The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha, on Thursday. A release issued by the Defence Ministry stated that during the test, all subsystems performed as per expectations. According to the release, to ensure complete coverage of the flight path, the missile performance was monitored by several Range Sensors like Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations. The flight of the missile was also monitored from the Su-30-Mk-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The missile followed the desired path using waypoint navigation and demonstrated very low-altitude sea-skimming flight. This successful flight test has also established the reliable performance of the indigenous propulsion system developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru, the release mentioned. The missile is also equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and more reliable performance. The missile is developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), along with contributions from other laboratories and Indian industries. The test was witnessed by many senior scientists from various DRDO laboratories, along with representatives from the production partner, as mentioned in the release. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful flight test of the ITCM and stated that the successful development of indigenous long-range subsonic cruise missile powered by indigenous propulsion is a major milestone for Indian defence R&D. Secretary, Department of Defence- Research and Development (R&D) & Chairman DRDO Samir V Kamat congratulated the entire team of DRDO on the successful conduct of the ITCM launch. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2024 05:46 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Supriya Sule on Thursday filed their nomination for the Baramati seat in Maharashtra's Pune district for Lok Sabha elections 2024. Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Vishwajeet Kadam, among others, accompanied Sule, the sitting MP from Baramati and daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, as she filed the nomination papers before the returning officer at the Council Hall in Pune. Polling in Baramati, the pocket borough of Pawars, will be held on May 7. Meanwhile, Supriya Sule's sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar also filed her nomination on Thursday. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, husband of Sunetra Pawar, also filed a set nomination papers for the seat, which an NCP functionary described as a back-up plan in case Sunetra Pawar's nomination does not stand scrutiny or any discrepancy is found in it, according to the PTI. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Praful Patel were present when Sunetra Pawar, who is making her poll debut, filed her nomination at the Council Hall later in the day. Before the filing of her nomination, a campaign rally was held by the ruling 'Mahayuti' constituents - Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, BJP and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP.Addressing the rally, CM Shinde said a change is inevitable in Baramati and gave the slogan - "Abki baar, Sunetra Pawar". Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that a new history will be created in Baramati as the "daughter-in-law of Baramati" will go to Delhi.Sunetra Pawar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done tremendous work and the world has taken note of it. "Be it infrastructure, building of roads, Chandrayaan, Modiji has been instrumental in doing tremendous work and that is why he is in the minds of the people," she said, as per the PTI. Praful Patel and Union minister Ramdas Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A) and is a BJP ally, also attended the rally. Earlier in the day, Sunetra Pawar and Ajit Pawar visited the Dagadusheth Halwai Ganpati temple here and performed 'aarti'. Actor-turned-politician Amol Kolhe, the sitting MP and NCP (SP) candidate from Shirur Lok Sabha seat in Pune district, also filed his nomination before the returning officer, the news agency reported on Thursday. (with PTI inputs)
18 April,2024 04:08 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe police in Greater Noida on Thursday said that drugs worth Rs 100 crore were seized and four Nigerians allegedly running MDMA lab were held in the matter, reported the PTI. According to the PTI, four Nigerian nationals living in Greater Noida were arrested after approximately 25 kg of methylenedioxyphenethylamine (MDMA) drugs were recovered from their rented residence, officials said on Thursday. The seized MDMA, popularly known as Ecstasy or Molly, would have sold for more than Rs 100 crore in the black market, a senior official said, as per the PTI. "Four Nigerian nationals were taken into custody on Wednesday night after they were found manufacturing MDMA with the help of sophisticated apparatus in a set-up made at their rented accommodation in Greater Noida," he added, the news agency reported on Thursday. This is the third such case in Greater Noida since 2023 when foreigners have been found manufacturing synthetic drugs in their rented houses. Meanwhile, in February, the Maharashtra ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) arrested a foreign national in the Juhu area allegedly with MDMA (Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine) worth Rs 3.37 crore, an official said on Friday, the ANI had earlier reported. He was held on Thursday near a five-star hotel on Juhu Tara Road. "Egve John was arrested with MDMA worth Rs 3.37 crore, while his associate is on the run. While two kilograms of the drug was found on him at the time of arrest, another 250 grams was seized from his associate's home in Nalasopara in neighbouring Palghar district," the ATS official said, reported ANI. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered and further investigation is underway, reported ANI. In an another incident, the Thane Police in Maharashtra has busted a drugs manufacturing and trafficking racket in Thane district and nabbed eight people in connection with the matter, the police said, according to the PTI. The police said that the arrested persons were allegedly involved in a drug manufacturing and trafficking racket. The police also seized mephedrone worth Rs 55.7 lakh in the operation, an official said on Friday, as per the PTI. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
