India: Relief Expected Soon Large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on Tuesday with the mercury crossing 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Churu and Haryana's Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi. At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season. However, Mungeshpur and Narela weather stations came up in 2022 and have records only for the last three years. The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30. It said that a fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has attributed the heatwave conditions over northwest and central India to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May. Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems formed over the Mediterranean Sea that move from the west to the east. According to the IMD, 10 weather stations recorded the highest-ever maximum temperature and the highest for the month -- Agra-Taj (48.6 degrees Celsius), Dehri in Bihar (47 degrees Celsius), Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh (49 degrees Celsius), Narnaul in Haryana (48.5 degrees Celsius), Ayanagar-Delhi (47.6 degrees Celsius), New Delhi-Ridge (47.5 degrees Celsius), Rewa in Madhya Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Rohtak in Haryana (48.1 degrees Celsius), and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (47.2 degrees Celsius). In some much-needed relief, south Rajasthan districts of Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi and Jalore recorded a drop in temperatures up to four notches on Tuesday due to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea, indicating the beginning of abatement of heatwave conditions over northwest India. Numerical weather prediction models showed that this decreasing trend would further extend northwards, bringing gradual respite from heatwave conditions from May 30 onwards. Also, the incursion of moist winds from the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday onwards is likely to result in a gradual fall in maximum temperatures over Uttar Pradesh from May 30, the IMD said. ''Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh,'' it said. It said that heatwave conditions also prevailed in many places over Vidarbha, in some pockets over Jammu and Kashmir and in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh. Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the country with a maximum temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana (50.3 degrees Celsius), Mungeshpur and Narela (49.9 degrees Celsius), Najafgarh (49.8 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (49.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar in Rajasthan (49.4 degrees Celsius), Pilani and Phalodi in Rajasthan and Jhansi (49 degrees Celsius). Warm night conditions in isolated pockets are very likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi over the next few days, the weather office said. The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday. The deadly heatwave is testing power grids and leading to water shortages in parts of the country. According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India dropped to just 24 per cent of their live storage last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation. The Maharashtra irrigation department said that the water stock in Jayakwadi dam in the drought-prone Marathwada region stood at a mere 5.19 per cent of its capacity on Monday after recording an evaporation loss of 1.15 MCM (million cubic metres) in a single day due to the heat. The intense heat has already driven India's power demand to 239.96 gigawatts, the highest so far this season, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices running at full capacity. Experts anticipate that power demand could rise even further and surpass the all-time high of 243.27 GW recorded in September 2023. Severe heatwaves have impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation, and other sectors of the economy.

How poverty can be alleviated has been demonstrated by PM Modi: Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti

How poverty can be alleviated has been demonstrated by PM Modi: Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti BJP's Fatehpur Lok Sabha candidate, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concerted efforts towards poverty alleviation, emphasizing his focus on marginalized sections since assuming office in 2014. Since 2014, Prime Minister Modi has focused on those poor, a segment often overlooked by previous governments. While the Congress slogan was 'remove poverty' it failed to do so. How poverty can be alleviated has been demonstrated by the country's PM, Jyoti said. She highlighted how under PM Modi's rule, necessities such as shelter, food, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and electricity to a large number of people have been provided under Modi's leadership. The Prime Minister's vision encompasses both spiritual and national security, working from an inclusive perspective. Contrastingly, if I were to look back at the 10 years of Manmohan Singh's tenure, where was the government heading? Their own leaders were tearing papers in the parliament. What kind of government do they want? Do they want a government to be controlled with a remote? she added. Jyoti further addressed the contentious issue of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, asserting the BJP's commitment to spiritual inclusivity and criticized the opposition's alleged politicization of the matter. The same opposition used to say that ''Ram Lalla hum aayenge taarikh nahi batayenge' (would come to Ram temple but will not disclose the date) but by the grace of God, SC judges made a decision, after which the Ram Temple was built and Janmabhoomi Trust invited everyone. If everyone believes in Lord Ram, then he belongs to everyone. We don't return invitations, due to circumstances if we can't come then that's beyond our control; it's a separate matter. But they (the opposition) even returned the invitation, Jyoti said. Their politics regarding Ram Lalla was so selfish that they feared one community would be upset if they came. So, these people have no right to talk about the Ram temple, Jyoti added. The Ayodhya Ram Mandir was inaugrated on January 22 marking a significant milestone in India's cultural and religious heritage. She emphasized the BJP's stance of supporting the construction of the temple while accusing the opposition of playing divisive politics. ''Who stopped them from building? We have been saying from the beginning that if you build, we will support you. Our focus is on spirituality, not politics. Opposition will be better off if they don't mix the central point of our faith with political agendas. They are the ones who showered bullets on the karsevaks, who stood in court and said that the decision of Ram Lalla should not come. Why? Who played politics? It's these people (opposition) who said that if Ram Lalla's decision comes, one community will be upset. No community was upset even after the decision, Jyoti said. Regarding Amit Shah's statement on PoJK, Jyoti asserted it as an integral part of India and dismissed the opposition's criticism. ''Now they (Congress) are saying when our government comes, we will enforce Article 370. Will anyone accept that? It's (PoJK) a part of our country? It's a crown. It's pitiful to see their mindset. Where are they standing? It seems they are unaware of how the PM protected the borders, not just protecting but also giving the army a free hand that if anyone trespasses our borders, go into their homes and strike, Jyoti said. Union Minister Amit Shah on Saturday castigated the Congress for trying to frighten us by saying that the neighbouring country possesses atom bombs and asserted that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a part of India and we will take it. If the Home Minister has said something (to take back PoK), he must have thought and said it,' Jyoti added. she claimed they had compromised constitutional principles for political gain. Jyoti claimed that Rahul Gandhi's Parents made changes in the constitution for political gain. No one is bigger than the PM. The way the Opposition conducted propaganda in despair and frustration, I want to ask them questions. Did Baba Saheb Ambedkar(B R Ambedkar) include Muslim reservations in the constitution? In Karnataka, OBCs were given reservations by (Congress). Why? Wasn't the constitution under threat at that time when the entire country was turned into a prison during the Emergency? Who made amendments to the Constitution? Who made changes to the Constitution? Rahul Gandhi's father did, and Indira Gandhi did it for her own interests, Jyoti said. Niranjan Jyoti is eyeing to secure a third term as MP, contesting against SP's Naresh Uttam Patel from Fatepur. Polling completed for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the fifth round of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on May 20. These include Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Raebareli, Amethi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad, Kaiserganj, and Gonda. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP emerged triumphant, securing 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP garnered five. Conversely, the Congress party secured only one seat. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats is underway and the counting of the votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

Efforts underway to bring more Cambodia victims home

Visakhapatnam: Total 60 individuals who became victims of human trafficking have been rescued so far from Cambodia. Among those rescued, 35 individuals are from north India and 25 from Visakhapatnam. Additionally, 24 individuals are from districts including Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Anakapalli, Tuni and Godavari. One individual rescued is from Bengaluru. Cybercrime circle inspector Bhawani Shankar told Deccan Chronicle that efforts are underway to rescue 40 more individuals in coordination with the Indian Embassy in Cambodia. The rescued individuals had been forced to skim Rs 120 crore from Indian individuals over the past two years, with the FedEx scam reported on Friday. Visakhapatnam MP candidate Botsa Jhansi expressed concern over the incident. She urged the Ministry of External Affairs to rescue people from both Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan. She commended the Visakhapatnam police commissionerate for its efforts in dismantling the human trafficking racket and safely bringing 60 individuals home. Ends/RS

Jhansi Rail Division Probes Geeta Jayanti Express Derailment

Jhansi Rail Division Probes Geeta Jayanti Express Derailment The Jhansi Rail Division has set up an inquiry to find out the reasons for the derailment of a coach of Geeta Jayanti Express while it was being brought to the station from the yard on Thursday. ''The train, which departs from Khajuraho for its destination station Kurukshetra, everyday at 6:35 pm, was being operated from the yard towards the station for passengers boarding when one of the coaches, S-2, got derailed,'' said Manoj Kumar, PRO, Jhansi Division (North Central Railway). He added, ''We have set up an inquiry to find out the reasons. Due to this derailment, the train departed at 11 pm, about four-and-a-half hours late from its scheduled departure.''

Safety Breach: Gatiman and Malwa Express Drivers Suspended

Safety Breach: Gatiman and Malwa Express Drivers Suspended The drivers of Gatiman Express and Malwa Express along with their assistants have been suspended for running their trains at 120 kmph in a section where the cautionary speed limit was restricted at 20 kmph. The incident took place recently in which the trains' crews violated the precautionary speed limit in the same section, ie, between Jajau and Mania railway station near Agra Cantt, where a temporary speed restriction has been imposed due to an ongoing renovation work of a railway bridge. Prashati Srivastava, PRO, Agra Division, confirmed the incident and said disciplinary action has been taken against all concerned staff. In the first incident, the loco pilot and assistant loco pilot of the Gatiman Express, Indias first semi-high speed train which runs at 160 kmph speed between Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi and Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Junction in Uttar Pradesh, violated the advisory speed restriction after the train left Agra Cantt for Gwalior,'' said a railways source. Just a couple of days after the Gatiman incident, drivers of another train, Malwa Express, which runs between Katra (Jammu) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh), too committed a similar violation at the same spot and steered the train at 120 kmph, he added. The railways officials say that in a normal course, the said section allows all superfast as well as semi-high speed trains to run at 120 kmph. However, the repair work of a river bridge was recently started due to which this restriction of 20 kmph has been imposed. It seems that they might have forgotten to slow down the train at the caution. It is unexpected for loco pilots and it is a serious lapse as it could have risked hundreds of passengers' lives, said an official, associated with the operating department, adding the railways treats such lapses very seriously. The railways imposes speed restrictions for safe operation of the trains for various reasons such as track condition, ongoing track repair work, old railway bridges, station yard remodelling etc. The officials also say that before boarding the engine, the loco pilots and their assistants obtain a complete route chart along with advisories and cautionary speed limits from the concerned operating department and they are supposed to maintain the speed accordingly. The assistant driver calls out loudly these advisories and cautions and the driver repeats it to confirm. It is very surprising how both of them missed out on it, a railways source said. It happened with two trains. This indicates rising stress and harsh working conditions faced by the loco pilots. The railways should get to the bottom of the problem in the interest of passengers safety,'' said M. Thirumurugan, secretary general of Indian Railway Loco Runningmen Organisation -- a body of loco pilots. ''Loco pilots are also human beings whose minds can be bogged down with various issues, including their personal ones. The railways need to take the holistic approach, he added.

