Premier League: Haaland wants Manchester City to 'try to enjoy the situation and win the game'

'Nidal Hasan's firing-squad execution to be livestreamed', says Pentagon; first US military execution since 1961

Trump's naked 23-karat gold statue unveiled near European Parliament

‘Never-ending flow of cheap labour’: JD Vance hits back at Indian-origin Congresswoman over US green card curbs for major tech companies

Thai Actors Fourth Nattawat, Gemini Norawit face racism accusations from Indian fans over viral Bollywood act

Nigeria govt rolls out 30-day NNPC petrol discount, insists it is not a subsidy

Captain Smit Machchhar on feet again, walks 10 steps as recovery continues after Flydubai flight attack

Fastest-growing Asian economies in 2026: Who tops the chart? Where does India rank?

A Love Other Than Yours: The temptation to cheat and what pushes people over the edge

Russia president Putin promises to 'do everything' to help settle Middle East conflict as US-Iran negotiations stall

‘Wait till you discover the other guy’: Rahul Gandhi takes a swipe as Musk's 'Ambani real boss of India' remark triggers X subscription cancellations

BTS agency HYBE announces first-ever Weverse Con Festival in India

Trump has a new 'enemy': Anyone who calls it 'artificial intelligence'. Here's what we wants instead

India at UN: Pak allows terror groups to operate from its soil

Air India, Air India Express increase fuel surcharge on domestic, international flights amid rising ATF costs

'Something truly catastrophic will happen': Former OpenAI researchers sound the alarm, claim they were fired for prioritising AI safety

Scientists find highly radioactive nuclear particles at Chernobyl 40 years after the disaster

Nana Patekar's #MeToo controversy: From Tanushree Dutta’s allegations to court ruling

Pakistan denies reports of PAF jets being used in attacks against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

New York ICE shooting sparks protests as Mamdani to call on Trump to halt ICE operations

Atlantic hurricane Isaias could make landfall as a strong Category 2 storm, tornado warnings issued

From Kramatorsk buses to Yandex fire: Russia-Ukraine war in the last 48 hours

AUS vs SA: 'That's fine,' says Cummins on Khawaja's book contents about Sandpapergate

Who is Nana Patekar's wife Neelakanti? The bank officer who earned Rs 2,500 when he earned Rs 50

KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza to return in 2027 after hiatus, agency issues statement

French students light European bonfire, protests erupt in Belgium, Italy & Greece | Gravitas

France student protests: Over 500 arrested, govt promises 3,000 substitute teachers

Arizona congressional candidate claims she was sexually assaulted while repairing signs

New Cold War: Why is China buying more gold? Explained

OpenAI shuts down Russian, Iranian influence operations using ChatGPT to spread propaganda

'Understood consequences of a few mistakes': Ishan Kishan reflects on journey back to India team

435 House seats, 35 Senate races: The numbers behind US midterms 2026

Bangladesh named as Pakistan’s replacement for Asian Hockey Champions Trophy

SC asks Centre to frame mechanism against unethical pharma marketing practices

US suspends Microsoft, Infosys, Tata, Wipro from green card programme over alleged H-1B abuse

Trump honours Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with top technology honour amid immigration scrutiny

Flydubai flight attack: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar to receive Israel's highest civilian bravery award for saving 174 lives

A minor girl who was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital here was allegedly gang-raped by a hospital staffer and four unidentified men.

A Singh, Superintendent of Police (City) said, "Victim narrated her ordeal after she was shifted to the general ward. A case has been registered and the investigation is underway."

Police further informed that the girl was admitted to the hospital after she was bitten by a snake and was put on the ventilator in the ICU ward of the hospital, however, later was shifted to the general ward, it was then she informed others about the hapless incident.

Singh said that the police immediately reached the spot after learning about the incident and lodged an FIR and commenced an investigation.

So far an FIR has been lodged against one of the hospital staff and four other unidentified men who are absconding.

A minor girl who was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital here was allegedly gang-raped by a hospital staffer and four unidentified men.

A minor girl who was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital here was allegedly gang-raped by a hospital staffer and four unidentified men. A Singh, Superintendent of Police (City) said, "Victim narrated her ordeal after she was shifted to the general ward. A case has been registered and the investigation is underway." Police further informed that the girl was admitted to the hospital after she was bitten by a snake and was put on the ventilator in the ICU ward of the hospital, however, later was shifted to the general ward, it was then she informed others about the hapless incident. Singh said that the police immediately reached the spot after learning about the incident and lodged an FIR and commenced an investigation. So far an FIR has been lodged against one of the hospital staff and four other unidentified men who are absconding.

Uttar Pradesh: Minor girl bitten by snake admitted to hospital, gang-raped

A day after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav attacked Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and said Naidu should first save his seat in state before thinking about saving the country, Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Rama Krishnudu hit back and said that there was no bigger anaconda than Modi who swallowed all the institutions including the CBI.&nbsp;

''Who can be a bigger anaconda than Narendra Modi? Modi is the anaconda that has swallowed all the institutions. He is swallowing up institutions like CBI, RBI etcetera,'' Krishnudu was quoted as saying on Sunday.&nbsp;

Krishnudu said TDP was not established to oppose any single party. The party was founded against the system, he said.&nbsp;

''Every Tom, Dick and Harry is speaking of past politics. Past can't be present or future. But present and future will become past. The critics of TDP should understand this. TDP was not established against any single party. It was founded against the system,'' &nbsp;Krishnudu further said.&nbsp;

Ram Madhav on Saturday attacked TDP and said Andhra Pradesh government is unpopular and corrupt.&nbsp;

The TDP will surely lose upcoming 2019 elections," he reportedly told ANI.

Naidu quit the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance in March after a prolonged dispute over government`s refusal to grant "special category" status to Andhra Pradesh.

A day after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav attacked Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and said Naidu should first save his seat in state before thinking about saving the country, Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Rama Krishnudu hit back and said that there was no bigger anaconda than Modi who swallowed all the institutions including the CBI.

A day after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav attacked Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and said Naidu should first save his seat in state before thinking about saving the country, Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Rama Krishnudu hit back and said that there was no bigger anaconda than Modi who swallowed all the institutions including the CBI. ''Who can be a bigger anaconda than Narendra Modi? Modi is the anaconda that has swallowed all the institutions. He is swallowing up institutions like CBI, RBI etcetera,'' Krishnudu was quoted as saying on Sunday. Krishnudu said TDP was not established to oppose any single party. The party was founded against the system, he said. ''Every Tom, Dick and Harry is speaking of past politics. Past can't be present or future. But present and future will become past. The critics of TDP should understand this. TDP was not established against any single party. It was founded against the system,'' Krishnudu further said. Ram Madhav on Saturday attacked TDP and said Andhra Pradesh government is unpopular and corrupt. The TDP will surely lose upcoming 2019 elections," he reportedly told ANI. Naidu quit the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance in March after a prolonged dispute over government`s refusal to grant "special category" status to Andhra Pradesh.

No bigger anaconda than Modi: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Saturday that "work (on the Ram temple) will start very soon".

"Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon. We have to take this up after Diwali," ANI quoted Adityanath as saying.&nbsp;

Adityanath was speaking at an election rally in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The state will go&nbsp;to the polls on December 7.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon. We have to take this up after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diwali?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diwali</a>: CM Yogi Adityanath in Rajasthan's Bikaner (3.11.18) <a href="https://t.co/IL8cuosBaW">pic.twitter.com/IL8cuosBaW</a>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1058927148436721664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ANI also quoted Union Minister Uma Bharti as saying "the construction of Ram temple is my dream and whatever initiative is required, from my end I am ready for it.&nbsp;

"I have actively participated in Ram Janambhoomi Andolan and hearing of a case is also underway in connection with it. And I am proud of it," Bharti said.&nbsp;

"And I am proud of it," she added.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have actively participated in Ram Janambhoomi Andolan &amp; hearing of a case is also underway in connection with it. And I am proud of it. The construction of Ram Temple is my dream and whatever initiative is required from my end I am ready for it: Union Minister Uma Bharti (3.11) <a href="https://t.co/os2YsSYctF">pic.twitter.com/os2YsSYctF</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058897260803747840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Supreme Court recently deferred, to January, the Uttar Pradesh government's plea that it urgently hear appeals against the Allahabad High Court order on the Babri masjid-Ram mandir land dispute. The 2010 Allahabad High Court order that divided the&nbsp;disputed land into three parts — one for Ram Lalla, one for the Nirmohi Akhara, and one for the original Muslim litigant

The RSS meanwhile recently warned that Hindus may once again begin a 1992-like mass agitation for a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

And earlier, BJP MP and RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha had said they would soon introduce an ordinance in Parliament seeking construction of the Ram Temple.

"Many other issues in the country have been resolved by court proceedings at night. The court was set up at night for a terrorist. When the court has time for terrorists, then why not Lord Rama, " Giriraj Singh said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Saturday that "work (on the Ram temple) will start very soon". "Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Saturday that "work (on the Ram temple) will start very soon". "Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon. We have to take this up after Diwali," ANI quoted Adityanath as saying. Adityanath was speaking at an election rally in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The state will go to the polls on December 7. Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon. We have to take this up after #Diwali: CM Yogi Adityanath in Rajasthan's Bikaner (3.11.18) pic.twitter.com/IL8cuosBaW — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 4, 2018 × ANI also quoted Union Minister Uma Bharti as saying "the construction of Ram temple is my dream and whatever initiative is required, from my end I am ready for it. "I have actively participated in Ram Janambhoomi Andolan and hearing of a case is also underway in connection with it. And I am proud of it," Bharti said. "And I am proud of it," she added. I have actively participated in Ram Janambhoomi Andolan & hearing of a case is also underway in connection with it. And I am proud of it. The construction of Ram Temple is my dream and whatever initiative is required from my end I am ready for it: Union Minister Uma Bharti (3.11) pic.twitter.com/os2YsSYctF — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2018 × The Supreme Court recently deferred, to January, the Uttar Pradesh government's plea that it urgently hear appeals against the Allahabad High Court order on the Babri masjid-Ram mandir land dispute. The 2010 Allahabad High Court order that divided the disputed land into three parts — one for Ram Lalla, one for the Nirmohi Akhara, and one for the original Muslim litigant The RSS meanwhile recently warned that Hindus may once again begin a 1992-like mass agitation for a Ram temple in Ayodhya. And earlier, BJP MP and RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha had said they would soon introduce an ordinance in Parliament seeking construction of the Ram Temple. "Many other issues in the country have been resolved by court proceedings at night. The court was set up at night for a terrorist. When the court has time for terrorists, then why not Lord Rama, " Giriraj Singh said.

Light a diya for Lord Ram... work there will start soon: Adityanath on Ram temple

Two Hizbul Mujahideen&nbsp;terrorists were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudpora area on Saturday evening following information about the presence of the militants there, a police officer said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire towards the security forces, who retaliated.

Two terrorists were killed in the encounter while two others managed to escape, he said.

"A couple of terrorists managed to escape from the site as blood trails have been seen there," he added.

The slain militants have been identified as Mohammad Irfan Bhat and Shahid Mir. While Bhat had joined militant ranks last year, Mir was part of an arms case from 2004, a police spokesperosn said.

"Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the encounter site.&nbsp;

Police have registered a case and started investigations," he said.&nbsp;

Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudpora area on Saturday evening following information about the presence of the militants there, a police officer said.

Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudpora area on Saturday evening following information about the presence of the militants there, a police officer said. He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire towards the security forces, who retaliated. Two terrorists were killed in the encounter while two others managed to escape, he said. "A couple of terrorists managed to escape from the site as blood trails have been seen there," he added. The slain militants have been identified as Mohammad Irfan Bhat and Shahid Mir. While Bhat had joined militant ranks last year, Mir was part of an arms case from 2004, a police spokesperosn said. "Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the encounter site. Police have registered a case and started investigations," he said.

