Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel on Tuesday said he is not in the race to become the national president of the party following Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash last week, reported the PTI. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Praful Patel expressed concern that people not connected with the NCP were commenting on the party’s internal decisions after Pawar’s tragic death in a plane crash last week. Patel said the decision to elect Sunetra Pawar as the leader of the NCP legislature party was the party’s right and reflected the views of its workers. “Election of Sunetra Pawar as leader of the legislature party is our right. We will take decisions as per the sentiments of our rank and file,” Patel said, according to the PTI. Emphasising that the post of national president would be filled, Praful Patel said he himself was not seeking the position. “I am not in the race for the president’s post. It is not proper to speak on any other issue at this juncture,” he said, the news agency reported. Future under Sunetra Pawar’s leadership While paying condolences to Ajit Pawar at the party office, Patel said the NCP would chart its future under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. Earlier, NCP working president Patel had stated on X, "I have noted a few reports circulating in the media regarding my appointment as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party. I wish to state with absolute clarity that these reports are totally baseless and lack any truth." NCP office-bearers urge party to appoint Sunetra Pawar as national president Over 30 senior office-bearers of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has written to the party’s working president Praful Patel and State President Sunil Tatkare, urging them to appoint Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar as the party’s national president. In the letter, the signatories expressed unanimous support for Sunetra Pawar’s elevation, citing the need for decisive leadership at the national level. They appealed to the party leadership to consider the proposal in the larger interest of the Nationalist Congress Party and its organisational strengthening. (with PTI inputs)
03 February,2026 06:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has buckled under US pressure to finalise a trade deal and has "sold out" the hard work of Indian farmers through the agreement. PM Modi is Compromised.PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 3, 2026 Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex after he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha as he insisted on quoting from an article that cited former Army chief MM NAravane's unpublished "memoir", Gandhi said it is for the first time in history that the Leader of Opposition has not been allowed to speak on the president's address. "We need to understand why a trade deal stuck for about four months was suddenly finalised last evening," Gandhi said adding that "there was huge pressure on Prime Minister Modi". Asked what kind of pressure he was referring to, Gandhi alleged there is a case against industrialist Gautam Adani in the US and a lot more is to come in the Epstein files. He alleged that Prime Minister Modi "has been compromised" and that Indian farmers must understand their hard work "as well as their blood and sweat" has been "sold out" through the India-US trade deal. He also said the entire country had been "sold out". There was no immediate reaction from the BJP or the government. 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.
03 February,2026 06:42 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, placing emphasis on diversification, technology adoption, and allied sectors as key drivers to improve farmers’ incomes, particularly for small and marginal cultivators. In her budget speech, Sitharaman framed agriculture within the broader vision of Viksit Bharat, highlighting productivity enhancement, entrepreneurship, and non-crop income avenues as central to making farming more resilient amid climate and global supply chain challenges. Union Budget 2026: Key highlights for the farming community High-value agriculture push To promote diversification and raise farm incomes, the budget proposes support for high-value crops tailored to regional strengths. These include coconut, sandalwood, cocoa and cashew in coastal regions; agarwood in the North-East; and nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pine nuts in hilly areas. A dedicated Coconut Promotion Scheme has been announced to replace ageing plantations with high-yielding varieties. Animal husbandry as income support Animal husbandry, which contributes nearly 16 per cent to farm incomes—especially among small and marginal households—received a significant push. The government announced a credit-linked subsidy programme, modernisation of livestock enterprises, development of integrated value chains for dairy, poultry and livestock, and support for livestock farmer producer organisations to generate quality rural employment. Fisheries and reservoir development The budget also announced integrated development of 500 reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, alongside measures to strengthen fisheries value chains in coastal regions. Market linkages involving startups, women-led groups and Fish Farmers Producer Organisations will be promoted. Tech-enabled advisory service A major technology intervention announced was Bharat VISTAAR, a proposed multilingual AI-based platform integrating AgriStack portals and ICAR practices. The platform aims to provide customised advisories on crop planning, weather alerts, pest management and market intelligence in regional languages to help farmers reduce risks and improve decision-making. Allocations and key omissions The budget allocates around Rs 1.30 lakh crore to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, with allied sectors pushing the overall outlay higher. PM-KISAN allocation remains unchanged at Rs 63,500 crore, with no increase in direct income support announced. Fertiliser subsidies will continue to ensure affordability, but the budget made no announcements on a legal guarantee for MSP, enhancement of PM-KISAN assistance or farm loan waivers.