70-Year-Old Man Dragged For Several Feet By SUV In UP's Jhansi

On a narrow street in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi, a Toyota Fortuner ran over a 70-year-old man who was behind the vehicle.

PM Modi 'anti-tribal', plotted to topple Delhi, Jharkhand governments: Kejriwal

JAMSHEDPUR: Labelling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as anti-tribal who put the allest tribal leader of the country behind bars, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday accused him of plotting to topple elected governments of AAP and JMM. He also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and its spokesperson Sambit Patra for remarks that Lord Jagannath is Modi's devotee and urged people to crush their arrogance. PM Modi plotted to finish AAP and JMM but we got stronger and he could not topple Delhi, Punjab, Jharkhand governments, Kejriwal said while addressing an election rally here. The PM put all his forces to keep me in the jail but I am a devotee of Bajrangbali and a miracle happened. I am on bail... soon Hemant Soren, whom he has kept in the jail, will be out... Soren's wife Kalpana is challenging Modi like 'Jhansi ki Rani'. No court has found Hemant Soren or Arvind Kejriwal guilty... it is nothing but PM Modi's 'gundagardi' (hooliganism), Kejriwal alleged. My arrest is wrong; no basis for ED to invoke PMLA: Ex-Jharkhand CM Soren tells SC Alleging that PM Modi hates tribals, the AAP supremo appealed to electors not to vote for the BJP as it would amount to betrayal with Jharkhand and the tribals. If you press the button with lotus symbol (of BJP), Hemant Soren will remain in jail...it will be a betrayal with the Jharkhand and tribal community. President Droupadi Murmu was not invited during the consecration of Ram Mandir only because she is a tribal...if tribals remain silent, oppression will continue, he said. The Delhi CM alleged that the BJP is seeking 400 seats as it wants to stop the reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. He urged the people to emove PM Modi and save the nation because if Modi is re-elected, he Constitution and reservations would stand destroyed. Kejriwal asserted that the INDIA bloc will form the government at the Centre. Addressing the rally, Kalpana Soren said the central government conspired and put her husband behind the bars to influence the Lok Sabha polls. The government had also sent Kejriwal ji to jail but he is among us today, she said. The Union government is scared of Hemant Soren, who launched several welfare schemes, handled COVID pandemic effectively, ensured the return of migrant labourers and reunited them with their families during the lockdown, Soren said. Appealing to people to vote for JMM candidate for Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat, Samir Mohanty, she said the keys of the jail's lock lies with their votes. AAP MP Sanjay Singh said, We tell them (BJP) to send us all to jail but we will keep fighting against the autocratic Modi regime. The country will function according to the Constitution not as per BJP's diktat. INDIA bloc inching closer to victory with each poll phase: CM Kejriwal

Jhansi's two polling booths hit 100% voter turnout

According to an official statement issued by District Election Officer (DEO) and District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi, all 375 voters -- 198 men and 177 women -- at booth number 277 in Saulda of Mehrauni Assembly cast their votes. Similarly, at booth number 355 in Bamhora Nagal village, all 441 registered voters -- 235 men and 206 women -- participated, it said.

PM Modi 'anti-tribal', plotted to finish AAP, JMM: Kejriwal

Jamshedpur: Labelling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as anti-tribal who put the allest tribal leader of the country behind the bars, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday accused him of plotting to topple elected governments of AAP and JMM. He also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and its spokesperson Sambit Patra for remarks that Lord Jagannath is Modi's devotee and urged people to crush their arrogance. PM Modi plotted to finish AAP and JMM but we got stronger and he could not topple Delhi, Punjab, Jharkhand governments, Kejriwal said while addressing an election rally here. The PM put all his forces to keep me in the jail but I am a devotee of Bajrangbali and a miracle happened. I am on bail... soon Hemant Soren, whom he has kept in the jail, will be out... Soren's wife Kalpana is challenging Modi like 'Jhansi ki Rani'. No court has found Hemant Soren or Arvind Kejriwal guilty... it is nothing but PM Modi's 'gundagardi', Kejriwal alleged. Alleging that PM Modi hates tribals, the AAP supremo appealed to electors not to vote for the BJP as it would amount to betrayal with Jharkhand and the tribals. If you press the button with lotus symbol (of BJP), Hemant Soren will remain in jail, he said. Kejriwal urged people to emove PM Modi and save the nation because if Modi is re-elected he Constitution and reservations would stand destroyed.

Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in jail, his wife Kalpana challenging PM Modi like Jhansi ki Rani: Kejriwal in Jharkhand.

Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in jail, his wife Kalpana challenging PM Modi like Jhansi ki Rani: Kejriwal in Jharkhand. Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in jail, his wife Kalpana challenging PM Modi like Jhansi ki Rani: Kejriwal in Jharkhand.

Acche Din vs. Modi's Exit: Kejriwal's Bold Claims Ahead of Elections

Acche Din vs. Modi's Exit: Kejriwal's Bold Claims Ahead of Elections Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday tweaked the BJP's 2014 poll slogan to take a swipe at the prime minister, saying ''acche din aane waale hain, Modi ji jaane waale hain'' as he exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will emerge victorious in this Lok Sabha election. The Aam Aadmi Party chief, who was accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal for the first time in election meetings on Monday, praised her for taking command of the poll campaigning in his absence and described her as ''Jhansi Ki Rani''. ''Today I have brought my wife also with me. She took charge of everything in my absence. When I was in jail, she used to come to meet me. I used to inquire about the well-being of my Delhiites through her and send my messages to you. She is like Jhansi ki Rani,'' Kejriwal said at a street corner meeting in East Delhi's Gandhi Nagar constituency. Sunita Kejriwal also addressed the people and appealed to them to vote for AAP so that her husband is not sent to jail again. ''It is because of your blessings that my husband is here with us today. God helps those who do the right thing. Now if you don't want my husband to go back to jail, vote for AAP on May 25,'' she said. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged liquor scam in Delhi. The apex court has granted interim bail to the AAP leader till June 1, the last day of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election, and asked him to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. Kejriwal again repeated his promise of full statehood for Delhi if elected to power. ''I am telling you on June 4, Modi ji's government will not be formed. Everywhere people are angry with them (BJP) due to inflation and unemployment during their rule. ''People have made up their mind to oust them...On June 4, acche din aane waale hain, Modi ji jaane waale hain ( good days are on their way, Modi is on his way out),'' he said. In 2014, Modi stormed to power on the popular slogan of 'Acche din aane waale hain' (good days are on their way). At another poll meeting in Shahdara, Kejriwal attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of using foul language for his political opponents including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. ''This is not a good thing. He (Pawar) is an 84-year-old person. Modi ji is 74 years old. One should respect elders. He (Modi) said Uddhav Thackeray is not the real son of his father. What kind of 'sadak chaap' (ruffian) language is this? Does it behove the prime minister to say this? ''Sometimes he says the INDIA bloc will snatch your 'mangalsutra'. Despite running the country for 10 years, you do not have a single work to count. ''So, it is a matter of great sadness that in 10 years you have ruined the lives of people by bringing inflation and unemployment,'' the Delhi CM said at another street meeting in Patparganj. He also addressed roadshows in Kondli, Trilokpuri and Jangpura assembly segments of the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency in support of AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar. Kejriwal appealed to the Congress supporters to vote for AAP in the constituencies where its candidates were in the fray while asking his party supporters to do the same for Congress candidates. Polling in seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi is on May 25.