J&K: Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists killed in encounter

The Aam Aadmi Party may have made blundered while announcing the inauguration of Delhi's much-awaited&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-to-inaugurate-much-awaited-delhi-signature-bridge-today-175361">Signature Bridge</a>.&nbsp;

The party posted a series of pictures on its twitter handle Saturday with the caption: "Delhi!&nbsp;Here is your pride. The Signature Bridge. Ready to welcome you tomorrow for Inauguration Ceremony..&nbsp;4PM onwards.. Sunday, 4th Nov. - @msisodia."

Twitter users however were quick to point out that the first image from the series was of the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and not of Signature Bridge.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
"Delhi ! 
Here is your pride ..The Signature Bridge . Ready to welcome you tomorrow for Inauguration Ceremony.. 4PM onwards.. Sunday, 4th Nov."- <a href="https://twitter.com/msisodia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msisodia</a> <a href="https://t.co/agEuZhrjib">pic.twitter.com/agEuZhrjib</a>
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) <a href="https://twitter.com/AamAadmiParty/status/1058763831604850688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga told Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that "if you had carried out development, then you wouldn't have had to steal a picture from the Netherlands."&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArvindKejriwal</a> साहब विकास कर लिया होता तो नीदरलैंड के इरास्मस ब्रिज की फोटो चुराने की जरूरत नही पड़ती । ये रहा उसका लिंक जहाँ से आपने तस्वीर चुराई खैर चोरी/घोटाला तो आपकी फितरत में है<a href="https://t.co/edwphH9ubn">https://t.co/edwphH9ubn</a> <a href="https://t.co/w9Z8xHSkWc">pic.twitter.com/w9Z8xHSkWc</a>
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) <a href="https://twitter.com/TajinderBagga/status/1058939923099639808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

And the jibes continued:&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
LOL the 1st image is a bridge in Rotterdam <a href="https://t.co/8QvILrq6xh">pic.twitter.com/8QvILrq6xh</a>
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/GabbbarSingh/status/1058921730587217920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Pic 1 : Posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/AamAadmiParty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AamAadmiParty</a> of signature bridge in Delhi 
Pic 2 : Posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/TajinderBagga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TajinderBagga</a> of Erasmus bridge in Netherland 
 
Bridge bhi same, lights bhi same aur background main buildings bhi same to same hain. 
Lagta hai <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArvindKejriwal</a> ne delhi ko Netherland bana diya 😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/CsZ0HfcbvM">pic.twitter.com/CsZ0HfcbvM</a>
— Ek Hindustani 🇮🇳 ÉTF (@Ek_Hindustaani) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ek_Hindustaani/status/1058953650083491840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
photo chor! shame! shame shame. ..
— Sanjaykumar (@Sanjayk56382160) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sanjayk56382160/status/1058952684391170048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Delhi Netherland Mein Aati Hai??
— Krishiv_tanna (@TannaKrishiv) <a href="https://twitter.com/TannaKrishiv/status/1058983261609684993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Kejriwal is scheduled to inaugurate the bridge at 4 pm on November 4 and it will be opened to the public on November 5. The bridge has been built over river Yamuna and&nbsp;will reduce the travel time between north and northeast Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party may have made blundered while announcing the inauguration of Delhi's much-awaited Signature Bridge. The party posted a series of pictures on its twitter handle Saturday with the caption: "Delhi!

The Aam Aadmi Party may have made blundered while announcing the inauguration of Delhi's much-awaited Signature Bridge. The party posted a series of pictures on its twitter handle Saturday with the caption: "Delhi! Here is your pride. The Signature Bridge. Ready to welcome you tomorrow for Inauguration Ceremony.. 4PM onwards.. Sunday, 4th Nov. - @msisodia." Twitter users however were quick to point out that the first image from the series was of the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and not of Signature Bridge. "Delhi ! Here is your pride ..The Signature Bridge . Ready to welcome you tomorrow for Inauguration Ceremony.. 4PM onwards.. Sunday, 4th Nov."- @msisodia pic.twitter.com/agEuZhrjib — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) November 3, 2018 × Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga told Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that "if you had carried out development, then you wouldn't have had to steal a picture from the Netherlands." . @ArvindKejriwal साहब विकास कर लिया होता तो नीदरलैंड के इरास्मस ब्रिज की फोटो चुराने की जरूरत नही पड़ती । ये रहा उसका लिंक जहाँ से आपने तस्वीर चुराई खैर चोरी/घोटाला तो आपकी फितरत में हैhttps://t.co/edwphH9ubn pic.twitter.com/w9Z8xHSkWc — Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) November 4, 2018 × And the jibes continued: LOL the 1st image is a bridge in Rotterdam pic.twitter.com/8QvILrq6xh — Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) November 4, 2018 × Pic 1 : Posted by @AamAadmiParty of signature bridge in Delhi Pic 2 : Posted by @TajinderBagga of Erasmus bridge in Netherland Bridge bhi same, lights bhi same aur background main buildings bhi same to same hain. Lagta hai @ArvindKejriwal ne delhi ko Netherland bana diya 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/CsZ0HfcbvM — Ek Hindustani 🇮🇳 ÉTF (@Ek_Hindustaani) November 4, 2018 × photo chor! shame! shame shame. .. — Sanjaykumar (@Sanjayk56382160) November 4, 2018 × Delhi Netherland Mein Aati Hai?? — Krishiv_tanna (@TannaKrishiv) November 4, 2018 × Kejriwal is scheduled to inaugurate the bridge at 4 pm on November 4 and it will be opened to the public on November 5. The bridge has been built over river Yamuna and will reduce the travel time between north and northeast Delhi.

AAP posts picture of Signature Bridge, Twitter quickly points out mistake

The BJP has removed Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accused him of sexual harassment.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
BJP removes its Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accuses him of sexual harassment. <a href="https://t.co/LXfmb1iHhC">pic.twitter.com/LXfmb1iHhC</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058973025545134080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

News reports Sunday said the party was reportedly worried about its image after the accusation surfaced.&nbsp;

The reports said a meeting was held, where it was decided that it would be best if Kumar was let go of. The reports added that the decision was taken in Delhi.&nbsp;

Kumar was summoned to Delhi and sacked there.&nbsp;

Protests had reportedly broken out after Kumar was accused of harassment.&nbsp;

The BJP has removed Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accused him of sexual harassment. BJP removes its Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accuses him of sexual harassment.

The BJP has removed Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accused him of sexual harassment. BJP removes its Uttarakhand General Secretary Sanjay Kumar from his post after a woman party worker accuses him of sexual harassment. pic.twitter.com/LXfmb1iHhC — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2018 × News reports Sunday said the party was reportedly worried about its image after the accusation surfaced. The reports said a meeting was held, where it was decided that it would be best if Kumar was let go of. The reports added that the decision was taken in Delhi. Kumar was summoned to Delhi and sacked there. Protests had reportedly broken out after Kumar was accused of harassment.

#MeToo: BJP removes Uttarakhand General Secretary from post after he is accused of sexual harassment

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited Signature Bridge on the Yamuna in Delhi on November 4 and it will be thrown open for public on November 5.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia inspecting the infrastructure project on Friday and invited members of the public to the inauguration event today evening.

The bridge will reduce travel time between north and northeast Delhi, and will have designated selfie spots.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Delhi! Here is your pride ..The Signature Bridge .. 
Ready to welcome you tomorrow for inauguration ceremony.. 4pm onwards.. Sunday. 4th Nov. <a href="https://t.co/kVicLkACWh">pic.twitter.com/kVicLkACWh</a>
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) <a href="https://twitter.com/msisodia/status/1058721043827834880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Delhiites will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the top of the bridge, where they will be taken in four elevators with a total capacity of carrying 50 people.

The elevators area likely to be operational in two months, an official said.
<img alt="Image source: @AamAadmiParty" data-caption="Image source:&amp;nbsp;@AamAadmiParty" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bc28caeb-f7ee-4ea3-bd5a-7e3fbb075559" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/DrF8Ew9XgAIyiKG.jpg" />
He said the bridge will serve as a tourist destination with the 154-metre-high glass box giving a bird's-eye view of the city to visitors.

Talking to reporters during the inspection, Sisodia said the bridge will become a tourist spot.
<img alt="Image source: @AamAadmiParty" data-caption="Image source:&amp;nbsp;@AamAadmiParty" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="160409a4-e3b7-4795-8061-7388882283d4" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/DrF8FVIX4AAMC3h.jpg" />
Announced in 2004, the bridge has missed several deadlines since 2011.

The proposal for the bridge, mooted in 2004, received approval of the Delhi Cabinet in 2007. It was initially expected to be completed at a modified estimate of Rs 1,131 crore for the Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi in October 2010.

In 2015, the cost of the project rose to Rs 1,594 crore. Reportedly, the bridge was proposed for the first time as early as in 1997 at an initial cost of Rs 464 crore.

The bridge will share the burden of vehicular traffic currently borne by the Wazirabad bridge.&nbsp;

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited Signature Bridge on the Yamuna in Delhi on November 4 and it will be thrown open for public on November 5.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited Signature Bridge on the Yamuna in Delhi on November 4 and it will be thrown open for public on November 5. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia inspecting the infrastructure project on Friday and invited members of the public to the inauguration event today evening. The bridge will reduce travel time between north and northeast Delhi, and will have designated selfie spots. Delhi! Here is your pride ..The Signature Bridge .. Ready to welcome you tomorrow for inauguration ceremony.. 4pm onwards.. Sunday. 4th Nov. pic.twitter.com/kVicLkACWh — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 3, 2018 × Delhiites will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the top of the bridge, where they will be taken in four elevators with a total capacity of carrying 50 people. The elevators area likely to be operational in two months, an official said. He said the bridge will serve as a tourist destination with the 154-metre-high glass box giving a bird's-eye view of the city to visitors. Talking to reporters during the inspection, Sisodia said the bridge will become a tourist spot. Announced in 2004, the bridge has missed several deadlines since 2011. The proposal for the bridge, mooted in 2004, received approval of the Delhi Cabinet in 2007. It was initially expected to be completed at a modified estimate of Rs 1,131 crore for the Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi in October 2010. In 2015, the cost of the project rose to Rs 1,594 crore. Reportedly, the bridge was proposed for the first time as early as in 1997 at an initial cost of Rs 464 crore. The bridge will share the burden of vehicular traffic currently borne by the Wazirabad bridge.

Arvind Kejriwal to inaugurate much-awaited Delhi Signature Bridge today

Several Hindu outfits in Kerala agitating against entry of women of menstrual age into the famous Sabarimala Temple have urged media outlets not to depute women journalists to cover the issue as the Lord Ayyappa temple is set to open Monday for a special puja.

The 'appeal' was issued by Sabarimala Karma Samiti, a joint platform of right-wing outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Hindu Aikyavedi, ahead of the temple's brief opening, which will be the second time after the Supreme Court allowed entry of girls and women in the age group of 10-50 into it.

The samiti has been spearheading the agitation against the apex court order lifting an age-old ban on entry of women in menstrual age group into the temple, whose deity Lord Ayyappa is a celibate.

When the temple opened for monthly puja for five days last month, first time after the court order, women reporters, on their way to cover the occasion, were heckled, their vehicles attacked and young female devotees forced to turn back as protesters, including activists of Hindu fringe groups, laid a siege to the road leading to Sabarimala.

In its letter to editors, a copy of which was released to the media, the samiti said even the entry of women journalists belonging to this age group as part of their job was also likely to aggravate the situation.

"Recognising your right to support or oppose the devotees stand on this issue, we hope you will not take a stand which would aggravate the situation," it said.

