Amid tight security arrangements at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, Congress workers and leaders gathered for a protest rally against alleged 'vote chori', accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding to manipulate elections. The demonstration, however, also triggered controversy as several participants were heard raising objectionable slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The protest rally was organised to hold the central government and the ECI accountable for what the party described as "collusion to manipulate elections". As slogans echoed across the venue, some workers were heard chanting, 'Modi teri kabra khudegi, aaj nahi to kal khudegi' (Modi, your grave will be dug, if not today, then tomorrow), along with 'Vote chor, gaddi chhord', targeting the Prime Minister. A Congress worker from Rajasthan, Manjulata Meena, speaking to IANS, said, "We are with our leader Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting against the 'vote chori' being committed by the BJP in collusion with the ECI. People have arrived in large numbers here. We will do our best to fight against the vote chori." When asked about the derogatory slogans raised against the Prime Minister, she reiterated the chant and told IANS, "Everyone is fed up with this Hitler government. This public will strengthen its voice, and it will become the last nail in his coffin. The EVM hacking and vote chori will not be tolerated now. You can see what happened in Sri Lanka and Nepal; the public is not naive, it knows everything, and it will surely work to put the last nail in his coffin." Another Congress worker, Sonia Begum, justified the controversial remarks while speaking to IANS, saying, "We are with Rahul Gandhi in this fight. Evil comes to an end. That is why we are raising slogans 'Modi teri kabra khudegi'. We want change." Throughout the protest rally, party workers continued to raise similar objectionable slogans while holding placards and banners. "The public is not being treated right. We are with our leadership to fight for people's rights. 'Modi teri kabra jarur khudegi'. The public will not tolerate these wrongdoings like vote chori now," Sunita, another Congress worker, told IANS. Meanwhile, the Congress high command, including party National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders such as K.C. Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are also scheduled to participate in the protest. Additionally, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with all Congress legislators from the state and over 1,000 party workers, were expected to attend the protest in the national capital. K.C. Venugopal, speaking to IANS about the rally, said, "This protest is not against the BJP, but against vote theft. Lakhs of people are participating in the rally to protect democracy. Congress will continue to work to defend democratic values. People are clear in their minds that vote theft has occurred." Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also spoke to IANS, saying, "Since yesterday evening, the streets, hotels, and lanes of Delhi have been filled with people. The enthusiasm with which people have gathered shows they have come on a mission to protect democracy and uphold the Constitution. While the BJP sided with the British during the freedom struggle, Congress endured imprisonment, faced the gallows, and suffered atrocities to secure India's independence... We will continue this fight." 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.
14 December,2025 02:23 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSA magisterial inquiry committee has questioned original landowner Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Arpora-Nagoa sarpanch Roshan Redkar in connection with the devastating fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa, reported news agency PTI. Amonkar was summoned at 3.30 pm on Saturday and questioned till 10.30 pm, his lawyer Prasenjeet Dhage said, adding that the panel wanted to know "why this incident happened". "My client had a warrant of appearance before the committee," he said, reported PTI. "It was a very intensive and vigorous inquiry," the lawyer added. The Goa government has constituted a committee headed by district magistrate Ankit Yadav to inquire into the December 6 fire incident which claimed 25 lives. Arpora-Nagoa panchayat sarpanch Roshan Redkar told reporters that he answered the committee's questions. He has already obtained pre-arrest bail from a local court in connection with the case. The Goa police have arrested five managers and staff members of the club. Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the club, have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country, reported PTI. Two nightclubs sealed after deadly fire triggers statewide crackdown As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the fire tragedy, the state authorities on Saturday sealed Cafe CO2 Goa, a renowned club located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator in North Goa, and revoked the fire department NOC of another club. The move came a couple of days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules. An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team indicated that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found, reported PTI. The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas. A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order, reported PTI. Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls in Goa, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2025 02:19 PM IST | Panaji | mid-day online correspondentDelhi battled toxic fumes on Sunday as the air quality slipped into the 'severe category with a reading of 459, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, reported news agency PTI. A thick layer of smog blanketed the city overnight, leaving people gasping for air. Delhi’s average AQI climbs to 461 According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 461 at 7 am on Sunday, up from 431 recorded a day earlier. The alarming figures underscored the deepening air quality crisis gripping the national capital. All 40 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi reported readings in the ‘severe’ category, with several locations nearing the maximum measurable limit. Rohini emerged as one of the worst-affected areas, recording an AQI of 499, followed closely by Bawana at 498. Vivek Vihar reported 495, while Ashok Vihar and Wazirpur registered AQI levels of 493 each. Narela recorded 492, and Anand Vihar stood at 491. Other parts of the city also remained heavily polluted. ITO recorded an AQI of 485, Mundaka 486, Punjabi Bagh 478, Nehru Nagar 476, and both Chandni Chowk and Okhla registered readings of 470, reflecting widespread and persistent pollution across the capital city. The air quality crisis was not confined to Delhi alone, as several cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also reported dangerously high pollution levels. Noida recorded an AQI of 470, placing it firmly in the ‘severe’ category, while Ghaziabad followed closely with a hazardous AQI of 460. Gurugram’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category at 348, while Faridabad recorded a comparatively lower but still concerning AQI of 220, classified as ‘poor’. As per the CPCB, an Air Quality Index (AQI) between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'. Minimum temperature settles at 8.2 degrees Celsius On the weather front, the minimum temperature settled at 8.2 degrees Celsius, 0.4 notch below the season's average, and the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 24 degrees Celsius, reported PTI. The relative humidity was 100 per cent at 8.30 am, the IMD said. In light of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, the Delhi Directorate of Education on Saturday directed all schools to conduct classes for students up to Class IX and XI in a hybrid mode. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage-IV actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect to curb further worsening of air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2025 02:07 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s Office on Sunday shared an article by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighting Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, describing it as a vibrant expression of India’s cultural soul and the Northeast’s growing prominence in the national narrative. “In this engaging article, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia describes Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival as a kaleidoscope of the human spirit and a masterful convergence of the ancient and the contemporary. He reiterates that our country will rise only when the Northeast shines,” the PMO said in a post on X. Underscoring the region’s significance, the PMO added that the Northeast represents the face of a new and confident India, noting that Nagaland does not merely celebrate festivals but embodies celebration itself -- aptly earning its title as the “Land of Festivals”. Scindia, in the article, wrote that PM Modi’s vision has placed the Northeast at the forefront of India’s development journey by unlocking its vast economic and human potential. “The Hornbill Festival of Nagaland gives this transformation a cultural voice, showing that growth is strongest when it is anchored in identity,” he said. Elaborating on the festival’s spirit, Scindia noted that Nagaland’s wealth of natural reserves, spiritual heritage, sporting traditions, skills, ecotourism, cuisine and cultural vibrancy is not rhetorical but lived and experienced every day. He described the Hornbill Festival at Kisama as a powerful meeting point of tradition and modernity. “The festival was a kaleidoscope of the human spirit -- a masterful convergence of the ancient and the contemporary. Days resonated with the traditional songs and dances of the 17 Naga tribes, while evenings came alive with contemporary cultural expressions,” he wrote, adding that the energy was palpable, particularly during the Hornbill International Rock Contest, which drew talented bands from across India and abroad. Praising the Prime Minister’s leadership, Scindia said PM Modi’s ‘Act East’ vision has unlocked nearly 10 billion dollars in ASEAN trade corridors, positioning Nagaland as a key gateway in the region’s growth story. “These are not just bricks and mortar; they are lifelines -- arteries pumping prosperity into a region whose GDP has quadrupled since 2014,” he observed. At a time when nations across the world are rediscovering the importance of cultural identity, Scindia said, the Hornbill Festival stands out as a pioneering example of unity rooted in tradition. He added that the festival mirrors the Prime Minister’s mantra of “Vikas bhi, virasat bhi” -- development intertwined with heritage -- capturing the essence of India’s inclusive and culturally grounded growth model. 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.
