The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of 868 cases against farmers in the various districts of the state. The cases were filed for burning stubble against a government order.
As per an India TV report, the government is also mulling over scrapping the fine the government imposes for violating the stubble burning guidelines.
The cases were registered under the Indian Penal Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 278 (Making atmosphere noxious to health), 290 (Punishment for public nuisance) and 291 (Repeats or continues a public nuisance).
Additional Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar Awasthi in the order said, “The farmers play an important role in the development of our economy. Hence, the government has decided to withdraw 868 cases registered against farmers under various sections of the IPC.”
A state spokesperson had informed that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his interaction with the farmers recently had proposed to withdraw the cases against the farmers and ending the fine too after a few farmer organizations had raised concerns about the same.
During his interaction, the CM also reiterated the various schemes being run by the Centre for the farmers including Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, Jan Dhan Yojna, soil health card and Direct Bank Transfer connecting farmers with the banking sector.
Farmers outreach program
The BJP is also planning to hold parallel farmers’ meet in Lucknow on September 19 to meet around 20,000 farmers. The objective of this meeting is to connect with those whom the party describes as “real farmers”.
BJP farmer wing chief in UP Kameshwar Singh said, “Fifty farmers would come from each of the 403 assembly constituencies of UP to thank the chief minister for various pro-farmer measures.”
This is a part of the farmers’ outreach program launched by the BJP to counter the impact of the ongoing protests. As a part of its outreach program, the leaders from the BJP will also visit 104 constituencies of Western UP to interact with the farmers.
A special outreach segment ‘Kisan Samvad’ for the sugarcane belts was also organized.
Tarapur Police have booked a man identified as Munaf Iqbal Vhora for hurting religious sentiments by posting derogatory comments about Hindu Gods on Facebook. As per reports, Iqbal, a residence of Mohammadi Society in Tarapur in Anand district of Gujarat, had published a post with derogatory remarks for Hindu gods on his Facebook profile that had gone viral in Tarapur.
Responding to the social media post, a complaint was filed against him by one Pareshkumar Sureshbhai Parmar from the area. The complaint said that the language used in the Facebook post by Iqbal was obscene for Hindu gods and it has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus in the area. The complainant demanded immediate arrest of the accused and appropriate action against him.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Iqbal under Sections 295 and 505 (2) of the IPC for hurting religious sentiments. He has been accused of making obscene comments about Hindu gods and goddesses on social media with the intention of hurting the feelings of the Hindu community. It is expected that Munaf Iqbal Vhora will be arrested by the police soon for questioning in the case.
Among a host of lip-smacking things that Pune is famous for, sweets and namkeens manufactured by Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale are right on the top of the list. It is arguably Pune’s favourite Halwai (confectionary), manufacturing a range of products, from laddoos to modaks to bakarwadis and many more.
On the occasion of Engineer’s Day, which falls on 15 September every year, the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Indraneel Chitale, an engineer himself and currently a Partner at the Chitale Group, shared an inspiring video to explain why a Halwai studied Engineering.
The clip provided a window into how Chitale Group is using advanced machines, procured from different parts of the world, to optimise its manufacturing process and cater to the needs of people.
“Our pida machines are coming from Japan, or the bakarwadi machines are coming from Holland. The motisur ladu machine is coming from Germany or the modak machines are coming from Brazil. So you can see the various geographies these machines are coming from and the way they are modified to sit our products,” says Indraneel, who also features in the video.
The video shows different machines at work, churning out various sweets and namkeens inside the company’s manufacturing unit. Indraneel says they have streamlined the process in such a manner that they can manufacture a large number of items with the help of just a handful of machines.
Machine used by Chitale Industries to manufacture modaks(Image Source: TOI)
The legacy of Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
In 1939, Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale started a milk distribution business at Bhilawadi in Maharashtra’s Sangli district that decades later went on to become one of the country’s most loved confectionery brands, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale. The entrepreneurial venture started out by Ganesh Chitale was taken forward by his two sons, Raghunath Bhaskar Chitale(Bhausaheb) and Narsinha Bhaskar Chitale(Rajabhau), who established Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale as a subsidiary of the Chitale Group of Industries.