The doors of the temple will be opened Monday evening for puja on the occasion of "Chithira Aattavisesham" on Tuesday, the birthday of last King of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

The temple will be closed at 10 pm on Tuesday but would reopen for darshan from November 17 for the three-month long annual pilgrim season.

The samiti said devotees belonging to all denominations in Kerala and other parts of the country and even abroad were on a path of 'unabated' agitation subsequent to the apex court judgement allowing entry to young women at the Sabarimala Temple against the wish of the large majority of devotees.

It alleged that even though the Supreme Court has decided to hear the review and writ petitions on the issue on November 13, the state government was intentionally ignoring the "mass movement" against the judgment and was trying to 'hastily' enforce it using police force. 
"In such a situation, the devotees are left with no other choice but to continue with the peaceful agitation," it said.

The whole issue is about the adamant stand of the state government in forcibly bringing in young women aged between 10 and 50 years which is against the age-old traditions and customs of the Sabarimala Temple, the samiti said.&nbsp;

Several Hindu outfits in Kerala agitating against entry of women of menstrual age into the famous Sabarimala Temple have urged media outlets not to depute women journalists to cover the issue as the Lord Ayyappa temple is set to open Monday for a special puja.

Several Hindu outfits in Kerala agitating against entry of women of menstrual age into the famous Sabarimala Temple have urged media outlets not to depute women journalists to cover the issue as the Lord Ayyappa temple is set to open Monday for a special puja. The 'appeal' was issued by Sabarimala Karma Samiti, a joint platform of right-wing outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Hindu Aikyavedi, ahead of the temple's brief opening, which will be the second time after the Supreme Court allowed entry of girls and women in the age group of 10-50 into it. The samiti has been spearheading the agitation against the apex court order lifting an age-old ban on entry of women in menstrual age group into the temple, whose deity Lord Ayyappa is a celibate. When the temple opened for monthly puja for five days last month, first time after the court order, women reporters, on their way to cover the occasion, were heckled, their vehicles attacked and young female devotees forced to turn back as protesters, including activists of Hindu fringe groups, laid a siege to the road leading to Sabarimala. In its letter to editors, a copy of which was released to the media, the samiti said even the entry of women journalists belonging to this age group as part of their job was also likely to aggravate the situation. "Recognising your right to support or oppose the devotees stand on this issue, we hope you will not take a stand which would aggravate the situation," it said. The doors of the temple will be opened Monday evening for puja on the occasion of "Chithira Aattavisesham" on Tuesday, the birthday of last King of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. The temple will be closed at 10 pm on Tuesday but would reopen for darshan from November 17 for the three-month long annual pilgrim season. The samiti said devotees belonging to all denominations in Kerala and other parts of the country and even abroad were on a path of 'unabated' agitation subsequent to the apex court judgement allowing entry to young women at the Sabarimala Temple against the wish of the large majority of devotees. It alleged that even though the Supreme Court has decided to hear the review and writ petitions on the issue on November 13, the state government was intentionally ignoring the "mass movement" against the judgment and was trying to 'hastily' enforce it using police force. "In such a situation, the devotees are left with no other choice but to continue with the peaceful agitation," it said. The whole issue is about the adamant stand of the state government in forcibly bringing in young women aged between 10 and 50 years which is against the age-old traditions and customs of the Sabarimala Temple, the samiti said.

Don't depute young women journos to Sabarimala: Hindu outfits to media

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday assured the country that the biometric data on Aadhaar was kept in safe and secure condition.

Addressing an event in Delhi, Prasad said, "Biometric data on Aadhaar is kept in safe and secure conditions, in an encrypted form, it cannot be breached".

He also added that the Digital India program aims at empowering ordinary Indians with the power of technology,&nbsp;technology that is low-cost, developmental and inclusive.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Biometric data on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aadhaar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Aadhaar</a> is kept in safe &amp; secure conditions, in an encrypted form, it cannot be breached. By Digital India prog, we wish to empower ordinary Indians with the power of technology,a technology that is low-cost, developmental and inclusive:Union Minister RS Prasad <a href="https://t.co/a4qorMdCBE">pic.twitter.com/a4qorMdCBE</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058594186629447682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, who was also present in the event, emphasised on the importance of Technology.

Calling technology the only way forward, he said, "India must come out with a strong privacy law and should allow the private sector to innovate".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Technology must be the key driver and it is the only way forward. My belief is that India must come out with a strong privacy law and we should allow the private sector to innovate: Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, at an event in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/m8RfafHODC">pic.twitter.com/m8RfafHODC</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058591271655276544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Supreme Court in September pronounced its crucial verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Centre's flagship&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aadhaar-verdict-unique-identification-number-not-mandatory-mobile-connections-bank">Aadhaar scheme</a>&nbsp;and its enabling 2016 law.

In its verdict on the constitutionality of the Unique Identification Number Aadhaar, the Supreme Court pronounced, "Aadhaar cannot be insisted upon in schools and private companies."

Strucking down&nbsp;section 57 of Aadhaar Act which allowed sharing of data with private entities, the apex court said&nbsp;that private bodies like mobile telecom operator companies, e-commerce firms, private banks cannot mandatorily ask for Aadhaar details of their customers.

However, it will still be compulsory to link the Permanent account number (PAN) to Aadhaar and for filing IT returns, the court said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday assured the country that the biometric data on Aadhaar was kept in safe and secure condition. Addressing an event in Delhi, Prasad said, "Biometric data on Aadhaar is kept in safe and secure conditions, in an encrypted form, it cannot be breached".

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday assured the country that the biometric data on Aadhaar was kept in safe and secure condition. Addressing an event in Delhi, Prasad said, "Biometric data on Aadhaar is kept in safe and secure conditions, in an encrypted form, it cannot be breached". He also added that the Digital India program aims at empowering ordinary Indians with the power of technology, technology that is low-cost, developmental and inclusive. Biometric data on #Aadhaar is kept in safe & secure conditions, in an encrypted form, it cannot be breached. By Digital India prog, we wish to empower ordinary Indians with the power of technology,a technology that is low-cost, developmental and inclusive:Union Minister RS Prasad pic.twitter.com/a4qorMdCBE — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2018 × NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, who was also present in the event, emphasised on the importance of Technology. Calling technology the only way forward, he said, "India must come out with a strong privacy law and should allow the private sector to innovate". Technology must be the key driver and it is the only way forward. My belief is that India must come out with a strong privacy law and we should allow the private sector to innovate: Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, at an event in Delhi pic.twitter.com/m8RfafHODC — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2018 × The Supreme Court in September pronounced its crucial verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme and its enabling 2016 law. In its verdict on the constitutionality of the Unique Identification Number Aadhaar, the Supreme Court pronounced, "Aadhaar cannot be insisted upon in schools and private companies." Strucking down section 57 of Aadhaar Act which allowed sharing of data with private entities, the apex court said that private bodies like mobile telecom operator companies, e-commerce firms, private banks cannot mandatorily ask for Aadhaar details of their customers. However, it will still be compulsory to link the Permanent account number (PAN) to Aadhaar and for filing IT returns, the court said.

Biometric data on Aadhaar is kept safe and secure: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

Manipur government has declared a war on drugs affecting a significant number of people in the state, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said.

The state government and the security forces have initiated projects to wean away drug users from the addiction while initiating strict action against drug peddlers, he said.

The chief minister said 600 peddlers were arrested this year and fast track courts have been set up to try the accused persons.

The Northeastern state, which is close to the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia -- infamous for drug trafficking, has been affected by drug usage and a large number of HIV cases owing to intravenous drug usage.

"Thousands of hectares of land are used for poppy cultivation in areas near the international border with Myanmar," Singh told a group of visiting newspersons.

He said the poppy is exported to other countries via the Golden Triangle.

"We are taking help of the Army and Assam Rifles to root out the cultivation of poppy in Manipur," the chief minister said adding that the poppy growers are being rehabilitated with lemongrass cultivation.

"The happy news is people are getting involved in countering drug peddling," Singh said.

He said at Lilong in Thoubal district, drug peddlers were captured and the seized drugs were burnt.

The All Lilong Anti-Drug Association (ALADA) has helped in recovering drugs worth over Rs 6 crore since it was set up in July 2017, its tribe secretary Abid Hussain claimed.

He said while drugs like spasmoproxival, N10 come from within the country, heroin and World is Yours (WY) are brought in from Myanmar by the peddlers. 
"These drugs are widely used in Manipur and other states in the north-east," Hussain said.

Very poor economic condition, lack of job opportunities and easy availability of drugs lead to the high number of drug addicts, he said.

At Lilong, which has a one-lakh population, the ALADA has identified 2,000 users though the actual number may be higher, he said.

Sister Veronica, who runs rehabilitation centre 'Sneha' for women drug addicts, said there are 11 women at present at its residential facility.

Lalboi, a poppy cultivator from Joupi village in the southern part of the state, said during an interaction with PTI at Kakchin town that he along with many others in and around his village were engaged in this for sustenance.

Stating that there are around 150 poppy cultivators in his area, he said: "Assam Rifles is helping us with seeds and knowhow in cultivating lemongrass so that we give up cultivation of poppy."

"It will take three to four years before we reap benefits from cultivation of lemongrass," the 32-year-old man with a family of five, said. 
Lemongrass is a fragrant tropical grass which yields an oil that smells of lemon and is widely used in Asian cooking and in perfumery and medicine.

Manipur government has declared a war on drugs affecting a significant number of people in the state, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said. The state government and the security forces have initiated projects to wean away drug users from the addiction while initiating strict action against drug peddlers, he said.

Manipur government has declared a war on drugs affecting a significant number of people in the state, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said. The state government and the security forces have initiated projects to wean away drug users from the addiction while initiating strict action against drug peddlers, he said. The chief minister said 600 peddlers were arrested this year and fast track courts have been set up to try the accused persons. The Northeastern state, which is close to the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia -- infamous for drug trafficking, has been affected by drug usage and a large number of HIV cases owing to intravenous drug usage. "Thousands of hectares of land are used for poppy cultivation in areas near the international border with Myanmar," Singh told a group of visiting newspersons. He said the poppy is exported to other countries via the Golden Triangle. "We are taking help of the Army and Assam Rifles to root out the cultivation of poppy in Manipur," the chief minister said adding that the poppy growers are being rehabilitated with lemongrass cultivation. "The happy news is people are getting involved in countering drug peddling," Singh said. He said at Lilong in Thoubal district, drug peddlers were captured and the seized drugs were burnt. The All Lilong Anti-Drug Association (ALADA) has helped in recovering drugs worth over Rs 6 crore since it was set up in July 2017, its tribe secretary Abid Hussain claimed. He said while drugs like spasmoproxival, N10 come from within the country, heroin and World is Yours (WY) are brought in from Myanmar by the peddlers. "These drugs are widely used in Manipur and other states in the north-east," Hussain said. Very poor economic condition, lack of job opportunities and easy availability of drugs lead to the high number of drug addicts, he said. At Lilong, which has a one-lakh population, the ALADA has identified 2,000 users though the actual number may be higher, he said. Sister Veronica, who runs rehabilitation centre 'Sneha' for women drug addicts, said there are 11 women at present at its residential facility. Lalboi, a poppy cultivator from Joupi village in the southern part of the state, said during an interaction with PTI at Kakchin town that he along with many others in and around his village were engaged in this for sustenance. Stating that there are around 150 poppy cultivators in his area, he said: "Assam Rifles is helping us with seeds and knowhow in cultivating lemongrass so that we give up cultivation of poppy." "It will take three to four years before we reap benefits from cultivation of lemongrass," the 32-year-old man with a family of five, said. Lemongrass is a fragrant tropical grass which yields an oil that smells of lemon and is widely used in Asian cooking and in perfumery and medicine.