14 December,2025 01:20 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSMembers of a committee, set up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to inquire about the chaos during Argentine football icon Lionel Messi's event in Salt Lake stadium a day ago, reached the venue on Sunday to carry out an on-ground inspection, officials said. The panel members, headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, will conduct the probe, they said. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty are also members of the inquiry team. The members will inspect the stadium premises, crowd management arrangements and facilities provided to spectators as part of the probe into the alleged mismanagement during Messi's event on Saturday, the officials said. CCTV footage might also be probed, they said. The committee has been tasked with fixing responsibility for the lapses that led to the chaos and recommending measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents at high-profile events. What was billed as a marquee sporting spectacle unravelled into disorder as thousands of spectators protested after being unable to get a clear glimpse of Messi, triggering vandalism inside the stadium. The widespread chaos at the venue prompted the Argentine World Cup-winning captain to leave the field early. In the aftermath of the incident, the police arrested the main organiser of the event on charges of mismanagement and public disorder, and an FIR was lodged. Chief Minister Banerjee had on Saturday apologised to Messi and football fans, describing the incident as deeply disturbing, and announced the formation of the inquiry committee to ensure accountability. 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.
14 December,2025 12:48 PM IST | Kolkata | PTIMadhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve will become the new home for cheetahs in the state before the monsoon next year, following the successful translocation of the big cats from Africa to Kuno National Park. The state cabinet has given in-principle approval to develop the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, located at Nauradehi in Sagar district, as the third habitat in the state for the world's fastest animal. "We are building three large cheetah reserves. We have only released three cheetahs in the Gandhi Sagar Tiger Reserve. There could be 50. Nauradehi has just been approved (at the Khajuraho cabinet meeting). We're preparing an enclosure there. This will become a new home for cheetahs before this (next year's) monsoon," Yadav told PTI in an interview on completing two years in office on Saturday. The first cheetah habitat was opened at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur in September 2022, and the second one at the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur in April this year. Referring to the cheetah project, Yadav said, "The entire state is open to cheetahs. Just imagine their growing population within our state. India, and Madhya Pradesh within India, is the only place in the world where cheetah rehabilitation is successful. Many other states have tried, but none have succeeded." KNP is home to 28 cheetahs, and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary has two big cats. Eight cheetahs are expected to be brought to KNP from Botswana in January 2026, an official earlier said. Asked about the recent increase in the number of tiger deaths in the state, CM Yadav said, "When there are too many tigers, such incidents naturally occur. But we are trying to minimise this." "Tigers are also migrating from our territory to other states, and we are also exchanging wild animals. Therefore, we are trying to ensure that our tigers do not face any difficulties. The tiger is a beautiful creature of the wild. We are trying to protect it and do better work," he said. CM Yadav said his government is also working to translocate many other wildlife species to the state. "We are bringing rhinoceroses from Assam. King cobras are also found in the forests there. We have also brought them from Bengaluru. We are building a snake park. We will build rescue centres and zoos in our tiger reserves to promote tourism and save the lives of animals. We are doing many such works," he said. Asked about his and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's priority to double the farmers' income and how he will achieve this target, Yadav said, "Our formula is essentially the prime minister's." If the irrigation areas are increased and water is provided to dry fields, crop prices increase, he noted. "When farmers grow two crops and then three crops from one previously, their income will naturally increase. We have also focused on milk production. We are also focusing on fruit production," he said. Yadav also said his government is focusing on a campaign called "Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam" (one garden in the name of mother), aimed at developing cluster-based fruit orchards, which will benefit farmers. "We are doing many such things in the interest of farmers," he added. The government is also encouraging small-scale cottage industries and providing free electricity to farmers through solar energy, the CM said. "So, all these things will increase farmers' income and reduce expenses, which will definitely improve their lives," he added. Asked about the NCRB data indicating that ST/SC communities face the maximum atrocities in Madhya Pradesh, Yadav said, "This is not true. Wherever it seems, we take action, and the action is ongoing. If you observe, you'll notice we have welfare schemes for all sections of society in this state. We work equally for all sections, and its results are clearly visible." 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.