In just a short span of time, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale grew at a remarkable speed, leading to the establishment of manufacturing and retail outlets for sweets and snacks. Some of its products such as Bakarwadi and mango burfi (also known as amba burfi) became the most sought after items of the brand, with their unique taste capturing the imagination of gourmets across the country.
Chitale Confectionary store in Pune(Image Source: Times of India)
The iconic confectionary is today run by the fourth generation of the family, which is harnessing its entrepreneurial spirit and leveraging advanced technologies to unlock new business potential. In the year 2000, after having completed Master’s degree in Commerce, Kedar joined the family business to expand the family business further. He was appointed to look after the marketing and distribution network of the company in Pune.
Kedar Chitale(L) being awarded for best packaged snacks in 2017
As demand skyrocketed, Kedar appointed franchisees and developed a sophisticated network of distribution within Pune. With the IT influx, as more people started gravitating towards the city, Chitale used the opportunity to open small outlets at various IT parks and lounges at Mumbai and Pune airports. As of June 2020, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale had 20 franchisees in Pune, outlets in many IT hubs, and five new innovative stores called Chitale Xpress.
Another fourth-generation Chitale, Indraneel, joined the family business in 2011. With a degree in Electronics and Telecommunications, Indraneel was smitten with marketing, product and business development. In 2011, Indraneel joined Chitale Group in the role of product and business development. He was later assigned the responsibility of manufacturing and production. He also travelled to the Netherlands for training with GEA group, one of the largest suppliers in the food processing industry.
Indraneel Chitale(Image Source: Loksatta)
There he is said to have learned about advanced machines and their use in augmenting and streamlining manufacturing. On his return in 2012, Indraneel undertook the project of automating the crate washing process. Much of the current wave of automation witnessed in the company, which has played a crucial role in expanding the manufacturing capacity and improving overall efficiency, could be credited to Indraneel Chitale.
Gory visuals from Faroe Island in Denmark where over 1400 dolphins were killed over the weekend in the name of ‘Grindadrap’, a local tradition, has sent shock waves. The images and videos of the shoreline becoming red with the blood of thousands of dead dolphins have sparked outrage.
In what is believed to be a ‘record catch’, the mammals were herded by motorboats towards the shore and killed using harpoons and power drills. Reportedly, 1428 white-sided dolphins were killed during the hunt and distributed amongst locals for consumption.
Supporters defend the tradition
The supporters of whaling claimed that the practice is an important part of their cultural identity and is being practised for hundreds of years. They also said it is a sustainable way of gathering food from nature.
The Faroese government said that around 600 pilot whales are caught every year, however, the number this year has shocked even the locals.
Locals and activists share images and visuals of the island
Outraging over the incident, a local demanded the practise should be stopped. “It is time for DENMARK to stop the bloody slaughter in the Faroe Islands! Yesterday over 1,400 dolphins were slaughtered! TIME FOR YOU TO ACT!” the handle tweeted asking the government to take some action.
@MettePrime It is time for DENMARK to stop the bloody slaughter in the Faroe Islands! Yesterday over 1,400 dolphins were slaughtered! TIME FOR YOU TO ACT! pic.twitter.com/yGlvPvbrX5
Another handle sharing a video of the dead dolphins said that the tradition is almost 500 years old.
This section may not be suitable for some people
Nearly 1,500 dolphins were slaughtered in one night in the Faroe Islands in Denmark, due to a tradition inherited from their ancestors called Grindadráp, this tradition dates back to 500 years ago, and the entire coast turned red. pic.twitter.com/o5ZJuS0gca
Grindadráp is the local name for a yearly traditional event where people of the Faroe Islands, a self-governing archipelago under Denmark, hunt long-finned pilot whales, white-sided dolphins and other sea mammals.
The locals say whaling is essential to their survival and the meat and blubber are needed for sustenance.
However, some locals are now protesting against the tradition. “Killing white-sided dolphins is legal but it’s not popular”, said Sjurdur Skaale, a Danish MP.