Manipur CM N Biren Singh declares war on drugs

Compounds derived from coconut oil are better than DEET at preventing disease transmission and discomfort associated with insect bites, according to a study.

For more than 60 years, DEET has been considered the gold standard in insect repellents -- the most effective and long-lasting available commercially, said researchers from US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

However, increasing regulations and growing public health concerns about synthetic repellents and insecticides like DEET have sparked interest in developing plant-based repellents that are more effective and longer lasting, they said.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, identified specific coconut oil fatty acids that have strong repellency and long-lasting effectiveness against multiple insects -- mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies and bed bugs -- that can transmit diseases to humans and animals.

A team of scientists led by Junwei Zhu found that the coconut oil compounds were effective against biting flies and bed bugs for two weeks and had lasting repellency against ticks for at least one week in laboratory tests.

The compound showed strong repellency against mosquitoes when higher concentrations of coconut oil compounds were topically applied.

Some people refuse to use DEET and turn to folk remedies or plant-based repellents. Most currently available plant-based repellents work for only a short period, Zhu noted.

The coconut oil-derived free fatty acid mixture -- lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid as well as their corresponding methyl esters -- provides strong repellency against blood-sucking insects.

By encapsulating coconut fatty acids into a starch-based formula, field trials showed this all-natural formula could provide protection to cattle against stable flies for up to 96 hours or four days, researchers said.

DEET was only 50 per cent effective against stable flies, while the coconut oil compound was more than 95 per cent effective, they said.

Against bed bugs and ticks, DEET lost its effectiveness after about three days, while the coconut oil compound lasted for about two weeks. The study found.

Coconut oil fatty acids also provided more than 90 per cent repellency against mosquitoes -- including Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that can transmit the Zika virus, according to Zhu.

These coconut oil-derived compounds offer longer-lasting protection than any other known natural repellent against insect blood-feeding, Zhu said.

Compounds derived from coconut oil are better than DEET at preventing disease transmission and discomfort associated with insect bites, according to a study. For more than 60 years, DEET has been considered the gold standard in insect repellents -- the most effective and long-lasting available commercially, said researchers from US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Compounds derived from coconut oil are better than DEET at preventing disease transmission and discomfort associated with insect bites, according to a study. For more than 60 years, DEET has been considered the gold standard in insect repellents -- the most effective and long-lasting available commercially, said researchers from US Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, increasing regulations and growing public health concerns about synthetic repellents and insecticides like DEET have sparked interest in developing plant-based repellents that are more effective and longer lasting, they said. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, identified specific coconut oil fatty acids that have strong repellency and long-lasting effectiveness against multiple insects -- mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies and bed bugs -- that can transmit diseases to humans and animals. A team of scientists led by Junwei Zhu found that the coconut oil compounds were effective against biting flies and bed bugs for two weeks and had lasting repellency against ticks for at least one week in laboratory tests. The compound showed strong repellency against mosquitoes when higher concentrations of coconut oil compounds were topically applied. Some people refuse to use DEET and turn to folk remedies or plant-based repellents. Most currently available plant-based repellents work for only a short period, Zhu noted. The coconut oil-derived free fatty acid mixture -- lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid as well as their corresponding methyl esters -- provides strong repellency against blood-sucking insects. By encapsulating coconut fatty acids into a starch-based formula, field trials showed this all-natural formula could provide protection to cattle against stable flies for up to 96 hours or four days, researchers said. DEET was only 50 per cent effective against stable flies, while the coconut oil compound was more than 95 per cent effective, they said. Against bed bugs and ticks, DEET lost its effectiveness after about three days, while the coconut oil compound lasted for about two weeks. The study found. Coconut oil fatty acids also provided more than 90 per cent repellency against mosquitoes -- including Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that can transmit the Zika virus, according to Zhu. These coconut oil-derived compounds offer longer-lasting protection than any other known natural repellent against insect blood-feeding, Zhu said.

Coconut oil compounds more effective than insect repellents: Study

Voting for the by-polls to the three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka began on Saturday, which is seen as a litmus test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition.

Bypolls to Shivamogga, Mandya, and Ramanagara Lok Sabha seats, and Ballari and Jamkhandi assembly segments began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.

A total of 54,54,275 voters are eligible to cast their franchise in about 6,450 polling stations.

There are a total 31 candidates in the fray in all the five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP.&nbsp;

Counting of votes will be on Tuesday.

Officials at the state chief electoral officer's office said a total of 1,502 polling stations had been declared as sensitive.

More than 35,000 polling personnel will be on duty for the bypolls, in which 8,922 voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used, they added.

Senior police officials said elaborate security arrangements had been made in all the five constituencies.

The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), who came together in a post-poll alliance after the assembly elections in May threw up a hung House, have decided to fight the polls unitedly against the Bharatiya Janata Party.

While the Congress has fielded its candidates in Jamkhandi and Ballari, the JDS is contesting in Shivamogga, Ramanagara, and Mandya under an electoral understanding.

The outcome of the by-elections is expected to have a bearing on the alliance between the two ruling parties for the parliamentary polls and also be a factor in determining the respective bargaining power.

The BJP, which has been questioning the longevity of the coalition government, has predicted its fall once the bypoll results are out.

Among the prominent candidates in the fray is Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife, Anita Kumaraswamy, who is expected to have a smooth sail in Ramanagara after BJP nominee L Chandrashekhar withdrew from the contest and rejoined the Congress.

The BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about the developments in Ramanagara and requested it to "annul" the elections immediately.

The bypolls brought to fore family politics with kin of several leaders being fielded.

In Jamkhandi, Congress candidate Anand Nyamagowda, son of former MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, is pitted against Srikant Kulkarni of the BJP.

In Shivamogga, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son, B Y Raghavendra, is testing his fortunes against another former chief minister S Bangarappa's son, Madhu Bangarappa, of the JDS.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
101% my son (BS Raghavendra) is going to win the Shimoga seat. We are also going to win Bellary &amp; Jamkhandi. We will get absolute majority in all the constituencies: Former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa <a href="https://t.co/XW6YQN9xwt">pic.twitter.com/XW6YQN9xwt</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058540596753784832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In Ballari, senior BJP leader Sriramulu's sister, J Shantha, is fighting against V S Ugrappa of the Congress, considered an outsider.

In the Vokkaliga bastion of Mandya, JDS' Shivarame Gowda, is pitted against a fresh face in Dr Siddaramaiah, a retired Commercial Tax officer from the BJP.

The announcement of the bypolls for the Lok Sabha seats came as a surprise to all the three major political parties in the state -- Congress, BJP and JD(S) -- who questioned the need for the exercise when the general elections are due early next year.

The by-elections have been necessitated after Yeddyurappa (Shivamogga) and Sriramalu (Ballari), and C S Puttaraju of the JDS (Mandya) resigned as MPs on their election to the assembly in May this year.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Karnataka: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Earlyvisuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Earlyvisuals</a> from a polling station in Bellary; voting for three parliamentary constituencies — Bellary, Shimoga, Mandya and two legislative assembly constituencies—Jamkhandi, Ramanagaram began at 7 am today. <a href="https://t.co/7tqZ1b6ou2">pic.twitter.com/7tqZ1b6ou2</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1058532547112636416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Bypolls to Jamkhandi assembly seat was caused by the death of Congress MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, while Ramanagara fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave up the seat preferring Chennapatna, the other constituency from where he had won.

Voting for the by-polls to the three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka began on Saturday, which is seen as a litmus test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition.

Voting for the by-polls to the three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka began on Saturday, which is seen as a litmus test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition. Bypolls to Shivamogga, Mandya, and Ramanagara Lok Sabha seats, and Ballari and Jamkhandi assembly segments began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. A total of 54,54,275 voters are eligible to cast their franchise in about 6,450 polling stations. There are a total 31 candidates in the fray in all the five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP. Counting of votes will be on Tuesday. Officials at the state chief electoral officer's office said a total of 1,502 polling stations had been declared as sensitive. More than 35,000 polling personnel will be on duty for the bypolls, in which 8,922 voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used, they added. Senior police officials said elaborate security arrangements had been made in all the five constituencies. The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), who came together in a post-poll alliance after the assembly elections in May threw up a hung House, have decided to fight the polls unitedly against the Bharatiya Janata Party. While the Congress has fielded its candidates in Jamkhandi and Ballari, the JDS is contesting in Shivamogga, Ramanagara, and Mandya under an electoral understanding. The outcome of the by-elections is expected to have a bearing on the alliance between the two ruling parties for the parliamentary polls and also be a factor in determining the respective bargaining power. The BJP, which has been questioning the longevity of the coalition government, has predicted its fall once the bypoll results are out. Among the prominent candidates in the fray is Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife, Anita Kumaraswamy, who is expected to have a smooth sail in Ramanagara after BJP nominee L Chandrashekhar withdrew from the contest and rejoined the Congress. The BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about the developments in Ramanagara and requested it to "annul" the elections immediately. The bypolls brought to fore family politics with kin of several leaders being fielded. In Jamkhandi, Congress candidate Anand Nyamagowda, son of former MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, is pitted against Srikant Kulkarni of the BJP. In Shivamogga, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son, B Y Raghavendra, is testing his fortunes against another former chief minister S Bangarappa's son, Madhu Bangarappa, of the JDS. 101% my son (BS Raghavendra) is going to win the Shimoga seat. We are also going to win Bellary & Jamkhandi. We will get absolute majority in all the constituencies: Former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa pic.twitter.com/XW6YQN9xwt — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2018 × In Ballari, senior BJP leader Sriramulu's sister, J Shantha, is fighting against V S Ugrappa of the Congress, considered an outsider. In the Vokkaliga bastion of Mandya, JDS' Shivarame Gowda, is pitted against a fresh face in Dr Siddaramaiah, a retired Commercial Tax officer from the BJP. The announcement of the bypolls for the Lok Sabha seats came as a surprise to all the three major political parties in the state -- Congress, BJP and JD(S) -- who questioned the need for the exercise when the general elections are due early next year. The by-elections have been necessitated after Yeddyurappa (Shivamogga) and Sriramalu (Ballari), and C S Puttaraju of the JDS (Mandya) resigned as MPs on their election to the assembly in May this year. Karnataka: #Earlyvisuals from a polling station in Bellary; voting for three parliamentary constituencies — Bellary, Shimoga, Mandya and two legislative assembly constituencies—Jamkhandi, Ramanagaram began at 7 am today. pic.twitter.com/7tqZ1b6ou2 — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2018 × Bypolls to Jamkhandi assembly seat was caused by the death of Congress MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, while Ramanagara fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave up the seat preferring Chennapatna, the other constituency from where he had won.

Karnataka by-polls: Voting for three parliamentary constituencies underway

The BJP Friday launched its "Booth Mahasampark" campaign with the slogan "har booth, BJP majboot" ahead of the Assembly election in Rajasthan due on December 7.

During the three-day campaign, party leaders and workers will establish door-to-door contact with the people, a party statement said.

As a part of the drive, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje met people in Jhalawar, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in Bikaner and state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria in Udaipur, it added.

In Jaipur, BJP state election in-charge Prakash Javadekar spoke to people on the public welfare schemes of the Centre and the state in the Hawa Mahal Assembly area and urged the people to vote for the party.

On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Satish Punia slammed the Congress for copying BJP for seeking online suggestion for its election manifesto.

The BJP Friday launched its "Booth Mahasampark" campaign with the slogan "har booth, BJP majboot" ahead of the Assembly election in Rajasthan due on December 7. During the three-day campaign, party leaders and workers will establish door-to-door contact with the people, a party statement said.