03 February,2026 06:37 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIndia on Tuesday strongly condemned the vandalisation and removal of a Mahatma Gandhi statue from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Melbourne and said the matter has been taken up with the Australian authorities, reported the IANS. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said that it has urged Australia to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and bring those responsible to justice. Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India strongly objected to the act carried out by unidentified individuals at the community centre in Rowville, Melbourne. “We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne. We have raised the matter with the Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable,” he said, according to the IANS. Police probe underway The MEA statement followed after media reports stated that a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was reportedly stolen from the community centre, causing concern among the Indian-Australian community in Melbourne, as per the IANS. According to Australia's Victoria Police, officers from the Knox Crime Investigation Unit are probing the incident, which allegedly took place on January 12. Police believe that three unidentified individuals removed the statue from the charity premises on Kingsley Close, Rowville, at around 12.50 am local time. A probe into the matter was ongoing. Public appeal for information As part of the investigation, the police have alerted scrap metal dealers to remain vigilant for any attempt to sell the bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately. Members of the public who may have information, CCTV footage, or who witnessed the incident have been asked to contact Crime Stoppers, local media reported. Statue’s cultural significance The Mahatma Gandhi statue, gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was inaugurated in 2021 by Australia’s then Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The statue holds cultural, historical and symbolic significance for the Indian community in Australia, according to the news agency. (with IANS inputs)
03 February,2026 06:34 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAmid the ongoing US-Iran tensions, IndiGo on Tuesday issued a travel advisory, cancelling its flights to multiple destinations till February 28, the ANI reported. The low-budget flight carrier revised its operations schedule to ensure a safe and seamless travel experience for passengers and crew. In a post on X, IndiGo noted that its flights to and from Tbilisi, Almaty, Baku, and Tashkent have been cancelled until February 28. "Travel Advisory- In view of the developing situation around Iran, we have made additional adjustments to our flight schedule to ensure a safe and seamless experience for our customers and crew. As part of these measures, IndiGo flights to and from Tbilisi, Almaty, Baku, and Tashkent have been cancelled until February 28, 2026. Customers may visit https://bit.ly/4rnkK5G to explore alternate travel options or opt for a full refund, as per their preference. As the situation continues to evolve, our plans remain under regular review. Any further updates or changes will be shared through our communication channels. We appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust," the airlines said. Travel AdvisoryIn view of the developing situation around Iran, we have made additional adjustments to our flight schedule to ensure a safe and seamless experience for our customers and crew.As part of these measures, IndiGo flights to and from Tbilisi, Almaty, Baku, and… — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) February 3, 2026 On January 25, IndiGo Airlines issued an advisory regarding cancellations and certain "proactive" changes to its international flights, as deemed necessary, due to recent developments in Iran. IndiGo flights scheduled for January 25 from Delhi to Tbilisi and from Mumbai to Almaty, as well as the return flights, were cancelled. These developments follow Trump's deployment of warships to the Middle East and his call for Tehran to resume nuclear negotiations, which were halted in June after attacks by Israel and the US on Iranian facilities. On Sunday, Trump said the US was talking with Tehran, reiterating that "we have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction", while expressing hope for an agreement, reported ANI. Khamenei maintained a firm stance, warning that any attack would trigger a "regional war". The United States and the European Union continue to express concern over Iran's nuclear activities, which Tehran insists are for civilian purposes. Washington has outlined conditions for resuming talks, including ending uranium enrichment, limiting the missile programme and ceasing support for regional armed groups. (With ANI inputs)
03 February,2026 06:23 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentEight Opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for 'unruly behaviour', including for tearing papers and throwing them at the Chair. As soon as the House met at 3 pm following multiple adjournments, Dilip Saika, who was in the Chair, named the eight Congress members. Subsequently, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju read out a resolution seeking suspension of the eight members for the remaining period of the Budget session that is scheduled to conclude on April 2. The House passed the resolution by a voice vote, following which the proceedings were adjourned for the day amid uproar. Congress members, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament building against suspension of party members from the Lok Sabha. Since Tuesday afternoon, the House has been witnessing uproar after Gandhi was disallowed to cite an article based on excerpts from an unpublished 'memoir' of former Army chief M M Naravane on India-China conflict of 2020. 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.