Three villages under Jhansi Lok Sabha seat achieve rare feat, record 100 per cent turnout

LUCKNOW: Amid the hue and cry over the low voter turnout across the country, voters in at least three villages in Lalitpur district under the Jhansi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh achieved a rare feat by recording 100 per cent turnout in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Monday. Jhansi recorded an overall voter turnout of 63.70 per cent. The three villages are Saulda, Bahmaura Nagal and Budni Narahat. The voting started at 7 am and by 12 pm, the only polling booth number 277 in Saulda village recorded 100 per cent voter turnout. Saulda is a tribal village with a total electorate of 375 including 198 men and 177 women, under the Mehrauni assembly constituency of the Jhansi Lok Sabha seat. As per sources, the Lalitpur district administration walked an extra mile, with Lalitpur DM Akshay Tripathi buying air tickets for two people working in Bengaluru till Bhopal from his own pocket. From Bhopal, the DM got them ferried to Saulda village by a state government vehicle. Jharkhand: Despite one village boycotting elections, Hazaribagh manages to record highest voter turnout Saulda village head Shri Bai said that people of the village were made aware about the significance of exercising their franchise. Villagers responded and a 100 percent voting percentage was recorded. It is due to the tireless efforts and initiative of our Block Development Officer (BDO) Saurabh Burnwal that arrangements were made to bring home two labourers from Bengaluru and 30 from Indore by flight and bus respectively. The DM spent Rs 18,000 from his own pocket to get the voters to the village, Bai said. Similarly, the other two villages Bahmaura Nagal and Budni Narahat voted cent per cent. While Bahmaura Nagal has 441 voters including 235 males and 206 females, Budni Narahat has total 215 voters including 116 males and 99 females. Commending the turnout figure, Jhansi Commissioner Vimal Kumar Dubey appreciated the efforts of Lalitpur District Magistrate, village head and BDO. Chief Development Officer Kamalakant Pandey praised BDO Saurabh Burnwal for making efforts to achieve the feat. In the Jhansi Lok Sabha seat, the contest is between the BJP's Anurag Sharma, Congress candidate Pradeep Jain and the BSP's Ravi Kushwaha. Ten candidates are in the fray. UP records moderate 58 per cent voter turnout in the fifth phase of LS polls

India Votes: Record Turnout in Baramulla & High Drama in West Bengal

India Votes: Record Turnout in Baramulla & High Drama in West Bengal Over 59 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, with Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir recording its highest-ever voting percentage. There were sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal, besides EVM glitches at some booths in the state and neighbouring Odisha and complaints of slow voting in Maharashtra. West Bengal recorded the highest polling percentage at 73.14, while Maharashtra recorded the lowest at 53.51 per cent, with six Lok Sabha constituencies of Mumbai witnessing voting between 46 per cent to around 54 per cent per cent. Thane recorded a turnout of 49.81 per cent, according to the EC's voter turnout app. The EC had on Sunday flagged urban voter apathy in Mumbai, Thane and Lucknow and had urged people to come out and vote. Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which was once militancy-infested, recorded its highest-ever voter turnout on Monday at 59 per cent, J-K Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said. The Sopore assembly segment of the parliamentary constituency witnessed a healthy turnout of 44 per cent after recording single-digit polling percentages in the past couple of decades. ''The Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a record voter turnout since parliamentary polls were first held here in 1967,'' Pole told reporters at the end of polling. The previous highest voter turnout in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency was witnessed in 1984 at 58.90 per cent. Former J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah is among 22 candidates contesting on the seat. Among other states, Bihar recorded 53.78 per cent turnout, Jharkhand 63.06 per cent, Odisha 62.23 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 57.79 per cent and Ladakh 68.47 per cent. The figures, the EC said, were ''approximate trend'' as data was still being collated. According to the figures made available by the Election Commission around 10 pm, the approximate polling percentage was 59.06. The last four phases have registered a total voter turnout of 66.95 per cent. With the end of polls in the fifth phase, voting has been completed in 25 states and Union Territories and 428 constituencies out of 543 in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Two more phases -- on May 25 and June 1 -- are remaining now. Counting of votes is on June 4. Scattered incidents of violence marred the polls in seven parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal where TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of Barrackpore, Bongaon, and Arambagh seats. Till 4.30 pm, the state CEO's office received 1,913 complaints in connection including those related to EVM malfunctioning and polling agents being stopped from entering booths, an election official said. Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC and BJP in the Khanakul area of the Arambagh constituency. In neighbouring Hooghly constituency, BJP sitting MP and party candidate Locket Chatterjee faced protests from TMC activists led by TMC MLA Ashima Patra. A huge police and central forces contingent was rushed to the spot. Violence was also reported from various parts of the Howrah constituency. In the Liluah area of Howrah, the BJP accused TMC workers of ''booth jamming'' leading to clashes between groups. The central police forces rushed to the area and dispersed them. In Bongaon constituencys Gayeshpur area, local BJP leader Subir Biswas was allegedly beaten by TMC supporters outside a booth. He was later shifted to the hospital. In the Kalyani area of the same constituency, Union Minister and BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur caught a person using the identity card of his rival TMC candidate Biswajit Das inside a polling booth. The person was later removed from the booth by central forces. TMC workers also held protests in some areas following allegations that central forces were assisting BJP workers in ''intimidating'' voters at some booths of Hooghly. In Uttar Pradesh, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 54.17 per cent, Lucknow 52.03 per cent Rae Bareli 57.85 per cent, Banda 59.49 per cent, Barabanki 66.89 per cent, Faizabad 58.96 per cent, and Fatehpur 56.90 per cent. Gonda recorded 51.45 per cent voting, Hamirpur 60.36 per cent, Jalaun 53.44 per cent, Jhansi 63.57 per cent, Kaisarganj 55.47 per cent, Kaushambi 52.60 per cent, and Mohanlalganj 62.53 per cent, according to the Election Commission. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency was around 52.25 per cent. ''There was no violence anywhere in the state. About 250 complaints regarding slow voting and EVMs were received by the EC,'' according to Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa. In three booths in the Jhansi constituency in Lalitpur district, 100 per cent of polling was reported. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is in the fray from Rae Bareli which was represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier, visited different polling booths in the constituency and posed for pictures with local residents. He also interacted with Congress booth workers in Bachhrawan and visited a Hanuman temple in Churuva. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are among those in the fray in seats in Uttar Pradesh. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was among the early voters in Lucknow. ''I have voted and I appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise,'' she said. Defence Minister Singh, who is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow, cast his vote at a polling booth in Vipul Khand here and also appealed to the people to vote. Irani, who is seeking a re-election from Amethi, cast her vote in the constituency. The Congress alleged EVM malfunctioning ats several places and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rahi block. According to reports from Kaushambi, voters of Hisampur Madho village boycotted the polls. The villagers told the officials that they would consider voting only after an assurance from the administration that a road and railway bridge connecting the village to other areas would be built. In Maharashtra, Mumbai residents faced delays, slow-paced voting process and long queues amid sultry weather conditions, with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress raising concern. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray addressed a press conference where he accused the EC of delaying the poll process deliberately at the behest of the Modi government. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said he first complained to the EC about the slow pace of voting in the city and claimed Thackeray was blaming the Modi government only because the opposition was staring at a defeat. Thackeray was preparing the ground to face the results on June 4, Fadnavis added Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also claimed there were a lot of complaints from electors about facilities outside polling booths. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Sunil Raut were found involved in ''corrupt practices'' outside their polling booth at Bhandup in Mumbai. The former MP also claimed that two activists of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were arrested for ''illegal and corrupt practices of using a fake EVM''. However, MLA Sunil Raut, who is the brother of Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, dismissed the allegations saying a dummy electronic voting machine (EVM) was kept outside the 100-metre radius of the polling booth for educational purposes. Still, the police removed it under ''political pressure'', he claimed. Politicians, sportspersons and prominent persons from the financial sector exercised their franchise at polling booths in different parts of Mumbai and neighbouring Thane. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with his family members, including his son and sitting Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde, voted at a booth in his political turf, Thane. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and their families also cast their votes. A 56-year-old election officer died after suffering a heart attack at a polling booth in the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency In Odisha, some unidentified persons allegedly hacked an auto-rickshaw driver to death near Sarsara in Bargarh district. The deceased was carrying some voters to the polling booth. While the family members claimed it was a political murder, police say personal enmity is the reason behind the crime. EVM glitches were also reported at some places in Odisha. Jharkhand saw a voter turnout of 63 per cent in the Lok Sabha election. In the Gandey assembly by-poll where jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren is the JMM candidate, 68.26 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise. Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said seven FIRs were registered for violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) - two each in Palamu, Latehar and Hazaribagh and one in Giridih. ''Polling was boycotted across two booths in Hazaribagh and one in Panki,'' he said. Electors from five Maoist-hit villages in Jharkhand's Chatra district on Monday cast their votes in large numbers for the first time in their booths since the state's creation in 2000. Earlier, polling booths for voters of Garia, Amkudar, Pathel, Baniabandh and Sikid villages in Kanhachatti block were relocated due to security threats from Maoists and people had to walk for 10-11 km on difficult terrain to exercise their franchise Over 8.95 crore people, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors, were eligible to vote in this round and 9.47 lakh polling officials had been deployed across 94,732 polling stations. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the fourth phase stood at 69.16 per cent, 3.65 percentage points higher than the corresponding phase in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The turnout percentages was 66.14, 66.71, 65.68 and 69.16 per cent in the first four phases. In the second phase of the 2024 elections, the turnout was recorded at 66.71 per cent as against the 69.64 per cent in the second phase of the 2019 polls. In the first phase of the ongoing general elections, a 66.14 per cent turnout was recorded. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase was 69.43 per cent. The poll panel said the final turnout will only be available after the results, with the counting of postal ballots and its addition to the total voting percentage. Polling for 23 states and Union territories and 379 seats has been completed so far.

