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Uttarakhand witnesses high voter turnout with nearly 25% polling recorded in first four hours of LS polls

Uttarakhand witnesses high voter turnout with nearly 25% polling recorded in first four hours of LS polls Nearly 25 per cent polling was recorded in the first four hours of voting for the Lok Sabha election in Uttarakhand on Friday, poll officials here said. Fifty-five candidates are in the fray for the five Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Election officials said polling began at 7 am and by 11 am, 24.83 per cent of voters cast their votes. Haridwar recorded the highest of 26.47 per cent of polling so far, followed by Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar with 26.46 per cent, Pauri Garhwal with 24.43 per cent, Tehri Garhwal with 23.23 per cent and Almora with 22.21 per cent. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was among the first to cast his vote. Dhami, his mother and his wife arrived at the Nagra Terai polling station in Khatima and stood in a queue to exercise their franchise. Talking to reporters, the chief minister noted that there was great enthusiasm among people. ''Over the last 10 years, Uttarakhand has seen unprecedented development. People of all sections have benefited from it. They will vote to give a third term to Narendra Modi,'' Dhami said. He also spoke of the BJP's Sankalp Patra, which talks about the need for a Uniform Civil Code on the lines of the one passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly. ''The Ganga of UCC which has originated from Uttarakhand will flow throughout the country,'' he said. Former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is the BJP candidate from Haridwar, also cast his vote along with his wife and two daughters and said he was confident of winning the seat by more than five lakh votes. Among others who cast their votes are yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna. The duo cast voted at the Dadubagh polling station in Kankhal around 10 am. Ramdev later told reporters that he has voted for heritage-based development and culture-based prosperity of the country. ''I have voted to free India from economic, educational, medical and cultural slavery,'' he said. BJP national spokesman and Pauri Garhwal candidate Anil Baluni also cast his vote. Just-married couples in their wedding attires turned up at various polling stations in the state to exercise their franchise. The old and the physically challenged voters were carried on stretchers and wheelchairs to the poling booths.

devdiscourse 19 Apr 2024 1:15 pm

Women, first-time voters hold the key in five-seat Uttarakhand Lok Sabha polls

SRINAGAR/DEHRADUN: Sakshi Dhasmana, 19, is excited about voting for the first time in the April 19 Lok Sabha elections. The first-year BA student of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University and her mother and grandmother wait anxiously for BJP candidate Anil Baluni to arrive at her village. Baluni is fighting his maiden election from Garhwal. Besides women voters, the state has a substantial section of floating voters who can play a pivotal role in determining the outcomes in the five parliamentary constituencies. When Baluni arrives, she and many others, mostly women, wave the BJP flag with full-throated BJP slogans. Sakshi is the first-time voter. I am going to follow my mother and grandmother, indicating where her voting preference lies. Besides first-time voters like Sakshi, there are other women who hold the key to the Uttarakhand elections. Of the total 83.37 lakh voters, 40.20 lakh are women. Their number has steadily increased over the years. In 2019, there were 77.65 lakh voters 40.53 lakh male and 37.11 lakh women voters. Though womens political representation is still low nine in the state assembly, the highest female representation so far in the 70-member legislature since the state was carved out in the year 2000 they are the deciding factor in these elections. Thats the reason BJP and Congress are doing everything to garner their support. BJP is facing pro-incumbency, says Anil Baluni Baluni in his campaign addresses women voters directly. He is facing Congress Ganesh Godiyal. Congress has always ignored the womens welfare. Modji has constantly worked for mothers and daughters, Baluni tells women voters. The BJP appeal to young voters is also aimed at floating voters the ones who are undecided about their voting preference. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured all five seats with significant margins, benefiting from the Modi wave. The partys vote share rose to 60.7%, up by five percentage points from 2014. A total of 55 candidates are in the fray for five seats in the state. There are 11 candidates in Tehri, 13 in Pauri Garhwal, seven in Almora, 10 in Nainital and 14 in Haridwar, which will go to polls on Friday. Manveer Singh Chauhan, the partys media in-charge, dismisses the concept of floating voters. The Modi wave has settled the voter preferences. Currently, the electorate is decisively inclined towards a particular choice, and we will win all five seats again, said Chauhan.

The New Indian Express 19 Apr 2024 8:57 am

Polling tomorrow on 5 LS seats of Uttarakhand; BJP hopes to repeat 2019 feat, Congress looking to open its account

Polling tomorrow on 5 LS seats of Uttarakhand; BJP hopes to repeat 2019 feat, Congress looking to open its account Polling booths are being prepared, security arrangements have been made, helicopter services have been set up, polling parties have left for their respective stations and directions for essential services have been issued, all ahead of the first phase of voting in Uttarakhand's five Lok Sabha seats on April 19. Polling for Uttarakhand's five Lok Sabha seats will take place on Friday, with the BJP hoping to retain all the five seats for the third time and the Congress attempting to reclaim lost momentum in the state. Voting will begin at 7 am across 11,729 polling stations and continue until 5 pm, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande said. The five seats going to polls on Friday are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora. More than 83 lakh voters will decide the fate of 55 candidates in the fray. Meanwhile, pulling parties left for their respective polling stations ahead of single-phase voting on 5 Lok Sabha seats scheduled for Friday (April 19). Hours before the first phase of Lok Sabha polls starts on April 19, Uttarakhand's Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Vijay Kumar Jogdande, provided information about the booths being prepared for the polls. Speaking to ANI, Jogdande informed that they have arranged two helicopters for emergency service, adding that the voting this time will be casualty-free and no emergency situation would arise. All polling parties are leaving and we have arranged two helicopters for their emergency service. One helicopter will be deployed in Garhwal and another one will be deployed in Kumaon. It will be used only for emergency purposes. Booth-level help management plans are also available with the numbers of Community Health Centres (CHCs) and ambulances, he said on Wednesday. Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer BVRCC Purushottam held a meeting with all the departments and agencies related to essential services in the Secretariat on Thursday. The Chief Electoral Officer directed in the meeting that medical staff should be present in all hospitals on the day of polling till the end of polling. Apart from this, the concerned departments related to electricity and drinking water supply should ensure arrangements at all polling stations. The Chief Electoral Officer has instructed the Public Works Department to keep all highways, roads, and connecting roads on alert mode given landslides or any other obstruction till the safe return of the polling parties to their destinations. Uttarakhand has traditionally witnessed a close contest between the BJP and Congress. Both parties see the state as an essential battleground for displaying and gaining supporters for their national narratives. In Uttarakhand, the BJP had won all the Lok Sabha seats in the elections in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. With 47 out of 70 assembly seats, the BJP dominated in the 2022 assembly polls, while Congress got 19 seats. BSP and Independents hold 2 seats each. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in the general elections this time. The counting of the votes is scheduled for June 4. Campaigning for 102 parliamentary constituencies distributed across 21 states and Union territories, where voting will be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, concluded on Wednesday. In the first phase, polling will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1) and Puducherry (1). (ANI)

devdiscourse 18 Apr 2024 10:34 pm

Elections 2024: 21 states, UTs set for polling in phase one; 102 LS seats in fray

The first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will see 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories go to polls on Friday. The first phase of polling will take place across all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, all five seats in Uttarakhand, both seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Meghalaya, and the sole seat in Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, respectively. Polling will also take place for 12 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan, eight out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, six out of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, five out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, five out of 14 seats in Assam, and four out of 40 seats in Bihar. Additionally, three out of 42 seats in West Bengal, one out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, and one out of two seats in Tripura will be contested. In the union territories, one out of five seats in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the sole seats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry, will be up for grabs. Voting for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will take place across seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes slated for June 4. Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday. Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them. And in Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led alliance had swept 38 of the 39 seats in 2019 general elections. Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara. Will the BJP's lotus bloom in Tamil Nadu? Tamil Nadu is gearing up for polls a mid fierce campaigning and an intense three-way political battle between the alliances led by state heavyweightsthe DMK and the AIADMKand the BJP, respectively. With elections for 39 Lok Sabha seats looming, approximately 6.23 crore voters are poised to cast their ballots across nearly 68,000 polling stations. The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has made unprecedented efforts to gain ground in the Dravidian stronghold. Modi's exhaustive campaign across Tamil Nadu, including rallies in Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore, and Tirunelveli, underscores the BJP's determination to break its electoral jinx in the state. From raking up alleged corruption and 'parivarvad' politics of the DMK-Congress alliance to the Katchatheevu issue, Modi left no stone unturned in his nine visit to the state Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu, is the most keenly watched constituency in the state and the BJP's K Annamalai is slogging to emerge victorious, battling against Dravidian giants the DMK and AIADMK. Meanwhile, the DMK, led by Chief Minister Stalin, has campaigned on platforms of social justice and welfare measures, portraying the elections as a battle against the BJP's divisive politics. Throughout the campaign, Stalin has repeatedly emphasised the importance of these elections, likening them to a second independence movement aimed at freeing the nation from the BJP's influence. In contrast, the AIADMK, under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami, has staunchly defended its record in governance and taken a strong stance against the DMK's campaign. Palaniswami has vigorously addressed various issues, including law and order, and has accused the BJP of discrimination based on caste and religion. Despite facing challenges from both the DMK and BJP, the AIADMK remains confident in its ability to weather the storm, with Palaniswami asserting that the party will emerge victorious with the support of the electorate. UP: Eight seats up for grabs in India's largest state The first phase of the seven-phase parliamentary election in western Uttar Pradesh sees voters in eight Lok Sabha constituencies exercising their constitutional right. These constituencies, falling in the Jat and sugarcane belt, include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit, spread across nine districts. The contest is three-cornered, primarily between the ruling BJP-led NDA, the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP has allied with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), while the SP has partnered with INDIA bloc ally Congress. The BSP, however, decided to go solo. Key issues for voters include employment, education, and development. A total of 80 candidates, including seven women, are in the fray. The eligible voter count stands at 1.43 crore, with a significant Muslim voter presence ranging from 35 to 50 percent. Notable candidates include Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit, who got the ticket over sitting BJP MP Varun Gandhi , Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan from Muzaffarnagar, and Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad from Nagina. In the previous 2019 polls, the BJP secured victories in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, and Pilibhit, the BSP won in Saharanpur, Nagina and Bijnor, while the SP won in Moradabad and Rampur, the stronghold of its jailed leader Azam Khan. However, the party later lost Rampur to BJP in a bypoll. Cracking the Jat code: BJP's strategic courting of RLD and what it means in western Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra: Polls in 5 LS seats; Gadkari among 97 nominees in fray More than 95 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra , covering five of the 48 constituencies, where 97 candidates, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP, are in fray. Polling will be held in the constituencies of Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), all located in the easternmost parts of the state. There are 95,54,667 voters in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in the Vidarbha region where voting will take place on Friday. Of these, 48,28,142 are male, 47,26,178 are female and 347 are transgender voters, according to a statement from the state electoral office. In Nagpur, which houses the RSS headquarters, a direct fight is on cards between Gadkari, who is seeking a third term, and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre. First phase of LS polls in Maharashtra: It's Congress party's 'caste calculations' vs BJP's 'Modi charisma' In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is facing Congress nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar, wife of late parliamentarian Suresh Dhanorkar, who was the lone MP from the grand old party to be elected from Maharashtra in 2019 from the seat. In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole. Two-time Lok Sabha MP of BJP, Ashok Nete, is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), where some areas are affected Naxal insurgency. In the 2019 elections, Nete had defeated Congress candidate Dr Namdev Usendi. In Ramtek (SC), the fight is between Shyamkumar Barwe of the Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's candidate Raju Parwe. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh, will vote in five phases between April 19 and May 20. Rajasthan: 12 seats in fray; will BJP's dominance continue? In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, 12 out of 25 seats will be contested. Polling will be held in Churu, Nagaurm, Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Dausa. According to chief electoral officer Praveen Gupta, a total of 2.54 crore voters are set to vote in the first phase on Friday. Notably, a Union minister is among the 114 candidates in the fray. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is contesting from Bikaner against Congress candidate Govind Ram Meghwal. The Bharatiya Janata Party won all 25 seats in Rajasthan on its own in 2014, and in 2019, the NDA won 25 seats, the saffron party won 24 seats and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) won one seat. Key constituencies include Nagaur, witnessing a contest between the RLP, now in alliance with Congress, and the BJP, and Churu, with former BJP MP Rahul Kaswan contesting as a Congress candidate. In Sikar, the CPI(M) is challenging the BJP's incumbent MP. The ruling BJP focused its campaign on PM Modi's popularity and its infrastructure work, while the Congress raised issues of central agency misuse and unemployment. Notable campaigners include PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. The second phase of the elections in Rajasthan will be held on April 26. In the second phase, polls will be held in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies: Tonk, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar. MP: Six LS seats in action, including Kamal Nath's bastion Six constituents will be in action during the first phase of the four phases for the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. The constituencies include Shahdol, Mandla, Jabalpur, Balaghat, Chhindwara, and Sidhi, covering 13 districts and 27 assembly segments. A total of 88 candidates are in the fray, with Jabalpur having the highest number at 19 and Shahdol the lowest at 10. The total number of registered voters across the six constituencies is 1,13,09,636, with arrangements made for shelter, water, and medical assistance at polling booths due to the hot weather. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress won only one seat in Chhindwara, held by Nakul Nath, the son of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The second, third and fourth phases of the elections will take place on April 26, May 7 and May 13. Kamal Nath fighting lone battle to help son win Chhindwara and protect home turf Over 75 lakh voters to decide four seats in Bihar In Bihar, the stage is set for the first phase more than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 38 candidates standing in four constituencies: Nawada, Aurangabad, Gaya and Jamui. Tight security arrangements are in place at Nawada and Aurangabad, besides reserved seats in Gaya and Jamui, where a majority of nearly 5,000 polling booths have been marked as sensitive, given these districts' long history of naxal violence. Nawada, with 20.06 lakh voters, sees a tough battle primarily between the BJP's Vivek Thakur and the RJD's Shravan Kushwaha, with Independent candidate Binod Yadav adding complexity. Gaya, with 18.18 lakh voters, witnesses 14 candidates, including former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, an NDA ally, and RJD's Kumar Sarvajeet. Jamui, with 19.07 lakh voters, features a showdown between Arun Bharti from Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) and RJD's Archana Ravidas. The party's president Chirag Paswan, whose sister is married to Bharti, has shifted base to Hajipur after having represented the seat for two consecutive terms. Aurangabad, with over 18 lakh voters, sees BJP's Sushil Kumar Singh facing RJD's Abhay Kushwaha. 76.01 lakh voters, including 36.38 lakh females and 255 belonging to the third gender, are expected to cast their votes. Uttarakhand: Can BJP 'three-peat' clean sweep? Uttarakhand's all five Lok Sabha seats go into polling in phase one, with the BJP aiming to retain the seats for the third time and the Congress looking to regain lost ground in the state. The five seats going to polls on Friday are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora. The BJP won all five seats in Uttarakhand in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. More than 83 lakh voters will decide the fate of 55 candidates in the fray. Sitting BJP MPs Ajay Bhatt, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah and Ajay Tamta have been fielded by the party from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal and Almora, respectively. The BJP has replaced its candidates in Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal. Former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is contesting in place of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from Haridwar and Anil Baluni in place of Tirath Singh Rawat from Pauri Garhwal. The Congress has fielded former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal from Pauri Garhwal, former chief minister Harish Rawat's son Virendra Rawat from Haridwar, Jot Singh Gunsola from Tehri Garhwal, Prakash Joshi from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Pradeep Tamta from Almora. Candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and relatively smaller outfits and independents are also in the fray, but straight contests are likely between traditional rivalsthe BJP and Congressin all the seats. Experts say that Haridwar's demography, which has substantial minority and Dalit votes, may also not be a cakewalk for the BJP's Trivendra Rawat, despite his advantage over his rival in terms of experience, as Congress veteran Harish Rawat, who had won the seat in 2009, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure his son's victory from the seat. If the Modi factor works again as it did in 2014 and 2019, overriding all other factors, the BJP will obviously reap the benefits but if unemployment, inflation, continued migration from the hills and performance of BJP MPs over the past 10 years outweigh the national issues, the Congress will gain, political analyst Jaisingh Rawat said. Bengal: Triangular tussle between TMC, BJP and Cong-Left In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, all attention is on Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduars constituencies in north Bengal. A total of 56,26,108 voters are eligible to vote in 5,814 booths in this phase. Coochbehar, where Union Minister Nisith Pramanik faces TMC's Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, remains significant due to past violence and political rivalries. The deployment of central forces is higher in Coochbehar compared to the other two constituencies. Both BJP and TMC have intensified their campaigns, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee addressing rallies. Key issues include corruption allegations against ruling party leaders, denial of central funds, and the 2021 Sitalkuchi firing incident. The BJP won all three constituencies in the 2019 general elections and maintained its grip in Coochbehar and Alipurduars in the 2021 assembly polls. But, the TMC had the upper hand in Jalpaiguri in the 2021 assembly polls, winning five and the saffron party managed to win two. The Left Front and Congress are contesting together, having secured only single-digit vote shares in 2019. The BJP has renominated Jayanta Roy in Jalpaiguri and Pramanik in Cooch Behar, but replaced last time's winner John Barla with the party's Madarihat MLA Manoj Tigga in Alipurduars. The TMC has, however, changed candidates in all three seats, fielding Prakash Chik Baraik in Alipurduars, Nirmal Chandra Roy in Jalpaiguri and Sitai MLA Basunia in Coochbehar. Direct, triangular contests in Assam's five LS seats Assam gears up for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in five constituencies, with 35 candidates vying for victory, including Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal . The electorate of 86,47,869, comprising 43,64,859 women and 42,82,887 male voters, will cast their votes in 10,001 polling booths under tight security with 60 companies of security forces deployed. The BJP is contesting in all five seats, the Congress in four and supporting the Assam Jatiya Parishad contestant in one, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in two and the All India Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) in one seat each. A direct contest is on the cards between the BJP and Congress in Jorhat, Kaziranga and Lakhimpur, while in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur, there is likely to be a triangular fight among the ruling party, Congress, AJP and AAP. The prestigious Dibrugarh constituency has three candidates in fray: BJP's Sonowal, a Rajya Sabha MP, pitted against the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the AJP and AAP's Manoj Dhanowar. In Jorhat, four candidates are in contention, with Lok Sabha's Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi locked in a direct contest with sitting BJP MP Topon Gogoi. Gogoi had to shift his constituency to Jorhat from Kaliabor, which has been renamed Kaziranga following a delimitation exercise in the state last year. In Kaziranga, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey, with both candidates belonging to the tea workers' community. Kaziranga has the highest number of 11 candidates in the fray. In Sonitpur, also renamed from the earlier Tezpur after delimitation, there are eight nominees, with a triangular contest likely between BJP MLA Ranjit Dutta, Congress candidate Prem Lal Ganju and AAP's Rishiraj Kaundinya. Lakhimpur has nine contestants, prominent among them being sitting BJP MP Pradan Baruah and Uday Shankar Hazarika of the Congress. Two LS seats in strife-torn Manipur go to polls Manipur gears up for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections amid tight security measures, particularly in the wake of recent ethnic violence. The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which comprises 32 of the 60 assembly segments in the state, and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat will go to polls in the first phase on Friday. Six candidates, including state Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh of the BJP and Angomcha Bimol Akoijam of the Congress, are in the fray for the Inner Manipur seat. Outer Manipur, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, will witness a four-cornered contest between Naga People's Front's K Timothy Zimik, Congress' Alfred Kanngam Arthur and independent candidates Kho John and Alyson Abonmai, with all the candidates being Nagas. A total of 9.91 lakh voters are eligible in Inner Manipur and over 10.22 lakh voters in Outer Manipur. Special arrangements have been made for people displaced due to ethnic strife, with special polling stations set up. The campaigning has been subdued due to the prevailing tensions, and security has been heightened with the deployment of central armed police forces, especially in vulnerable and critical polling stations. Polling personnel have been dispatched to their respective stations, with special provisions for internally displaced people. The election authorities have ensured gender diversity in the management of polling stations, with some stations being exclusively manned by women. Despite the challenges posed by the recent unrest, efforts are underway to conduct the elections in a free, fair, and peaceful manner. Tripura and Nagaland In Tripura, the first phase of Lok Sabha polls will see voting for the Tripura West Parliamentary constituency and a by-poll in the Ramnagar Assembly. The main contest in Tripura West is between the BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha. With 14.61 lakh eligible voters, including 7.33 lakh males and 7.28 lakh females, the constituency has 1682 polling booths. Central paramilitary forces will secure all booths, with webcasting from each. In the Ramnagar Assembly by-election, BJP's Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumer faces former CPI(M) MLA Ratan Das, with 54,669 electors deciding their fate. In Nagaland, over 13.25 lakh voters will decide the fate of three candidates. Congress nominee S Supongmeren Jamir, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Chumben Murry and Independent Hayithung Tungoe Lotha are contesting the elections. BJP President J P Nadda, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, and Deputy Chief Ministers T R Zeliang and Y Patton addressed several rallies in support of their candidate. Polling will run from 7 am to 4 pm, with 13,25,383 eligible voters, including 19,999 first-time voters and 6,707 people with disabilities. Female voters slightly outnumber male voters. In 2019, NDPP's Tokheho Yepthomi won against Congress's K L Chishi. J-K: Udhampur LC seat in action amid ceasefire The Udhampur seat in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls on Friday in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. In view of the ongoing ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the heavy deployment of paramilitary forces, the voting process is expected to be peaceful in 2,637 polling stations in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, a senior election official said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh is eyeing a third consecutive term in the constituency after winning the seat for BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, facing a major challenge from Congress candidate Choudhary Lal Singh, who had also won the seat twice in 2004 and 2009. Democratic Progressive Azad Party's (DPAP) candidate G M Saroori, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Amit Kumar and six independents will also be contesting the elections from the Udhampur constituency. According to officials, there are 16,23,195 eligible voters. Among them, 845,283 are men, 777,899 are women and 13 are third-gender voters. There are a total of 84,468 potential first-time voters, aged 1819, of whom 45,825 are men, 38,641 are women and two are third genders, the officials said. Lone Puducherry segment all set for three-way fight The fate of the 26 candidates in fray for the Lok Sabha polls will be sealed on Friday when voters spread across four regions will pick the lone MP from this union territory, where the fight is largely confined between the ruling BJP and Congress. BJP leader and Home Minister A Namassivayam, fielded on behalf of the AINRC-BJP combine, will face off Congress MP and PCC president V Vaithilingam, while AIADMK's G Tamizhvendhan is also testing his luck as a debutant. The Union Territory has a total of 10,23,699 voters spread over Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions. Andaman's lone seat in action The lone seat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands will see 3.15 lakh voters get an opportunity to exercise their franchise. A total of 12 candidates, including two women and five independents, are in the fray for the polls. Of the 3.15 lakh voters, 1.64 lakh are men and 1.51 lakh are women, while there are four third-gender voters. The electorate also includes 39 voters from the Great Nicobarese tribe of the Strait Islands, 68 members of the Onge tribe at Hut Bay and 98 members of the Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar Island. Special polling stations have been established for them. This time, the saffron party has nominated Bishnu Pada Ray as its candidate, while the Congress has fielded its sitting MP, Kuldeep Rai Sharma. Ray was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1999, when he defeated Congress candidate Sharma by 2,990 votes. He was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2014. In the 2019 elections, however, Sharma secured a victory against BJP's Vishal Jolly (Ray was denied a ticket) by a narrow margin of 1,407 votes.