The BJP Friday launched its "Booth Mahasampark" campaign with the slogan "har booth, BJP majboot" ahead of the Assembly election in Rajasthan due on December 7. During the three-day campaign, party leaders and workers will establish door-to-door contact with the people, a party statement said. As a part of the drive, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje met people in Jhalawar, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in Bikaner and state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria in Udaipur, it added. In Jaipur, BJP state election in-charge Prakash Javadekar spoke to people on the public welfare schemes of the Centre and the state in the Hawa Mahal Assembly area and urged the people to vote for the party. On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Satish Punia slammed the Congress for copying BJP for seeking online suggestion for its election manifesto.

Ahead of Rajasthan polls, BJP launches 'Booth Mahasampark' campaign

A&nbsp;151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram to come up on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya, according to BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh.

An announcement in this connection is expected to be made by the chief minister of the state&nbsp;Yogi Adityanath on the occassion of Diwali.

Rishikesh Upadhyay, the mayor of Ayodhya Municipal Corporation, told, "There is a proposal to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya...Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may make an announcement on this on the occasion of Dev Deepawali."

"The place where the statue will be installed will be finalised after the soil is tested. The statue is likely to come up in the vicinity of Sant Tulsidas Ghat. Officials are looking at two-three sites, after which they will pick the best one," Upadhyay, a BJP leader, added.

Upadhyay remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an imposing 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first home minister, in Gujarat.

The Uttar Pradesh unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, "Yogi Adityanath, in addition to being the chief minister, is the 'peethadheeswar' (head) of a prominent 'peeth' and sant. He must have made some plans pertaining to Ayodhya, which is a place of religious interest, pilgrimage and also the birthplace of Lord Ram."

"Let Diwali come and you will get good news," he told reporters.&nbsp;

A 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram to come up on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya, according to BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh. An announcement in this connection is expected to be made by the chief minister of the state Yogi Adityanath on the occassion of Diwali.

A 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram to come up on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya, according to BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh. An announcement in this connection is expected to be made by the chief minister of the state Yogi Adityanath on the occassion of Diwali. Rishikesh Upadhyay, the mayor of Ayodhya Municipal Corporation, told, "There is a proposal to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya...Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may make an announcement on this on the occasion of Dev Deepawali." "The place where the statue will be installed will be finalised after the soil is tested. The statue is likely to come up in the vicinity of Sant Tulsidas Ghat. Officials are looking at two-three sites, after which they will pick the best one," Upadhyay, a BJP leader, added. Upadhyay remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an imposing 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first home minister, in Gujarat. The Uttar Pradesh unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, "Yogi Adityanath, in addition to being the chief minister, is the 'peethadheeswar' (head) of a prominent 'peeth' and sant. He must have made some plans pertaining to Ayodhya, which is a place of religious interest, pilgrimage and also the birthplace of Lord Ram." "Let Diwali come and you will get good news," he told reporters.

151-metre tall Lord Ram statue will be built in Ayodhya, says BJP leader

The Congress on Saturday released its first list of candidates, a total of 155, for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, news agency PTI reported.

According to reports, the nominees include Ajay Singh, the leader of opposition in the state, and former Union minister Suresh Pachouri.

Former chief minister Digvijay Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh and brother Lakshman Singh have also been fielded from Raghogarh and Chachoura seats respectively.

Son of former chief minister late Arjun Singh, Ajay Singh, will fight from Chruhat seat.

Madhya Pradesh assembly has a total of 230 assembly seats, the state will go to polls on November 28. BJP, the ruling party since 2003, had released its first list of 177 candidates on Friday.

(With inputs from PTI)

The Congress on Saturday released its first list of candidates, a total of 155, for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, news agency PTI reported. According to reports, the nominees include Ajay Singh, the leader of opposition in the state, and former Union minister Suresh Pachouri.

The Congress on Saturday released its first list of candidates, a total of 155, for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, news agency PTI reported. According to reports, the nominees include Ajay Singh, the leader of opposition in the state, and former Union minister Suresh Pachouri. Former chief minister Digvijay Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh and brother Lakshman Singh have also been fielded from Raghogarh and Chachoura seats respectively. Son of former chief minister late Arjun Singh, Ajay Singh, will fight from Chruhat seat. Madhya Pradesh assembly has a total of 230 assembly seats, the state will go to polls on November 28. BJP, the ruling party since 2003, had released its first list of 177 candidates on Friday. (With inputs from PTI)

Madhya Pradesh polls: Congress releases first list of candidates 

BJP Friday released its second list of 28 candidates for the coming Telangana assembly elections.

Baddam Bal Reddy and Endala Lakshminarayana, MLAs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh assembly, are among the prominent in the list.

Bal Reddy, who had earlier represented Karwan in Hyderabad, would contest from Rajendranagar. The assembly segment mainly comprises areas on the periphery of Hyderabad.

Lakshminarayana would test his fortunes from Nizamabad Urban constituency, which he had represented earlier.

BJP, which is going it alone in the December 7 elections to the 119-member assembly, has earlier released its first list of 38 nominees on October 20.

The latest list was finalised by the Central Election Committee of the BJP which met Thursday under the presidentship of party chief Amit Shah in Delhi.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders and members of the committee, a BJP release said.

The announcement of candidates triggered protests by supporters of aspirants who failed to get the party ticket.

While the party named G Yoganand, who is into construction business, as the nominee from Serilingampalli assembly segment in Hyderabad, the supporters of an aspirant for the ticket held protest at the BJP office here.

In Nizamabad, a group of people, stated to be the supporters of an aspirant, damaged furniture at the party office after their leader was denied the ticket. 
Shah had kicked off the party's campaign for the Telangana polls on September 15 at Mahabubnagar and addressed another rally at Karimnagar lat month.

BJP had five MLAs in the recently dissolved state assembly.

BJP Friday released its second list of 28 candidates for the coming Telangana assembly elections. Baddam Bal Reddy and Endala Lakshminarayana, MLAs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh assembly, are among the prominent in the list.

BJP Friday released its second list of 28 candidates for the coming Telangana assembly elections. Baddam Bal Reddy and Endala Lakshminarayana, MLAs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh assembly, are among the prominent in the list. Bal Reddy, who had earlier represented Karwan in Hyderabad, would contest from Rajendranagar. The assembly segment mainly comprises areas on the periphery of Hyderabad. Lakshminarayana would test his fortunes from Nizamabad Urban constituency, which he had represented earlier. BJP, which is going it alone in the December 7 elections to the 119-member assembly, has earlier released its first list of 38 nominees on October 20. The latest list was finalised by the Central Election Committee of the BJP which met Thursday under the presidentship of party chief Amit Shah in Delhi. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders and members of the committee, a BJP release said. The announcement of candidates triggered protests by supporters of aspirants who failed to get the party ticket. While the party named G Yoganand, who is into construction business, as the nominee from Serilingampalli assembly segment in Hyderabad, the supporters of an aspirant for the ticket held protest at the BJP office here. In Nizamabad, a group of people, stated to be the supporters of an aspirant, damaged furniture at the party office after their leader was denied the ticket. Shah had kicked off the party's campaign for the Telangana polls on September 15 at Mahabubnagar and addressed another rally at Karimnagar lat month. BJP had five MLAs in the recently dissolved state assembly.

BJP releases second list of candidates for Telangana polls

Attempts are being made through "external linkages" to "revive insurgency" in Punjab and if early action is not taken, it will be too late Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Saturday said.

He was addressing a gathering of senior Army officers, defence experts and former senior officials of government and police at a seminar here on 'Changing Contours of Internal Security in India: Trends and Responses'.

Rawat also said that attempts were being made again through "external linkages" and "external abetment" to revive insurgency in Assam.

"Punjab has been peaceful but because of these external linkages, attempts again are being made to revive insurgency in the state," he said, adding, "we have to be very careful."

"Let us not think that Punjab (situation) is over. We cannot close our eyes to what is happening in Punjab. And, if we do not take early action now, it will be too late," he said.

Punjab saw one of the worst phases of insurgencies in the 1980s during the pro-Khalistan movement which was eventually quelled by the government.

Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prakash Singh in a panel discussion also highlighted the issue and said "attempts were being to revive insurgency" in Punjab.

He referred to a pro-Khalistan rally organised recently in the UK aiming for a 'Referendum 2020'.

Hundreds of people had turned out at Trafalgar Square in London on August 12 in support of a pro-Khalistan rally as well as to counter the event with an Independence Day celebrations.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had said its rally was intended to raise awareness for a non-binding referendum in 2020, calling for Punjab to be granted independence.

The "We Stand With India" and "Love My India" events were organised by Indian diaspora groups as a reaction to the pro-Khalistan "London Declaration for a Referendum 2020".

Internal security is one of the biggest problems in the country, but question is "why we have not been able to find a solution, because it has external linkages," Gen Rawat said.

The event was organised by defence think-tank CLAWS (Centre for Land and Warfare Studies). Rawat is its patron.

Asserting that insurgency cannot be dealt with military force, he pitched for adopting an approach in which all agencies, the government, civil administration, military and police work in an "integrated manner".

"The resolution of Naga insurgency can be forerunner to the Manipur insurgency situation. There are some linkages between the two. But, if that resolution does not satisfy Manipuris then the insurgency in that state will take a different turn, Rawat said.

As far as Assam is concerned, attempts are again being made, through "external linkages" to revive insurgency in the state, he said.

And, also through external abetment, and acknowledged once even by the "northern neighbour". So, there is no denying the fact that there are these factors, Rawat added.&nbsp;

Attempts are being made through "external linkages" to "revive insurgency" in Punjab and if early action is not taken, it will be too late Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Saturday said.

Attempts are being made through "external linkages" to "revive insurgency" in Punjab and if early action is not taken, it will be too late Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Saturday said. He was addressing a gathering of senior Army officers, defence experts and former senior officials of government and police at a seminar here on 'Changing Contours of Internal Security in India: Trends and Responses'. Rawat also said that attempts were being made again through "external linkages" and "external abetment" to revive insurgency in Assam. "Punjab has been peaceful but because of these external linkages, attempts again are being made to revive insurgency in the state," he said, adding, "we have to be very careful." "Let us not think that Punjab (situation) is over. We cannot close our eyes to what is happening in Punjab. And, if we do not take early action now, it will be too late," he said. Punjab saw one of the worst phases of insurgencies in the 1980s during the pro-Khalistan movement which was eventually quelled by the government. Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Prakash Singh in a panel discussion also highlighted the issue and said "attempts were being to revive insurgency" in Punjab. He referred to a pro-Khalistan rally organised recently in the UK aiming for a 'Referendum 2020'. Hundreds of people had turned out at Trafalgar Square in London on August 12 in support of a pro-Khalistan rally as well as to counter the event with an Independence Day celebrations. Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had said its rally was intended to raise awareness for a non-binding referendum in 2020, calling for Punjab to be granted independence. The "We Stand With India" and "Love My India" events were organised by Indian diaspora groups as a reaction to the pro-Khalistan "London Declaration for a Referendum 2020". Internal security is one of the biggest problems in the country, but question is "why we have not been able to find a solution, because it has external linkages," Gen Rawat said. The event was organised by defence think-tank CLAWS (Centre for Land and Warfare Studies). Rawat is its patron. Asserting that insurgency cannot be dealt with military force, he pitched for adopting an approach in which all agencies, the government, civil administration, military and police work in an "integrated manner". "The resolution of Naga insurgency can be forerunner to the Manipur insurgency situation. There are some linkages between the two. But, if that resolution does not satisfy Manipuris then the insurgency in that state will take a different turn, Rawat said. As far as Assam is concerned, attempts are again being made, through "external linkages" to revive insurgency in the state, he said. And, also through external abetment, and acknowledged once even by the "northern neighbour". So, there is no denying the fact that there are these factors, Rawat added.