“It was a big mistake,” said Olavur Sjurdarberg, the chairman of the Faroese Whalers Association, who chose to not participate in the festival. He said that killings should have been stopped after the numbers were known. “Somebody should have known better, most people are in shock about what happened,” he said.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday stirred yet another controversy when he asserted that the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was always accompanied by two to three women. Rahul Gandhi brought up the matter of Gandhi’s ‘experiments’ with young women at his ashram to criticise RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Addressing a meeting organised by the All India Mahila Congress, Rahul Gandhi said, “When you see (Mahatma) Gandhi’s picture, you’ll see 2-3 women around him. Have you seen a picture of Mohan Bhagwat with any woman? That’s because their organisation suppresses women our organisation give them a platform.”
When you see (Mahatma) Gandhi’s picture, you’ll see 2-3 women around him. Have you seen a picture of Mohan Bhagwat with any woman? That’s because their org suppresses women&our org give them a platform. Modi-RSS didn’t make any woman PM of the country, Congress made: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/F19EMLIENV
Gandhi made the remarks in his attempt to paint the Congress party as an organisation working towards the empowerment of women while simultaneously casting the RSS as a body averse to the female gender.
But the controversial remarks made by Gandhi for the father of the nation sparked a furore on Twitter, with many users wondering what Rahul Gandhi meant when he said Mahatma Gandhi was always in the company of two to three women.
Social media users wonder what Rahul meant by saying Gandhi was always chaperoned by women
One of the Twitter users questioned if Rahul Gandhi was praising Mahatma Gandhi or Mohan Bhagwat by insinuating that the father of the nation enjoyed the companionship of women.
Another Twitter user asked if Rahul Gandhi insinuated that Gandhi ji was a womaniser as he always had women around him.
Does @RahulGandhi mean that Mahatma Gandhi is a womaniser and always he had women around him? That is what one can infer from his statement. Ufffdd https://t.co/HoeqWjlxy3
Popular RSS ideologue Ratan Sharda also reacted to Rahul Gandhi’s faux pas, thanking God that Mohan Bhagwat did not behave as the Gandhi scion alluded. He further added that while the Congress party swept under the rug the Gandhi experiments, Rahul Gandhi seems to love them.
Thank God that Bhagwat ji is not seen moving like what #RahulGandhi alludes. While Congress has swept these Gandhi experiments under carpet, this Nehru scion loves them. ? Please leave Gandhi ji alone.?? https://t.co/ACKNHbHEuE
Rahul Gandhi’s comment brings under spotlight Gandhi’s experiments with celibacy
Intriguingly, Rahul Gandhi’s comment about Mahatma Gandhi being always chaperoned by women has brought under the spotlight the well known but little-discussed aspect of Gandhi’s life: his experiments with celibacy. Though widely known, this unflattering aspect of Gandhi’s life, which involves shocking experiments undertaken to test his sexual resolve, has meticulously been swept under the rug by his supporters and the Congress party.
But Rahul’s remarks have inevitably brought to light the controversial practices followed by Gandhiji.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had strong views on sex, and he often gave detailed instructions to his followers on this subject. His views on sex were not very popular, which was described as “abnormal and unnatural” by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Gandhi was married with Kasturba at the age of 13, not unusual for his time. They led a normal married life, who had four sons. Later in life, Gandhi had written how he had lustful feelings for his wife. “Even at school I used to think of her, and the thought of nightfall and our subsequent meeting was ever haunting me,” he wrote in his autobiography. He had written that he always wanted to teach his illiterate wife, but he could not find time due to his lustful love. His thoughts on sex had completely changed later in his life, and he felt ashamed of his life with his wife before he started his public life.
Gandhi presided over a series of experiments that would not be acceptable in today’s era. He had set up ashrams where he conducted his experiments, where boys and girls were to bath together, sleep together. But they were to maintain chastity, they would be punished if there were any sexual talks. The rules of ashram had forbidden married couples living in the ashram to sleep together, and Gandhi had advised that the husbands should not be alone with their wives. When they felt passion, they should take a cold bath, he had further advised.