High-Stake Political Battles Highlight Fifth Phase of Uttar Pradesh Polls

High-Stake Political Battles Highlight Fifth Phase of Uttar Pradesh Polls A voter turnout of approximately 58 per cent was recorded in Uttar Pradesh where polling was held for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies. Voting also took place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. The polling began at 7 am and ended at 6 pm. According to Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa, around 58 per cent of voting was recorded till 6 pm in the state. The figures may be revised later. Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 54.17 per cent, Banda 59.46 per cent, Barabanki 66.89 per cent, Faizabad 58.96 per cent, Fatehpur 56.90 per cent, Gonda 51.45 per cent, Hamirpur 60.36 per cent, Jalaun 53.44 per cent, Jhansi 63.57 per cent, Kaisarganj 55.47 per cent, Kaushambi 52.60 per cent, Lucknow 52.03 per cent, Mohanlalganj 62.53 per cent and Rae Bareli 57.85 per cent, according to the Election Commission. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency was around 52.25 per cent. ''There was no violence anywhere in the state. About 250 complaints regarding slow voting and EVMs were received by the EC,'' Rinwa said. In three booths in the Jhansi constituency in Lalitpur district, 100 per cent of polling was reported. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are among those in the fray. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier. More than 2.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the 14 constituencies and 144 candidates are in the fray. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was among the early voters in Lucknow. ''I have voted and I appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise,'' she said. Defence Minister Singh, who is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow and is pitted against sitting Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra, cast his vote at a polling booth in Vipul Khand here and also appealed to the people to vote. Irani, who is seeking a re-election from Amethi, cast her vote in the constituency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited different polling booths in Rae Bareli and posed for pictures with the local residents. He also interacted with Congress booth workers in Bachhrawan and visited a Hanuman temple in Churuva. In a post on X, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress, said, ''Booth number 5, Rasulpur in Sareni in Rae Bareli is closed since 8 am (and) voters are going back. So this is how (the target of) 400 (seats) will be crossed!'' In other posts, the Congress alleged EVM malfunctioning and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rahi block. SP candidate from Gonda constituency Shreya Verma complained to the Election Commission that fair polling was not taking place at booth numbers 180 and 181 in the Mankapur area. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it has fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. From the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi while SP candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. In the Kaisarganj Lok Sabha constituency, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. In the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is taking on SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) Awadhesh Prasad. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is up against SP's Shreya Verma. The electoral contest in Banda is between R K Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and SP's Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is looking to score a hat-trick, is pitted against SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, in the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is taking on Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP in Jalaun. The Lucknow East assembly seat bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023. Votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls will be counted on June 4.

'Jhansi ki rani': Kejriwal's special pitch for wife Sunita

In a special praise for wife Sunita, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday described her as Jhansi ki Rani' and commended her for taking charge of the Lok Sabha election campaign in his absence. Today I have brought my wife also with me. She took charge of everything in my absence. When I was in jail, she used to come to meet me. I used to inquire about the well-being of my Delhiites through her and send my messages to you. She is like Jhansi ki Rani, Kejriwal said at a street corner meeting in East Delhi's Gandhi Nagar constituency.

Kejriwal says 'acche din aane waale hain, Modi ji jane waale hain'; likens wife to 'Jhansi ki Rani'

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal criticizes PM Modi with BJP's 2014 slogan. Praises wife Sunita Kejriwal as 'Jhansi Ki Rani'. Expresses confidence in INDIA bloc's victory in Lok Sabha election. Arrested by Enforcement Directorate. Granted interim bail till June 1, vows full statehood for Delhi. Criticizes Modi for using foul language against political opponents.

Kejriwal Rallies with 'Jhansi Ki Rani': AAP Push for Delhi

Kejriwal Rallies with 'Jhansi Ki Rani': AAP Push for Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday tweaked the BJP's 2014 poll slogan to hit out at the prime minister, saying ''acche din aane waale hain, Modi ji jaane waale hain'' as he exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will emerge victorious in this Lok Sabha election. The Aam Aadmi Party chief, who was accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal for the first time in election meetings on Monday, praised her for taking command of the poll campaigning in his absence and described her as ''Jhansi Ki Rani''. ''Today I have brought my wife also with me. She took charge of everything in my absence. When I was in jail, she used to come to meet me. I used to inquire about the well-being of my Delhiites through her and send my messages to you. She is like Jhansi ki Rani,'' Kejriwal said at a street corner meeting in East Delhi's Gandhi Nagar constituency. Sunita Kejriwal also addressed the people and appealed to them to vote for AAP so that her husband is not sent to jail again. ''It is because of your blessings that my husband is here with us today. God helps those who do the right thing. Now if you don't want my husband to go back to jail, vote for AAP on May 25,'' she said. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged liquor scam in Delhi. The apex court has granted interim bail to the AAP leader till June 1, the last day of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election, and asked him to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. Kejriwal again repeated his promise of full statehood for Delhi if elected to power. ''I am telling you on June 4, Modi ji's government will not be formed. Everywhere people are angry with them (BJP) due to inflation and unemployment during their rule. ''People have made up their mind to oust them...On June 4, acche din aane waale hain, Modi ji jaane waale hain ( good days are on their way, Modi is on his way out,'' he said. In 2014, Modi stormed to power on the popular slogan of 'Acche din aane waale hain' (good days are on their way). At another poll meeting in Shahdara, Kejriwal attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of using foul language for his political opponents including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. ''This is not a good thing. He (Pawar) is an 84-year-old person. Modi ji is 74 years old. One should respect elders. He (Modi) said Uddhav Thackeray is not the real son of his father. What kind of 'sadak chaap' (ruffian) language is this? Does it behove the prime minister to say this? ''Sometimes he says the INDIA bloc will snatch your 'mangalsutra'. Despite running the country for 10 years, you do not have a single work to count. So, it is a matter of great sadness that in 10 years you have ruined the lives of people by bringing inflation and unemployment, the Delhi CM said. Polling in seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi is on May 25.

LS polls: 47.55 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: A voter turnout of 47.55 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies.Voting is also taking place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. The polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. According to the Election Commission, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 45.13 per cent till 3 pm, Banda 48.08 per cent, Barabanki 55.35 per cent, Faizabad 48.66 per cent, Fatehpur 47.25 per cent, Gonda 43.23 per cent, Hamirpur 48.87 per cent, Jalaun 46.22 per cent, Jhansi 52.53 per cent, Kaisarganj 46.01 per cent, Kaushambi 43.01 per cent, Lucknow 41.90 per cent, Mohanlalganj 51.08 per cent and Rae Bareli 47.83 per cent. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency at 3 pm stood at 42.53 per cent. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are among those in the fray. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier. More than 2.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the 14 constituencies and 144 candidates are in the fray. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was among the early voters in Lucknow. I have voted and I appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise, she said. Defence Minister Singh, who is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow and is pitted against sitting Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra, cast his vote at a polling booth in Vipul Khand here and also appealed to the people to vote. Irani, who is seeking a re-election from Amethi, cast her vote in the constituency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited different polling booths in Rae Bareli and posed for pictures with the local residents. He also interacted with Congress booth workers in Bachhrawan and visited a Hanuman temple in Churuva. In a post on X, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress, said, Booth number 5, Rasulpur in Sareni in Rae Bareli is closed since 8 am (and) voters are going back. So this is how (the target of) 400 (seats) will be crossed! In other posts, the Congress alleged EVM malfunctioning and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rahi block. SP candidate from Gonda constituency Shreya Verma complained to the Election Commission that fair polling was not taking place at booth number 180 and 181 in the Mankapur area. According to reports from Kaushambi, voters of Hisampur Madho village boycotted the polls. With not a single villager reaching the polling station till 10.20 am, administration officials were busy trying to convince the villagers to vote. The villagers, however, told the officials that they would consider voting only after the administration gave them an assurance to build a road and railway bridge connecting the village to other areas. Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sitharu, Mahendra Srivastava said voting had not started at the polling booth of Hisampur Madho village till 10.20 am and officials were trying to convince the villagers to exercise their right to franchise. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it has fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. From the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi while SP candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. In the Kaisarganj Lok Sabha constituency, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. In the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is taking on SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) Awadhesh Prasad. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is up against SP's Shreya Verma. The electoral contest in Banda is between R K Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and SP's Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is pitted against SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, in the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is taking on Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP in Jalaun. The Lucknow East assembly seat bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023. Votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls will be counted on June 4.

High Stakes and High Turnout: Key Leaders Cast Votes in UP's 5th Phase

High Stakes and High Turnout: Key Leaders Cast Votes in UP's 5th Phase A voter turnout of 47.55 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies. Voting is also taking place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. The polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. According to the Election Commission, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 45.13 per cent till 3 pm, Banda 48.08 per cent, Barabanki 55.35 per cent, Faizabad 48.66 per cent, Fatehpur 47.25 per cent, Gonda 43.23 per cent, Hamirpur 48.87 per cent, Jalaun 46.22 per cent, Jhansi 52.53 per cent, Kaisarganj 46.01 per cent, Kaushambi 43.01 per cent, Lucknow 41.90 per cent, Mohanlalganj 51.08 per cent and Rae Bareli 47.83 per cent. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency at 3 pm stood at 42.53 per cent. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are among those in the fray. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier. More than 2.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the 14 constituencies and 144 candidates are in the fray. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was among the early voters in Lucknow. ''I have voted and I appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise,'' she said. Defence Minister Singh, who is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow and is pitted against sitting Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra, cast his vote at a polling booth in Vipul Khand here and also appealed to the people to vote. Irani, who is seeking a re-election from Amethi, cast her vote in the constituency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited different polling booths in Rae Bareli and posed for pictures with the local residents. He also interacted with Congress booth workers in Bachhrawan and visited a Hanuman temple in Churuva. In a post on X, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress, said, ''Booth number 5, Rasulpur in Sareni in Rae Bareli is closed since 8 am (and) voters are going back. So this is how (the target of) 400 (seats) will be crossed!'' In other posts, the Congress alleged EVM malfunctioning and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rahi block. SP candidate from Gonda constituency Shreya Verma complained to the Election Commission that fair polling was not taking place at booth number 180 and 181 in the Mankapur area. According to reports from Kaushambi, voters of Hisampur Madho village boycotted the polls. With not a single villager reaching the polling station till 10.20 am, administration officials were busy trying to convince the villagers to vote. The villagers, however, told the officials that they would consider voting only after the administration gave them an assurance to build a road and railway bridge connecting the village to other areas. Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sitharu, Mahendra Srivastava said voting had not started at the polling booth of Hisampur Madho village till 10.20 am and officials were trying to convince the villagers to exercise their right to franchise. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it has fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. From the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi while SP candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. In the Kaisarganj Lok Sabha constituency, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. In the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is taking on SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) Awadhesh Prasad. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is up against SP's Shreya Verma. The electoral contest in Banda is between R K Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and SP's Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is pitted against SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, in the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is taking on Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP in Jalaun. The Lucknow East assembly seat bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023. Votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls will be counted on June 4.