The New Indian Express 18 Apr 2024 8:50 pm

Five Lok Sabha Seats Of Uttarakhand To Go To Polls In 1st Phase On Friday

The five seats going to polls on Friday are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora.

Zee News 18 Apr 2024 7:46 pm

Campaign ends for five Uttarakhand Lok Sabha seats going to polls on April 19

Campaign ends for five Uttarakhand Lok Sabha seats going to polls on April 19 Campaigning for the five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand which face polls on April 19 came to a close on Wednesday with the BJP seeking a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress appealing for vote for change. Campaigning drew to a close in Uttarakhand at 5 pm this evening, Chief Electoral Officer B V R C Purushottam said at a press conference here. Having won all the five seats in Uttarakhand in both 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP is seeking to retain them for a third term. The first phase the Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 19. The nearly month-long campaign, which started gathering momentum only a fortnight ago, saw the BJP's star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, party national president J P Nadda and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, hold a series of election rallies and roadshows in different parts of the state. The campaign scene in Uttarakhand was lacklustre initially as it was largely one-sided with the BJP's star campaigners addressing poll meetings in some parts of the state or the other on a daily basis. The Congress' star campaigners were missing from the landscape until April 13 when party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed her first poll rallies in the state in Ramnagar and Roorkee in support of candidates from Haridwar, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Pauri Garhwal seats. She asked the people to vote for change, alleging that the 10 years of the Narendra Modi government had done nothing except lying to the people. Despite making tall claims, the Modi government has not done anything to bring about a qualitative change in the lives of people, she alleged. ''Vote wisely. Otherwise, your daily struggles will continue for another five years,'' she warned. The BJP leaders on the other hand sought another term for Modi for the sake of a developed India of which Uttarakhand is an essential part and highlighted the steps taken by the BJP-led NDA government over the last 10 years to strengthen road, rail and air connectivity infrastructure in the state. The five Lok seats of Uttarakhand going to polls on April 19 are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora. Sitting BJP MPs Ajay Bhatt, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah and Ajay Tamta have been fielded by the party from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal and Almora respectively. It has replaced its candidates in Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal. Former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is contesting in place of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in Haridwar and Anil Baluni in place of Tirath Singh Rawat in Pauri Garhwal. The Congress has fielded former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal from Pauri Garhwal, former chief minister Harish Rawat's son Virendra Rawat from Haridwar, Jot Singh Gunsola from Tehri Garhwal, Prakash Joshi from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Pradeep Tamta from Almora.

devdiscourse 17 Apr 2024 5:08 pm

These are the best tourist places to visit in Uttarakhand, you can plan with friends in budget

Nestled in the lap of the majestic Himalayas, Uttarakhand is a treasure trove of natural beauty and cultural heritage. From soaring peaks to tranquil lakes and sacred temples, this northern state of India beckons travelers with its diverse offerings. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, an adventure seeker, or a spiritual pilgrim, Uttarakhand has something special in store for everyone. Let's embark on a journey to discover the best budget-friendly tourist destinations in this enchanting land. Mystical Mussoorie: Queen of the Hills Embracing Nature's Splendor Mussoorie, often referred to as the Queen of the Hills, is a charming hill station renowned for its panoramic views and pleasant climate. Take a leisurely stroll along the Mall Road, soak in the breathtaking vistas from Gun Hill, or explore the serene Kempty Falls. With affordable accommodation options and a plethora of budget eateries, Mussoorie offers an ideal getaway for friends seeking adventure on a budget. Serene Nainital: Lake District of India Tranquility Amidst Lakes Nainital, nestled around the emerald Naini Lake, exudes tranquility and charm. Boating on the lake, exploring the vibrant Tibetan market, or trekking to Tiffin Top are some budget-friendly activities to indulge in. Opt for homestays or budget hotels dotted around the town to make the most of your stay without breaking the bank. Adventurous Rishikesh: Gateway to the Himalayas Thrills by the Ganges Rishikesh, renowned as the Yoga Capital of the World and the Adventure Hub of India, offers a plethora of budget-friendly activities. From white-water rafting on the Ganges to trekking in the nearby hills and practicing yoga on the banks of the river, there's no shortage of adrenaline-pumping adventures here. Budget accommodations and affordable cafes cater to the needs of backpackers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Tranquil Lansdowne: Abode of Peace Escape to Serenity Lansdowne, tucked away amidst pine and oak forests, is a hidden gem known for its tranquil ambiance. Explore the historic War Memorial, hike to Tip-n-Top for panoramic views, or simply unwind amidst nature's embrace. With budget-friendly guesthouses and homestays offering warm hospitality, Lansdowne is perfect for a peaceful retreat with friends. Enchanting Auli: Skiing Paradise Winter Wonderland Auli, adorned with pristine slopes and snow-capped peaks, is a paradise for skiing enthusiasts. Experience the thrill of skiing or snowboarding down the slopes, ride the cable car for breathtaking views of the Himalayas, or embark on scenic treks in the surrounding meadows. Budget accommodations and ski resorts offer affordable options for a memorable winter escapade with friends. Spiritual Haridwar: Gateway to the Divine Soulful Sojourn Haridwar, one of the seven holiest places for Hindus, is steeped in spirituality and mysticism. Attend the mesmerizing Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri, seek blessings at the ancient temples, or take a dip in the sacred waters of the Ganges. Budget accommodations and street food stalls serving delicious local fare make it a budget-friendly destination for spiritual seekers. Charming Almora: Cultural Haven Cultural Charisma Almora, with its rich cultural heritage and stunning Himalayan backdrop, captivates visitors with its old-world charm. Explore the cobbled streets of the town, visit the centuries-old temples, or indulge in birdwatching at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Affordable guesthouses and budget hotels offer comfortable stays, making Almora an ideal destination for budget-conscious travelers. Conclusion: Uttarakhand, with its myriad attractions and budget-friendly options, promises an unforgettable experience for friends seeking adventure and exploration without burning a hole in their pockets. From the misty hills of Mussoorie to the serene lakes of Nainital and the adventurous trails of Rishikesh, each destination has its own unique charm waiting to be discovered. Summer Travel: Top 10 Summer Vacation Destinations in India If you have to travel alone then don't worry, keep these self defense things with you If you have to travel alone then don't worry, keep these self defense things with you

News Track 12 Apr 2024 9:57 pm

Travel tips: You can choose these hill stations to visit in summer, you will get to see clean places.