Rules were different for Gandhi himself, who had started to surround himself with women to challenge his sexual abstinence. In the 1920s, Gandhi had started resting his hand on the shoulders of young women during his morning and evening walks, whom he had jokingly referred to as his walking sticks. His grandnieces Abha and Manu were his regular ‘walking sticks’. After this, he had started elaborate daily massage performed by young women in the ashram. The massage was followed by taking bath, helped and accompanied by his female attendants.
As time progressed, Gandhi’s experiments also had progressed, which now involved young women sleeping with Gandhi, naked. Initially, it was merely a sleeping arrangement, but soon became a part of his experiments. This was his method of attaining the nirvana state of perfect Brahamacharya, to maintain abstinence while sleeping next to attractive young women without clothes. Apart from Sushila, his grandnieces Abha and Manu were his regular sleeping companion, along with other women in his Ashram.
Gandhiji with his granddaughter Sita and his nephew’s wife Abha
Considering the experiments Gandhi ji undertook with his women companion, one cannot help but wonder if Rahul Gandhi wanted RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to imitate Mahatma Gandhi and treat women the way he did.
Rahul Gandhi makes sexist remarks against women in his bid to attack the RSS
As such, Rahul has displayed time and again he has little regard for the sensitivities of women. In 2017, in his bid to attack the RSS, Gandhi scion made a sexist jibe at women.
Gandhi, while addressing a rally in poll-bound Gujarat, said that BJP is oppressing women who raise their voices.
He then asked the audience if they have ever seen women in Shakhas (of RSS) wearing shorts. “I have never seen them wear shorts,” Gandhi said.
The special court of Rouse Avenue Courts, New Delhi on Tuesday convicted Binay Prakash, the then managing director and proprietor of Jharkhand based M/s Domco Smokeless Fuels Pvt. Ltd in the coal block allotment scam case.
This is one of the cases of notorious coal block allocation scam or ‘Coalgate’ that had surfaced during the regime of the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh.
The court also convicted two of the directors of the company namely Vasant Diwakar Manjrekar and Paramananda Mondal as well as Sanjay Khandewal, Kolkata based chartered accountant of the company in this case.
On Tuesday, the court had held all four as well as the company guilty of the commission of the offence. The court had observed that guilty persons had hatched conspiracy in a synchronised manner to cheat both the ministry of coal and steel to secure allocation of the coal mines in favour of the company. The court had held them guilty of securing the Lalgarh (North) coal block in West Bokaro Coalfield in Jharkhand on the basis of false and fabricated documents.
The coal block was allotted to the company on 8th July, 2005. Binay Prakash had also obtained pecuniary benefit of Rs. 7 crores by offering to sell the shares of the company on premium after he secured an allocation of the coal block for the company.
The CBI had registered an instant case against the company and its promoters/directors as well as unknown persons in July 2014 under section 120-B, 420 of the IPC. The agency had also undertaken a preliminary enquiry on the directions received from CVC related to coal blocks allocated during the period from 1993 to 2005.
That enquiry had revealed that the Lalgarh (North) Coal block was identified in favour of the company by the 19th Screening Committee for the captive use and accordingly, the company was informed about the allocation of a coal mine on November 24, 2003.
But on 13 September 2012, the ministry of coal had scrapped the allocation made to the company for violating the terms and conditions of the allocation. In this case, the CBI had submitted the charge sheet on December 22, 2015.
But this is not the end of the trouble for the company and its promoter since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also prosecuting them under provisions of the prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002. The agency has already filed the charge sheet before the PMLA court of Bharat Parashar in New Delhi. The ED has also attached a substantial part of the movable and immovable properties of the company, promoter and his relative. This includes amounts parked in the Axis Bank account of Ranchi based Hotel Le Lac said to be owned by Binay Prakash.
ED claimed that the Binay Prakash group had invested proceeds of crime for developing a government plot in NCR through M/s Kamakhya Builders. This construction company is controlled by Binay Prakash in the capacity of managing partner.