Attempts being made through 'external linkages' to 'revive' insurgency in Punjab: Army chief

An estimated 67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka that went to the by-polls Saturday.

The by-elections are seen as a prestigious popularity test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition, as the outcome is expected to have a bearing on the state's political scene.

The Lok Sabha constituencies of Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya recorded 61.05, 63.85 and 53.93 per cent voting respectively.

Ramanagara and Jamkhandi assembly segmentsreported 73.71 and 81.58 per cent voter turnout respectively.

The initial hours of polling saw a poor turnout, but gathered pace as voting progressed through the day, electoral officials said.

Barring reports about delay in voting due to some technical issues at a couple of places, polling in all the five constituencies was peaceful, they said.

Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls, in which a total of 54,54,275 voterswere eligible to cast their franchise in about 6,450 polling stations.

A total of 31 candidates were in the fray from all five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP. 
Counting of votes will be on November 6.

The by-polls were seen as significant as the coalition partners contested together, terming it as a "prelude" to the May 2019 general elections and called for a similar "grand secular alliance" against the BJP at the national level.

JDS supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had displayed a rare bonhomie during the polls as they buried their past bitter differences to send signals of unity.

The BJP, which has been questioning the longevity of the coalition government, has predicted its fall once the by-pollresults are out.

The announcement of the by-polls for the Lok Sabhaseats came as a surprise to all three major politicalparties in the state -- Congress, BJP and JD(S) - whoquestioned the need for it when the generalelections are due early next year.

The Congress and JDS, who came together in a post-poll alliance after the assembly elections in May this year threw up a hung House, decided to face the polls unitedlyagainst the BJP, which they perceive as their common enemy.

While Congress fielded its candidates in Jamkhandi and Ballari, JD(S) contested in Shivamogga, Ramanagara and Mandya under an electoral understanding.

The outcome of the by-polls is expected to have a bearing on the equations between Congress and JDS for the 2019polls and also be a factor in determining the respective bargaining power of the two parties.

Among prominent candidates in the fray is Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife Anita Kumaraswamy, who is expected to have a smooth sail, facing a virtual no-contest in Ramanagara after BJP nominee L Chandrashekhar withdrew from the contest and rejoined Congress, giving a jolt to the saffron party days before the polls.

The BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about the development in Ramanagara and requested it to "annul" the elections immediately.

In Jamkhandi, Congress candidate Anand Nyamagowda, son of former MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, is pitted against Srikant Kulkarni of the BJP.

In Shivamogga, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra is testing his fortunes against another former chief minister S Bangarappa's son Madhu Bangarappa of JD(S).

In Ballari, senior BJP leader Sriramulu's sister J Shantha is fighting against V S Ugrappa of the Congress, considered an outsider.

In the Vokkaliga bastion of Mandya, JD(S)'s Shivarame Gowda is pitted against a fresh face in Dr Siddaramaiah, a retired Commercial Tax officer from the BJP.

During campaigning, open expression of displeasure by Congress workers came to the fore in Ramanagara and Mandya constituencies that come under old Mysuru region, over the party's decision to support the JDS candidates.

It will be interesting to see to what extent JD(S) candidates have been able to cash in on Congress' votes in both these constituencies.

Congress and JD(S) had fought bitterly against each other in the assembly polls, especially in old Mysururegion, but joined hands to form the government as the results threw up a hung verdict.

The by-elections were necessitated afterYeddyurappa (Shivamogga) and Sriramalu (Ballari), and C SPuttaraju of JD(S) (Mandya) resigned as MPs on their election to the assembly in May this year.

Bypolls to Jamkhandi assembly seat was caused by the death of Congress MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, while Ramanagara fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave it up, preferringChennapatna, the other constituency from where he had won.

An estimated 67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka that went to the by-polls Saturday. The by-elections are seen as a prestigious popularity test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition, as the outcome is expected to have a bearing on the state's political scene.

An estimated 67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka that went to the by-polls Saturday. The by-elections are seen as a prestigious popularity test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition, as the outcome is expected to have a bearing on the state's political scene. The Lok Sabha constituencies of Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya recorded 61.05, 63.85 and 53.93 per cent voting respectively. Ramanagara and Jamkhandi assembly segmentsreported 73.71 and 81.58 per cent voter turnout respectively. The initial hours of polling saw a poor turnout, but gathered pace as voting progressed through the day, electoral officials said. Barring reports about delay in voting due to some technical issues at a couple of places, polling in all the five constituencies was peaceful, they said. Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls, in which a total of 54,54,275 voterswere eligible to cast their franchise in about 6,450 polling stations. A total of 31 candidates were in the fray from all five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP. Counting of votes will be on November 6. The by-polls were seen as significant as the coalition partners contested together, terming it as a "prelude" to the May 2019 general elections and called for a similar "grand secular alliance" against the BJP at the national level. JDS supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had displayed a rare bonhomie during the polls as they buried their past bitter differences to send signals of unity. The BJP, which has been questioning the longevity of the coalition government, has predicted its fall once the by-pollresults are out. The announcement of the by-polls for the Lok Sabhaseats came as a surprise to all three major politicalparties in the state -- Congress, BJP and JD(S) - whoquestioned the need for it when the generalelections are due early next year. The Congress and JDS, who came together in a post-poll alliance after the assembly elections in May this year threw up a hung House, decided to face the polls unitedlyagainst the BJP, which they perceive as their common enemy. While Congress fielded its candidates in Jamkhandi and Ballari, JD(S) contested in Shivamogga, Ramanagara and Mandya under an electoral understanding. The outcome of the by-polls is expected to have a bearing on the equations between Congress and JDS for the 2019polls and also be a factor in determining the respective bargaining power of the two parties. Among prominent candidates in the fray is Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife Anita Kumaraswamy, who is expected to have a smooth sail, facing a virtual no-contest in Ramanagara after BJP nominee L Chandrashekhar withdrew from the contest and rejoined Congress, giving a jolt to the saffron party days before the polls. The BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about the development in Ramanagara and requested it to "annul" the elections immediately. In Jamkhandi, Congress candidate Anand Nyamagowda, son of former MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, is pitted against Srikant Kulkarni of the BJP. In Shivamogga, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra is testing his fortunes against another former chief minister S Bangarappa's son Madhu Bangarappa of JD(S). In Ballari, senior BJP leader Sriramulu's sister J Shantha is fighting against V S Ugrappa of the Congress, considered an outsider. In the Vokkaliga bastion of Mandya, JD(S)'s Shivarame Gowda is pitted against a fresh face in Dr Siddaramaiah, a retired Commercial Tax officer from the BJP. During campaigning, open expression of displeasure by Congress workers came to the fore in Ramanagara and Mandya constituencies that come under old Mysuru region, over the party's decision to support the JDS candidates. It will be interesting to see to what extent JD(S) candidates have been able to cash in on Congress' votes in both these constituencies. Congress and JD(S) had fought bitterly against each other in the assembly polls, especially in old Mysururegion, but joined hands to form the government as the results threw up a hung verdict. The by-elections were necessitated afterYeddyurappa (Shivamogga) and Sriramalu (Ballari), and C SPuttaraju of JD(S) (Mandya) resigned as MPs on their election to the assembly in May this year. Bypolls to Jamkhandi assembly seat was caused by the death of Congress MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, while Ramanagara fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave it up, preferringChennapatna, the other constituency from where he had won.

Average 67 per cent voter turnout recorded in Karnataka bypolls

US-based journalist, who had recently levelled allegations against former union minister MJ Akbar, released a statement on Friday responding to<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/m-j-akbar-denies-rape-allegations-by-us-journalist-wife-defends-him-175097"> Akbar's claims</a>&nbsp;that he was in&nbsp;a consensual relationship with her.

In a tweet posted on Friday, she&nbsp;said, "Rather than taking responsibility for his abuse of me and his serial predation of other young women who have courageously come forward. MJ Akbar has insisted—just like other infamous serial sexual abuser of women—that the relationship was consensual".

"It was not. A relationship that is based on coercion, and abuse of power, is not consensual. I stand by every word in my published account", she added.

Former Union minister&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/20-women-demand-hearing-of-their-testimonies-against-mj-akbar-171959">M J Akbar&nbsp;</a>on Friday denied allegations of rape levelled against him by a US-based journalist. Speaking to news agency ANI, Akbar said that the two were in a consensual relationship which perhaps didn't end on a "best note".

"Somewhere around 1994, she and I entered into a consensual relationship that spanned several months. This relationship gave rise to talk and would later cause strife in my home life as well. This consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on the best note," Akbar said.

"Several people who worked with me and knew both of us have indicated that they would be happy to testify and that at no stage did her behaviour give any one of them impression that she was working under duress," he added.

The US-based journalist, in a newspaper article, narrated her side in detail and described the incident of rape and various others incidents of sexual assault 23 years ago.

Akbar's wife Mallika Joseph too is standing by her husband. "I have been silent all this while as a 'MeToo' campaign has been unleashed against my husband, Mr MJ Akbar. However, article by journalist alleging that she was raped by him forces me to step in with what I know to be true," she has said in her statement.

"The journalist was often at our home, happily drinking and dining with us. Neither carried the haunted look of victims of sexual assault. I don't know her reasons for telling this lie but a lie it is," said Joseph.

"At a party at our home, crowded with young journalists, I have watched with mortification and pain as they danced close. I had confronted my husband at the time and he decided to prioritise his family," she added.

Akbar, who was the Minister of State for External Affairs at the Centre,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mj-akbar-resigns-as-minister-of-state-for-external-affairs-171938">resigned last month&nbsp;</a>after as many as 16 women journalists accused him of sexual assault and harassment when he was a newspaper editor.

US-based journalist, who had recently levelled allegations against former union minister MJ Akbar, released a statement on Friday responding to Akbar's claims that he was in a consensual relationship with her.

US-based journalist, who had recently levelled allegations against former union minister MJ Akbar, released a statement on Friday responding to Akbar's claims that he was in a consensual relationship with her. In a tweet posted on Friday, she said, "Rather than taking responsibility for his abuse of me and his serial predation of other young women who have courageously come forward. MJ Akbar has insisted—just like other infamous serial sexual abuser of women—that the relationship was consensual". "It was not. A relationship that is based on coercion, and abuse of power, is not consensual. I stand by every word in my published account", she added. Former Union minister M J Akbar on Friday denied allegations of rape levelled against him by a US-based journalist. Speaking to news agency ANI, Akbar said that the two were in a consensual relationship which perhaps didn't end on a "best note". "Somewhere around 1994, she and I entered into a consensual relationship that spanned several months. This relationship gave rise to talk and would later cause strife in my home life as well. This consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on the best note," Akbar said. "Several people who worked with me and knew both of us have indicated that they would be happy to testify and that at no stage did her behaviour give any one of them impression that she was working under duress," he added. The US-based journalist, in a newspaper article, narrated her side in detail and described the incident of rape and various others incidents of sexual assault 23 years ago. Akbar's wife Mallika Joseph too is standing by her husband. "I have been silent all this while as a 'MeToo' campaign has been unleashed against my husband, Mr MJ Akbar. However, article by journalist alleging that she was raped by him forces me to step in with what I know to be true," she has said in her statement. "The journalist was often at our home, happily drinking and dining with us. Neither carried the haunted look of victims of sexual assault. I don't know her reasons for telling this lie but a lie it is," said Joseph. "At a party at our home, crowded with young journalists, I have watched with mortification and pain as they danced close. I had confronted my husband at the time and he decided to prioritise his family," she added. Akbar, who was the Minister of State for External Affairs at the Centre, resigned last month after as many as 16 women journalists accused him of sexual assault and harassment when he was a newspaper editor.