High-Stakes Voting: U.P. Records 39.55% Turnout by 1 PM in 5th Phase of Lok Sabha Elections

High-Stakes Voting: U.P. Records 39.55% Turnout by 1 PM in 5th Phase of Lok Sabha Elections A voter turnout of 39.55 per cent was recorded till 1 pm in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies. Voting is also taking place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. Polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. According to the Election Commission, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 38.21 per cent till 1 pm, Banda 40.20 per cent, Barabanki 44.77 per cent, Faizabad 40.77 per cent, Fatehpur 39.85 per cent, Gonda 36.67 per cent, Hamirpur 40.71 per cent, Jalaun 39.50 per cent, Jhansi 43.61 per cent, Kaisarganj 38.50 per cent, Kaushambi 36.25 per cent, Lucknow 33.50 per cent, Mohanlalganj 41.43 per cent and Rae Bareli 39.69 per cent. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency stood at 34.03 per cent. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are among those in the fray. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, which was represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier. Over 2.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the 14 constituencies and 144 candidates are in the fray. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati was among the early voters in Lucknow. ''I have voted and appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise,'' she said. Defence Minister Singh, who is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow and is pitted against sitting Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra, cast his vote at a polling booth in Vipul Khand here and also appealed to people to vote. Irani, who is seeking re-election from Amethi, cast her vote in the constituency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited different polling booths in Rae Bareli and met locals. He also posed for pictures with the public. He interacted with Congress booth workers in Bachhrawan and visited a Hanuman temple in Churuva. In a post on X, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress, said, ''Booth number 5, Rasulpur in Sareni in Rae Bareli is closed since 8 am (and) voters are going back. So this is how (the target of) 400 (seats) will be crossed!'' In other posts, the Congress alleged EVM malfunctioning and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rahi block. Samajwadi Party candidate from Gonda constituency Shreya Verma complained to the Election Commission that fair polling is not taking place at booth numbers 180 and 181 in the Mankapur area. According to reports from Kaushambi, voters of Hisampur Madho village boycotted the polls. With not a single villager reaching the polling station till 10:20 am, administration officials were busy trying to convince the villagers to vote. The villagers, however, told the officials that they would consider voting only after the administration gives them an assurance to build a road and railway bridge connecting the village to other areas. Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sitharu, Mahendra Srivastava said voting had not started at the polling booth of Hisampur Madho village till 10:20 am and officials were trying to convince the villagers to exercise their right to franchise. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it has fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. From the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi while SP candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. In the Kaisarganj Lok Sabha constituency, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. In the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is taking on SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) Awadhesh Prasad. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is up against SP's Shreya Verma. The electoral contest in Banda is between R K Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and SP's Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick, is pitted against SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, in the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is taking on Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP in Jalaun. The Lucknow East assembly seat bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023. Votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls will be counted on June 4.

LS polls: 12.89 percent voter turnout recorded till 9 am in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: A voter turnout of 12.89 per cent was recorded till 9 am in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies.Voting is also taking place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. Polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. According to the Election Commission, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 13.45 per cent till 9 am, Banda 14.57 per cent, Barabanki 12.73 per cent, Faizabad 14 per cent, Fatehpur 14.28 per cent, Gonda 9.55 per cent, Hamirpur 13.61 per cent, Jalaun 12.80 per cent, Kaisarganj 13.04 per cent, Kaushambi 10.49 per cent, Lucknow 10.39 per cent, Mohanlalganj 13.86 per cent and Raebareli 13.60 per cent. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency stood at 10.88 per cent. Besides Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow) and Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, which was represented by his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi earlier. Over 2.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the 14 constituencies and 144 candidates are in the fray. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it has fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. From the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi while Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. Defence Minister Singh is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow. He is pitted against sitting SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow Central. Union minister Irani has been fielded from the neighbouring Amethi constituency. In the Kaisarganj Lok Sabha constituency, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. The Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, will see a contest between sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is eyeing a hat-trick, and Awadhesh Prasad, the SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) assembly constituency in Ayodhya district. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is up against SP's Shreya Verma. The electoral contest in Banda is between R K Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel of the SP. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick of wins, is up against SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, in the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is pitted against Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP in Jalaun. The Lucknow East assembly seat bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023.

SP, Congress are standing out as 'Ram vidrohi': UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya

SP, Congress are standing out as 'Ram vidrohi': UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday criticised the Samajwadi Party and Congress and labelled them as 'Ram vidrohi' for declining the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. SP and Congress are standing out as 'Ram vidrohi'. They declined the invitation to Pran Pratishtha ceremony. What does this show? They paid tribute to the mafia Mukhtar Ansari. Their thoughts are clear, they can never stay away from appeasement politics. BJP's path is clear, we will never do appeasement politics. BJP never made Ram Temple a political issue, he told ANI. Maurya expressed confidence that the BJP and its allies are poised to win the 2024 Lok Sabha election, leading to the re-election of the current Prime Minister. He emphasized that the nation stands with the Prime Minister. Our analysis is the same as it was before and the result will also come in the same way on June 4...BJP and its alliance are going to win...Once again PM will become Prime Minister. The nation is standing with him, he told ANI. He also predicted a loss for Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party in the Lok Sabha election, citing public disapproval of those who support goons and mafias. Who is lying, the public can see this very well...In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections Akhilesh Yadav claimed to win more than 60 seats, but they got only 5 seats...This repeated many times...4 times public has defeated them...In 2024 also this will repeat because the public does not go with goons and mafias, he told ANI. The Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh are being conducted in seven phases. The first four phases have already concluded. The fifth phase will take place in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh on May 20. These include Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Raebareli, Amethi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad, Kaiserganj, and Gonda. Additionally, a by-election will be held in the Lucknow East Assembly constituency. The remaining Lok Sabha seats will go to polls on May 25 and June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)

Vision of 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar' needs to be realised to make PoK a part of India: CM Yogi

Vision of 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar' needs to be realised to make PoK a part of India: CM Yogi Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday said that the vision of securing over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections needs to be realised to integrate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India. The vision of 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar' needs to be realised to make PoK a part of India, UP CM said. He highlighted his extensive visits to 10 states and the ongoing preparations for the formation of a new government in the country. The Chief Minister was addressing a public meeting in Rampur Khas in support of BJP candidate Sangam Lal Gupta. He said, Everyone in the whole country and the world seems confident about the election results. Slogans of 'Fir ek baar, Modi Sarkar' and 'Abki baar, 400 paar' are echoing across the nation, adding to the woes of Congress and the SP. Reflecting on PM Modi's decade-long tenure, the Chief Minister underscored India's enhanced global stature and successful efforts in countering terrorism and Naxalism. Asserting India's strength, he emphasised that any provocation would be met with a firm response. Criticising the Samajwadi Party, he labelled it as sympathetic to terrorists, citing instances of past attacks during SP's state governance and Congress' central rule. Whenever these two form an alliance, disaster happens, he added. The Chief Minister emphasised the renown of Pratapgarh's gooseberry and its contribution to the region's identity. He also mentioned the honour of having a medical college here named after Sonelal Patel. Reflecting on past governance, he highlighted the hardships faced by the populace during the Samajwadi Party's reign, including hunger-related deaths, a lack of medical care leading to fatalities, farmer suicides, and widespread insecurity among daughters and businessmen. However, contrasting the scenario, he mentioned that 80 crore citizens now benefit from free ration distribution across the nation, with additional plans for health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh for individuals above 70 years under the leadership of PM Modi. Criticising Congress and the SP for their alleged lack of developmental agendas, he emphasised his administration's commitment to progress. We have done development and have also done such work that will improve both the world and the afterlife. We also built a grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, fulfilling centuries-long aspirations, he added. The Chief Minister highlighted that Ayodhya has now transformed into a 'navya' Ayodhya and this is why the whole world is resonating with 'Jo Ram ko laye hai, hum unko layenge'. Expressing devotion to Lord Ram, he emphasised a holistic vision for the nation, focusing on welfare, poverty alleviation, and developmental initiatives. Conversely, he condemned those opposing Ram, associating them with corruption, immorality, and fostering criminal activities like mafia and terrorism. All of them have the same DNA. Together, they spread anarchy and create riots. They used to create disturbances on every festival and occasion. Today, all troublemakers have been dealt with accordingly, Yogi added. Taking a dig at the SP and Congress, CM Yogi said, These people want to impose Jizya tax once again in the country through inheritance tax. Their plans should never be allowed to succeed. BJP will never let Aurangzeb be born again, who was the most cruel ruler in history and who killed his brother and imprisoned his father. Even in the Muslim community, no one names their children after Aurangzeb. Shifting focus to Pratapgarh's development, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to integrate the region into comprehensive growth strategies. Promising a tailored plan for Pratapgarh's economic advancement, he envisioned the establishment of industries to attract job seekers from around the world. Emphasising the BJP's dedication to safeguarding citizens' rights, the Chief Minister criticised the INDI alliance's proposal for reservations based on religious grounds. Expressing concern over the potential volatility of their stance, he cautioned the public against falling for their rhetoric, characterised by falsehoods, manipulation, and caste-based division. BJP is necessary for the development and security of the country. SP made you yearn for development, employment and water, and now it's your turn to make them yearn for votes, he added. Urging support for Sangam Lal Gupta, he assured that Gupta would prioritise both development initiatives and advocacy for citizens' rights. On this occasion, former Minister Suresh Rana, District In-Charge Kaushlendra Singh Patel, former Minister Rajendra Pratap Singh Moti, Dr Shivakant, Rajkumari Ratna Singh, MLAs Rajendra Maurya, Jeetlal Patel, Umesh Dwivedi and other dignitaries were present. The Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases. Polling in the first four phases has already been completed. The fifth phase of elections will be held in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh on May 20, in Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Raebareli, Amethi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad, Kaiserganj, and Gonda, while there will be a by-election in the Lucknow East Assembly constituency. Polling for the remaining Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. (ANI)