03 February,2026 04:26 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Maharashtra government has appointed Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Sunetra Ajit Pawar as the guardian minister for Pune and Beed districts, filling the vacancy left by her husband, the late Ajit Pawar, who held the post until his untimely demise in a plane crash. The decision, issued as a government resolution by the General Administration Department on February 3, 2026, amends the earlier order dated September 16, 2024. The resolution, digitally signed by Hemant Anant Mahajan, undersecretary to the government, has been published on the official Maharashtra government website. As per the GR, the late Ajit Pawar had previously overseen Pune and Beed as guardian minister alongside his responsibilities as Deputy CM, handling finance and planning portfolios. With Sunetra Pawar now holding the post for both districts, she assumes the responsibility of coordinating government schemes and development work in these key regions. Sunetra Pawar was recently elevated to the position of Maharashtra Deputy CM on January 31, following Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in an air crash on January 28. The appointment as guardian minister for Pune, a major urban hub, and Beed, a traditional stronghold of the Pawar family, consolidates Sunetra Pawar’s administrative role in the state’s governance structure. Copies of Tuesday’s GR have been circulated to the Secretary to the Governor, among other authorities, and the appointment will be reflected in official government records. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar likely to visit Delhi after February 9 Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar is likely to visit Delhi after February 9. According a section of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, the newly elected Maharashta Deputy CM is likely to meet National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She is also likely to even pay a courtesy visit to President and Vice President. Not in race for NCP chief's post, will follow party workers’ sentiments: Praful Patel Senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Tuesday clarified that he is not in the race to become the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), following the tragic death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash last week. Patel expressed concern over comments from those outside the party regarding decisions being taken after Pawar’s demise. “Election of Sunetra Pawar as leader of the legislature party is our right. We will take decisions as per the sentiments of our rank and file,” the NCP working president told reporters in Delhi. He emphasised that while the vacancy for the party’s national president will be filled, he personally is not seeking the post. “I am not in the race for the president's post. It is not proper to speak on any other issue at this juncture,” Patel said Earlier, while paying condolences at the party office, Patel noted that the NCP will chart out its future under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. (With PTI inputs)
03 February,2026 03:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDuring the ongoing Budget session 2026, for the second consecutive day, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised the Ladakh standoff issue. Despite repeated objections from the Chair to only present "authentic sources”, the Congress MP urged to speak about the Ladakh standoff issue. As reported by news agency IANS, the Lok Sabha saw a heated exchange as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs continued to accuse the Centre of "misleading" the House on the India-China issue. PM Modi is Compromised.PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 3, 2026 ‘Ladakh standoff’ issue The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha has been raising the Ladakh standoff issue while quoting from a magazine article linked to an "unpublished book" by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Even after the Chair issued a ruling stating that no one can quote a news article or magazine, citing parliamentary rules, the LoP remained adamant about raising the issue. Rahul Gandhi claimed that he was not being given "permission" to speak in the House and said that, being the LoP, "No one can give him any permission to speak,” as per IANS. Rahul Gandhi, while speaking furiously during the session, said, "I am objecting to the term 'permission'; it is not the correct word. Because I am not given permission by anyone to speak. I am the LoP... so, I am objecting to that." Opposition protests in Lok Sabha Amid the heated session in the Lok Sabha, the opposition MPs continued to protest the rulings of the Chair and demanded that the LoP be allowed to speak on the issue. Rahul Gandhi, while questioning about the denial of permission to speak, said, "The President's address was about the path India has to chart, the direction in which India has to move. Today, on the world stage, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the US. This is central to our president's address and our budget. And I want to make a statement about what happened between China and India and how our prime minister reacted to it. Why am I being stopped?" as per IANS. "In Eastern Ladakh, there was a conflict; our soldiers were killed," he continued, when he was again interrupted by the treasury benches. Chair dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s request Replying to the LoP, the Chair said, "I made a repeated request to Honourable LoP to speak on the President's address," and then he called on the next speaker, Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Uttam Patel. Patel, however, refused to speak. Following this, he called other speakers from the opposition side, but all refused to speak. Amid the constant sloganeering and ruckus, TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi stood up to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, as per IANS. However, the lower house of the Parliament was adjourned till 3:00 pm amid the ruckus going on around the LoP not being allowed to speak. (With inputs from IANS)
03 February,2026 03:35 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAdani Group and Italian major Leonardo on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India.The move will be a significant boost for the 'Make In India' efforts and to make the country more self-reliant. The manufacturing ecosystem will look to address military demands and boost India's self-reliance in helicopter production. Adani Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo on Tuesday inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership at an event in the national capital. The partnership will target the Indian Armed Forces' requirements, particularly for Leonardo's advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters. "The collaboration will deliver phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training," a release said. India has a low helicopter penetration density of less than 250 helicopters for the country's population, and the country will need around 100 helicopters annually for the next 10 years. Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said it was laying the foundation for an aviation ecosystem that serves the nation across civil and defence needs.The partnership with Leonardo is rooted not only in shared expertise but in shared purpose, he said. "Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole," he added. Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian Armed Forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, this partnership realises the vision for sovereign manufacturing. Leonardo is a key global player in the areas of aerospace, defence, and security. eonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo said India is a big market and that the country's armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters.The announcement on Tuesday also comes a week after Adani Defence & Aerospace and Brazilian major Embraer announced a strategic collaboration that aims to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India. 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.