Relationship based on coercion, abuse of power: US-based journalist to MJ Akbar

Protestors squatted on railway tracks, pelted stones at vehicles and burnt tyres on roads in some districts of Assam during a 12-hour state-wide bandh on Saturday, called to protest the gunning down of five men in Tinsukia district.

The police detained over 700 protesters in the bandh, the impact of which was partial across the state barring Bengali-dominated Barak valley and a few places in Brahmaputra valley where normal life was considerably affected.&nbsp;

There was no impact of the bandh in state capital Guwahati where all establishments and vehicles functioned normally.

"715 picketers detained across the state until now. We stand resolute on our promise of ensuring public order for the people of #Assam (sic)," the state police said on microblogging site Twitter.

Shops, business establishments, education institutions and private offices remained closed and most vehicles stayed off the roads in the Barak Valley districts of Cachar,

Karimganj and Hailakandi due to the bandh which was called by the All Assam Bangali Yuba Chatra Federation, All Assam Bengali Students Union and some other like-minded organisations to protest the killings of five Bengali-speaking men, including three of a family, by gunmen at Kheronibari village on Thursday.

The bandh in Barak Valley was supported by Opposition Congress. The ruling BJP extended support to it in Hailakandi as per its district president Subrata Nath. 
Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who hit the streets in Silchar to impose the bandh, was picked up by the police, officials said, adding that the legislator was released later.

Demanding security for Bengali-speaking people, agitators squatted on the tracks at Lumding Rail Station in Hojai district to block the movements of Brahmaputra Express and other trains, officials said. The agitators were soon removed from the tracks. 
 
The bandh supporters burnt tyres on the roads at various places across the state, but were cleared by security personnel promptly, police said. 
At Samuguri and Amoni in Hojai, bandh picketers and supporters blocking the highway pelted stones at vehicles, damaging several buses and trucks.

There were reports of clashes between supporters of the bandh and those opposing it at Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district, but the situation was brought under control soon.

The bandh had minimal impact in Guwahati, where normal life continued as usual. Offices, commercial establishments, educational institutions and banks remained open. Buses and other modes of public transport plied on the roads like any other day.

The bandh sponsors exempted Tinsukia and Dibrugarh from their bandh call as the two districts had observed a similar strike yesterday from 5 am to protest against the killings.

On Friday, the Assam government in a written order had directed deputy commissioners to ensure normal functioning of all government establishments, smooth vehicular movement and opening of business establishments.

The order also directed all security agencies to be kept on high alert to prevent any breach of peace which may lead to law and order issues.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Protestors squatted on railway tracks, pelted stones at vehicles and burnt tyres on roads in some districts of Assam during a 12-hour state-wide bandh on Saturday, called to protest the gunning down of five men in Tinsukia district.

Protestors squatted on railway tracks, pelted stones at vehicles and burnt tyres on roads in some districts of Assam during a 12-hour state-wide bandh on Saturday, called to protest the gunning down of five men in Tinsukia district. The police detained over 700 protesters in the bandh, the impact of which was partial across the state barring Bengali-dominated Barak valley and a few places in Brahmaputra valley where normal life was considerably affected. There was no impact of the bandh in state capital Guwahati where all establishments and vehicles functioned normally. "715 picketers detained across the state until now. We stand resolute on our promise of ensuring public order for the people of #Assam (sic)," the state police said on microblogging site Twitter. Shops, business establishments, education institutions and private offices remained closed and most vehicles stayed off the roads in the Barak Valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi due to the bandh which was called by the All Assam Bangali Yuba Chatra Federation, All Assam Bengali Students Union and some other like-minded organisations to protest the killings of five Bengali-speaking men, including three of a family, by gunmen at Kheronibari village on Thursday. The bandh in Barak Valley was supported by Opposition Congress. The ruling BJP extended support to it in Hailakandi as per its district president Subrata Nath. Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who hit the streets in Silchar to impose the bandh, was picked up by the police, officials said, adding that the legislator was released later. Demanding security for Bengali-speaking people, agitators squatted on the tracks at Lumding Rail Station in Hojai district to block the movements of Brahmaputra Express and other trains, officials said. The agitators were soon removed from the tracks. The bandh supporters burnt tyres on the roads at various places across the state, but were cleared by security personnel promptly, police said. At Samuguri and Amoni in Hojai, bandh picketers and supporters blocking the highway pelted stones at vehicles, damaging several buses and trucks. There were reports of clashes between supporters of the bandh and those opposing it at Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district, but the situation was brought under control soon. The bandh had minimal impact in Guwahati, where normal life continued as usual. Offices, commercial establishments, educational institutions and banks remained open. Buses and other modes of public transport plied on the roads like any other day. The bandh sponsors exempted Tinsukia and Dibrugarh from their bandh call as the two districts had observed a similar strike yesterday from 5 am to protest against the killings. On Friday, the Assam government in a written order had directed deputy commissioners to ensure normal functioning of all government establishments, smooth vehicular movement and opening of business establishments. The order also directed all security agencies to be kept on high alert to prevent any breach of peace which may lead to law and order issues.

12-hour bandh affects normal life in some districts of Assam, 700 protesters detained

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/2-dead-including-shooter-at-florida-yoga-studio-police-175197">3 dead, including </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/2-dead-including-shooter-at-florida-yoga-studio-police-175197">shooter</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/2-dead-including-shooter-at-florida-yoga-studio-police-175197">, at Florida yoga studio: Police</a>

A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said.Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told reporters Friday night that the man shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the studio, which is part of a small Tallahassee shopping center.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-details-new-sanctions-in-maximum-pressure-hit-on-iran-economy-175195">'Sanctions are Coming', tweets Trump as </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-details-new-sanctions-in-maximum-pressure-hit-on-iran-economy-175195">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-details-new-sanctions-in-maximum-pressure-hit-on-iran-economy-175195"> reimposes all sanctions on Iran</a>

The United States will add 700 individuals and entities to its Iran blacklist and pressure the global SWIFT banking network to cut off Tehran when expanded sanctions are put in place next week.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-turkey-president-erdogan-accuses-highest-levels-of-saudi-government-175194">Turkey President Erdogan says </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-turkey-president-erdogan-accuses-highest-levels-of-saudi-government-175194">murder</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-turkey-president-erdogan-accuses-highest-levels-of-saudi-government-175194"> of Khashoggi came from 'highest levels' of Saudi govt</a>

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the order to&nbsp;murder Jamal Khashoggi&nbsp;came from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government Friday as he promised no let-up in the hunt for his killers.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-risks-trade-concessions-if-any-back-sliding-on-rights-eu-ambassador-175164">Sri Lanka risks trade concessions if any back-sliding on rights: EU ambassador</a>

The European Union will consider stripping Sri Lanka of its duty-free access if it backs off commitments on rights, the EU ambassador said, amid worries stoked by the president's replacing of the elected premier by a wartime nationalist.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/alec-baldwin-charged-in-new-york-after-punching-man-175198">Alec Baldwin charged in New York after 'punching' man</a>

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin was arrested and charged with assault on Friday after allegedly punching a 49-year-old man in the face during a New York parking dispute, police said.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

3 dead, including shooter, at Florida yoga studio: Police A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said.

3 dead, including shooter, at Florida yoga studio: Police A gunman has killed two people and wounded five others at a yoga studio in Florida's capital before killing himself, officials said.Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told reporters Friday night that the man shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the studio, which is part of a small Tallahassee shopping center. 'Sanctions are Coming', tweets Trump as US reimposes all sanctions on Iran The United States will add 700 individuals and entities to its Iran blacklist and pressure the global SWIFT banking network to cut off Tehran when expanded sanctions are put in place next week. Turkey President Erdogan says murder of Khashoggi came from 'highest levels' of Saudi govt Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the order to murder Jamal Khashoggi came from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government Friday as he promised no let-up in the hunt for his killers. Sri Lanka risks trade concessions if any back-sliding on rights: EU ambassador The European Union will consider stripping Sri Lanka of its duty-free access if it backs off commitments on rights, the EU ambassador said, amid worries stoked by the president's replacing of the elected premier by a wartime nationalist. Alec Baldwin charged in New York after 'punching' man Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin was arrested and charged with assault on Friday after allegedly punching a 49-year-old man in the face during a New York parking dispute, police said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

BJP MP Anurag Thakur Saturday alleged Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was "pretending to be a religious person to deceive voters", adding that the Congress' "pretence" for "Hindu interests" made it clear that only those who talked of Hindus would rule the country.&nbsp;

The ongoing campaign for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, slated for November 28, has seen the Congress projecting Gandhi as a 'Shiv bhakt' with the party chief offering prayers at several temples, including the revered Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain.

"Rahul is pretending to be a religious person. The Congress did not remember 'janeu' (sacred thread worn by Hindus) in the last 70 years. But the Congress chief is now showing his thread to deceive voters," the Himachal MP, also the BJP's chief whip in Lok Sabha, said.

"Congress used to talk about Hindu terrorism and saffron terrorism earlier. But Rahul is repeatedly visiting temples now. This has made one thing clear that those who talk about interests of Hindus would rule the country. But the Congress is only pretending to be bothered about Hindu interests," Thakur said.&nbsp;

In reply to a question, the BJP MP from Hamirpur said, "Rahul alleges (liquor baron) Vijay Mallya, (diamantaires) Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi fled the country after taking loans worth thousands of crore rupees from Indian banks. But these businessmen were close to the Congress during the UPA regime".&nbsp;

Speaking about alleged differences between senior Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia on ticket distribution, Thakur said the "battle" within the opposition party had led to its failure in projecting a CM face for the state.&nbsp;

"The state Congress has been engaged in the battle of raja (Digvijaya) and maharaja (Scindia). It has even failed to decide about a chief ministerial face," the BJP leader said.

The counting of votes for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls will be held on December 11.&nbsp;

BJP MP Anurag Thakur Saturday alleged Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was "pretending to be a religious person to deceive voters", adding that the Congress' "pretence" for "Hindu interests" made it clear that only those who talked of Hindus would rule the country.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur Saturday alleged Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was "pretending to be a religious person to deceive voters", adding that the Congress' "pretence" for "Hindu interests" made it clear that only those who talked of Hindus would rule the country. The ongoing campaign for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, slated for November 28, has seen the Congress projecting Gandhi as a 'Shiv bhakt' with the party chief offering prayers at several temples, including the revered Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. "Rahul is pretending to be a religious person. The Congress did not remember 'janeu' (sacred thread worn by Hindus) in the last 70 years. But the Congress chief is now showing his thread to deceive voters," the Himachal MP, also the BJP's chief whip in Lok Sabha, said. "Congress used to talk about Hindu terrorism and saffron terrorism earlier. But Rahul is repeatedly visiting temples now. This has made one thing clear that those who talk about interests of Hindus would rule the country. But the Congress is only pretending to be bothered about Hindu interests," Thakur said. In reply to a question, the BJP MP from Hamirpur said, "Rahul alleges (liquor baron) Vijay Mallya, (diamantaires) Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi fled the country after taking loans worth thousands of crore rupees from Indian banks. But these businessmen were close to the Congress during the UPA regime". Speaking about alleged differences between senior Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia on ticket distribution, Thakur said the "battle" within the opposition party had led to its failure in projecting a CM face for the state. "The state Congress has been engaged in the battle of raja (Digvijaya) and maharaja (Scindia). It has even failed to decide about a chief ministerial face," the BJP leader said. The counting of votes for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls will be held on December 11.

Rahul 'pretending' to be religious to 'deceive' voters: BJP MP

Senior BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Saturday said the feedback of party workers would play a crucial role in selection of candidates for the assembly elections in Rajasthan.