The heat is increasing day by day and everyone is planning to travel in search of coolness. To escape the scorching heat we often look for a cool place. Whenever we plan to travel in summer, the first name that comes to our mind is the station. Although there are many beautiful hill stations in the country, in recent times, a lack of cleanliness has been seen at these places. Meanwhile, there are some hill stations in the country, where you will get to see very clean places along with less crowd. We are going to tell you about these hill stations where beauty and cleanliness attract everyone and you can freely reach here with your family, partner or friends. Let us know about these hill stations... Tawang Tawang Hill Station of Arunachal Pradesh is situated at an altitude of 3048 meters. Let us tell you that this is an offbeat place. Here you will find many beautiful monasteries. Where you can go for some time to find peace. It is here that the sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born. This hilly place is also known as Dawang. This hill station boasts of natural beauty and spirituality. Here you will see amazing cleanliness. Paura Paura village of Nainital is one of the tourist places of Uttarakhand. This village, full of natural beauty, is situated at an altitude of 6600 feet above sea level. Since it is an offbeat destination, the village continues to shine. Many people do not know but Paura village is called the fruit bowl of Uttarakhand. Plums, apples, and peaches are found in large quantities here. You can experience the beautiful and thrilling trek of this village. There is no market here, but you can buy herbal face packs, and spices from here at low prices. Connoor Coonoor, a city in the state of Tamil Nadu, is located at a distance of 18 km from Ooty and 71 km from Coimbatore. It is at an altitude of about 6000 feet above sea level. If you want to visit Coonoor, then definitely visit Dolphin Dodge. Its shape is like a dolphin and it is always covered with fog. It is situated at a very high altitude due to which it is very popular among tourists. Catherine Water Fall is also a center of attraction for tourists. People mostly come here for a picnic. This waterfall is surrounded by dense forests. Apart from this, there are many waterfalls in Coonoor which you can enjoy. Halflong Haflong in Assam is located 310 km from Guwahati. This hill station is known for its beautiful hills, clean and serene environment, and valleys. Haflong is quite popular among nature lovers. This hill station is situated at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level and is ideal for holidays. Here you can go boating on Haflong Lake and visit the ruins of Maibong. Here Orchid Garden, Borel Range or Jatinga are very famous tourist places. Idukki Idukki in Kerala is a very beautiful place among the naturally beautiful areas. This place is surrounded by tall trees on all sides. After coming here, it feels as if you are in the lap of nature. The 650 feet long 550 feet 550-foot-high high-arched dam on the mountain is known as Idukki Kurvan Kurti. From here The mixture of the dam and lush green nature will bring immense peace to your heart. Here you can visit animal sanctuaries, and tea gardens and go trekking in the mountains etc. Ddhat This hill station of Uttarakhand is much liked for its untouched beauty and peaceful environment. Very few people know about it, hence there is neither much crowd nor much filth here. Surrounded by dense forests, high mountain meadows, rivers, and glaciers, this hill station is no less than a paradise to visit on weekends. Here, apart from taking a tour of Ascot Century, you can also enjoy hiking and camping. Connor You can also go to Kannur for holidays. It is also among the most popular hill stations. This town is only 19 kilometers away from Ooty. Tourist places like tea gardens, monuments, ancient temples, and picnic spots can be seen here. Here you can enjoy the views of Nilgiri Hills and Catherine Waterfall. The weather here is always cold. Kausani Kausani is a beautiful hill station located in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. The Himalayan peaks look very beautiful from here. This hill station surrounded by pine tree forests and beautiful valleys will mesmerize you. Kausani experiences snowfall in the winter months, which a large number of tourists come here to enjoy. The natural beauty and clean environment here will fascinate you. Ooty Ooty's name is included among the most special and beautiful hill stations of Tamil Nadu. This place is also known as Scotland of India. Let us tell you that this hill station is perfect during the summer months in South India. Apart from flower gardens, here you can see Nilgiri hills and an attractive chocolate museum, etc. Lohaghat If anyone can be called the real diamond of Uttarakhand, then it is Lohaghat. It is a very clean and beautiful place to visit the mountains in this season. This is the perfect destination for rafting and adventure sports lovers. The view of Lohaghat is worth seeing during the summer season. In this season this place is filled with Buran's flowers. Pancheshwar, Banasur Fort, and Mayawati Ashram near Lohaghat are good places to visit. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Kalam Times 12 Apr 2024 4:50 pm

Uttarakhand CM Dhami interacts with locals during morning walk in Khatima, gives PM Modi's message in 'Kumaoni' dialect

Uttarakhand CM Dhami interacts with locals during morning walk in Khatima, gives PM Modi's message in 'Kumaoni' dialect With the first phase of Lok Sabha elections around the corner, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was spotted interacting with the people in the 'Kumaoni' dialect during his morning walk in Khatima on Friday morning. CM Dhami also boarded a bus of school children and enquired about the well-being of the school children. While roaming in Khatima, he gave the message of 'Ram-Ram' given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Kumaoni dialect to all the people he met on the way. The Chief Minister also urged the people to vote in the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier on April 11, CM Dhami addressed an election rally in Rishikesh in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the rally, he presented a 'Hudka' (a musical instrument) made by Uttarakhand artisans to PM Modi on the rally stage. While speaking at a public rally, Dhami said, The country has awakened, moved forward and changed now. The new India is vigilant and sensitive towards its future. Those who implemented 'Emergency' in the country, those who have divided society into castes, and those who did many scams are rattled today because of PM Modi, as the PM's mantra is 'na khaunga na khaane dunga'. The NDA has fielded Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Anil Baluni, Ajay Tamta, Ajay Bhatt and Trivendra Singh Rawat from Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora (SC), Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Haridwar lok sabha constituencies respectively. INDIA has nominated Jot Singh Guntsola (INC), Ganesh Godiyal (INC), Pradeep Tamta (INC), Prakash Joshi (INC) and Virendra Rawat (INC) as its candidates for Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora (SC), Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Haridwar Lok Sabha constituencies. While two Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand -- Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Almora -- are located in the Kumaon region, the remaining three seats of Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal and Garhwal (Pauri) are in the Garhwal region. The BJP is looking to sweep yet again in all five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand, having won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the State in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections. (ANI)

devdiscourse 12 Apr 2024 10:05 am

Who are the 'vote-eating' Corbett leopards? The reason behind Uttarakhand's election dilemma

In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 19 in Garhwal (Pauri Garhwal) and Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, one of the major issues is the conflict between humans and big cats. The BJP won both seats in 2019. As the polls approach again, voters are faced with a decision: to boycott or to vote? While some consider boycotting, others are considering the 'None Of The Above (NOTA)' option.

The Economic Times 11 Apr 2024 2:04 pm

The vote-eating Corbett leopards

In the tranquil landscapes of Uttarakhands Nainital and Pauri districts, villagers on the fringes of Corbett Tiger Reserve are grappling with the toll of human-animal conflict. In Garhwal (Pauri Garhwal) and Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, the two LS seats that vote on April 19, one of the biggest issues is big cat-human conflict.

The Times of India 11 Apr 2024 5:47 am

Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Schedule, candidates list, date of voting, result, main parties

NainitalUdhamsingh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency in Uttarakhand, with diverse demographics, gears up for the 2024 elections. Key candidates include Akhtar Ali Mahigir (BSP), Ajay Bhatt (BJP), and Prakash Joshi (INC). The constituency had 1,828,433 voters in 2019 with a 68.97% turnout.

The Times of India 10 Apr 2024 12:47 pm

These places are very close to Delhi, make a plan to visit soon with your family

Are you tired of the hustle and bustle of city life in Delhi? Do you crave a refreshing escape with your loved ones? Fortunately, there are numerous delightful destinations just a stone's throw away from the capital, perfect for a quick getaway. Whether you're seeking tranquility in the hills, adventure in the wilderness, or cultural immersion in historic towns, there's something for everyone within easy reach of Delhi. Let's embark on a virtual journey to explore these enchanting weekend getaways and start planning your next family adventure! Scenic Retreats in the Himalayas Nainital: A Tranquil Lake Paradise Nestled amidst the Kumaon hills, Nainital is renowned for its serene lakes and picturesque landscapes. Take a leisurely boat ride on Naini Lake, stroll along the charming Mall Road, or trek to the scenic viewpoints for panoramic vistas of the surrounding hills. With its pleasant weather and abundant natural beauty, Nainital is an ideal destination for a relaxing family retreat. Mussoorie: The Queen of Hills Perched at an altitude of 6,170 feet, Mussoorie beckons travelers with its cool climate, verdant hills, and colonial charm. Explore the cascading waterfalls of Kempty Falls, soak in the breathtaking views from Lal Tibba, or wander through the vibrant markets of Mall Road. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, an adventure seeker, or a history buff, Mussoorie offers a delightful escape for every member of the family. Cultural Escapes Near Delhi Jaipur: The Pink City Step back in time and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Marvel at the grandeur of Amer Fort, wander through the bustling bazaars of the old city, or admire the intricate craftsmanship at Hawa Mahal. Indulge in traditional Rajasthani cuisine, shop for vibrant textiles and handicrafts, and witness the magic of Rajasthan's cultural performances. With its vibrant colors, regal architecture, and warm hospitality, Jaipur promises an unforgettable experience for the whole family. Agra: Home of the Taj Mahal No visit to Delhi's vicinity is complete without a pilgrimage to the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. Marvel at the timeless beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, stroll through the sprawling gardens of Mehtab Bagh, and explore the grandeur of Agra Fort. Delight your taste buds with delectable Mughlai cuisine, shop for exquisite marble handicrafts, and capture timeless memories against the backdrop of the majestic Taj Mahal. Adventure Escapades in the Wilderness Rishikesh: The Adventure Capital For adrenaline junkies and nature enthusiasts, Rishikesh offers an exhilarating escape amidst the foothills of the Himalayas. Embark on a thrilling river rafting expedition on the Ganges, trek to the scenic Neer Garh Waterfall, or partake in yoga and meditation sessions by the riverbanks. With its vibrant ashrams, bustling cafes, and breathtaking scenery, Rishikesh is the perfect destination for a blend of adventure and spirituality. Jim Corbett National Park: Wildlife Encounters Experience the thrill of encountering majestic wildlife in their natural habitat at Jim Corbett National Park. Embark on an exciting safari through the dense forests, spot elusive tigers, elephants, and deer, and immerse yourself in the beauty of the wilderness. Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast, a bird watcher, or a nature lover, Jim Corbett offers a thrilling escape from the city's chaos. With an array of enchanting destinations just a short drive away from Delhi, there's no excuse not to plan a memorable getaway with your family. Whether you prefer the tranquility of the hills, the cultural richness of historic towns, or the adrenaline rush of adventure sports, the options are endless. So pack your bags, gather your loved ones, and embark on a journey to create unforgettable memories together! Chaitra Navratri 2024: THESE foods to avoid in Chaitra Navratri Moon Sighting for EidulFitr 2024 Timings in India UAE and Saudi Arabia who becomes the fastest indian bowler to reach 150 wickets in ipl

News Track 9 Apr 2024 9:57 pm

Uttarakhand: 8 killed as Nepal-bound vehicle falls into gorge

Dehradun, April 9 (UNI) Eight people were killed on Tuesday when a vehicle from Nainital district of Uttarakhand headed to neighbouring Nepal fell into a deep gorge. Eight, including the driver, died on the spot, while two passengers were saved. Apart from the driver, all killed are residents of Nepal. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)... The post Uttarakhand: 8 killed as Nepal-bound vehicle falls into gorge first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Central Chronicle 9 Apr 2024 9:29 pm

Seven Nepalese Nationals Among Eight Killed in Road Accident in Nainital

The vehicle was carrying nine Nepalese nationals, who were all residents of Mahendranagar

News18 9 Apr 2024 10:52 am

7 Nepal tourists among 8 dead after vehicle falls into gorge in Nainital

Eight people, including seven Nepalese nationals, tragically died in a vehicle accident in Nainital district, Uttarakhand. The incident near Betalghat resulted in two injuries. State Disaster Response Team (SDRF) and locals recovered the bodies, providing medical aid to the survivors. The victims were en route to Mahendranagar.

The Times of India 9 Apr 2024 10:48 am

8 dead after vehicle plunges into gorge in Uttarakhand's Nainital

dead after vehicle plunges into gorge in Uttarakhands Nainital

India Today 9 Apr 2024 8:38 am

36 shops gutted as fire breaks out in Garjiya temple complex

Nainital: Nearly three dozen shops were burned down on Monday, April 8, in a fire in the famous Garjiya temple complex in Uttarakhands Ramnagar, police said. There is no report of any loss of life in the incident, they said, adding that the fire broke out at a shop selling prasad as hawkers were preparing 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 .

The Siasat Daily 8 Apr 2024 8:47 pm

Polling parties dispatched to implement 'vote-from-home' facility in Uttarakhand's Chamoli for Lok Sabha polls

Polling parties dispatched to implement 'vote-from-home' facility in Uttarakhand's Chamoli for Lok Sabha polls The 'vote-from-home' facility for citizens over 85 years of age and persons with disabilities has begun in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district for Lok Sabha elections. Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said that polling parties have been dispatched from Sports Stadium Gopeshwar to three assembly constituencies Lok Sabha elections have begun in Chamoli with home voting. On Monday, 55 polling parties were dispatched from Sports Stadium Gopeshwar to all three assembly constituencies for home voting, Chamoli DM posted on X. The Election Commission, which announced the Lok Sabha poll schedule last month, had said that there will be 'vote-from-home' facilities for citizens over 85 years of age and persons with disabilities for the Lok Sabha elections. The commission said that persons with disabilities with a 40 per cent benchmark disability can vote from home. The commission said that at polling stations, volunteers and wheelchairs will be deployed and transport facilities for persons with disabilities and the elderly will be arranged. Uttarakhand will go to vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19. Voting in Uttarakhand will be held for all five Lok Sabha seats. Chamoli is part of the Garhwal parliamentary seat. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won all five seats - Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Haridwar. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been campaigning to bolster the prospects of BJP candidates. He held a roadshow in Chamoli's Tharali along with the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Anil Baluni last month. Baluni is in the fray from Garhwal Lok Sabha seat. (ANI)

devdiscourse 8 Apr 2024 12:05 pm

Nainital sees surge in tourist footfall amid rising temperatures in North India

Amid the increasing temperature in the plains of North India, neighbouring Nainital in Uttarakhand is witnessing a huge influx of tourists from across the country seeking respite from the scorching heat. The lake city has been bustling with tourists, and shopkeepers and traders are happy with their booming business due to the large number of... The post Nainital sees surge in tourist footfall amid rising temperatures in North India first appeared on India's Top Travel News Source: TravelBiz Monitor .

travelbizmonitor 8 Apr 2024 11:43 am

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Total seats, schedule, candidates list, date of voting, result, main parties

Uttarakhand's five Lok Sabha seats hold crucial political sway, with BJP and Congress battling fiercely. NDA dominates past elections, gearing up for polling on April 19 in a single phase. Key constituencies include Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, and Haridwar.