14 December,2025 12:48 PM IST | Bhopal | PTIFour chief ministers, including Devendra Fadnavis of Maharashtra and N Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh, will join more than 100 CEOs from India at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting next month, reported news agency PTI. Several union ministers are also expected to attend the five-day annual meeting from January 19-23, 2026, which will host a record number of nearly 3,000 global leaders from close to 130 countries, including around 60 heads of state. Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh chief ministers will be joined by A Revanth Reddy of Telangana and Mohan Yadav from Madhya Pradesh, reported PTI. Besides these four states, a few more, including Uttar Pradesh, are expected to have a significant presence in Davos during the WEF Annual Meeting 2026, which will be held under the theme of 'a spirit of dialogue', reported PTI. The names of union ministers scheduled to attend the meeting are expected to be announced soon. Business leaders from India expected in Davos for the annual congregation of the rich and powerful from across the world include Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, Tata group's N Chandrasekaran, Bajaj group's Sanjiv Bajaj and Jubilant Bhartia Group's Hari S Bhartia, reported PTI. Other Indian corporate leaders expected to be there are Axix Bank's Amitabh Chaudhry, Godrej Industries Group's Nadir Godrej, JSW Group's Sajjan Jindal, Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath, Bharti group's Sunil Bharti Mittal, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, Infosys CEO Salik S Parekh, Wipro's Rishad Premji, Essar CEO Prashant Ruia, Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma and Renew CEO Sumant Sinha, reported PTI. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia, as well as several PSU heads, including GAIL's Sandeep Kumar Gupta, SBI's Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, NTPC's Gurdeep Singh and REC's Jitendra Srivastava, will also be there, reported PTI. Global leaders attending the summit include World Bank President Ajay S Banga, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNESCO Director General Khaled el-Enany, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, reported PTI. From Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also be there. Under the theme 'a spirit of dialogue', the meeting will seek to harness the need for an impartial platform that connects leaders to confront shared challenges and drive the innovations defining the future, according to the WEF. The meeting will focus on five global challenges where public-private cooperation can make a difference: cooperation in a more contested world, unlocking new sources of growth, better investment in people, deploying innovation at scale and responsibly, and building prosperity within planetary boundaries. Public figures expected to attend include leaders from G7, G20, BRICS countries and beyond, as well as heads of international organisations. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2025 12:07 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe CBI has filed a chargesheet against 17 people, including four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies for their alleged roles in a transnational cyber fraud network that siphoned off over Rs 1,000 crore through a sprawling web of shell entities and digital scams, officials said on Sunday. After busting the racket in October, investigators unravelled a single, tightly coordinated syndicate that relied on an elaborate digital and financial infrastructure to run a range of frauds. These included misleading loan applications, fake investment schemes, Ponzi and multi-level marketing models, bogus part-time job offers and fraudulent online gaming platforms. According to the probe agency's final report, the group layered the flow of illicit funds through 111 shell companies, routing about Rs 1,000 crore via mule accounts. One account received more than Rs 152 crore in a short span. The shell companies, the CBI said, were incorporated using dummy directors, forged or misleading documents, fake addresses and false statements of business objectives. "These shell entities were used to open bank accounts and merchant accounts with various payment gateways, enabling rapid layering and diversion of proceeds of crime," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement. Investigators traced the origins of the scam to 2020, when the country was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The shell companies were allegedly incorporated at the direction of four Chinese handlers -- Zou Yi, Huan Liu, Weijian Liu and Guanhua Wang. Their Indian associates procured identity documents from unsuspecting individuals, which were then used to establish the network of shell companies and mule accounts to launder proceeds from the scams and obscure the money trail. The investigation exposed communication links and operational control that, the agency said, nailed the role of Chinese masterminds running the fraud network from abroad. "Significantly, a UPI ID linked to the bank accounts of two Indian accused was found to be active in a foreign location as late as August 2025, conclusively establishing continued foreign control and real-time operational oversight of the fraud infrastructure from outside India," the CBI statement said. The probe found that the racketeers employed a highly layered, technology-driven modus operandi, using Google advertisements, bulk SMS campaigns, SIM-box-based messaging systems, cloud infrastructure, fintech platforms and multiple mule bank accounts. "Each stage of the operation -- from luring victims to collection and movement of funds -- was deliberately structured to conceal the identities of the actual controllers and evade detection by law enforcement agencies," the spokesperson said. The chargesheet names 17 individuals, including the four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies. The investigation was launched on the inputs from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which flagged large-scale cheating of citizens through online investment and employment schemes, resulting in the arrest of three individuals in October. "Though initially appearing as isolated complaints, detailed analysis by CBI revealed striking similarities in applications used, fund-flow patterns, payment gateways and digital footprints, pointing towards a common organised conspiracy," the agency said. Following the October arrests, the CBI conducted searches at 27 locations across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Haryana, seizing digital devices, documents and financial records that were later subjected to detailed forensic examination. 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.