Shekhawat, who is heading the party's election management committee in the state, said the party's parliamentary committee will decide the final candidates. He said his committee was tasked to prepare a feedback report on winnable candidates.

"The party workers' opinion and feedback will be considered before finalising the tickets," the union minister of state for agriculture told reporters here.

He said the party has stated that the elections will be fought under the leadership of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

When asked whether sitting MPs would contest the elections, Shekhawat said if the party directed so he or any other MP would contest the polls.

Speaking on the Ram temple issue, Shekhawat said the issue was related to public sentiment and that the party was committed to construct the temple but the Supreme Court's decision would be most important.

Senior BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Saturday said the feedback of party workers would play a crucial role in selection of candidates for the assembly elections in Rajasthan.

Senior BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Saturday said the feedback of party workers would play a crucial role in selection of candidates for the assembly elections in Rajasthan. Shekhawat, who is heading the party's election management committee in the state, said the party's parliamentary committee will decide the final candidates. He said his committee was tasked to prepare a feedback report on winnable candidates. "The party workers' opinion and feedback will be considered before finalising the tickets," the union minister of state for agriculture told reporters here. He said the party has stated that the elections will be fought under the leadership of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. When asked whether sitting MPs would contest the elections, Shekhawat said if the party directed so he or any other MP would contest the polls. Speaking on the Ram temple issue, Shekhawat said the issue was related to public sentiment and that the party was committed to construct the temple but the Supreme Court's decision would be most important.

Party workers' feedback crucial in selection of candidates for Rajasthan polls: Senior BJP leader

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Saturday alleged the trend of erecting statues and

Raising the issue of Ram temple at Ayodhya were attempts to distract the masses from "failures" of the BJP government at the Centre.

He said the trend of erecting statues reminded him of the Roman empire when people where distracted from the oppression they faced through 'bread and circuses' (distribution of free food and staging of huge spectacles).&nbsp;

"The issues of Statue of Unity, Ram temple, Ram statue at Ayodhya are distractions. I would urge the public of India to move away from these distractions and focus on the realities and lives of the Indians," the Congress MP said.

"The reality is the Indian Aam Aadmi (common man) has been suffering for the last four and half years... This suits the agenda of the government that has failed to perform," he said.

Tharoor's comment comes in the backdrop of plans to install a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Sarayu river in Ayodhya.

Joining the chorus for the construction of Ram temple in the Uttar Pradesh pilgrim town of Ayodhya, Union minister Vijay Goel had Friday said it should be done at the earliest through any means -- constitutional, legislative, judicial or community dialogue.

The VHP and RSS have demanded an ordinance to acquire land for constructing the temple in Ayodhya.&nbsp;

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Saturday alleged the trend of erecting statues and Raising the issue of Ram temple at Ayodhya were attempts to distract the masses from "failures" of the BJP government at the Centre.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Saturday alleged the trend of erecting statues and Raising the issue of Ram temple at Ayodhya were attempts to distract the masses from "failures" of the BJP government at the Centre. He said the trend of erecting statues reminded him of the Roman empire when people where distracted from the oppression they faced through 'bread and circuses' (distribution of free food and staging of huge spectacles). "The issues of Statue of Unity, Ram temple, Ram statue at Ayodhya are distractions. I would urge the public of India to move away from these distractions and focus on the realities and lives of the Indians," the Congress MP said. "The reality is the Indian Aam Aadmi (common man) has been suffering for the last four and half years... This suits the agenda of the government that has failed to perform," he said. Tharoor's comment comes in the backdrop of plans to install a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Sarayu river in Ayodhya. Joining the chorus for the construction of Ram temple in the Uttar Pradesh pilgrim town of Ayodhya, Union minister Vijay Goel had Friday said it should be done at the earliest through any means -- constitutional, legislative, judicial or community dialogue. The VHP and RSS have demanded an ordinance to acquire land for constructing the temple in Ayodhya.

Ram statue, temple attempts to distract masses from Centre's failures: Shashi Tharoor

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday took a swipe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's comments about the Rafale deal, saying he is 'a confused man' as he has been saying different things about it over time.

She was responding to questions from reporters here on Gandhi's comments over the issue, that the Rafale deal was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Anil Ambani.

"You don't get confused...Rahul Gandhi is a confused man. He talks about different rates over the deal at different times. Besides, he has been saying at different places that we (government) had helped many persons...Sometimes he says it is Adani and sometimes Ambani," she said.

The Congress has accused the government of forcing Dassault Aviation to make Reliance Defence its offset partner for the Rs 58,000 crore deal to purchase 36 Rafale jets.

The Congress has alleged that the government was helping the Anil Ambani group get a contract worth Rs 30,000 crore from the deal.

However, the Reliance Group, in a statement, has said Dassault Aviation's investment in Reliance Airport Developers Limited has no link with the Rafale fighter jet deal, and has accused Congress of resorting to "blatant lies" for political gains.

The minister declined to comment on AIADMK MP and Lok Sabha deputy Speaker M Thambidurai's charge that the Centre has not released Rs 18,000 crore pending funds for Tamil Nadu for various schemes, saying that she did not know what he had specifically said.

Sitharaman said she, however, had a letter from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, thanking her for helping the state secure the release of amount.

She declined to take further questions on the Rafale issue.

Thambidurai had said in response to union minister Pon Radhakrishnan's comment that he should 'self introspect' when he asked for speedy disbursal of the amount, that the centre might announce schemes, but it was the state government which implements them.

Funds are essential for implementation of any scheme, he had said.

The minister, who was here to participate in the announcement of 12 schemes as support and outreach for MSMEs by the Prime Minister through videoconferencing, said

182 applications had so far been uploaded, seeking loans and in principle approval given for Rs 47.50 crore for MSMEs in Coimbatore.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday took a swipe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's comments about the Rafale deal, saying he is 'a confused man' as he has been saying different things about it over time.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday took a swipe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's comments about the Rafale deal, saying he is 'a confused man' as he has been saying different things about it over time. She was responding to questions from reporters here on Gandhi's comments over the issue, that the Rafale deal was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Anil Ambani. "You don't get confused...Rahul Gandhi is a confused man. He talks about different rates over the deal at different times. Besides, he has been saying at different places that we (government) had helped many persons...Sometimes he says it is Adani and sometimes Ambani," she said. The Congress has accused the government of forcing Dassault Aviation to make Reliance Defence its offset partner for the Rs 58,000 crore deal to purchase 36 Rafale jets. The Congress has alleged that the government was helping the Anil Ambani group get a contract worth Rs 30,000 crore from the deal. However, the Reliance Group, in a statement, has said Dassault Aviation's investment in Reliance Airport Developers Limited has no link with the Rafale fighter jet deal, and has accused Congress of resorting to "blatant lies" for political gains. The minister declined to comment on AIADMK MP and Lok Sabha deputy Speaker M Thambidurai's charge that the Centre has not released Rs 18,000 crore pending funds for Tamil Nadu for various schemes, saying that she did not know what he had specifically said. Sitharaman said she, however, had a letter from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, thanking her for helping the state secure the release of amount. She declined to take further questions on the Rafale issue. Thambidurai had said in response to union minister Pon Radhakrishnan's comment that he should 'self introspect' when he asked for speedy disbursal of the amount, that the centre might announce schemes, but it was the state government which implements them. Funds are essential for implementation of any scheme, he had said. The minister, who was here to participate in the announcement of 12 schemes as support and outreach for MSMEs by the Prime Minister through videoconferencing, said 182 applications had so far been uploaded, seeking loans and in principle approval given for Rs 47.50 crore for MSMEs in Coimbatore.

Rahul Gandhi is 'confused man' on Rafale, says Nirmala Sitharaman

BJP has fielded Syed Shahezadi, a young Muslim woman, as its candidate from Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad, to take on AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi in the December 7 state assembly election.

A novice in electoral politics, Shahezadi, who was a leader of ABVP, student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, hails from Adilabad in Telangana.

Shahezadi, who completed post-graduation in political science from Osmania University in Hyderabad, alleged there has been no improvement in the condition of common people in Chandrayangutta and other parts of old city of Hyderabad though All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has been elected for the past two decades.

She said she can work for people's welfare by implementing central government schemes.

"I am asking what did he (Owaisi) do for you (people)? What change has come in your lives? What about your children's education and how many of them are employed? How many have become engineers and doctors," she told PTI.

A communal atmosphere prevailed in the old city of Hyderabad, AIMIM's stronghold, and there has been no change in the lives of common people, including ordinary Muslims, with AIMIM at the helm, she alleged.

Owaisi has been elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.

Dismissing allegations that BJP is a communal party, she said such a mindset has been established that the organisation was opposed to Muslims.

It is the BJP which made the late APJ Abdul Kalam President of India and BJP's Muslim leaders like Sikandar Bhakt, Najma Heptulla and M J Akbar held important positions, she said.

Budget has been increased for Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad and for madrassas in Uttar Pradesh under a BJP government, she claimed.

Having studied in government schools and colleges, Shahezadi said, she understands poverty, public issues and the issues concerning Muslim women.

She thanked BJP's leadership for making her the candidate though she does not have money power.

"If there is any party which encourages youth, it is BJP. It is BJP which encourages Muslims also. Because, I am the example," she said.

BJP's Telangana unit president K Laxman said Shahezadi can expose the "misdeeds of AIMIM and how they are exploiting poor Muslims."

Shahezadi hailed Modi government's decision on triple talaq issue and she wants to work for empowerment of the Muslim women, he said.

Laxman said she was keen on contesting from Chandrayangutta which the party considered and decided to field her from the segment.

BJP has fielded Syed Shahezadi, a young Muslim woman, as its candidate from Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad, to take on AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi in the December 7 state assembly election.

BJP has fielded Syed Shahezadi, a young Muslim woman, as its candidate from Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad, to take on AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi in the December 7 state assembly election. A novice in electoral politics, Shahezadi, who was a leader of ABVP, student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, hails from Adilabad in Telangana. Shahezadi, who completed post-graduation in political science from Osmania University in Hyderabad, alleged there has been no improvement in the condition of common people in Chandrayangutta and other parts of old city of Hyderabad though All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has been elected for the past two decades. She said she can work for people's welfare by implementing central government schemes. "I am asking what did he (Owaisi) do for you (people)? What change has come in your lives? What about your children's education and how many of them are employed? How many have become engineers and doctors," she told PTI. A communal atmosphere prevailed in the old city of Hyderabad, AIMIM's stronghold, and there has been no change in the lives of common people, including ordinary Muslims, with AIMIM at the helm, she alleged. Owaisi has been elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Dismissing allegations that BJP is a communal party, she said such a mindset has been established that the organisation was opposed to Muslims. It is the BJP which made the late APJ Abdul Kalam President of India and BJP's Muslim leaders like Sikandar Bhakt, Najma Heptulla and M J Akbar held important positions, she said. Budget has been increased for Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad and for madrassas in Uttar Pradesh under a BJP government, she claimed. Having studied in government schools and colleges, Shahezadi said, she understands poverty, public issues and the issues concerning Muslim women. She thanked BJP's leadership for making her the candidate though she does not have money power. "If there is any party which encourages youth, it is BJP. It is BJP which encourages Muslims also. Because, I am the example," she said. BJP's Telangana unit president K Laxman said Shahezadi can expose the "misdeeds of AIMIM and how they are exploiting poor Muslims." Shahezadi hailed Modi government's decision on triple talaq issue and she wants to work for empowerment of the Muslim women, he said. Laxman said she was keen on contesting from Chandrayangutta which the party considered and decided to field her from the segment.

Telangana polls: BJP fields Muslim woman candidate against Akbaruddin Owaisi

india-news

India, News on India, stories on India, articles on India, India stories at Wion, India news, India latest news

india news