On September 13, it was reported that some goons looted and ransacked a cloth shop in the Pimpri Chinchwad area, Pune, Maharashtra. The incident was captured in a CCTV camera installed in the shop. All the accused in the case were minors and allegedly came to collect ‘hafta’ or extortion money from the shopkeeper. When the shopkeeper refused to give any money, they first threatened him and then attacked him with a scythe. Before leaving the shop, they ransacked and allegedly looted the shop.
During the incident, a man was stationed outside the shop to capture the whole incident. The aim was believed to spread fear among the residents by making the video viral on social media. The shop owner, identified as Ibrahim Salim Sheikh, filed a complaint and based on the CCTV footage, the Police took three minors in custody. They will be produced in the juvenile court soon.
Police suspect more people could be involved
According to a report published in Granthshala, Senior Police Inspector Shankar Awtade said that more people could be involved in the group. The investigation in the case is underway to find out about the intentions of the minors behind attacking the shop.
Ahead of the much anticipated West Bengal assembly by-polls, where the highlight would be the Bhabanipur seat from where chief minister Mamata Banerjee would be fighting the elections, a strange situation has emerged from the Samserganj constituency. The Congress candidate who has been picked to fight from Samserganj is not inclined to continue his campaign for the risk of drawing the ire of his twin brother, who is a TMC MP, a report publish in News 18 said.
Congress candidate Jaidur Rahaman is in a quandary after he got the party ticket following the death of party nominee Rezaul Haque during the assembly elections this year. Samserganj falls under Jangipur area, which is under the charge of Trinamool MP Khalilur Rahaman, Jaidur’s twin brother. The Congress leader said he is not interested in contesting the by-polls as it would create troubles at home.
As a consequence, there has been no campaign schedule, no strategy meetings or other paraphernalia associated with the hustle and bustle of elections. While he has submitted his nomination, the lack of campaign activity by him suggests he is uninterested in fighting the polls.
Initially, Rezaul’s wife was approached by the Congress party to fight on his seat. After she declined, the party wanted a popular figure to spearhead their campaign in Samaerganj. They found Jaidur, a local businessman who was quite popular in the area. He agreed to contest on the party ticket but as the elections have approached, he has appeared to develop cold feet over the prospect of a potential fallout with his elder brother.
“At the time, people suggested me to accept the ticket and contest the polls. So I was interested. My twin brother, Khalilur Rahaman, is the Trinamool Congress MP from Jangipur and he is now in charge of this entire area. He is two minutes older than me. If I contest, there will be a problem at home and I don’t want that,” Jaidur was quoted as saying by News 18.
Jaidur’s reluctance to fight the elections has landed the Congress party between a rock and a hard place. It is unable to convince Jaidur to put up a fight. Nor can it change its candidate now.
Speaking about Congress’ predicament, block president Saidul Islam said, “He is unsure. We are asking him to contest. The decision will come in a day or two. Meanwhile, we are telling our workers to paint the Congress symbol on walls in the area and do the usual things. The Congress has support there. What will the Congress voters do?”
It will be an interesting battle, analysts predict, given that Malda Congress candidate Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury had got the lead in Samserganj in the 2019 General elections.
Trinamool has fielded Amirul Islam for the seat. Besides, CPI(M) candidate is also fighting for the seat. In the 2016 assembly polls, Amirul bagged the seat with 48,381 (30.41%) votes. The CPI(M)’s Touab Ali closely followed him with 46,601 (29.31%) votes. The Congress party’s Rezaul Haque got 42,389 (26.66%) votes.
The by-polls will be held for Bhabanipur, Samserganj and Jangipur on September 30 and the results will be announced on October 3.
In another political plunge, the Congress party has reportedly declared to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday (September 17) as ‘Bad Omen Day.’
However, the netizens have reacted sharply to Congress’ derogatory, negative and juvenile political gimmick saying they have learnt no lessons.
One user Tweeted, “No lessons learnt. Congress is stuck in the tornado of negative politics with the Gandhi Parivar at its epicentre. There is no way out unless they get rid of the epicentre of negativity.”