14 December,2025 11:51 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Congress strongly criticised reports suggesting that the Centre is considering renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the Pujya Bapu Rural Employment Scheme on Saturday, accusing the government of attempting to rewrite history and undermine Mahatma Gandhi's legacy. Reacting to the reports, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the move reflected a larger pattern. "The Indian government is changing the entire history," he remarked, expressing concern over what he described as a systematic attempt to alter established symbols and narratives. Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP Tariq Anwar said the reported decision was deeply unfortunate and politically motivated. "It seems that they hate the name Gandhi. This decision will hurt the sentiments of those who believe in Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology," he said. Commenting on remarks made earlier by former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Anwar added that leaders who had left the Congress would eventually realise their mistake. "Whatever he said is correct, as the BJP is a two-leader party. One is Narendra Modi, and the other is Amit Shah. There is no third leader," he said. The reported renaming proposal has drawn criticism from several opposition leaders, who argue that the focus should be on strengthening the rural employment scheme rather than altering its name. MGNREGA, launched in 2005, is regarded as one of the flagship welfare programmes aimed at providing guaranteed employment to rural households. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also questioned the rationale behind the reported move, pointing to the financial burden associated with renaming a nationwide scheme. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, she said the exercise would lead to unnecessary expenditure of public money. "From offices to stationery, everything has to be renamed, so this is a big, costly process. So what's the benefit of doing this unnecessarily? I can't understand," she said, describing the move as wasteful and avoidable. Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the Centre, terming the reported renaming a "distraction" designed to divert public attention from pressing issues. She also said it amounted to disrespect towards the legacy associated with the Gandhi name. While the government has not officially confirmed any decision, the reports have sparked a political debate. 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
14 December,2025 09:55 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe BJP-led NDA won in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left civic governance. The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls, especially in the state capital. Of the 101 wards in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two by independent candidates. The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation. The LDF secured 29 wards, and the UDF 19. PIC/PTI Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the “beauty of democracy”. In a post on X, he said the people’s verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency. “I offer humble congratulations on their [BJP] significant victory in the city corporation — a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital’s political landscape.” CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan on Saturday said the local body election results were an “unexpected setback” for the party. “First of all, we will evaluate the results and take corrective measures,” he said at a press conference. He said the setback in the 2010 local body polls had served as a lesson for the party’s future growth. Responding to claims that the LDF’s base had collapsed, Govindan said winning half of the district panchayats in the state itself showed that the front’s base remained intact. “Winning seven district panchayats indicates that there is no erosion in the base of the LDF,” he said. In the fight for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP campaign highlighting the alleged corruption during the tenure of the LDF appears to have worked for the NDA. The Sabarimala gold loss-related campaign of the BJP helped it to win 142 grama panchayat wards, 6 block panchayat wards and 21 municipality wards in Pathanamthitta district where the Lord Ayyappa shrine is located. The saffron party won nine wards, including Pandalam Town and Pandalam Town West, under the Pandalam Municipality and three wards in the Pandalam block panchayat in Pathanamthitta district. 101Total no. of wards in Thiruvanthapuram 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
14 December,2025 08:08 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | AgenciesA hospital employee was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman under the pretext of an ultrasound test in the district women’s hospital in Gorakhpur, police said on Saturday. According to the complaint, the woman went in for an ultrasound on Thursday. The accused, Abhimanyu Gupta, allegedly stared at her and told her to remove all her clothes, claiming it was necessary for the test and that a massage would also be required, she said. He then tried to force himself on her, gagged and abused her. He threatened to kill her before pushing her out of the room. She said her complaints within the hospital went unheard. Senior consultant (paediatrics) Dr Jay Kumar said, “A departmental inquiry is underway. Strict action will be taken if the charges are proved.” 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
14 December,2025 08:03 AM IST | Gorakhpur (UP) | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1765701653396_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Congress workers and leaders gathered for a protest rally against alleged 'vote chori', accusing the Centre and the ECI. File Pic")
-1765698348206_d.png "Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File Photo")
-1765695971487_d.png "Chaos during Argentine football icon Lionel Messi's event in Salt Lake stadium. File Pic")
-1765694959227_d.png "Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve will become the new home for cheetahs in the state of Bhopal. File Pic")
-1765693099604_d.png "Representational Image")