The Times of India 8 Apr 2024 8:24 am

Uttarakhand CM Dhami highlights BJP's achievements, seeks support for LS candidate Ajay Bhatt

Uttarakhand CM Dhami highlights BJP's achievements, seeks support for LS candidate Ajay Bhatt Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted on Sunday the achievements of the BJP government in Uttarakhand, including the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the state. Addressing a gathering at Mukteshwar's Himgiri Stadium, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami said, We had promised the people to implement the Uniform Civil Code, which has been fulfilled since the formation of the government. There has been a continuous demand for Uniform Civil Code within the country. The credit for passing the Uniform Civil Code Bill goes to the citizens of Uttarakhand. Slamming the Congress party for its 'appeasement politics' in the country, he said, Our government is talking about Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat by implementing the Uniform Civil Code and abolishing Article 370, while the Congress has talked about retaining Muslim Personal Law in its manifesto. This shows the appeasement vote bank thinking of the Congress. The imprint of the ideology of the Muslim League is visible in the manifesto of Congress. Their manifesto seems to be the manifesto of the Muslim League. He said that today, the country is moving ahead continuously under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, and women's empowerment and security are being talked about. Seeking votes for Bhartiya Janata's Lok Sabha candidate from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Ajay Bhatt, Dhami claimed that the MP has taken special care of Nainital Lok Sabha along with the entire country. The public has to support the BJP candidate from the Nainital region, Shri Ajay Bhatt ji. Shri Ajay Bhatt ji is serving the country as the Minister of State for Defence in Modi ji's cabinet and has taken special care of Nainital Lok Sabha along with the entire country, he said. Dhami outlined the ongoing developmental initiatives in the state, including the transfer of HMT land in Nainital to the state government, approval of the Jamrani Dam project, and ongoing renovation of railway lines in Lalkuan, Haldwani, and Ramnagar. A train service to Amritsar has commenced, plans for constructing AIIMS in Kichha are underway, and a substantial fund of 2200 crores has been allocated to transform Haldwani into a smart city. Other projects include the construction of a roadways terminal and progress on the ring road, Dhami claimed. He further emphasised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in steering the country towards development and self-reliance, citing significant progress in various sectors over the past decade. The Chief Minister said that under the able leadership of PM Modi, the country is climbing the ladder of development. In a veiled jibe at the Congress party, Dhami said, The prince born with a golden spoon cannot understand the pain of the poor. People who grow up in the shadow of dynasty throughout their lives cannot understand the struggle of the people. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has a special attachment to Uttarakhand. In the last 10 years, the Centre has approved schemes worth two lakh crore rupees for Uttarakhand. He said that the state government is working day and night to make Uttarakhand the best state in the country. Honorable Modi ji is supporting Uttarakhand at every step. Now it is the turn of the people of Uttarakhand to contribute in making Modi ji the Prime Minister for the third time. Together we have to send BJP candidate Ajay Bhatt from Nainital Udham Singh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency to the Lok Sabha by making him win with the biggest number of votes, Dhami said. (ANI)

devdiscourse 7 Apr 2024 5:11 pm

Waterfalls of Uttarakhand: In summer, you will get relief under these top and charming waterfalls of Uttarakhand

Best Waterfall In Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand is a major state of the country as well as a world-famous tourist destination. This beautiful state is also known as the land of Gods. Uttarakhand is famous all over the world due to its immense beauty, enchanting views, religious places and attractive places. Therefore, thousands of tourists come here every day to visit. Just as Uttarakhand is famous for its high mountains covered with clouds, dense forests and huge cedar trees, in the same way, it is famous for some spectacular and beautiful waterfalls. In this article, we are going to tell you about some top and beautiful waterfalls of Uttarakhand, below which you can also have fun. Kempty Waterfall in Mussoorie If the name of the most famous and popular waterfall of Uttarakhand is taken, then the name of Kempty Fall is included. This beautiful waterfall is situated at a distance of about 15 km from Mussoorie, famous by the name of Queen of Mountains. In Kempty Waterfall, when water falls on the ground from a height of about 40 feet, the surrounding view is simply worth admiring. This waterfall is also famous because thousands of people come here every day to take a bath. Let us tell you that the author has also reached here to take a bath. The real form of this waterfall can be seen during monsoon. Corbett Waterfall You must have gone to visit the beautiful valleys of Nainital not once but many times, but have you ever explored Corbett Waterfall during your trip to Nainital? Corbett Waterfall situated in Ramnagar Forest of Nainital district is no less than a beautiful paradise. Being in the middle of the forest, this waterfall attracts a lot of tourists. Along with local tourists, foreign tourists also come to see the beauty of this waterfall. Many people come here during the summer season to enjoy the cold. Neergarh Waterfall Rishikesh of Uttarakhand is a city where thousands of domestic and foreign tourists come every day to visit. This beautiful city situated on the banks of river Ganga is also known by the name of Yoga City throughout the world. Just as Rishikesh is famous for River Ganga and Yoganagari, similarly it is also famous for Neergarh Waterfall. More than a dozen people come here every day to take a bath. Apart from this, people also come here to enjoy the natural beauty. The real form of this waterfall can be seen during monsoon. Tiger Waterfall Situated amidst high mountains, dense forests and huge pine trees, Tiger Waterfall is a hidden treasure of Uttarakhand. This beautiful waterfall is in Chakrata, Uttarakhand. Chakrata is a very beautiful and charming hill station. When water falls from a height of more than three hundred feet in Tiger Waterfall, the surrounding view is simply worth seeing. The crystal water of this waterfall attracts a lot of tourists. After taking a dip in the Tiger Waterfall in Chakrata, you can explore the best places like Chilmiri Garden, Deoban, Ram Tal Horticultural Garden, Koti-Kanasar and HathniKund. Sahastradhara Falls Sahasradhara is one of those waterfalls of Uttarakhand that almost everyone would like to visit. Yes, Sahasradhara, located at a distance of about 16 km from Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, is no less than a paradise for nature lovers. There is also a waterfall nearby, Sahasradhara Waterfall, which is visited by thousands of tourists every day during the summer season. Sahasradhara Waterfall is also considered a sacred stream. It is said that many skin-related problems are cured by water. Let us tell you that water from this stream is also sold in nearby shops.

Kalam Times 7 Apr 2024 2:15 pm

Uttarakhand: Navigating an uphill path

DEHRADUN: Even as the five seats of Uttarakhand are all set to go to polls in the first phase on April 19, the political mood of the voters remains a mystery this time too, as has been the trend. Over 10 veterans in the state have faced a crushing defeat in the electoral history. These include the leaders who contested the Lok Sabha elections from Uttarakhand, hoping for easy access to Parliament but were disappointed. Ram Vilas Paswan, Mayawati, Satpal Maharaj, Lt-Gen (Retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, ND Tiwari, Maharaja Manvendra Shah of Tehri, and Harish Rawat were rejected at one time or the other. The state has a long and storied history of delivering surprising election outcomes where voters have not hesitated to shift their allegiance. With a commendable literacy rate, Uttarakhand residents have consistently exercised their voting rights after thoughtful deliberation on national and significant issues. Amarjeet Singh, spokesperson for Congress in Uttarakhand, underscored the impact of literacy in the state, stating, The high literacy rate plays a key role in voters making informed decisions by considering national issues during elections, reflecting their concern for serious matters at a national level. This time, the public is going to vote on issues like inflation, unemployment, security, migration, and law and order, and after seeing the political situation, Uttarakhand may give results similar to 2009, he said. History of victories, defeats A glance into the electoral history of Uttarakhand brings forth some intriguing results. In 1984, Harish Rawat defeated BJP stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi. In 1989, the then Congress veteran Satpal Maharaj was defeated by Janata Dals Chandramohan Singh Negi. In 1989, Ramvilas Paswan suffered a decisive defeat from the Haridwar seat. BSP supremo Mayawati faced a crushing defeat from Haridwar in 1990 and 1991. Similarly, in 1989, independent candidate Kashi Singh Aeri defeated Bhagat Singh Koshyari in the Almora seat. During the Ram mandir wave in 1991, the strong contender for the PMs post from the Congress ND Tiwari was defeated by by BJPs Balraj Pasi. In 1996 and 2009, B C Khanduri, who served as an MP four times on the Pauri seat, also faced defeat. Similarly, Maharaja Manvendra Shah, an eight-time MP, was unseated on Tehri by independent candidate Paripurnanand Panuli in 1971. Also, Bachhi Singh Rawat, a former BJP minister, secured win over Harish Rawat on three consecutive occasions from Almora. In 2019, Ajay Bhatt emerged victorious over Harish Rawat on Nainital seat. Current state of affairs The primary contest is expected between the BJP and the Congress in all the five seats. Although Umesh Kumar from Haridwar and Bobby Pawar from Tehri are both strong independent candidates, as per the assessment of the previous election results, even in these elections, these independent candidates can be limited to affecting the margin of victory of the winning candidate. One of the two independents, Umesh Kumar, is an MLA from Khanpur constituency. In Tehri, three-time BJP MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah will face Congresss Jot Singh Gunasola, a two-time MLA from Mussoorie, this time. Berojgar Sangh chief Bobby Pawar is contesting as an independent candidate with many youth supporters. The contest in Garhwal is between Congresss Ganesh Godiyal and BJPs Anil Baluni. The BJP has fielded Rajya Sabha MP in place of Tirath Singh Rawat. Godiyal has previously served as a legislator. The BJP has pitted former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat against Congresss Virendra Rawat in Haridwar. The BSP also commands a significant vote bank in this region, and independent candidate Umesh Kumar from Khanpur is also vying for victory. Umesh currently serves as an independent MLA from Khanpur. In Almora, two old rivals, Ajay Tamta of BJP and Pradeep Tamta of Congress, will once again come face to face. In Nainital, MoS Ajay Bhatt will be challenged by a new face, Prakash Joshi of Congress.

The New Indian Express 6 Apr 2024 8:08 am

To get relief from the scorching heat of April, plan to visit these places near Delhi

As April's blazing temperatures sweep across the plains, residents of Delhi seek refuge in nearby destinations that offer respite from the relentless heat. From serene hill stations to historical marvels, here are the top places near Delhi where you can cool off and rejuvenate: 1. Shimla: The Queen of Hill Stations Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, Shimla beckons with its lush greenery and pleasant climate. Explore the colonial charm of Mall Road, embark on a scenic hike to Jakhu Temple, or simply unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings. 1.1 Mall Road: Shop and Stroll Indulge in shopping for local handicrafts, woolens, and souvenirs as you stroll along Mall Road, soaking in the panoramic views of the surrounding hills. 1.2 Jakhu Temple: Seek Blessings Trek to the hilltop Jakhu Temple, dedicated to Lord Hanuman, and enjoy breathtaking vistas of the Himalayan range along the way. 2. Mussoorie: The Queen of Hills Dubbed as the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie offers a perfect escape from the scorching heat with its cool climate and picturesque landscapes. Take a leisurely walk on Camel's Back Road, visit the iconic Kempty Falls, or explore the historic Landour Bazaar. 2.1 Camel's Back Road: Sunset Strolls Embark on a serene walk along Camel's Back Road, named after its distinctive camel hump-shaped rock formation, and witness mesmerizing sunsets against the backdrop of the Himalayas. 2.2 Kempty Falls: Nature's Oasis Immerse yourself in the cascading beauty of Kempty Falls, where icy mountain waters plunge into crystal-clear pools, offering a refreshing escape from the summer heat. 3. Nainital: The Lake District of India Famed for its emerald lakes and lush surroundings, Nainital is a haven for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Explore the serene Naini Lake on a boat ride, trek to Tiffin Top for panoramic views, or shop for exquisite candles at Mall Road. 3.1 Naini Lake: Serenity Unleashed Embark on a tranquil boat ride across Naini Lake, surrounded by verdant hills and mirrored reflections, for an enchanting experience amidst nature's splendor. 3.2 Tiffin Top: Scenic Vista Hike to Tiffin Top, also known as Dorothy's Seat, for a bird's-eye view of Nainital town and the majestic Himalayan peaks, offering a perfect setting for picnics and photography. 4. Rishikesh: The Yoga Capital of the World Escape the summer heat and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul in the serene environs of Rishikesh. Explore the spiritual ashrams, partake in adventurous activities like river rafting and bungee jumping, or simply meditate by the holy Ganges River. 4.1 Ganga Aarti: Spiritual Bliss Witness the mesmerizing Ganga Aarti ceremony at Triveni Ghat as priests offer prayers to the sacred river, accompanied by rhythmic chants and the flickering glow of oil lamps, creating an aura of divine tranquility. 4.2 River Rafting: Thrilling Adventure Embark on an adrenaline-pumping river rafting expedition along the rapids of the Ganges, offering an exhilarating experience amidst the pristine wilderness of Rishikesh. 5. Jaipur: The Pink City Step into the regal grandeur of Jaipur, adorned with magnificent palaces, vibrant bazaars, and rich cultural heritage. Explore the majestic Amber Fort, marvel at the intricate architecture of Hawa Mahal, or shop for traditional handicrafts at Johari Bazaar. 5.1 Amber Fort: Majestic Splendor Immerse yourself in the opulence of Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as you traverse its sprawling courtyards, intricate palaces, and majestic ramparts, offering a glimpse into Rajasthan's royal legacy. 5.2 Hawa Mahal: Architectural Marvel Admire the breathtaking faade of Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, with its intricate lattice-work windows, designed to allow royal women to observe street festivities while remaining veiled from public view. As the mercury soars in April, these enchanting destinations near Delhi offer a perfect retreat to beat the heat and create unforgettable memories amidst nature's splendor and cultural richness. TOP FIVE MUST DO COURSES AFTER 12 TH Army Unveils Ambitious Reforms to Strengthen Combat Capabilities Preview of Mahindra XUV 3XO Sub-Compact SUV Ahead of April 29 Launch

News Track 5 Apr 2024 9:57 pm

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Nainital | Khabar Pakki Hai

Lok Sabha Election 2024: - ?

NDTV 5 Apr 2024 7:42 pm

Interview: Samar Ahmed is making waves in marine biology

March is celebrated as a special month of women as it symbolizes the continuous struggle of women. Since ancient times, women were not treated equally, the situation was such that women did not have any place even at the social level. Under those circumstances, women moved forward and made efforts to achieve respectable positions for themselves both in society and in professional fields. It took years, decades and eras to change people's attitudes and accept women's role as more than domestic work. The struggle still continues. Women are moving forward in all fields, breaking stereotypes. Her contribution in the fields of science, literature, research, law, governance and administration has increased manifold and she is proving to be excellent in all fields. Be it the role of a mother, a scientist, a lawyer, an administrator or a defense personnel, women are participating with courage and dedication. Today we thank all the women. Every woman is special, and some women are doing very special things. In this series, let us meet one such woman Samar Ahmed, who is making waves in an unconventional field marine biology. Samar hails from Nainital, Uttarakhand where she was born and brought up. His life journey in the field of marine biology has been quite interesting. It all started when Samar, after completing her graduation in biology in 2019, out of curiosity wrote an application to a professor at the Wildlife Institute of India to work on an ongoing or upcoming project. He got the opportunity to work on a project on migratory birds and it proved to be a turning point in his life. The experience of research on birds attracted him to work in the direction of wildlife research. He then worked in a Wildlife Institute of India project as a field assistant on Common Crane and Flamingo in Kutch, Gujarat. In 2021 he worked on tigers in Ranthambore under a project of the National Center for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. While researching tigers he realized how larger species were considered very important and smaller species were often ignored. In this same vein, she decided to do post graduation in Biodiversity Conservation. And then she went to Mumbai to do post graduation in Biodiversity Conservation from Bombay University. She recalls how Juhu, even a very crowded beach, is full of biodiversity, harboring millions of tiny marine creatures in its rocks and crevices. This attracted him and his journey of research on marine creatures began. Marine biology fascinated him so much that he wrote his post graduation thesis on 'Relationship of coral reefs and reef fishes'. In this dissertation he discussed how different types of fish are found in different types of coral colonies. He described 3 types of fish found in corals: herbivorous, carnivorous, and corallivorous. She explains that it is very interesting that fishes that are corallivorous help control the growth of spatially dominant types of coral and promote greater reef diversity. Currently she is working with Dakshin Foundation. Dakshin Foundation is a non-profit organization working towards environmental sustainability and social justice. She is currently working on an initiative REEFLOG, which is a citizen science project asking tourists/divers to write on a board the marine species they see. They compile this data and use it to further their research. She strives to spread awareness, loves talking to people and answering their curiosities. A small step in the conservation of any species gives them a feeling of happiness. He believes that We cannot save nature, nature saves us. Coming face to face with natural miracles, she describes how a bleached coral miraculously revives itself, how a bird comes millions of kilometers away to breed in the exact spot where it was born. It's natural to face some challenges when working in an unconventional profession. She recalls that sometimes due to some unexpected circumstances, the living conditions in rural and coastal areas are not good. Being a woman, she also has to face some unpleasant incidents where male researchers are given importance and female researchers are sidelined. Challenges come but she has the courage to overcome them. She considers herself fortunate that she has always received immense support from her parents who are adventure enthusiasts themselves. (PC: Freepik)