03 February,2026 02:47 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIIndia’s trade agreement with the United States (US), under which tariffs on Indian goods have been reduced to 18 per cent, is expected to make a range of products — from tech hardware to certain agricultural imports — more affordable. India-US trade deal: Tech and household goods to benefit Under the deal, laptops, gadgets, consumer electronics, processed foods, packaged goods and household appliances may become more competitively priced. Agricultural products such as pulses, dairy and processed foods could also see reduced import levies, potentially easing pressure from rising food inflation, news agency IANS reported, adding that official details on the full terms of the deal are awaited. India-US trade deal: Boost for Indian sectors The agreement could benefit key export sectors such as textiles and apparel, gems and jewellery, as well as industrial and engineering goods including steel and chemicals. Analysts note, however, that some products, including steel, aluminium and copper, may continue to face duties of around 50 per cent, IANS reported. Certain auto components may also remain subject to significant tariffs. The India–US trade deal follows a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The agreement reportedly also includes India’s commitment to reduce purchases of Russian oil while increasing imports from the United States and potentially Venezuela. PM Modi welcomed the tariff reduction on social media platform X, saying: “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.” Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.When two large economies and the… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 2, 2026 India-US trade deal: Industry chambers upbeat Leading industry bodies said the deal would enhance the global competitiveness of Indian products, boost manufacturing growth, create jobs and strengthen supply chains. “The expected reduction of US–India tariffs to 18 per cent marks a significant step forward in the strategic economic partnership between India and the US,” said Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Rajeev Juneja, President of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), added: “Reduced tariffs cut input costs for domestic industries, strengthen supply chains, and ease inflation by lowering prices for businesses and consumers. They benefit key sectors — including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and renewable energy — by improving access to intermediate goods, capital equipment, and critical components.” (With IANS inputs)
03 February,2026 02:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA Himachal Roadways bus met with an accident on Tuesday in the remote area of Kwanu-Meenus Road in Kalsi in Uttarakhand's Dehradun district and fell into a deep gorge, the State Disaster Response Force said. Preliminary reports suggested that more than 30 passengers were on board the bus. Following the information and on the orders of SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, SDRF teams from posts at Dakpathar, Chakrata, Mori, and Tyuni were immediately dispatched to the accident site. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the District Magistrate and issued necessary instructions to rescue the passengers. In an X post, CM Dhami said that all nearby medical centres have been placed on high alert mode and in case of serious injuries, passengers will be airlifted and admitted to advanced medical centres. "We have received the extremely distressing news of the accident involving a bus of the Himachal Transport Corporation on the Kuanu-Meens Motor Road in the Kalsi area (Dehradun). Upon receiving information about the accident, I spoke with the District Magistrate over the phone and issued necessary instructions. The district administration and police have promptly initiated relief and rescue operations. All nearby medical centres have been placed on high alert mode. If needed, any seriously injured passengers will be airlifted and admitted to advanced medical centres. I pray to God for the safe well-being of all passengers," Dhami said on X. Further details on the incident are awaited. In a separate incident on Sunday, devotees returning after visiting the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple met with an accident when their van overturned on the Tiruchy-Chidambaram National Highway in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district, officials said. The incident took place near Poiyyur village. Upon receiving information, Keezhapazhuvur police rushed to the spot, registered a case, and launched an investigation into the incident. 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.
03 February,2026 02:46 PM IST | Dehradun (Uttarakhand) | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1770112063875_d.png "Rahul Gandhi accuses Modi of compromising national interests in trade deal. File Pic")
-1770115611651_d.png "Rahul Gandhi speaking to the media after the Parliament session ended. Pic/PTI")
-1770108749258_d.png "Helicopter manufacturing boost for make in India as Adani ties up with Leonardo. Representational Image")