18 April,2024 03:53 PM IST | Noida | mid-day online correspondentThe Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Baramati seat in Maharashtra, Sunetra Pawar filed her nomination for the Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Thursday. Sunetra Pawar is Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife and has been fielded against her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule of the Sharad Pawar-led faction. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Praful Patel and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale were present with Sunetra Pawar at the Divisional Commissioner's office for her nomination filing, the ANI reported. Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate and sitting MP from Baramati seat, Supriya Sule, filed her nomination papers on Thursday. Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat accompanied Supriya Sule while filing the nomination, reported the ANI. The Baramati seat has been considered the bastion of the Pawar family, with Supriya Sule winning the last three Lok Sabha elections from the seat. The Mahayuti candidate Sunetra Pawar accompanied by her husband and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar offered prayers at the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple, in Pune earlier on Thursday. Before the filing of her nomination, a campaign rally was held by the ruling 'Mahayuti' constituents - Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, BJP and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP.Addressing the rally, Shinde said a change is inevitable in Baramati and gave the slogan - "Abki baar, Sunetra Pawar", according to the PTI. Devendra Fadnavis said a new history will be created in Baramati as the "daughter-in-law of Baramati" will go to Delhi. Sunetra Pawar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done tremendous work and the world has taken note of it. The Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. Baramati will go to vote in phase 3 on May 7. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
18 April,2024 03:14 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe Lok Sabha elections 2024 are set to commence with the first phase of the polling to be he held on Friday, April 19. As many as 102 constituencies spanning across 21 states and union territories will vote in the first phase. There general elections for the 18th Lok Sabha are scheduled in total seven phases, starting from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes for all constituencies will be on June 4. As India prepares for the first phase of voting, let's take a look at the states, constituencies and some of the prominent seats and candidates. The states and union territories which will vote on April 19 are: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Notably, the smaller states and union territories will vote in single phase on April 19, and the larger states will vote for the remaining constituencies in the impending phases. There are total 543 constituencies, with Uttar Pradesh contributing highest 80, followed by Maharashtra 48 constituencies. The states and number of constituencies which will vote on April 19 are: Uttar Pradesh: 8 out of the 80 constituencies Maharashtra: 5 out of the 48 constituencies West Bengal: 3 out of 42 constituencies Bihar: 4 out of 40 constituencies Tamil Nadu: All 39 of constituencies Madhya Pradesh: 6 out of 29 constituencies Rajasthan: 12 out of 25 constituencies Assam: 5 out of 14 constituencies Chhattisgarh: 1 out 11 constituencies Jammu and Kashmir: 1 out of 5 constituencies Uttarakhand: All 5 of constituencies Tripura: 1 out of 2 constituencies Arunachal Pradesh: Both of the two constituencies Manipur: Both of the two constituencies Meghalaya: Both of the two constituencies Mizoram: The only constituency Nagaland: The only constituency Sikkim: The only constituency Andaman and Nicobar Islands: The union territory’s only constituency Lakshadweep: The union territory’s only constituency Puducherry: The union territory’s only constituency Some of the prominent candidates in the first phase are: BJP's Nitin Gadkari, Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Transport Minister. The sitting MP and nominated for the third time BJP's Jitin Prasada, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh: He has been fielded by dropping Varun Gandhi. BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan from Chennai South, Tamil Nadu: She recently resigned as Governor of Telangana to return to active politics Congress' Karti Chdambaram, Shivaganga, Tamil nadu: The sitting MP and son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram BJP's K. Annamalai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: The former IPS officer, and now the young, singham leader and face of BJP in the south DMK's Dayanidhi Maran: Chennai Central, Tamil Nadu: The sitting MP is renominated in the DMK's stronghold constituency Congress' Nakul Nath, Chindwara, Madhya Pradesh: Sitting MP and son of senior leader and former chief minister Kamal Nath Congress-SP alliance candidate Imran Masood, Sharanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Fielded from the very crucial western Uttar Pradesh constituency, Imran is the son of nine-time MP Rashid Masood.