Kalam Times 4 Apr 2024 8:21 pm

Haldwani Violence: Mastermind's Wife Arrested in Uttar Pradesh

The wife of the mastermind behind the violence in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, has been apprehended from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, as informed by a senior police official on Thursday. Safia was taken into custody from Biharipur village in Bareilly by Uttarakhand Police on Tuesday. According to Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena, she faces charges related to unlawful plotting, construction, and land transfer through criminal conspiracy in Malik Ka Bagicha area of Haldwani. These actions allegedly involved using the identity of a deceased individual to encroach upon government land. Abdul Malik, her husband, and their son Abdul Moeed were previously detained, with arrests made on February 24 and February 28, respectively. The violence erupted in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, on February 8 following the demolition of a madrassa and mosque deemed 'illegally' constructed. The clashes resulted in six fatalities and over a hundred injuries, including police personnel and journalists. Major Drug Bust: Ranchi Police Seize 117 Bags of Doda, worth Rs 4.5 Crore Tragic Incident in Bihar: Mohammad Iddu Mian Commits Suicide After Killing Family

News Track 4 Apr 2024 4:01 pm

Banbhoolpura violence: Wife of mastermind arrested from Uttar Pradesh

Banbhoolpura violence: Wife of mastermind arrested from Uttar Pradesh The wife of Banbhoolpura violence mastermind Abdul Malik has been arrested from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, a senior police official said on Thursday. Safia was arrested from Biharipur village in Bareilly on Tuesday by the Uttarakhand Police. Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena said she has been arrested on charges of carrying out illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land by using the name of a dead person under criminal conspiracy to grab government land in Malik Ka Bagicha area of Haldwani, he said. Her husband Abdul Malik and their son Abdul Moeed are already in custody. The two were arrested on February 24 and February 28 respectively. Violence broke out in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani on February 8 over the demolition of an 'illegally' constructed madrassa and an adjoining mosque. The violence left six persons dead and more than a 100, including police personnel and journalists injured.

devdiscourse 4 Apr 2024 1:07 pm

Every Panna Pramukh of BJP is ready...: Uttarakhand CM Dhami ahead of Lok Sabha election

Every Panna Pramukh of BJP is ready...: Uttarakhand CM Dhami ahead of Lok Sabha election Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Wednesday that every 'Panna Pramukh' of the BJP is ready to make him the PM of the country for the third time. To bring the resolution of Developed India to fruition, every 'Panna Pramukh' of the BJP is ready to make respected Narendra Modiji the Prime Minister for the third time. At the booth level, our Panna Pramukhs are taking the Prime Minister's guarantee to the people. By joining this campaign, you also become a partner in building a strong and prosperous India, posted Pushkar Singh Dhami on X. Earlier on Tuesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented a conch to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Vijay Shankhnad rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held in Rudrapur. PM Modi kick-started BJP's poll campaign in Uttarakhand today by addressing a rally in Rudrapur which is part of the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency. Dhami, while addressing the gathering, hailed the leadership of PM Modi and said, PM Modi has given us a target of over 400 seats in this election. I am confident we will win all five seats in Uttarakhand and contribute towards winning over 400 seats in the country. We all have witnessed how the country has progressed and developed under the leadership of the PM. Uttarakhand CM Dhami also mocked Rahul Gandhi and said that his party has always 'failed to launch him again and again'. India has made history by reaching the South Pole of the Moon. But Congress keeps making failed attempts to launch its 'Rajkumar'. When Modi ji says, Bhrashtachar mitao, then Congress says, Modi ko mitao aur Gandhi parivar ko bachao. Is this right? Dhami added. Among the 543 Lok Sabha seats, Uttarakhand contributes just five seats and the BJP has fielded Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Anil Baluni, Ajay Tamta, Ajay Bhatt, and Trivendra Singh Rawat for these seats. The people of Uttarakhand will cast their ballots in a single phase on April 19, according to the Election Commission of India. Uttarakhand has traditionally witnessed a close contest between the BJP and Congress. Both parties see the state as an essential battleground for displaying and gaining supporters for their national narratives.The BJP had won all the Lok Sabha seats in the elections in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. With 47 out of 70 assembly seats, the BJP dominated in the 2022 assembly polls, while Congress got 19 seats. BSP and Independents hold 2 seats each. (ANI)

devdiscourse 3 Apr 2024 10:12 pm

April Travel Places: Neither too cold nor too hot, these places are best for traveling in April for just Rs 5000

The temperature starts increasing from the month of April. Mild summer starts from this month. The normal temperature in most of the plain areas is more than 30 degrees Celsius. Although there is not very humid heat. For those who hesitate to step out of the house in the severe cold of January-February, the month of April is a better time to travel. There is neither too much cold nor too humid heat in this month. Due to this, one does not have to face the problem of sweat and dehydration while travelling. There are also festivals like Chaitra Navratri, Eid Al Fitr, Baisakhi, Ram Navami in the month of April. Holidays for these festivals are also available in some offices. Apart from this, you can also go on a weekend trip. There is a chance to travel and the weather is also suitable for travelling, in such a situation, if you are planning a trip but are worried about the budget, then there is no need to worry. In this article, you are being told about some such tourist places, where you can visit in the month of April, that too in a budget of just Rs 5000. Pachmarhi Pachmarhi is the only hill station in Madhya Pradesh. Located on the Satpura hills, away from the peaks of Pachmarhi, one can see only greenery at this hill station. The month of April is suitable to see the magnificent carvings and waterfalls in the caves of Pachmarhi. Here you can also enjoy hiking and trekking. The nearest railway station to reach Pachmarhi is Pipariya. Bhopal or Jabalpur are the nearest airports by flight. Although there is a good road till Pachmarhi, you can enjoy the natural views while going by road. It will not cost much to visit and stay here. Dharamshala Dharamshala, a beautiful hill station located in the valleys of Himachal, is the best place to visit in April. Dharamshala is also called Mini Tibet. Tibetan flags keep waving all around here. You can visit this relaxing place amidst the mountains to see bustling markets, museums and monasteries. Bus to Dharamshala is easily available from Delhi, Shimla and Dehradun, which is also in budget. Hotel rent is also not very high. Mussoorie Mussoorie of Uttarakhand is also called 'Queen of Hills'. Cold winds blow in Mussoorie in April. While roaming on the streets of Mussoorie on Scooty during the day, the cool breeze amid the golden sunshine makes for a wonderful journey. Here you can visit Lal Tibba, Kempty Fall, Company Garden, Dalai Hills. Apart from this, one can also visit Dhanaulti and Surkanda Mata temples. For adventure, you will be able to enjoy many sports in the budget. The cost of living, traveling and eating in this hill station can be less than Rs 5000. Buses and taxis are easily available from Dehradun or Rishikesh to Mussoorie. Mount Abu The month of April is also a better time to visit Mount Abu, the only hill station of Rajasthan. There are dense forests around Mount Abu surrounded by a peak made of granite. There are many holy and ancient temples of Jains and Hindus here. Away from the scorching sun and heat, Mount Abu is a cool and close to nature city, with Abu Road being the nearest railway station to reach it. One can also reach here by road. Other places If the budget is high then the month of April is best suited to visit Darjeeling, Ravangla, Cherrapunji, Gulmarg, Ooty and Tawang. Apart from this, the month of April is also the right time to visit Nainital and Ooty. (PC: iStock)

Kalam Times 3 Apr 2024 8:18 pm

PM Modi News | BJP Campaign In Uttarakhand | PM Modi To Kick Off Uttarakhand Campaign From Rudrapur

PM Modi News | BJP Campaign In Uttarakhand | PM Modi To Kick Off Uttarakhand Campaign From Rudrapur | News18Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch BJP's Lok Sabha campaign in Uttarakhand on April 2 with a rally in Rudrapur, which is part of the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency.Anticipating a massive turnout, state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt claimed that over one lakh people were expected at the rally.

News18 2 Apr 2024 3:34 pm

PM Modi Launches BJP's Lok Sabha Campaign in Uttarakhand with Rudrapur Rally Today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kick off the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand on April 2. His rally in Rudrapur, a part of the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency, marks the beginning of the party's efforts in the state. State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt expects a significant turnout, estimating that over one lakh people will attend the rally. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed enthusiasm for Modi's visit, stating that Uttarakhand eagerly anticipates the Prime Minister's presence. Uttarakhand, scheduled to vote in the first phase on April 5, holds five Lok Sabha seats, all of which were won by the BJP in 2019. Dhami is confident of repeating the party's success with an even larger victory margin this time. Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt seeks re-election from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, aiming to secure victory against his nearest rival, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat of the Congress. We are fortunate that Rudrapur, a town with significant agricultural and industrial importance, has been chosen for the launch of our campaign. We are optimistic that the BJP will secure all five seats in Uttarakhand with an increased margin of victory, Dhami remarked. Dhami, recognized as one of the party's 40 star campaigners for the Lok Sabha polls, has been actively engaging in roadshows and public gatherings. In a bid to leave no stone unturned, Modi's visit will be followed by BJP President JP Nadda's arrival. Nadda is scheduled to visit the state on April 3, addressing gatherings in Pithoragarh and Vikasnagar, apart from conducting a roadshow in Haridwar on April 4. The BJP has nominated Ajay Tamta for the Almora seat, which he has held since 2014. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah is contesting from Tehri, a constituency she has represented since a 2012 bypoll, while former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is vying for victory from Haridwar. Headlines for the Day: PM Modi Launches Election Campaign in Rudrapur, Bengaluru Faces Water Crisis, and More

News Track 2 Apr 2024 10:11 am

Travel tips: These are the most expensive hotels in India, you can get a house and a car in the price of one night.

India is a famous republic for tourism, which is famous for its diversity, historical heritage, cultural heritage, natural beauty, and religious places. Tourism in India is famous for various natural attractions, historical sites, religious tours, cultural festivals, and diversity. From the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, India has various natural beauty spots and national parks, such as Gulmarg in Kashmir, Manali in Himachal Pradesh, Nainital in Uttarakhand and Munnar in Kerala. Indian historical sites such as the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, Khajuraho Temples, Ajanta and Ellora Caves, and Humayun's Tomb also attract tourists from all over the world. Religious pilgrimages such as Char Dham Yatra, Vaishno Devi, Kumbh Mela on the banks of river Ganga, and festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi inspire tourists to visit India. Holi, Diwali, Navratri, and Pushkar Fair are particularly popular among Indian cultural festivals and fairs. India provides comfortable and safe stays to its tourists through tourism organizations, good hotels, and special schemes. For this, India's tourism industry is famous all over the world and attracts millions of tourists every year. Some of the most expensive hotels in India are: Raj Palace, Jaipur: Raj Palace is a luxurious hotel in Jaipur which was earlier the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The hotel has 394 rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants, bars, and a spa. A night's stay can cost up to 14 lakh. Oberoi Amarvilla, Agra: Oberoi Amarvilla is a luxury hotel in Agra that offers spectacular views of the Taj Mahal. The hotel has 102 rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants, bars, and a spa. A night's stay can cost up to 80,000. The Oberoi, Mumbai: The Oberoi is a luxurious hotel in Mumbai located on Marine Drive. The hotel has 287 rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants, bars, and a spa. A night's stay can cost up to 70,000. The Leela Palace, New Delhi: The Leela Palace is a luxury hotel in New Delhi located in Chanakyapuri. The hotel has 254 rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants, bars and a spa. A night's stay can cost up to 60,000. Taj Falknum Palace, Hyderabad: Taj Falknum Palace is a luxurious hotel in Hyderabad which was earlier the residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The hotel has 60 rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants, bars, and a spa. A night's stay can cost up to 50,000. These are some of the many expensive hotels in India. These hotels offer superb facilities and services and are perfect for guests looking for a unique and memorable experience. (PC: Google)

Kalam Times 1 Apr 2024 7:41 pm

PM Modi to kick off Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttarakhand from Rudrapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kick off the BJP's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand by speaking at a rally in Rudrapur on Tuesday. The rally, to be held in the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency, is expected to draw over a lakh attendees, according to state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt.

The Economic Times 1 Apr 2024 3:55 pm

LS polls: PM Modi to kick off Uttarakhand election campaign from Rudrapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kick off the BJP's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand by speaking at a rally in Rudrapur on Tuesday. The rally, to be held in the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency, is expected to draw over a lakh attendees, according to state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt.

The Times of India 1 Apr 2024 3:48 pm

Uttarakhand Congress in turmoil as another prominent leader quits party to join BJP

DEHRADUN: The Congress party, which is currently grappling with a tumultuous period marked by a steady departure of its leaders in Uttarakhand, faced another blow on Sunday as senior Congress leader Mahesh Sharma from Kaladhungi bid adieu to the party. Sharma tendered his resignation on Sunday and made the switch to the BJP. Sharma, who has been associated with the Congress for over two decades and contested elections twice from Kaladhungi constituency, and is said to be close to Harish Rawat. Mahesh Sharma contested the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly election from Kaladhungi constituency on a Congress ticket unsuccessfully. Additionally, his wife, Kamlesh Sharma, has previously served as the district panchayat president. For the upcoming elections, Sharma had sought a ticket from the Congress, strongly claiming candidature for the Nainital parliamentary seat. Despite his efforts, the party opted to nominate Prakash Joshi instead of Sharma. Disappointed with this decision, Mahesh Sharma bid a final farewell to the Congress. Efforts made by Congress veterans like Harish Rawat, Yashpal Arya and Sumit Hridayesh to persuade Sharma proved futile, as he eventually moved to the BJP. Mahesh Sharma was formally inducted into the BJP by State President Mahendra Bhatt. It has been revealed that another influential BJP figure, Mahendra Adhikari of Haldwani, played a pivotal role in facilitating Sharma's transition to the party. The increasing attraction of leaders from other political factions towards the BJP is a testament to our party's commitment to transparent governance, remarked Bhatt. State Congress chief Karan Mahara shared his perspective with The New Indian Express on the recent wave of party defections, The Congress party is a vast ocean with a history spanning over a century. Those who have chosen to leave the party for opportunistic reasons will inevitably face consequences in due time. Over the course of the last month, there has been a notable exodus from the Congress party, with a sitting MLA, Rajendra Bhandari, and two former MLAs among the 16 leaders who have decided to part ways with the party.