Jhansi constituency of Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates list, main parties, schedule

LS polls: Rahul, Smriti, Rajnath among key candidates on Monday's 5th phase in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: Voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh , which will decide the fate of five Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will be held on Monday. The seats going to polls in the fifth phase are Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. Besides Defence Minister Singh (Lucknow) and Minister for Women and Child Development Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj), Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur) and Union Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun). Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, which was represented by his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier. Over 2.68 crore voters are eligible to exercise their polling rights and 144 candidates are in the fray. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it had fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. In the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded KL Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates contest rest of the seats. Defence minister Singh is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow. He is pitted against sitting SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow Central. And from the neighbouring constituency of Amethi, Irani is in the poll fray. Loyalty towards family, caste or party? What will decide the elections in Rae Bareli and Amethi? In Kaisarganj Lok Sabha seat, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh , son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, will see a contest 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 district. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is facing a contest from SP's Shreya Verma. The main electoral contest in Banda is between RK Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel of the SP. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick, will be facing SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, for Kaushambi (SC) constituency. And in Jalaun, BJP minister Verma is eyeing a sixth term and is pitted against Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP. Meanwhile, voting will also take place for the assembly by-poll in the Lucknow East assembly constituency. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of BJP's stitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023. Amethi: A tryst with destiny that wasnt to be Lok Sabha polls: Lord Ram on my side, says Samajwadi Party candidate in Ayodhya fight

Fifth phase: Raebareli, Amethi among 14 UP seats going to polls on Monday

Lucknow: Voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which will decide the fate of four Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will be held on Monday.Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. The seats going to polls in the fifth phase are Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. Besides Defence Minister Singh (Lucknow), Minister of Women and Child Development Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj) and Minister of State of Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur). Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, which was represented by his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier. Over 2.68 crore voters are eligible to exercise their polling rights and 144 candidates are in the fray. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it had fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. In the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi. The Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. Defence minister Singh is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow. He is pitted against sitting SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow Central. From the neighbouring constituency of Amethi, Irani is in the poll fray. In Kaisarganj Lok Sabha seat, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, will see a contest 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 district. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is facing a contest from SP's Shreya Verma. The main electoral contest in Banda is between RK Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel of the SP. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick of Lok Sabha wins, will be facing SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, for Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. Bypoll in the Lucknow East assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023.

Phase five LS polls: Rae Bareli, Amethi among 14 UP seats going to polls on Monday

Phase five LS polls: Rae Bareli, Amethi among 14 UP seats going to polls on Monday Voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which will decide the fate of four Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will be held on Monday. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. The seats going to polls in the fifth phase are Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj and Gonda. Besides Defence Minister Singh (Lucknow), Minister of Women and Child Development Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj) and Minister of State of Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur). Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli, which was represented by his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier. Over 2.68 crore voters are eligible to exercise their polling rights and 144 candidates are in the fray. The BJP gave tickets to 11 of its sitting Lok Sabha MPs in this phase, while it had fielded new candidates in Barabanki (SC) seat and Kaisarganj. In the INDIA bloc, the Congress has fielded K L Sharma from Amethi, Tanuj Punia from Barabanki (SC) and Pradeep Jain 'Aditya' from Jhansi. The Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates are in the poll fray on the rest of the seats. Defence minister Singh is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow. He is pitted against sitting SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra from Lucknow Central. From the neighbouring constituency of Amethi, Irani is in the poll fray. In Kaisarganj Lok Sabha seat, the contest is between BJP's Karan Bhushan Singh, son of former MP and ex-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and SP's Bhagat Ram. Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, will see a contest 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 district. In Hamirpur, the poll contest is between BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, eyeing a third term, and SP's Ajendra Singh Lodhi. In Gonda, BJP's Kirti Vardhan Singh, who is eyeing a fifth term, is facing a contest from SP's Shreya Verma. The main electoral contest in Banda is between RK Singh Patel, who is seeking a third term, and Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel of the SP. Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who is eyeing a hat-trick of Lok Sabha wins, will be facing SP's Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP leader Indrajeet Saroj, for Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency. Bypoll in the Lucknow East assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9, 2023.

Amit Shah makes strong case for Smriti victory

LUCKNOW: Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a 2-km road show in Amethi on Saturday as the Lok Sabha constituency, known to be the bastion of Gandhi family, has turned out to be a battle of prestige for the BJP and the Congress. Addressing the crowd in the roadshow, Shah refuted the Congress claim that Amethi and Rae Bareli were their family seats. In a democracy it is the people, not a family, who send the candidate to Parliament, he said questioning if any of the Gandhi family members turned up in Amethi or Rae Bareli during the pandemic. Shah, atop a four-wheeler turned into a rath (chariot), was flanked by party candidate Smriti Irani and UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhury, among other leaders. Wading through a huge crowd of BJP cadre and people of Amethi, the roadshow, which commenced from Ramleela Ground culminated at Devipattan temple. Groups of saffron-clad youth could be spotted at various locations along the roadshow route dancing, blowing conch shells and beating damroos while the party supporters fluttered BJP flags shouting the slogans. Asking the people of Amethi to opt between PM Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he accused the latter of fleeing to Wayanad after losing Amethi in 2019. Now Rahul Baba is back in Rae Bareli. I have been in Rae Bareli for three days and can say with confidence that he is losing from there also, he said. Earlier, the Union Home Minister addressed two poll rallies in Jhansi-Lalitpur and Banad in the Bundelkhand region of UP. All the four seats of Bundelkhand, including Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur and Jalaun (SC), will vote in fifth phase on May 20. While addressing a poll rally in Jhansi, land of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Shah reached out to people asking them to fight the desi Angrez just like they fought against the British during the freedom struggle. He asked people had to choose between two categories of leaders. On one hand there are leaders who have been behind `12 lakh crore scams, born with a silver spoon and go to Thailand for vacation, on the other, there was PM Narendra Modi who has his tenures both as CM and PM unblemished. He was born in a poor family and never took a holiday, Shah said. He also targeted Samajwadi Party as the one who ordered firing at the Ram bhakts in Ayodhya in 1990. On the other hand, we have Modi, who got the Ram Janmabhoomi case pursued, won it, and eventually got a temple constructed in Ayodhya, Shah asserted. He reiterated that the opposition leaders avoided going to the Ram Temple consecration ceremony for the sake of their vote bank. He claimed that Congress vote bank politics stood exposed as its leaders advised to keep away from the PoK as Pakistan had atom bomb. We are not afraid of their vote bank. We would take back the PoK, which is an integral part of India, he said. The home minister said that there was a time when Bundelkhand was known for `Bahubalis. Give us the mandate, and we will ensure that Bundelkhand will give udyogpatis (industrialists), he said, adding that the area would soon be known for nestling the ambitious defense corridor that would wheel out state-of-the-art weapons.

Barabanki LS polls: BJP's Rajrani Rawat to take on Congress' Tanuj Punia following Upendra Singh Rawat's exit

Barabanki LS polls: BJP's Rajrani Rawat to take on Congress' Tanuj Punia following Upendra Singh Rawat's exit In Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki, which will go to the polls on Monday (May 20) in the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has fielded Rajrani Rawat for the seat, while Congress has nominated Tanuj Punia as an INDIA bloc candidate. The Barabanki constituency, an SC seat, is witnessing an interesting contest amidst the withdrawal of the BJP's sitting Member of Parliament, Upendra Singh Rawat, from the election race. Rawat's withdrawal came after the circulation of an alleged obscene video. This Lok Sabha seat comprises six Assembly constituencies--Kursi, Ram Nagar, Barabanki, Zaidpur, and Haidargarh. In 2019, Upendra Singh Rawat of BJP secured victory from Jhansi by garnering 535,917 votes (46.4 per cent), while SP's Ram Sagar Rawat garnered 425,777 votes (36.9 per cent). Congress' Tanuj Punia stood third with 159,611 votes (13.8 per cent). Meanwhile, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Priyanka Singh Rawat of BJP won the seat with 454,214 votes (42.5 per cent), while Congress' P.L. Punia secured 242,336 votes (22.7 per cent). BSP's Kamla Prasad Rawat came in third with 167,150 votes (15.6 per cent). Notably, 2009 marked the comeback of Congress in Barabanki for the first time since 1984. P.L. Punia secured victory in Barabanki to become the first Congress candidate to win after 1984. Rajrani Rawat, who is the District Panchayat President, will face the election battle for the first time. Meanwhile, the Congress-SP alliance's Tanuj Punia will face elections for the second time. Taking to her official X handle, Rajrani Rawat urged the people to vote for the saffron party. I salute all the respected people. I tried my best to reach out to all of you, I tried my best to knock on every village and house, but still, I could not reach some places... I request and appeal to all of you to once again, plant lotus in Barabanki, she said. She added, I will respect your vote, all-round development of Barabanki is our goal. All of you are requested to give your support and blessings by pressing the button on the lotus symbol on May 20 and make your Rajrani Rawat victorious with huge votes. The BJP candidate in her campaign also targeted the opposition and said, Those who looted the country, those who demanded proof of the valor of the army, those who questioned the existence of Ram, those who set a record of scams, have come together today to form a 'Thugbandhan', you all should be cautious of them. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing public rallies in Barabanki, also blasted the Congress and SP and targeted them over the matter of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the divisive, appeasement, and anarchic policies of the Congress and INDI alliance. Meanwhile, Congress' Tanuj Punia is targeting the BJP over jobs, the Constitution, and democracy. After the fourth phase of voting, it has become completely clear that the public is making the INDIA win. In the fourth phase itself, BJP's slogan of crossing 400 should be read as 4 because the public has started the countdown for them. The public is defeating the ones who are playing with farmers, youth, businessmen, employees, students, women, sportspersons, jobs, livelihood, Constitution and democracy..., Punia said In a post on X. In another post, Punia urged people to vote for the Congress and said, Defeat inflation, unemployment, hatred and injustice with your one vote. Press the hand button on May 20, vote for Congress. Notably, SP and Congress are allies in the opposition INDIA bloc formed to take on the BJP in the ongoing 2024 general elections. In the 2019 polls, the BJP emerged triumphant, securing 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while two seats were clinched by its ally Apna Dal (S). Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP garnered five, and the Congress Party secured only one seat. In the 2014 elections, the BJP secured 71 out of 80 seats. SP secured five seats, while Congress garnered only two seats. (ANI)