18 April,2024 03:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Devashri BhujbalKerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday urged the External Affairs Ministry to ensure a mechanism for extending assistance to Indians who need support due to heavy rains in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a post on 'X', the chief minister also extended sincere gratitude to the Malayali expatriates involved in rescue efforts in the Gulf nation, with which Kerala shares warm ties. "Heavy rains in Gulf countries are a serious concern. A year's worth of rain fell in a day in UAE, highlighting the urgent need for assistance. We request @MEAIndia to urgently ensure a mechanism to support Indians who are in hardship. "Kerala and the Gulf share warm ties, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all Malayali expatriates involved in rescue efforts," he said. The UAE was hit by heavy rainfall on Tuesday, disrupting normal lives and flooding the Dubai International Airport. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2024 03:01 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | PTICongress leader Prithviraj Chavan has noted the INDIA bloc has not emerged as powerful as it was originally conceived since some outfits stayed away from the opposition grouping but it is putting up a spirited fight against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. The former Maharashtra Chief Minister claimed Ram Mandir has failed to click for the BJP as a political issue in the elections because of which the saffron party is floundering. In an interview to PTI at Karad in his home district of Satara in western Maharashtra, he sought to dispel perception that the Congress got a "raw deal" in seat-sharing with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies in the state, but admitted negotiations were tough since three parties were involved in talks. Chavan, who is the state Congress campaign committee chief, asserted opposition parties were determined to ensure anti-BJP votes don't get divided. "We have succeeded to a large extent (in bringing anti-BJP parties under one roof) even though the INDIA bloc is not as powerful as we had originally thought as some key components are not with us," noted the 78-year-old politician. The INDIA alliance by and large has been successful in putting up a fight against the BJP, which along with its coalition partners, is eying more than 400 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, he said. The Congress-dominated grouping, an amalgamation of more than two dozen parties opposed to the BJP, took shape last year to challenge the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. He expressed confidence that Lok Sabha poll results, when declared on June 4, will surprise all, especially in Maharashtra, which has 48 seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80). "The MVA will do very well (in Maharashtra) and win more seats than the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Results will surprise all," said the former Union minister. Chavan contended that smaller parties like the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will only end up dividing anti-BJP votes. The Ram Mandir issue is not working politically for the BJP so it is worried, Chavan claimed. "Due to Balakot (airstrike on terror camps inside Pakistan), there was a 7 per cent swing in favour of the BJP (in 2019 polls). They expected Ram Mandir to create that swing (in 2024), but that is not happening. Ram Mandir has failed to click for the BJP," he emphasized. Speaking about issues before electorates, Chavan maintained rising inflation and unemployment are hurting common citizens. "In western Maharashtra, the percentage of educated unemployed is very high. There is a lot of (economic) disparity because of massive unemployment," the senior Congress leader said. Another important issue is Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm products. Sugarcane and soybean growers are in a bad state as market rates (of these commodities) are very low, he noted. "Exports stopped and then prices dropped. To reduce inflation all burdens are put on farmers," he said. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to withdraw the three contentious farm laws in 2021 after a year-long protest, he is pursuing ¿anti-farmer¿ policies, Chavan alleged. The former CM said people were angry with the BJP over how the Shiv Sena and the NCP were split in Maharashtra and the MVA government was toppled in June 2022. After engineering splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP, attempts were made to break the Congress, too, but that failed, he noted. Two to three disgruntled leaders left the Congress, but the party remains intact and it is now the largest opposition political formation in the state assembly, noted the MLA from Karad South. The BJP is not playing a fair game and the opposition should be allowed to campaign freely, he said and referred to the arrest of a sitting chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) and freezing of bank accounts of the Congress to allege obstruction in electioneering. He