The New Indian Express 1 Apr 2024 11:53 am

Best hill stations to visit in April

Looking for a refreshing getaway to escape the scorching April heat? Hill stations offer the perfect retreat, with their cool climate and lush greenery. Let's explore some of the best hill stations to visit in April. Darjeeling: The Queen of Hill Stations Nestled in the Himalayas, Darjeeling is renowned for its breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks, sprawling tea estates, and the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. April brings clear skies and pleasant weather, ideal for exploring the town's charm and indulging in some freshly brewed Darjeeling tea. Shimla: Colonial Charm Amidst Majestic Mountains The erstwhile summer capital of British India, Shimla exudes colonial grandeur with its Victorian architecture, lush landscapes, and panoramic vistas of the Himalayas. April showers the town with blossoms, adding to its allure, and offers opportunities for leisurely strolls along the Mall Road or adventurous hikes in the surrounding hills. Ooty: A Serene Haven in the Nilgiris Nestled in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, Ooty captivates visitors with its serene lakes, verdant valleys, and vibrant flower gardens. April heralds the blooming of the famous Ooty flowers, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. Enjoy a tranquil boat ride on Ooty Lake or embark on a scenic trek to witness nature at its finest. Manali: Gateway to Adventure in the Himalayas Manali, situated in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and adventure. April marks the onset of spring, painting the valley with colorful blossoms and rejuvenating the surrounding landscapes. From paragliding over Solang Valley to exploring ancient temples, Manali promises an exhilarating experience for every traveler. Munnar: Tranquility Amidst Tea Plantations Located in the Western Ghats of Kerala, Munnar is renowned for its sprawling tea plantations, mist-covered hills, and cascading waterfalls. April showers bring a renewed vibrancy to the region, making it an ideal time for nature walks amidst the verdant landscapes or visiting the Eravikulam National Park to spot endangered Nilgiri Tahr. Mussoorie: The Queen of Hills Perched atop the Garhwal Himalayas, Mussoorie is a picturesque hill station offering panoramic views of the Doon Valley and snow-clad peaks. April unveils a tapestry of rhododendrons adorning the hillsides, creating a mesmerizing sight for visitors. Take a cable car ride to Gun Hill or explore the scenic trails of Camel's Back Road for an unforgettable experience. Coorg: The Scotland of India Known for its mist-covered hills, lush coffee plantations, and cascading waterfalls, Coorg beckons travelers seeking tranquility amidst nature's bounty. April brings mild temperatures, perfect for exploring the region's spice estates, indulging in authentic Kodava cuisine, or trekking through the verdant landscapes to witness breathtaking vistas. Nainital: A Gem in the Himalayan Foothills Nainital, nestled around the emerald Naini Lake, is famed for its serene beauty and colonial charm. April showers the town with blooming flowers, enhancing its picturesque setting. Enjoy a boat ride on Naini Lake, explore the vibrant markets of Mallital, or trek to viewpoints like Snow View or Tiffin Top for panoramic vistas of the Himalayas.In April, these hill stations come alive with nature's bounty, offering a perfect escape from the sweltering heat of the plains. Whether you seek adventure, tranquility, or simply wish to bask in nature's splendor, these destinations promise an unforgettable experience amidst the cool embrace of the hills. Should one drink lukewarm water mixed with black salt or not? What is a smoker's diet? What is sleep paralysis, who gets it and what is the way to avoid it?

News Track 31 Mar 2024 5:26 pm

April Holiday Plan: Planning to travel this month? Know how many holidays and long weekends are available in April

The temperature starts increasing from March onwards. Summer season starts coming. As April approaches, the sun becomes brighter and the day begins to feel hot. In such a situation, there is very little cold in this month and there is no humid heat like June-July. Apart from this, there is no possibility of rain in April. In such a situation, if you are planning to go somewhere or are looking for a chance to travel for a long time, then you can go on a trip with friends and family this month. However, to travel in April, holidays are required. You can go on a trip for two to three holidays. Let us know how many holidays, bank holidays, and long weekends are available in the month of April, during which travel can be planned. Bank holidays in April Eid-ul-Fitr, Ram Navami, and Mahavir Jayanti are being celebrated this month. In such a situation, there will be bank holidays on these three occasions. Most of the offices schools and colleges will also remain closed. In such a situation, you will easily get three holidays this month to go on a trip. Weekend in April The 6th and 7th of April are Saturday and Sunday. There are weekends on 13-14 April, 20 and 21, and 27 and 28 April. You can go on a weekend trip on these dates. When to go on a trip in April Most holidays are in April. Three government and long weekends are available. If you want to go for a trip, then Thursday 11th April is the holiday of Eid ul Fitr, the next day will be Friday 12th April and you will get a weekend on the 13th and 14th of April. You will have four days to travel. Where to visit in April Considering the temperature and weather of this month, you can visit the Manali and Dalhousie hill stations of Himachal Pradesh in April. One can enjoy here to the fullest in a two to three-day vacation. Also, the weather in both these places remains favorable in April. Apart from this, you can enjoy a relaxing holiday amidst natural views and waterfalls at Pachmarhi Hill Station in Madhya Pradesh. You can visit Bhedaghat in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The view here will seem like a foreign trip. You can also visit Nainital of Uttarakhand in April. Also, the weather and environment of Kannur, Kerala is excellent to visit with family, friends, or partners in April. (PC: ISTOCK)

Kalam Times 30 Mar 2024 3:24 pm

Best places to visit in April with family: - Make these wonderful places of the country destination points with your family during the April holidays

April is a month of the year when it starts getting hot in almost every part of the country. There are holidays in children's schools also this month. Children's holidays mean time to travel. Yes, during holidays, children start insisting on their parents to go out for a trip. In such a situation, many parents start looking for some best places to visit. If you are also planning to travel with family during the April holidays, then you can explore these wonderful places from Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand and South India. Nainital If you are planning to visit the beautiful valleys of Uttarakhand during the April holidays, then you can take a trip to Nainital. Nainital is such a hill station, where the family members will rejoice after visiting. In Nainital, which is situated at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level, one can enjoy a cool breeze in April. Children will thank you after visiting Jim Corbett National Park located in Nainital. You can also enjoy boating with children in Nainital. Apart from this, you can explore places like Cave Garden and Tiffin Top. You can also do adventure activities here with the family. Dalhousie Dalhousie, situated at an altitude of more than 6 thousand feet above sea level, is one of the most beautiful places in India. The beauty of Khajjiar located in Dalhousie is so popular that it is also called the mini Switzerland of the country. Even during April when it is extremely hot in other parts, the temperature in Dalhousie remains between 10C to 25C. You and your kids will surely be ecstatic after roaming in the cool breeze of Dalhousie. In Dalhousie you can explore amazing places like Khajjiar, Panchpula Waterfall and GanjiPahari. Alleppey If you are planning to visit the beach with your family during the April holidays, then you should reach Alleppey in Kerala. This beautiful sea place is also known as Alappuzha. The beauty of Alleppey is so popular that it is also called Venice of the East. This beautiful city is famous all over India for its beautiful backwaters, beaches and lagoons. You can also enjoy the Nehru Boat Race in this beautiful city. In Alleppey, you can explore wonderful places like houseboats, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and Vembanad Lake with the family. You can also enjoy water sports here with your family. Darjeeling When it comes to travelling in East India, the name of Darjeeling is taken first. Darjeeling, located in the beautiful valleys of the Himalayas, is a beautiful hill station and also a popular hill station. High mountains, dense forests lakes and waterfalls add to the beauty of this hill station. The family members will jump with joy after travelling in the toy train running in Darjeeling. In Darjeeling you can visit the best places like Tiger Hill, Batasia Loop, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Happy Well and Rock Garden. Shimla Be it any month of the year, visiting Shimla is a different pleasure. In April, you can have a lot of fun and excitement with your family in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level, the temperature in Shimla remains between 15C to 25C even in the hottest summer. In Shimla, you can explore wonderful places like Kufri Mall Road, Jakhu Hill, Jakhu Temple and Summer Hill. You can also do adventure activities here with the family.

Kalam Times 29 Mar 2024 5:41 pm

Country has become strong under successful leadership of PM Modi: CM Dhami

Country has become strong under successful leadership of PM Modi: CM Dhami Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday said that the country has become strong and the countrymen have become empowered under the successful leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said while attending a meeting with party officials in Ramnagar, Under the successful leadership of the Prime Minister, the country has become strong and the countrymen have become empowered. During his visit, the Chief Minister discussed in detail with the workers various points to ensure the massive victory of the BJP in the Pauri Lok Sabha seat in the Lok Sabha elections. CM Dhami said that our hardworking workers are the basis of a strong party. The workers have played an important role in taking the public welfare and development work being done by the government to the people. Setting a target for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, CM Dhami set a target of winning all five seats in Uttarakhand with a huge number of votes and appealed to work hard to bring the Modi government back to power with more than 400 seats. Voting for the Lok Sabha election in the five constituencies of Uttarakhand, i.e., Almora, Garhwal, Hardwar, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Tehri Garhwal, will be held on April 19. The ruling government of the BJP-led NDA won all five seats in the hilly state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections. The 2024 general elections will be held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1, to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the general election. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 303 seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) managed to get only 52 seats. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 282 seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) managed to get only 44 seats. (ANI)

devdiscourse 27 Mar 2024 8:30 pm

Congress fielding fresh candidates in Uttarakhand may boost chances for BJP, say analysts

DEHRADUN: While the Congress is already facing tough challenges by fielding new faces in four of the five seats in Uttarakhand for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party has just made it even more worse for the grand old party. BSP has unexpectedly announced two Muslim candidates from Haridwar and Nainital seats, making the entire electoral equation more complicated for the Congress, as the party is also heavily dependent on the same muslim vote bank. Political analysts argue that the decision by the Congress leadership to introduce fresh candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, rather than relying on seasoned politicians, may inadvertently bolster the BJP's chances in the hilly state. BJP has in the previous general elections, managed to secure five seats in the state. Political analysts and experts have termed Congress' move as a walkover by the Congress to the BJP. After the deadline for filing nominations for five seats in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, candidates' forms will be scrutinised on March 28, with an option to withdraw names available by March 30. Thereafter, candidates will have only three weeks to campaign before the April 19 election. In addition to Pradeep Tamta from Almora, the Congress has introduced fresh candidates for the remaining four parliamentary constituencies in the state. Jot Singh Ghansola for Tehri, Ganesh Godiyal for Pauri, Virendra Rawat for Haridwar, and Prakash Joshi for Nainital are the newcomers. Notably, prominent party figures such as Harish Rawat, Yashpal Arya, Pritam Singh, and Harak Singh Rawat have opted out of contesting in this parliamentary election. Historian and political analyst Jai Singh Rawat characterized the present situation in Uttarakhand as lamentable. In the upcoming election, which is poised to be a contest between the BJP's religion-focused agenda and the diminishing ethical standards of Congress members, with the exception of a single seat, the Congress has effectively given a walkover to the BJP on all seats in the state. Political analyst Avikal Thapliyal told this daily, BSP leader Mayawati, who appears to be charting a distinct course from the Indian alliance, has clearly caused a division in the secular vote by fielding a Muslim candidate in Haridwar. Here, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat has secured a ticket from the Congress for his son Virendra Rawat's political launch. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national general secretary Mewalal Gautam on Tuesday announced candidates for five seats in Uttarakhand -- Neemchand Churiyal from Tehri, Dhir Singh Bisht from Pauri, Narayan Ram from Almora, Akhtar Ali Mahigir from Nainital and Jamil Ahmed from Haridwar.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 12:53 pm

Best Village in India: If you are getting worried in the hustle and bustle of life then make a plan to visit the beautiful villages of India.

Nowadays, people are so busy in building their career that they are not able to find time for themselves. It seems as if people's peace of mind has been lost in the noise of big cities. In such a situation, people have become very irritable. It has become very important to take time out for yourself from time to time. If you do not do this, you will not be able to focus on your work. In such a situation, if you are also thinking of going somewhere, then we are going to tell you about some such villages of India, which are very beautiful. These villages are such that after seeing their beauty you will not feel like coming there. So, if you also want to go to a place where you can see natural beauty and also get a lot of peace, then these villages are a better option to visit. Pangot, Uttarakhand Pangot is a village in Kosiyakutoli tehsil of Nainital in Uttarakhand. It is located just 45 minutes away from Nainital. If you want to live in peace for a few days, then Pangot village is a better option for you. Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh There are many beautiful tourist places in Himachal Pradesh. This beautiful village is also included among them. If you are fond of seeing natural beauty, then plan to visit this village. This place is about 26 km away from the beautiful Dalhousie of Himachal. Malana, Himachal Pradesh If you are planning to go to Himachal Pradesh, then definitely visit Malana. You will find a lot of peace here. If you want to go on a solo trip, you can spend some relaxing moments by going here. Poovar, Kerala This small village is situated on the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram. People come from far and wide to see the beauty here. The beautiful beaches here are such that if you go here, you will not feel like coming back for a few days. (PC: INSTAGRAM)

Kalam Times 26 Mar 2024 3:52 pm

ND Tiwaris nephew bids adieu to Congress

DEHRADUN: In a series of setbacks for the Congress in Uttarakhand, another prominent leader, Deepak Balutia, who is the nephew of former Chief Minister late Narain Dutt Tiwari, has decided to part ways with the party. Balutia, who has been actively involved in politics from his student days, said, Currently, I have no intention of joining any other party. Balutia is the 15th leader to snap ties with the Congress since the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule. As per the political scenario of Nainital parliamentary constituency, Balutia was the frontrunner for this seat. However, when Prakash Joshi was selected as a candidate by the partys top leadership, Balutia tendered his resignation. Balutia had presented his candidacy in the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to this newspaper, he said, Prior to this, I had expressed my wish to contest the elections from Haldwani Nagar Nigam and Haldwani Vidhan Sabha. He added that he has been serving the party for 35 years yet the central leadership has consistently overlooked him.

The New Indian Express 26 Mar 2024 9:02 am

Exodus continues as 3-time BSP MLA from Haridwar joins BJP

DEHRADUN: As part of its ongoing drive to woo prominent leaders of other parties, the BJP has succeeded in bringing three-time Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Haridas from Jhabrera assembly constituency in Haridwar parliamentary constituency into its party fold. The BJP has managed to rope in several influential leaders. A significant number of Congress besides few Aam Aadmi Party members have recently crossed over to the BJP camp. The BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat, replacing the incumbent MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. In order to avoid potential backlash from Nishanks supporters and to ensure a smooth campaign for Trivendra, the BJP seems hesitant to take any risks in the upcoming elections in Haridwar. Since the inception of Uttarakhand, the BSP has maintained a solid voter base in the Haridwar and Roorkee region. The recent induction of Haridas into BJP is being seen as a strategic move to potentially sway BSPs established support towards the BJP, marking a significant development in the political landscape of the region. With senior leader Haridas joining the party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got support from all religions, castes, regions and Devbhoomi, BJP state president Mahender Bhatt said. BSP state president Chaudhary Shishpal said, Haridas was not in BSP, he was already expelled from the party. On the other hand, the Congress party finalised its candidates for the constituencies of Haridwar and Nainital. The decision to award a ticket to Harish Rawats son, Virendra, has stirred up controversy for the veteran politician.