Lok Sabha Polls: Dimple Yadav holds roadshow in support of SP candidate in Gonda

Lok Sabha Polls: Dimple Yadav holds roadshow in support of SP candidate in Gonda Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav on Saturday held a road show in support of the party's Gonda Lok Sabha seat candidate Shreya Verma. Later, while addressing the people in Gonda, ahead of the fifth phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on May 20, Dimple Yadav said SP is the only party that knows how to maintain relationships and responsibilities. Shreya Verma is contesting against two-time sitting BJP MP Kirtivardhan Singh for the Gonda Lok Sabha seat. Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda parliamentary constituency will be held in the fifth phase on May 20. In the fifth phase, elections will be held in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state, including Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Raebareli, Amethi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad, Kaiserganj, and Gonda, while there will be a by-election in the Lucknow East Assembly constituency. The Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases. Polling in the first four phases has already been completed. Polling for the remaining Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. In the 2019 general elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 62 out of 80 seats, and its ally Apna Dal (S) won two seats. Mayawati's BSP won 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP won five. The Congress party secured only one seat. (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)

Did not attend Pran Pratishtha as they were afraid of their vote bank, Amit Shah slams Samajwadi Party

Did not attend Pran Pratishtha as they were afraid of their vote bank, Amit Shah slams Samajwadi Party Taking a jibe at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav, Union Home Amit Shah claimed that they did not attend the Pran Pratishtha as they were afraid of their vote bank. Their vote bank is not you (the public), their vote bank are those intruders... They have left no stone unturned for their vote bank politics, he said. Amit Shah on Saturday addressed a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Banda. While urging the people to vote for the party candidate RK Singh Patel, Shah also emphasised the various works done by RK Singh Patel for the people of the region. He (RK Singh Patel) has done the work of developing Ranipur Sanctuary Tiger Reserve (located in Chitrakoot district)... 1,20,000 people got home, 2,45,000 mothers got gas cylinders, 2,70,000 households got drinking water, more than 3,00,000 toilets were constructed, and 2,50,000 farmers received Rs 6000 annually. He has done so much work for Banda-Chitrakoot, Shah said. Shah added further, If you make RK Singh MP, then BJP will make him a big man. Shah also took a jibe at SP's rule and said that the state under their regime witnessed violence and kidnapping by the mafias and goons. In 2017, you choose BJP and made Yogi Adityanath as your Chief Minister, and Yogi worked against the goons. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the Bundelkhand expressway, and the work to join Ken-Betwa is going on... He added further, And I promise you that if you make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for the third time, there will be no single agricultural land in Bundelkhand that will be devoid of the waters of Ken-Betwa. With Rs 35,000 crores, PM started the work of ken-Betwa... Amit Shah also targeted Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav over the Covid-19 vaccines. That time, Rahul Baba and Akhilesh Yadav used to say that this was Modi Tika. Don't take it, otherwise, you will fall ill. When they saw that everyone had taken the vaccine, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, in the darkness of night, also took the vaccine. They should feel ashamed that, at a time when the country was fighting against coronavirus, these people were doing politics. I have come here today to tell you that these people cannot save the country.He said that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir belongs to India and BJP will get it. Pakistan Occupied Kashmir belongs to India and we will get it...Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar says that Pakistan has an atom bomb so don't ask for PoK. But we are from BJP and we are not scared, he added. Meanwhile, Amit Shah also took to his official X handle and posted, Bundelkhand, which was a victim of extreme neglect in the previous governments, has seen development for the first time under the Modi government. This huge crowd at the public meeting in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh is a testimony to the fact that Modi ji is coming back again. Uttar Pradesh's Banda will go into polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Transforms Under Modi and Yogi Leadership: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Highlighting Uttar Pradesh's transformation from a state known for producing country-made pistols to cannon balls, Union home minister Amit Shah said at an election rally in Lalitpur on Saturday that the state started developing only after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath the chief minister. Mr Shah also addressed an election rally in Banda and took part in a roadshow in Amethi in favour of BJP candidates. Canvassing for his party candidate from Jhansi Anurag Sharma, who is eyeing a second term, Mr Shah said, There was a time when country-made pistols were produced in Uttar Pradesh. But Mr Modi built a defence corridor in Bundelkhand and now cannon balls are made here. He added that if Pakistan makes any mistake, the shells made in Bundelkhand will be used to destroy them. Slamming Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's atom bomb remark that has sparked a political row, he said, Mr Aiyar said Pakistan should be respected as it has the atom bomb and not ask for PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) from the country. But this is Narendra Modi's government. We are not afraid of the atom bomb. PoK belongs to India and will remain so. We will take it. In a purported video clip that went viral on social media, Mr Aiyar is heard saying India should give respect to Pakistan as it is a sovereign nation and engage with it as it also possesses the atom bomb. Making a clarification, Mr Aiyar had said the video was old and dredged up now that the BJP's election campaign is faltering. The Congress said it totally disagreed with the remarks made by him some months ago. In a veiled attack on the Opposition, the Union minister said, This land fought against the Mughals and the British. Now Bundelkhand also has to fight against the desi angrez present in our country. Urging people to vote in favour of the BJP, the home minister said, This election is for the development of the country, for securing the country. This election is an election to protect our religion and culture. This election is to make India great. It is for the welfare of the poor in the country. And to quench the thirst of Bundelkhand. Launching a scathing attack on the Opposition, Mr Shah said, In this election, on one side there is the INDIA bloc which has committed a scam of `12-lakh crores. On the other hand, there is Mr Modi, who has together served for 23 years as a chief minister and Prime Minister, but no one can level a corruption allegation of even `25 paise on him. \On one side are (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi and (SP chief) Akhilesh Yadav, who were born with a silver spoon. On the other hand, there is our leader, Mr Modi, who was born in the house of a poor tea seller, the senior BJP leader said. On one side, there is the Samajwadi Party, which opened fire on Ram bhakts . On the other side, there is Mr Modi, who is building the Ram temple, he added. The home minister said the Congress party wants to divide the country into two halves -- South India and North India -- but no one can break India as long as the country is run under Mr Modi's leadership. Later, while addressing an election rally in Banda in favour of BJP candidate R.K. Singh Patel, Mr Shah pointed out that this election is between those who opened fire on Ram devotees and those who built the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. The Union minister reminded the gathering that the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh had opened fire on karsevaks and devotees of Lord Ram during the Babri Masjid demolition and turned Saryu river red with blood. Mr Shah also said Mr Yadav, his wife and Dimple Yadav, Mr Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi did not attend the 'pran pratistha' ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya as they are afraid to lose their votebanks. Attacking the INDIA bloc and Mr Gandhi, the Union home minister said the Opposition Alliance members have said they will have different Prime Ministers on a rotational basis. But Rahul baba, this is not a grocery shop. To run the country, a strong Prime Minister is needed, one who has a 56-inch chest, he added. Sharpening his attack on the Opposition, he said, This entire ' ghamandia gathbandhan ' (arrogant alliance) is an alliance of familists who work only for their sons and daughters. Sharad Pawar wants to make his daughter Supriya Sule the chief minister, while Uddhav Thackeray wants the same position for his son Aditya Thackeray and Mamata (Banerjee) wants it for her nephew. And Mrs Gandhi wants to make her son the Prime Minister. In Uttar Pradesh, on the last day of campaigning for the fifth phase of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Mr Shah took part in a roadshow taken out to garner support for Smriti Irani, the BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidate from Amethi. Mr Shah and Ms Irani greeted people in an open-top vehicle decorated with saffron flags, banners and flowers, with the slogan of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre written on it. As the roadshow started from the Ramlila Maidan and proceeded till the Devipatan temple, the crowd raised the Jai Shri Ram slogan. The Jhansi, Banda and Amethi Lok Sabha seats will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.