said the MVA, consisting of the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), was a strong alliance within the INDIA bloc. "The Congress endeavour is to avoid a split in opposition vote. There is 60-65 per cent vote against the BJP. But it gets split among different parties. We don't want that to happen," said Chavan. Turning to state politics, the former CM rejected suggestions that the Congress had taken a backseat in seat-sharing talks with allies. "We have tried to allocate seats based on past history, local strength (of parties) and electoral merit of candidates. But everyone cannot be pleased," he said. Disagreements over a couple of Lok Sabha seats will not impact the three-party alliance in rest of the state, he maintained. As per the seat-sharing formula worked out by the MVA, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest in 21 constituencies, the Congress 17 and the NCP (SP) 10. "There is no junior or senior party in the MVA. Unfortunately, we won just one seat in 2019, while the undivided Shiv Sena (in alliance with BJP) bagged 18 seats. Our entire objective is to win maximum seats and dislodge the BJP from power," the Congress leader asserted. On his name figuring as probable candidate for the Satara Lok Sabha seat, Chavan said, "The constituency belongs to NCP (SP) and (its president) Sharad Pawar decided to nominate Shashikant Shinde after considering various permutations and combinations." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
18 April,2024 02:36 PM IST | Karad | PTIAs the political atmosphere heats up across several states in India, voters are gearing up for Assembly Elections 2024 which is set to take place in four states. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had last month announced the schedule for the Assembly Elections 2024, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections. Assembly elections in four states – Odisha, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh – will be conducted simultaneously, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said during addressing a press conference. The polling for the state Assembly elections will begin on April 19 with Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim set to vote in the first phase of the Assembly Elections 2024. And the results of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim assembly elections will be declared on June 2. This means that Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases alongside the state Assembly polls. Polling for the state Assembly elections kicks off on April 19. Over 97 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise as the poll body is preparing to set up 10.5 lakh polling stations across the country. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: Voting for first phase to be held on April 19, check full list of constituencies here Here are all the details of the upcoming assembly elections in the four states. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim Voting for these states will initiate in the first phase on April 19. In both states, the process of nomination filing will end on March 27, and March 28 is kept as the date for scrutiny of nominations. The last date for withdrawal of candidature in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim is March 30. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 41 of the 60 seats in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly in the 2019 election. The Janata Dal (United) won seven seats, the National People's Party (NPP) secured five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) one and Independent candidates secured two. The Sikkim Assembly holds 32 seats. In the 2019 elections, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha won 17, the exact number required to form the government. Andhra Pradesh The 175 Assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh will go to polls during the fourth phase of the general elections 2024. The last date of filing the election nomination is April 25 in Andhra Pradesh while the scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on April 26. The last date of withdrawal of candidature is April 29 and voters of Andhra Pradesh will vote on May 13. In Andhra Pradesh, the ruling YSR Congress Party, led by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, secured a massive victory with 151 out of 175 seats, leaving only 23 seats for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to make any mark in the previous elections. Odisha Elections in Odisha span across four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. For the first phase, the nominations can be filed till April 25 and candidature can be withdrawn till April 29. In the second phase, the dates are May 3 and May 6, while in phase three, the dates are May 6 and May 9. In the last phase, the candidates can file nominations till May 14, and the last date is May 17. In the 2019 elections, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) secured a comfortable victory with 112 out of 147 seats, while BJP and Congress managed to secure 23 and nine seats respectively.