The New Indian Express 25 Mar 2024 7:17 am

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Triumphs And Transitions - The Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar Saga

Lok Sabha elections 2024: In the picturesque Kumaon Himalaya hills of Uttarakhand, the Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency holds a significant place in the state's political arena

NDTV 24 Mar 2024 11:57 am

U'khand: Cong announces 4th list of candidates, fields ex-CM Harish Rawat's son from Haridwar

U'khand: Cong announces 4th list of candidates, fields ex-CM Harish Rawat's son from Haridwar The Congress on Saturday announced its candidates for the two remaining Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, fielding former chief minister and senior party leader Harish Rawat's elder son Virender Rawat from Haridwar and Prakash Joshi from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar. They were figured in the fourth list of candidates announced by the Congress in New Delhi on Saturday. Virender Rawat is pitted against former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat of the BJP in Haridwar while Joshi will take on Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt in Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar. BJP's Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank won from Haridwar in both 2014 and 2019 general elections, however, Virender's father Harish Rawat had won it in 2009. Prakash Joshi is an INC office bearer. Congress had earlier announced its candidates for the other three Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand -- Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal and Almora. Jot Singh Gunsola is the party's candidate from Tehri Garhwal against sitting BJP MP from the seat Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Ganesh Godiyal from Pauri Garhwal and Pradeep Tamta from Almora. Godiyal will take on BJP national media incharge Anil Baluni in Pauri Garhwal while Paradeep Tamta will battle it out against former Union minister Ajay Tamta in Almora, a seat the latter has been winning since 2014.

devdiscourse 24 Mar 2024 12:02 am

Congress on bumpy road on Haridwar, Nainital seats

DEHRADUN: In Uttarakhand, the Congress is in a dilemma over finalizing candidates for the Haridwar and Nainital seats. Due to internal tussles and turmoil within the Congress in Uttarakhand, the names of candidates have not yet been announced for all five seats of the state. Despite continuous deliberations regarding the Nainital and Haridwar seats, no consensus has been reached, even at the partys high command level. Uttarakhand is scheduled to vote on April 19 in the first phase of the general elections. While the Congress has announced its candidates for Tehri, Pauri, and Almora, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already announced its candidates for all five Lok Sabha seats in the state. Information obtained from confidential sources within the Congress party in Uttarakhand indicates that Yashpal Arya, the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttarakhand assembly, who had initially expressed interest in contesting the Nainital seat, has now retracted his statement. The partys top leadership is deeply concerned about this development. Sources suggest that Aryas decision may have been influenced by significant pressure from a dominant faction within the BJP. Similarly, Ganesh Godiyal, the designated Congress candidate for the Pauri parliamentary seat, is also facing mounting pressure. Notably, the Maharashtra Income Tax Department issued a summons to Godiyal, mandating his personal appearance on March 22. While the BJP is preparing to file nominations for all five seats in Uttarakhand, the Congress is still undecided about the candidates for the Haridwar and Nainital seats. Although there was a possibility of declaring candidates for these seats in the meeting of the Central Election Committee of the Congress on Tuesday, the issue was not addressed due to a lack of consensus. State in-charge Selja Kumari held a meeting with the top leaders of the state, but a decision on the candidates is still pending.

The New Indian Express 22 Mar 2024 7:23 am

Bank Of Baroda Bharti: Opportunity to get a job in Bank of Baroda without examination, just have to do this work, monthly salary is 18000

Bank Of Baroda Recruitment 2024: This is a golden opportunity for candidates who aspire to get a job in the bank. For the candidates who have the qualifications related to these posts, the Bank of Baroda (BOB) has released vacancies for the posts of FLC Counselor and Watchman/Gardener in Uttarakhand. All the candidates who are eligible to apply for these posts can apply by visiting the official website of Bank of Baroda, bankofbaroda. in. The application process for these posts has started. All the candidates who are applying for this recruitment of Bank of Baroda can apply on or before 18th April. An interview will be conducted to select the candidates who are applying for these posts. If you are also interested in working on these posts, then read the points given below carefully. These posts will be filled through bank recruitment Bank of Baroda has invited applications from eligible candidates to fill the posts of FLC Counselor and Watchman/Gardener. FLC Counselor- 01 Post Chowkidar/Gardener 01 post You will get a salary after getting selected for BOB recruitment. FLC Counselor- The selected candidate will be given a salary of Rs 18000 per month. Chowkidar/Gardener- Candidates who are selected for these posts will get a salary of Rs. 6000 per month. Age limit to get a job in Bank of Baroda FLC Counselor- The age of the candidate should not be more than 64 years. Chowkidar/Gardener The minimum age of candidates should be 22 years and the maximum age should be 40 years. These qualifications are required to get a Bank of Baroda job FLC Counselor- Candidates should have a graduate degree from any recognized university. Preference will be given to candidates with PG degrees in the fields of Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Sociology, Psychology and Social Work. Chowkidar/Gardener- Candidates should have passed class 7th from any recognized board or institute. This will be the selection process Candidates applying for BOB Recruitment 2024 will be selected based on interviews. Details regarding the selection process will be provided to the shortlisted candidates later. See the notification and application link here Bank Of Baroda Recruitment 2024 Notification Bank Of Baroda Recruitment 2024 Apply like this Candidates have to duly fill out the application form in the prescribed format and send it along with necessary documents to the Director, Baroda Self-Employment Development Institute, RSETI, Bank of Baroda, Hotel Narottam Inn, 1st Floor, Sheesh MahaNainital Road, District Haldwani, Nainital, UttarakhandPincode 263139.

Kalam Times 21 Mar 2024 6:55 pm

Lok Sabha polls: IT Department deploys 100 officers in Uttarakhand to curb black money

Lok Sabha polls: IT Department deploys 100 officers in Uttarakhand to curb black money Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Income Tax Department has deployed a team of 100 Income Tax officers and employees in the five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand to curb black money and unaccounted cash. Along with this, every activity of the election is being monitored from the control room, which is operated 24 hours. The Air Intelligence Unit is monitoring the airports and special teams have been deployed at railway stations and border checkpoints. Dr TS Mapwal, Additional Director of the Investigation Branch of the Income Tax Department has been appointed as the state's nodal officer for the elections. He said that teams have been activated in every district of the state regarding unaccounted cash, and are taking action to legally seize cash upon receiving information. Earlier, the Income Tax Department sent summons to Congress candidate from Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat Ganesh Godiyal asking him to appear in person at its office in Thane in Maharashtra on March 22. Godiyal received the notice from the I-T department on Tuesday. Congress leader Godiyal is contesting Lok Sabha elections against BJP's Anil Baluni from Pauri Garhwal constituency. Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand are scheduled to take place on April 19, as per the Election Commission of India. This election will be held in a single phase, covering all constituencies. The BJP won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections. There are 5 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand, including Almora, Garhwal (Pauri), Haridwar, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, and Tehri Garhwal. (ANI)

devdiscourse 21 Mar 2024 11:10 am

Travel tips: Feel like going to the mountains, visit these 10 places in Uttarakhand

Summer holidays are nearing their end and before it ends, everyone wants to go out and enjoy these holidays. Well, there are plenty of places to visit. But there is hardly anything better than the mountains to visit during summer. For this, the best place in the country is Uttarakhand, where seeing the views of the valleys, you too will call it paradise. Every place in Uttarakhand gives the feeling of heaven. When the sun's rays fall on the mountain range here, its glow is worth seeing. The joy of playing with snow here is something else. Even today there are many offbeat destinations that very few people know about. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about some such places in Uttarakhand where visiting will become an unforgettable memory for you. Let us know about these places... Paura Paura village of Nainital is one of the tourist places of Uttarakhand. This village, full of natural beauty, is situated at an altitude of 6600 feet above sea level. Since it is an offbeat destination, the village continues to shine. Many people do not know but Paura village is called the fruit bowl of Uttarakhand. Plums, apples, and peaches are found in large quantities here. You can experience the beautiful and thrilling trek of this village. There is no market here, but you can buy herbal face packs, and spices from here at low prices. Dayara Bugyal Dayara Bugyal is situated at an altitude of 3048 meters above sea level in Uttarkashi. The road to this beautiful meadow cuts through a place called Bhatwari situated on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri road. To reach Dayara Bugyal, travelers have to cover a distance of about 8 kilometers by trekking from Barsu village. During winter tourists can enjoy skiing on the slopes in this area spread over approximately 28 square km. This place also offers a spectacular view of the Himalayas. Chaukori The hill station located in Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand is the perfect place to spend some peace from your busy life. At this place full of natural beauty, you can roam in the lush green meadows. Can visit beautiful tea gardens. You can enjoy activities like trekking, camping, and solo traveling. Apart from all this, one can also visit some important places like Patal Bhuvaneshwari, Nakuleshwar Temple, Mustamanu Temple, Harinag Temple, Ghunsera Devi Temple, Arjuneshwar Shiv Temple, Kalinag, Kapileshwar, Mahadev Temple and Chineshwar Falls. Kasar Devi Place Kasar Devi can be reached from Delhi via Kathgodam, Almora. This is a place where along with seeing the beauty of nature, the mind also gets peace and relaxation. Kasardevi Shaktipeeth is located in Almora, Uttarakhand. Situated at a total distance of 8 km from Almora, this place is a center of unique power. Even NASA scientists are surprised by the space charge and are doing research. Because of the unique peace of mind, people from all over the country and abroad come here. There is a belief about this temple that the Goddess herself had incarnated here. Every year a huge fair is organized in this temple on the day of Kartik Purnima, in which thousands of people participate. Chopta Chopta is a small but beautiful hill station in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. Chopta, surrounded by alpine meadows and evergreen forests, is very much liked by the people. To reach here you will first have to reach Haridwar or Rishikesh. Then from there, you will get a bus to Chopta (Mini Switzerland). The distance from Gopeshwar to Chopta is only 43 kilometers. Chopta is no less than a paradise for trekkers. Being part of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Chopta is also home to several rare species of wildlife, including the musk deer and the monal, the state bird of Uttarakhand. Dhat This hill station of Uttarakhand is much liked for its untouched beauty and peaceful environment. Very few people know about it, hence there is neither much crowd nor much filth here. Surrounded by dense forests, high mountain meadows, rivers, and glaciers, this hill station is no less than a paradise for a weekend visit. Here, apart from taking a tour of Ascot Century, you can also enjoy hiking and camping. Valley of Flowers Valley of Flowers, located in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, is called 'Valley of Flowers'. This is a national park in India. Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park are jointly declared World Heritage Sites. This valley is spread over 87 square kilometers at an altitude of 3962 meters above sea level. More than three hundred flowers like Himalayan Blue Poppy, rare Brahma Lotus, Orange Ponytella, Astralagus, and Rosa are spreading their splendor in the Valley of Flowers. Munsiyari This hill station of Uttarakhand, famous as Little Kashmir, holds a prominent place in the list of various hill stations worth visiting in Uttarakhand. Due to the natural beauty of this place, the number of tourists coming here is increasing rapidly. If you are a nature lover, then you should visit this station of Uttarakhand. This is a great place to go for a picnic or a picnic with your family, friends, or couples. There are also major tourist places like Panchachuli Peak, Birthi Fall, Nanda Devi Temple, Thamri Kund, Maheshwari Kund, Kalamuni Temple, Tribal Heritage Museum, Betuli Dhar and Gori Ganga River which you can visit. Apart from this, you can also do trekking here. And you can also enjoy camping. You can take pictures of beautiful valleys here. Shitalakhet Shitalakhet is also one of the beautiful hill stations of the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. Shitalakhet is not very popular as a tourist destination, but it is a favorite place for tourists who want to live near nature. Shitalakhet is at a distance of 32 kilometers from Almora. It is known for its natural beauty and view of the Himalayan peaks. From here the very wide range of Himalayas is close by. It is surrounded by approximately 1800 hectares of forest area. Shitalakhet is one of those places in Kumaon where very dense forest is present. Lohaghat If anyone can be called the real diamond of Uttarakhand, then it is Lohaghat. It is a very clean and beautiful place to visit the mountains in this season. This is a perfect destination for rafting and adventure sports lovers. The view of Lohaghat is worth seeing during the summer season. In this season this place is filled with Buran's flowers. Pancheshwajar, Banasur Fort, and Mayawati Ashram near Lohaghat are good places to visit. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Kalam Times 20 Mar 2024 5:02 pm

Alarm over rats posing risk of potential wall cave-in along shores of Naini Lake

DEHRADUN: Nainital Lake is facing a unique threat from rats and fish. In the Mallital area of Nainital, rats are not only gnawing at the walls near the lake but also undermining their structural integrity by burrowing into them. The Irrigation Department has taken immediate action to address this pressing issue with the highest priority. According to the sources, keeping in view the high risk of potential wall collapse along the lakeshore, the Irrigation department has swung into action. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the department has initiated efforts to address this issue and is seeking an effective solution. In the picturesque hill station of Nainital in Uttarakhand, the area from Mallital to places like Boat House Club, Pant Park, and Band Stand up to Capital Cinema is bordered by the Naini Lake. Walls were built along the lake shore years ago, but in recent years, the walls bordering the lake from Band Stand to Capital Cinema have been deteriorating. The Uttarakhand Irrigation Department, responsible for the upkeep of the area, conducted an investigation revealing that the deterioration of the walls bordering the Naini Lake is partly attributable to rats. These rats have created burrows within the walls and surrounding areas, leading to both structural weakening and land subsidence. The presence of rats poses a significant challenge for the department in addressing issues effectively.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 10:02 am

(Holiday) Home is where the hill is: Top developers look to cash in on rising demand for second homes from Delhi-NCR residents

Rishikesh, Nainital, Kasauli, Jim Corbett, and other regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have emerged as the top destinations. DLF and Tata Housing have already launched luxury housing projects in Himachal Pradesh with Eldeco, Sushma Group, and Sabh Infra being the newest in the fray.

The Economic Times 18 Mar 2024 12:49 am

BJP hopes for smooth sailing in five LS seats in Uttarakhand

BJP hopes for smooth sailing in five LS seats in Uttarakhand The BJP is looking to hoist the saffron flag yet again in all five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand, having won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections. While two Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand -- Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Almora -- are located in Kumaon region, the remaining three seats of Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal and Garhwal (Pauri) are in the Garhwal region. Union Minister of state for tourism and defence Ajay Bhatt had won the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar seat in 2019, defeating former chief minister Harish Rawat by 3,39,096 votes. His victory margin was the biggest of the four other winning BJP candidates. The other seat in Kumaon region is Almora, the lone reserved (SC) seat in the hill state. Ajay Tamta of the BJP has been winning it since 2014. In 2019 he had defeated Pradeep Tamta of the Congress by 2,32,986 votes. In Garhwal (Pauri), former chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat had defeated BJP stalwart Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri's son Manish, a poll debutante on a Congress ticket, by 3,02,669 votes in 2019. Tirath also had a four-month stint as chief minister before being replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami in 2021. Tehri royal Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah had won from Tehri Garhwal for a third time in a row in 2019 defeating Congress' Pritam Singh by 3,00,586 votes, while former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had defeated Congress' Ambrish Kumar in Haridwar by 2,58,729 votes. It was Pokhriyal's second consecutive poll victory from the seat in 2019. In 2014 he had defeated Harish Rawat's wife Renuka on the seat by 1,77,822 votes. The saffron party which has all the five seats in its kitty at present has fielded its sitting MPs from three of the seats while the candidates for two others have not been decided so far. Of the three seats whose candidates have been announced by the BJP two are in Kumaon region and one in Garhwal. Bhatt has been fielded again from Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Shah from Tehri Garhwal and Tamta from Almora. The two seats from where the party has not announced its candidates as yet are Haridwar, which is represented in the Lok Sabha by Nishank and Garhwal (Pauri) seat which was won by former chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat in 2019.

devdiscourse 17 Mar 2024 9:47 am

Cross-border Love Jihad: Israfil Ansari pretends to be Munna Mahato to trap a minor Nepali Hindu girl, brings her to Nainital and marries in temple, rescued

Israfil Ansari also wanted to take the girl to Kerala. Notably, both the victim and perpetrator of love jihad are from Nepal.