Its time to fight against Desi Angrez in country: Amit Shah

Jhansi/Banda,UP, May 18 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that Bundelkhand fought against the Mughals and the British, and now it is time to fight against the Desi Angrez in our country. Addressing election rallies, the Union Minister said that the four phases of elections have concluded, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi... The post Its time to fight against Desi Angrez in country: Amit Shah first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

'I can say with confidence that Rahul Baba is losing from Rae Bareli,' asserts Amit Shah

LUCKNOW: In a last-minute push to BJP's poll campaign in the prestigious seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that he is confident that Rahul Gandhi is losing from Rae Bareli this time. Asking the people of Amethi to opt between PM Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he accused the latter of fleeing to Wayanad after losing Amethi in 2019. Now Rahul Baba is back in Raebareli. I have been in Raebareli for three days and can say with confidence that he is losing from there also, he said. Campaigning in 14 UP Lok Sabha constituencies, including Amethi and Raebareli, ended on Saturday evening as the voting is slated to take place on Monday, May 20. Shah held a 2-km road show in Amethi on Saturday, where he chose to denounce the Congress' claim that Amethi and Rae Bareli, widely considered as the bastion of Gandhi family, were their family seats. In a democracy it is the people, not a family, who send the candidate to the Parliament, Shah said questioning if any of the Gandhi family members turned up in Amethi or Raebareli during the pandemic. Shah, atop a four-wheeler turned into a Rath (chariot), was flanked by party candidate Smriti Irani, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhury, senior BJP leaders and the party MLAs, including Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, of the assembly segments under Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Wading through a humongous crowd of BJP cadre and local people, the roadshow, which commenced from Ramleela Ground culminated at Devipattan temple passing through Rajarshri Rananjai Tiraha, Gandhi Chowk and Sagra Tiraha amid the chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Shree Ram. Groups of saffron clad youth could be spotted at various locations along the roadshow route dancing, blowing conch shells and beating damroos while the party supporters could be seen waving BJP flags and shouting the slogans. By holding the massive roadshow in Amethi where Congress has fielded KL Sharma against BJPs Smiriti Irani, Shah sought to firm up partys prospects in Raebareli and other adjoining seats including Sultanpur. Notably, Irani had emerged as giant killer in 2019 when she had defeated Rahul Gandhi by a margin of 55,000 votes. However, in Raebareli, BJPs Dinesh Pratap Singh had lost to Sonia Gandhi by a margin of over 1.67 lakh votes. In fact, Congress had won just Raebareli seat losing other 66 seats which it had contested in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. Earlier, the Union Home Minister addressed two poll rallies in Jhansi-Lalitpur and Banad-- in the Bundelkhand region of UP on Saturday. All the four seats of Bundelkhand including Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur and Jalaun (SC) will vote in fifth phase on May 20. While addressing a poll rally in Jhansi, land of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Amit Shah reached out to people asking them to fight the desi Angrez just like they fought against the British and Mughals during the freedom struggle. He asked the people to choose between two categories of leaders. On one hand there are leaders who have been behind, Rs 12 lakh crore scams, born with a silver spoon and go to Thailand for Vacation, on the other, there was PM Narendra Modi who has his tenures both as CM and PM unblemished. He was born in a poor family and never took a holiday, Shah said. He also targeted Samajwadi Party as the ones who ordered firing at the Ram Bhakts in Ayodhya in 1990. On the other hand, we have Modi, who got the Ram Janmabhoomi case pursued, won it, and eventually got a temple constructed in Ayodhya, Shah asserted. Shah reiterated that the opposition leaders avoided going to the Ram Temple consecration ceremony for the sake of their vote bank. He claimed that Congress vote bank politics stood exposed as its leaders advised to keep away from the POK as Pakistan had atom bomb. We are not afraid of their vote bank. We would take back the PoK, which is an integral part of India, he said. Shah also claimed that after four phases, the BJP had crossed 270 mark. Now it is sure that Modiji will become PM for the third consecutive time and make India the third largest economy in the world, he said. The home minister said that there was a time when Bundelkhand was known for `Bahubalis. Give us the mandate, and we will ensure that Bundelkhand will give `udyogpatis (industrialists), he said, adding that the area would soon be prominently known for nestling the ambitious defense corridor that would wheel out state-of-the-art weapons. In Banda, he reached out to the women voters, saying that it was the BJP who empowered the women by giving them 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. He took a potshot at the opposition for not having a definite PM candidate. If voted to power, they would make their leaders PM one-by-one every year, he said. There cannot be a PM stronger than Modi, who possesses a chest of 56 inches, he said.

Earlier country-made pistols were produced in Uttar Pradesh; now, cannon balls are manufactured: Home Minister Amit Shah

The Union Home Minister was addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradeshs Lalitpur in favour of BJPs Jhansi candidate Anurag Sharma.

Earlier country-made pistols were produced in UP, now cannon balls are manufactured: Shah

LALITPUR (UP), May 18: Union Home minister Amit Shah on Saturday highlighted Uttar Pradeshs transformation from a state known for producing country-made pistols to one now manufacturing cannon balls. Addressing an election rally in Lalitpur in favour of BJPs Jhansi candidate Anurag Sharma, who is eyeing a second term, the Union home minister said the state started developing only after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath the Chief Minister. There was a time when country-made pistols were [] The post Earlier country-made pistols were produced in UP, now cannon balls are manufactured: Shah appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Earlier country-made pistols were produced in UP, now cannon balls are manufactured: Shah

Amit Shah highlighted Uttar Pradesh's transformation under Narendra Modi, from producing country-made pistols to manufacturing cannon balls at an election rally in Lalitpur in support of BJP's Jhansi candidate Anurag Sharma eyeing a second term, with Yogi Adityanath as Chief Minister.

Khammam man kills mother, daughters; financial issues suspected

Khammam : In a gruesome incident, a man killed his mother and two children at Gopalapet village of Thallada mandal in Khammam district in the early hours of Saturday and escaped. Pittala Venkateshwarlu was living with his mother and two children in his house at Gopalapet. He killed his mother Pichamma(60) and his two daughters Neeraja(10) and Jhansi (6). After committing the crime he fled from the place. The locals found the three were lying dead in the house and informed the police. It is suspected that family dispute and financial problems were the reason behind the crime. More details are awaited. The wife of Venkateshwarlu died years ago under suspicious condition.

LS polls fifth phase: Fate of 5 Modi Ministers at stake in 14 UP seats

LUCKNOW: The political heartland of India will witness voting on 14 seats, including a couple of high-profile constituencies and fate of five Union ministers, in the fifth phase on May 20. The 14 seats comprise not only Congress citadels Rae Bareli and Amethi but also Ayodhya, the nerve centre of BJPs Hindutva plank. In fact, this phase will decide the tone and tenor of the sixth and seventh rounds, which will be concentrated across 27 seats of Purvanchal. Moreover, four constituencies of Bundelkhand will decide whether to let BJP achieve a hat-trick or vote for change. The BJP had swept the phase in 2019 by winning 13 of the 14 seats in fray. While the BJP had wrested Amethi from Congress, Sonia Gandhi had retained Rae Bareli as the only party MP from UP in 2019. The SP and BSP drew a blank in 2019 and 2014. In 2024, while Congress is contesting on two seats, ally SP is contesting on rest 12 seats. Rae Bareli One of the most prominent seats of fifth phase is set for a fight between Rahul Gandhi and BJP MLC and Yogi minister Dinesh Pratap Singh who had switched over to the saffron party in 2018. BSP has fielded an OBC nominee. Amethi Another high-profile seat witnesses a battle of nerves between Union minister Smriti Irani and KL Sharma, a representative of Congress first family of four decades. Smriti had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019 in Amethi and she is seeking a second term. BSP has fielded Nanhe Singh Chauhan. Faizabad The seat of Ram temple is set to test BJPs Hindutva plank. However, Faizabad has never been the saffron stronghold in the true sense. The Congress captured the seat in 2009, BSP won it in 2004 and SP in 1998. The BJP won the seat in 1991, 1996, 2014 and 2019. In 2019, BJPs Lallu Singh, five-time MLA and an MP twice, retained it defeating SPs Anand Sen. This time the contest is multi-cornered with SP having fielded its nine-time MLA Awdhesh Prasad, CPI former IPS officer Arvind Sena and BSP Sachhidanand Pandey. Lucknow The real challenge before the BJP is winning margin of MP Rajnath Singh who is seeking a third term carrying forward the legacy of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had represented Lucknow five times in the Lok Sabha from 1991 and 2004. Lucknow parliamentary constituency is the BJPs citadel. The party has never lost this seat since 1991. Singh won the seat in 2014 and 2019. Mohanlal Ganj and Barabanki Both the reserve seats are adjacent to Lucknow with Pasi community holding the key. Mohanlal Ganj BJP candidate and Union minister of state Kaushal Kishore is trying his luck for the third term in a row. Challenging him are the SPs RK Chaudhary and the BSPs Rajesh Kumar. Barabanki Another seat adjoining Lucknow has have tendency of changing winners each time. However, the BJP won the seat in 2014 and retained it in 2019. Pasis among the SCs and Kurmi voters among OBCs are decisive in the constituency. There are over 20% Muslim voters. In 2024, BJP replaced its MP Upendra Singh Rawat with Rajrani Rawat and Congress fielded Tanuj Punia, son of former bureaucrat and Congress leader PL Punia. Gonda BJP MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, from the royal family, is in the fray for the third consecutive term. Challenging him is SPs Shreya Verma, the granddaughter of party stalwart Beni Prasad Verma, and BSP pitted a Brahmin Saurabh Mishra. Fatehpur BJP has repeated its MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti who had defeated BSPs Sukh Lal Verma, as the joint SP-BSP candidate, in 2019. The SP fielded its state chief Naresh Uttam, a Kurmi by caste, and the BSP put stakes on Manish Sachan. Kaiserganj BJP has fielded Karan Bhushan Singh, son of Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, SP has named Baghatram Mishra and BSP has made the contest interesting by fielding another Brahmin Narendra Pandey. Kaushambi The reserved seat is set for in interesting battle between BJP MP Vinod Sonkar and one of the youngest SP candidates Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP MLA Indrajeet Saroj. Bundelkhand Four seats Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur and Banda.

Pledges unfulfilled for 20 yrs, 2 villages in Bundelkhand to boycott polls

Two villages, Puraina in Bangra block and Panchampura in Mauranipur block, will boycott the Lok Sabha poll on May 20 in Mauranipur, Jhansi, due to lack of electricity and inadequate compensation for crop losses, reflecting dejection towards politicians like Anurag Sharma in the Bundelkhand region.