Maharashtra

Fadnavis says Maharashtra Assembly polls are ‘a mere formality’

The upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections are a mere formality said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, remarking that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had already secured the public’s mandate through its mega-outreach ‘Mahajanadesh Yatra’ which had received an overwhelming response.

He was speaking on the occasion of the commencement of third leg of the ‘Mahajanadesh Yatra’, which entered Ahmednagar district today and is to eventually cover western and northern Maharashtra in the next few days.

Taking potshots at the beleaguered Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) opposition, Mr. Fadnavis said: “The results to the election are a foregone conclusion…the few big leaders that the opposition has at the moment like Ajit Pawar, Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Supriya Sule must get into the practice of remaining there for a long time to come as it will be impossible to dislodge the BJP in the State and the Centre for the next 25 years.”

Maharashtra

NCP MP Udayanraje to join BJP

Ending days of speculation about him joining the BJP, NCP’s Lok Sabha member Udayanraje Bhosale on Friday declared he is joining the ruling party in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.

Mr. Bhosale, a descendant of Warrior King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and among the four NCP MPs from Maharashtra, made the announcement on Twitter.

The development came a day after Mr. Bhosale, MP from Satara in western Maharashtra, met NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Pune on Thursday.

MR. Bhosale’s cousin Shivendrasinh, who represented the Satara seat for the NCP in Maharashtra Assembly, joined the BJP on July 31.

Maharashtra

NCP’s Bhaskar Jadhav resigns as MLA, joins Shiv Sena

NCP’s former Minister and heavyweight leader from Konkan region, Bhaskar Jadhav. | Photo Credit: Vivek Bendre

NCP leader Bhaskar Jadhav joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray after resigning from the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday morning.

Mr. Jadhav, who represented Guhagar constituency, was part of the Sena before joining the NCP in 2004.

Speaking at Mr. Jadhav’s induction function, Mr. Thackeray said the Sena-BJP alliance talks for the upcoming state Assembly polls were in the final stages.

“The list of seats given by the BJP will be discussed by our party leaders,” Mr. Thackeray said. - PTI

Tamil Nadu

Stalin says Subasri lost her life because of AIADMK's culture of erecting cutouts

Reacting to the death of R. Subasri in Chennai, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M.K. Stalin said that no banners, cutouts or flex boards that affect the public should be used in DMK events.

The 23-year-old woman, who was riding a two-wheeler on Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road in Pallikaranai was run over by a water tanker after a hoarding fell on her.

"That a young woman named Subasri has lost her life because of the AIADMK's culture of putting up banners and cutouts gives me a lot of grief," said Mr. Stalin on Twitter.

"As I have already said, in DMK events and public meetings, no banners, cutouts or flex boards that affect the public's daily lives should be used. Those who do not heed this will be punished," he added.

Mr. Stalin also said that if such banners or cutouts are found at meetings that he is to attend, he will pull out of those meetings.

New Delhi

NCW receives complaint against AAP MLA for ‘indecent’ remarks against woman politician

The National Commission for Women has received a complaint against AAP MLA Rituraj Jha for alleged indecent remarks against a woman politician in a public speech, with the panel saying it would seek a report from the Delhi police in the matter.

AAP MLA Rituraj Jha in this file photo.

According to media reports, Jha used indecent language against a member of the Delhi BJP’s women wing at a rally.

The NCW said a delegation of women visited the office of the Commission on Thursday and submitted a complaint supported with a video and other pieces of evidence against Jha, MLA from Kirari (North West Delhi).

“The women expressed their anguish at this incident and urged the Commission to take action in this regard,” the NCW said in a statement.

The panel said in the light of the information it received, the Commission has taken up the case and decided to pursue it with the Commissioner of Police, Delhi for further investigation and action.

No immediate reaction was received from Jha.

- PTI

New Delhi

Piyush Goyal says it was a 'slip of the tongue'

“Due to a slip of the tongue, I made a mistake yesterday. We all get opportunities to make mistakes. In fact Einstein said and I quote, ‘A person who never made a mistake. Never tried anything new.’ I am not among those who is afraid of making a mistake. As soon I realised the mistake I tried to explain the context in which I had made the statement. Unfortunately, the context took a backseat and the mistake was highlighted. I thought I should take this opportunity to accept on a public platform that I made a mistake,” said Union Minister Piyush Goyal in a statement

Uttar Pradesh

Chinmayanand questioned by SIT

BJP leader and former Union Minister Swami Chinmayanand has been quizzed by the SIT for around seven hours in connection with a law student’s allegation that he raped her, his counsel said. The special investigation team, formed on the orders of the Supreme Court, summoned Chinmayanad to the police lines on Thursday night, his counsel Om Singh said.

Later, he was brought back to his residence Divya Dham in Mumukshu Ashram under heavy security, he said.

BJP leader and former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand has been quizzed by the SIT for around seven hours in connection with a law student’s allegation that he raped her, his counsel said on Friday. The special investigation team, formed on the orders of the Supreme Court, summoned Chinmayanad to the police lines on Thursday night, his counsel Om Singh said.

Later, he was brought back to his residence Divya Dham in Mumukshu Ashram under heavy security, he said.

- PTI