18 April,2024 12:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVoting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, encompassing 21 states and Union Territories, will be held on April 19. The Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be conducted across seven phases, starting on April 19, followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting will be done on June 4. Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 1: Date and Time The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 is scheduled for April 19 (Friday), and the results will be announced on June 4. The voting will commence at 8:00 am. and conclude at 5:00 pm on April 19. An additional hour is provided as a buffer period for voters who are already present in the voting line. Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 1: Campaigning for 102 parliamentary constituencies concluded on Wednesday The 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). Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: Maharashtra gears up for Phase 1, voting for 5 constituencies to be held on April 19; check details here The Lok Sabha constituencies that are going to polls in Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 1: Tamil Nadu: Tiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari Assam: Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Andaman and Nicobar Islands Rajasthan: Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa, Nagaur Madhya Pradesh: Chhindwara, Balaghat, Jabalpur, Mandla, Sidhi, Shahdol Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Pradesh West, Arunachal Pradesh East Uttar Pradesh: Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, Pilibhit Maharashtra: Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli-Chimur Bihar: Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada Jammu and Kashmir: Udhampur Uttarakhand: Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital West Bengal: Coochbehar, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri Manipur: Inner Manipur, Outer Manipur Chhattisgarh: Bastar Lakshadweep: Lakshadweep Meghalaya: Shillong, Tura Mizoram: Mizoram Nagaland: Nagaland Puducherry: Puducherry Sikkim: Sikkim Tripura: Tripura West
18 April,2024 11:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that the BJP will win only 150 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and said "there's nothing more to comment on than to laugh," reported news agency ANI. Devendra Fadnavis takes dig at Rahul Gandhi's 150 remark: 'I can only laugh at this statement' "I can only laugh at this statement; there is nothing more to comment on it. If Congress had any connection at ground level, the situation would not have been as bad as it is now," Fadnavis said, reported ANI. Fadnavis's statement comes in the wake of the Congress leader stating that there is a strong undercurrent in favour of the opposition INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and the BJP will be limited to 150 seats. "I do not make predictions about seats. 15-20 days ago, I was thinking the BJP would win around 180 seats but now I think they will get 150 seats. We are getting reports from every state that we are improving. We have a very strong alliance in Uttar Pradesh and we will perform very well," the former Congress president said while addressing a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday, reported ANI. Devendra Fadnavis takes dig at Rahul Gandhi's 150 remark: Fadnavis terms Lok Sabha elections 2024 a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi Fadnavis termed the Lok Sabha elections 2024 a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi and said, "I am confident that we will win in Baramati, Satara, and Sangli Lok Sabha constituencies," reported ANI. "This fight is for the country...This fight is between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi; therefore, people will stay with PM Modi. They will support the PM so that he can become Prime Minister for the third time. The country has faith in PM Modi. The PM has already clarified that the Constitution is more important than the Gita, Bible, or Quran. It is because of the Constitution that today we have a tea seller as PM of the nation," he said, reported ANI. Devendra Fadnavis takes dig at Rahul Gandhi's 150 remark: The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti are in a tough contest The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, NCP led by Ajit Pawar, and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are in a tough contest for the 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena fought the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and won 23 and 18 seats, respectively. The 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will go to the polls in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on June 4. (With inputs from ANI)
18 April,2024 10:33 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged on Wednesday that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government tried to frame him in false cases but did not find anything, reported news agency ANI. While speaking to reporters at Pune airport, he said, "I told this earlier also that during that period (MVA Government), how they were conspiring against me, they tried hard but did not find anything. They tried to frame me in false cases," reported ANI. "There are a lot of things...I will talk about it later, sometime in detail," he added. He termed the Lok Sabha elections 2024 a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said, "I am confident that we will win in Baramati, Satara, and Sangli Lok Sabha constituencies," reported ANI. "This fight is for the country...This fight is between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi; therefore, people will stay with PM Modi. They will support the PM so that he can become Prime Minister for the third time. The country has faith in PM Modi. The PM has already clarified that the Constitution is more important than the Gita, Bible, or Quran. It is because of the Constitution that today we have a tea seller as PM of the nation," Fadnavis said, reported ANI. Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's statement that the BJP will win 150 seats in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, he said, "...I can only laugh at this statement, nothing more to comment on it." The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, NCP led by Ajit Pawar, and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are in a tough contest for the 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena fought the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and won 23 and 18 seats, respectively. The 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will go to the polls in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. Counting of votes is scheduled to take place on June 4. (With inputs from ANI)
18 April,2024 10:24 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