OpIndia 10 Mar 2024 1:56 pm

State of affairs: 5 Ukhand MPs fail to spend 64% of MPLAD funds, says RTI

DEHRADUN : As the term of the 17th Lok Sabha nears its completion, five Bhartiya Janata Party MPs from Uttarakhand have failed to utilise 64 per cent of the funds allocated to them for constituency development, shows data received through an application filed under the Right to Information ACT. The RTI reply revealed that Rs 54.49 crore remains unutilised out of the total allocation of Rs 85 crore under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) to the representatives of Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Almora, and Haridwar constituencies. In response to advocate Nadeem-udeens RTI query, the public information officer of the Uttarakhand rural development commissioner, Hemanti Gunjial, shared the data. As of December 2023, the states five MPs had utilised only Rs 30.51 crore out of the allocated MPLAD fund of Rs 85 crore, said the reply. The current five MPs in Uttarakhand are eligible to receive a total of `85 crore in MPLAD fund. However, due to failure to submit utilisation certificates in respect of expenditure of previous installments, audit reports, etc., Rs 22.02 crore has not been released till December 31, 2023, Nadeem-udeen said. While interest amounting to Rs 3.42 crore has been added to the Rs 62.98 crore received from the Centre, making a total of Rs 66.4 crore in MPLAD funds, as of December 2023. A sum of Rs 32.47 crore has not been spent, said Nadeem-udeen. WHAT THE RTI REPLY SAYS Rs 85 CR allocated to five BJP MPs under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme: Rs 54.49 CR remains unutilised till December 31, 2023 The MPs represent Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Almora, and Haridwar constituencies As of December 31, only Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal and Pauri MP Tirath Singh Rawat have received the full Rs 17 CR Others have not got full amount due to failure to submit utilisation certificates

The New Indian Express 10 Mar 2024 7:18 am

Will win all five seats again...: Uttarakhand CM exudes confidence on BJP's victory, with a 'bigger margin'

Will win all five seats again...: Uttarakhand CM exudes confidence on BJP's victory, with a 'bigger margin' Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would secure all five seats from Uttarakhand in the upcoming 2024 elections. Dhami, while addressing the media on Friday, expressed optimism for the BJP's success and attributed it to the unwavering support from the people of Uttarakhand. He said, I hope Mahadev keeps blessing us all, and we achieve PM Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India). Since PM Modi was announced as the Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014, the people of Uttarakhand have supported him wholeheartedly, granting all five seats twice. PM Modi, in his tenure, has shown immense affection towards the people of Uttarakhand, and I am confident that they will continue to support us, ensuring a victory in all five seats in the 2024 elections, with an even bigger margin. In the 2019 General Elections, the Bhartiya Janata party emerged victorious in all five parliamentary seats in Uttarakhand. BJP candidate Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in Haridwar, Ajay Bhatt in Nainital, Mala Rajyalakshmi Shah in Tehri, Teerath Singh Rawat in Pauri, and Ajay Tamta in Almora secured their seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections. Last week on Saturday, BJP released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The first list of candidates includes 34 ministers from both the Union and state levels, along with the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The announced names included those for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal and five in Delhi. The BJP has re-nominated Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the Lucknow constituency and Union Minister Smriti Irani for Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The party has also chosen to field actor-politician Hema Malini, MoS Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, Mahesh Sharma, SPS Baghel, and Sakshi Maharaj once more in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from UP. (ANI)

devdiscourse 8 Mar 2024 3:05 pm

Travel tips: These locations of India are known for honeymoon, you will have a great quality time here.

After marriage, couples start planning and booking honeymoons even before marriage to spend quality time. After marriage, everyone wants to go to a romantic destination on honeymoon with their life partner where they can spend the best time of their life. Although there are countless places in India where one can visit, there are some places which are known for their romantic atmosphere. Today we are going to tell you about some low-budget places where you can enjoy your honeymoon to the fullest and make every moment spent here memorable. Let us know about these best honeymoon destinations in the country... Coorg Coorg Hill Station located in Karnataka is best for a honeymoon. The beauty here mesmerizes the couples. The picturesque views of Coorg win the hearts of couples. The natural beauty here fills the couples with freshness. Along with the honeymoon, couples can see greenery, dense forests, waterfalls, and mountains here. The most special thing is the calm and romantic atmosphere here which couples like the most. Manali People say that the fragrance of romance is present in the air of Manali. Greenery all around, high mountains, and paradise-like views make Manali a beautiful honeymoon destination. Cottages built on the mountains and hotels built near the forests make the honeymoon more exciting. Depending on the weather, you can enjoy paragliding, river rafting, jungle safari, and trekking here. Kerala This is the perfect destination for honeymoon couples. Everything from the beach to the hill station is available here for you. In Kerala, you can enjoy the green hills and tea-coffee plantations of Munnar on one side. You will feel like dreaming in the backwaters of Alleppey and Kumarakom. Also, you will want to keep the Rocky Cliffs of Varkala and the beautiful beach of Kovalam on your list. You will feel the experience of a lifetime by celebrating your honeymoon in Kerala. Gulmarg Gulmarg located in Jammu and Kashmir is also the most suitable place for honeymoon. The beauty and atmosphere of this place mesmerize the couples. This is quite a romantic place. Couples can spend memorable moments amid the natural beauty of Gulmarg. To be romantic, couples can choose a floating resort here and make their honeymoon memorable. Mcleodganj If you want to have a honeymoon feeling with a waterfall flowing between the mountains, then McLeodganj can be a good option. Here snow-capped peaks, a cool breeze, and some modern art cafes built amidst forests will give you a good experience. There are also some good places to visit like Naddi and Bhagsu Falls. Nainital Nainital is very beautiful surrounded by mountains and its distance from Delhi is only 337 kilometers. You can come to this place and spend a romantic time with your partner. Also, you can choose Nainital to see the Tiffin Top and the beautiful mountains present here. It is quite easy to reach here. You can reach here by air, rail, and road. Jaipur If you want to have a luxury feeling on your honeymoon on a budget then it is difficult to find a better place than Jaipur. The charming view of the colorful streets of the Pink City will not let you go back. Here you can enjoy boating in Ramgarh Lake. Tasting traditional flavors on the terrace of the restaurant in front of Hawa Mahal will make the moments spent with your partner memorable. Leh-Ladakh Leh-Ladakh in the north of India is known as the best destination for honeymoon. The steep mountain peaks and the mesmerizing environment along the calm and serene Pangong Lake make Leh-Ladakh the best honeymoon destination in India. Coming here you will feel that every corner of this place is filled with romance. Here you can visit beautiful places like Nubra Valley, Zanskar, Shanti Stupa, Thiksey Monastery, and Namgyal Tsemo Monastery. (PC: ISTOCK)

Kalam Times 6 Mar 2024 7:46 pm

Best places to visit in Uttarakhand: You might not have heard about this amazing and charming hill station of Uttarakhand

Almost everyone likes to travel. Therefore, whenever someone gets some time, he reaches his favourite place. When it comes to travelling in the country, many people first talk about Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand. Along with Himachal, there are many such amazing and charming places in the beautiful valleys of Uttarakhand, where the heart jumps with joy after visiting. Even today, there are many such amazing and charming places hidden in the beautiful valleys of Uttarakhand, about which many people do not even know. Gwaladam situated in Uttarakhand is also a beautiful place, about which you might not even know. In this article, we are going to tell you about the speciality of Gwaladam Hill Station and the wonderful places around it, where you can also go to visit. The speciality of Gwaldam Hill Station Gwaldam, situated in the beautiful valleys of Uttarakhand, is a small town, but in terms of beauty, it is ahead of Nainital and Mussoorie. This beautiful city is present in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is said about Gwaldam Hill Station that this beautiful city was built by the British. It is believed that the British were so enamoured with the city of Gwaldam that they could not stop themselves from coming here. During summer, the British used to come to Gwaldam for their holidays in the beauty of Gwaldam. Places to visit in Gwaldam Gwaldam, situated amidst high mountains, grasslands, pine trees lakes and waterfalls, has many beautiful and charming places. After exploring these places, you will forget many famous places of Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi View Point When it comes to any famous and attractive place to visit in Gwaldam, the first thing that is mentioned is Nanda Devi View Point. Tourists reaching Gwaldam first reach Nanda Devi View Point. The beauty of Nanda Devi Mountain can be seen from Nanda Devi View Point. When Nanda Devi Mountain shines with sunlight, the view is simply worth admiring. From this viewpoint, you will see only greenery in all four directions. Badhangarhi Temple Badangarhi Temple is considered to be the oldest temple of Gwaladam city. Badangarhi Temple, located a short distance from Gwaladam town, apart from being a holy temple, is also a popular tourist destination. Due to its presence on the top of the mountain, tourists also keep coming to explore Badangarhi temple. Let us tell you that one has to trek to reach the temple complex. You can also capture beautiful views during trekking. Dewal Deval, located at a short distance from Gwaldam city, is a small village, but in terms of beauty, it cannot compete with hill stations like Mussoorie and Nainital. High mountains, dense forests, pine trees lakes and waterfalls add to the beauty of the village. The weather here can also make you crazy in a few minutes. The beauty of Deval is at its peak during the monsoon and winter seasons. Enjoy adventure activities Just as Gwaldam Hill Station is famous for its beautiful places, it is even more famous for its trekking and breathtaking views. You can enjoy wonderful trekking and hiking in the beautiful valleys of Gwaldam. You can also do memorable photography in the charming mountains of Gwaldam. How to reach Gwaldam in Uttarakhand It is very easy to reach Gwaldam. Kathgodam railway station is the nearest to Gwaldam. You can easily reach Gwaldam by taking a bus from Kathgodam. Apart from this, Gwaldam is situated at a distance of 36 km from Kausani, 22 km from Baijnath, 45 km from Bageshwar and 150 km from Nainital. Let us tell you that Gwaladam Hill Station is located at a distance of about 170 km from Kathgodam Railway Station. Image-instal,jannatehimachal,Uttaranchal

Kalam Times 5 Mar 2024 12:13 pm

Best Location for Paragliding Pre-wedding Photo-shoot: - These paragliding places are best for Pre Wedding Photo-shoots, you should also plan to go here

For some time now, the craze for pre-wedding photoshoots has increased among couples. Capturing your relationship with your partner on camera before marriage is a different feeling. But often people are unable to understand what they should do differently for their pre-wedding photoshoot so that their pictures come out different and unique. If you want to make your pre-wedding photoshoot different, then you can take the help of paragliding or a hot air balloon. Getting photos taken with your partner while flying in the sky will be different. In today's article, we will tell you about some such places, where along with paragliding, you will also get to see beautiful views. This will also add charm to your photos. Paragliding and hot air balloon photoshoot in Delhi-NCR If you are a resident of Delhi, then you do not need to go out anywhere for paragliding and hot air balloons. You may get your other photographs done at other locations in Delhi, but for paragliding you can go to Leopard Trail. Leopard Trail located in Gurugram is the best place for your pre-wedding photoshoot. Here you will also feel a sense of peace away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi because very few people come here. Keep in mind that you will have to take a cameraman with you here. Also, you may have to pay a separate charge for this. Go here in Uttarakhand If you are planning to go to Uttarakhand for a wedding photoshoot, then you can go to Mussoorie and Nainital for a paragliding and hot air balloon photoshoot. This place can be the best for you because along with paragliding, the beautiful view of the surrounding area will also be captured in your photographs. This will make your photos look even more beautiful. Naukuchiatal and Bhimtal are two famous places in Nainital famous for paragliding. Along with a paragliding photoshoot, you will find many beautiful places here. Paragliding Photoshoot in Himachal Pradesh If you are going to Himachal Pradesh for a wedding photoshoot, then you can go to Manali for a paragliding or hot air balloon photoshoot. Paragliding with beautiful views of snow will add charm to your photos. You can enjoy paragliding here anytime except during the monsoon season. Solang Valley and Madhi are two famous places for paragliding. Image Credit- Freepik

Kalam Times 5 Mar 2024 11:58 am

Kausani Trip: Make a plan to visit Kausani for 3 days from Delhi, the journey will be memorable

3-Day Trip To Kausani: Almost everyone likes to travel. Therefore, whenever someone gets time, he goes to explore some beautiful places. When there is talk of visiting some beautiful place, Uttarakhand is mentioned. There are many such amazing places in Uttarakhand, which make the journey memorable for a lifetime. If you also want to explore some beautiful places of Uttarakhand in the coming days, then you can make a great plan to visit Kausani for 3 days from Delhi. The cost of travelling to Kausani from Delhi will also be very low. How to reach Kausani from Delhi? It is very easy to reach Kausani from Delhi. To reach Kausani, you can take the Uttarakhand bus service or a private bus. For this, you will have to take a bus to Haldwani from the Kashmiri Gate bus stand located in Delhi. After reaching the Haldwani bus stand, you can easily reach Kausani by taking the Uttarakhand Roadways bus from Haldwani. Apart from this, you can also go to Kausani by reaching Almora, Kathgodam, Nainital, and Ranikhet from Delhi. Buses from Kausani also keep running from these places. Delhi to Haldwani bus fare is around Rs 350 and Haldwani to Kausani bus fare is around Rs 150. Kausani is 53 km from Almora and 65 km from Kathgodam. Best places to stay in Kausani? Kausani is a beautiful place in Uttarakhand. Many such hotels and resorts will be found in this beautiful place, where you can stay for very little money. You can book rooms as per location. To stay cheap in Kausani, you can book a hotel 3-4 km away from the main city. If you book a room away from the main city, you can book a room for around Rs 500-700. You can book a room at Snow View Home Stay, Neelkanth Home Stay or Hotel Kausani Retreat. Best places to eat in Kausani Kausani is a small hill station, but in terms of beauty, it is no less than Nainital or Mussoorie. There are no big hotels to eat here, but small dhabas and restaurants will be available. In Kausani, you can taste traditional Uttarakhandi cuisine at Garden Restaurant or Valley Restaurant. Apart from this, you can taste Chinese and Italian dishes at places like Bros Cafe. Best places to visit in Kausani There are many wonderful and wonderful places to visit in Kausani. You can reach these places anytime to visit and have fun with family, friends or partners. Rudradhari waterfall When it comes to visiting some beautiful place in Kausani, then the name of Rudradhari Waterfall is included in the first place. The area around Rudradhari Waterfall is also known for trekking. Kausani Tea Estate Kausani Tea Estate is a place which is no less than a beautiful paradise for nature lovers. After visiting this place, you will forget many famous places of Uttarakhand. Let us tell you that this tea estate is spread over an area of about 208 hectares. Himalayan View Point Kausani is a beautiful hill town in Uttarakhand. A wonderful view of the Himalayas is visible from many mountains located in Kausani. Himalayan View Point is a place from where one can see the peaks of Trishul and Nanda Devi. These peaks are snow-covered. Image- @insta, lokesh_ohri, uttrakhand_devbhoomi

Kalam Times 5 Mar 2024 11:57 am

5 women held for Haldwani violence links

Nainital district police arrested five women for their involvement in the Feb 8 violence in Baphoolpura, Haldwani. This is the first instance of women being arrested in connection with the riots. The accused, residents of Banphoolpura, were identified through electronic evidence and informants' information. They were presented before a local court, remanded to jail. Police have arrested 89 individuals.

The Times of India 2 Mar 2024 12:46 am