No lessons learnt. Congress is stuck in the tornado of negative politics with the Gandhi pariwar at its epicenter. There is no way out unless they get rid of the epicenter of negativity.
— भारत आत्मज ?? #DismantlingGlobalHindutva (@Kamal4Bharat) September 15, 2021
Several users suggested that such ideas only add to PM Modi’s popularity while severely damaging Congress’ image as a national political party.
Who would be so foolish to give them such ideas to make Modi more popular?
Personal attack of Modiji has brought down the image of Congress to absymaly low level in the eyes of public..They have no big issues to attack..so getting personal..low level politics of congress
Whereas, some thanked Congress for ensuring Bhartiya Janta Party’s win in the 2024 Loshabha elections with such imprudent stunts. People asked who is forming the startegy for Congress, because clearly they are being prepped for a more humiliating loss.
Is congress serious – it’s one thing for trolls to “celebrate” Bad Omen Day as the PM’s birthday – quite another for a party to do it.
Who is strategising? And do they ever want to be taken seriously?
Another social media user rightly pointed out that Congress is devoid of any practical criticism and is hence coming forced to use such gigs. “Wow!! This means Congress Party is bereft of ideas, programs, policies and has no criticism to offer on policies of Modi and his govt,” Tweeted the user.
Wow!! This means Congress Party is bereft of ideas, programs, policies and has no criticism to offer on policies of Modi and his govt. https://t.co/w0GMnc6mMg
What definitely is a sob story for Congress, is that PM Modi is the kind of grassroots politician who emerged as the answer for India’s leadership vaccume at the centre. At present, there is no one to challenge him in popularity, mass appeal and reach.
Starting with putting Gujarat on the country’s map as a favorable business destination to putting India on the global map as a conducive investment destination, PM Modi’s governance and policies have definitely made a visible impact.
While the Congress ecosystem kept hurling derogatory remarks like ‘neech’ ‘maut ka saudagar’ and chaiwala against PM Modi, the love and respect for him from the people of India just kept growing. Even after 7 years in office, PM Modi remains India’s most favourite leader, and constantly maintains top approval ratings among world leaders.
This month, PM Modi has completed 20 uninterrupted years in public office. 13 years as Gujarat CM and 7 years as India’s Prime Minister. He has never lost an election. He entered the Gujarat assembly for the first time as the CM and in 2014, after winning an overwhelming majority, entered the Lok Sabha for the first time as the Prime Minister of the country.
PM Modi was born on September 17, 1950 at Vadnagar, Mehsana, Gujarat. He comes from a poor family. He had become a RSS pracharak at an early age and is a celibate, teetotaller and vegetarian.
For 2022 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, the state unit of the Congress Party has issued a circular for ticket seekers of the party to deposit Rs 11,000 as ‘donation’ along with along their application.
It is contribution amount which is needed to support any institution or organisation to function. Congress is doing work transparently. We have issued a circular for the same:Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu on party ticket seekers to donating Rs 11,000 pic.twitter.com/gnxeIcSHxJ
The circular was issued under the signature of Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu on September 14 where stated that the amount can be deposited through demand draft, RTGS and money order till September 25. District units have also been sent pro-forma of how to submit the donation.
This is not clear that whether the amount which party terms as Sahyoga Rashi (support money) can be refunded in case the ticket is not allotted to an applicant.
It will be interesting to see that how many ticket seeker come forward to attach cash to their CV but the move has triggered a controversy whether it is justified to charge money from ticket aspirants. Ajay Kumar Lallu justified the decision stating that it is contribution amount which is needed to support any institution or organisation to function. “Congress is doing work transparently. We have issued a circular for the same,” he said.
The revival of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh looks a tough undertaking for the Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is supervising the organizational activities of the party. However, Ajay Kumar Lallu a few days back had claimed that the Congress is returning in Uttar Pradesh and the party will not join hands with any big party like the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election, the BJP had won 312 seats out of the 403-member house. The BSP ended with 19 seats. Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav had joined hands together referring to themselves as ‘UP ke Ladke’ (UP boys). But the SP-Congress combine ended miserably with 54 seats.
