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As BJP sweeps Maharashtra elections, a look back at top 8 losers from the Maha Vikas Aghadi

Dibakar Dutta
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As BJP sweeps Maharashtra elections, a look back at top 8 losers from the Maha Vikas Aghadi

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, a grand alliance of the Congress party, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), took a severe blow in the recently concluded Maharashtra election.

It has now been reduced to a paltry 46 seats in an Assembly of 288 seats. The rival MahaYuti, an alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), secured a mammoth 230 seats.

Here are 8 prominent politicians from the Maha Vikas Aghadi who took a severe drubbing in the election.

Prithviraj Chavan

The former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Prithviraj Chavan, contested from the Karad South Vidhan Sabha constituency on a Congress ticket.

He lost the polls by a margin of 39,355 votes against BJP candidate Atulbaba Suresh Bhosale. Chavan has been a member of the Vidhan Sabha since 2010. He had previously served as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

In May 2020, Prithviraj Chavan courted controversy by suggesting that the Centre seize $1 trillion worth of gold lying with all the religious trusts in the country.

Essentially, he had Hindu temples in mind while posting such an outrageous tweet.

Balasaheb Thorat

Balasaheb Thorat is a senior member of the Congress party and the former Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha.

He was defeated by Amol Dhondiba Khatal of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) from the Sangamner constituency by a whopping margin of 10,560 votes.

Interestingly, he had been a member of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha from the same constituency for 39 years.

Dhiraj Deshmukh

Dhiraj Deshmukh is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. He is also the younger brother of actor Ritesh Deshmukh.

He was first elected to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha from the Latur Rural constituency in 2019.

BJP leader Ramesh Karad defeated Dhiraj Deshmukh in the recently concluded Maharashtra elections by a margin of 6,595 votes.

Manikrao Thakare

The 70-year-old veteran Congress politician was a member of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha between 1985 and 2004.

He also served as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) on two ocassions.

A prominent OBC leader, he was defeated by BJP’s Rathod Dhulichand from the Dhiras constituency with a margin of 28,775 votes in the 2024 elections.

Manikrao Thakare is currently the Congress in-charge for Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Ruturaj Patil

Ruturaj Patil is the grandson of late Congress leader DY Patil. He has been a member of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha since 2019.

Patil contested from the Kolhapur constituency in the recently held elections but lost to BJP leader Amal Mahadik by 17630 votes.

He is a businessman by occupation.

Yashomati Thakur

The Congress leader lost out to Rajesh Wankhade from the Teosa Vidhan Sabha constituency by a margin of 7,617 votes.

In January 2020, Yashomati Thakur publicly acknowledged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi would fill its pockets within days of forming the government in Maharashtra.

A year earlier, she was seen screaming, abusing and threatening a cop at the St George Hospital in Mumbai.

In April 2022, Yashomati Thakur stirred the hornet’s nest by suggesting that Nagaland and West Bengal were not a part of India.

She had previously served as the Guardian Minister of the Amaravati district.

Fahad Ahmad

Fahad Ahmad is the husband of failed Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar. He was earlier a member of the Samajwadi party but later defected to the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction).

Despite invoking Islam in his public speeches and meeting extremists like Maulana Sajjad Nomani, Fahad Ahmad took a severe beating in the 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election.

He contested from the Anushakti Nagar constituency and lost by a margin of 3378 votes.

Thereafter, Fahad Ahmad and Swara Bhaskar cast aspersions on the integrity of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Yugendra Pawar

Yugendra Pawar is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar. He contested the 2024 Maharashtra election from the family bastion of Baramati and yet lost by a margin of more than 1 lakh votes.

His opponent in the election was none other than his uncle Ajit Pawar. Yugendra had previously campaigned for Supriya Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Uttar Pradesh by-elections: BJP registers historic win in Kundarki, a constituency with 60% Muslim population, Samajwadi Party candidate loses deposit

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh by-elections: BJP registers historic win in Kundarki, a constituency with 60% Muslim population, Samajwadi Party candidate loses deposit

On 23rd November, the Election Commission of India announced the results of assembly polls and by-polls in different states. In a stunning political upset, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive win in the assembly by-polls at Kundarki in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, where all the other candidates, including the Samajwadi Party (SP), lost their deposits.

Interestingly, the seat has over 60% Muslim voters. The BJP secured victory on this seat after a long gap of 31 years. BJP’s Ramveer Singh Thakur emerged victorious in Kundarki with an overwhelming margin, securing over 1.7 lakh votes out of a total of 2.22 lakh votes cast.

Source: Election Commission of India

Only Hindu candidate triumphed in Muslim-majority seat

Kundarki is known for its demographics. There were 13 candidates contesting this seat, with Ramveer Singh Thakur being the only Hindu contender. Reportedly, Thakur followed a simple strategy- Directly engaging with the Muslim voters in the region. Muslims are traditionally known for voting for the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Kundarki, but Thakur’s approach worked for him, and Muslims played a significant role in his victory. His outreach efforts were backed by his party targeting specific Muslim communities, which turned out to be effective, resulting in his unimaginable win.

According to ECI’s data, Thakur received 1,70,371 votes, including 68 out of 98 postal ballots. It showed he became popular among every section of society in the region, including government employees. In stark contrast, SP candidate Mohammad Rizwan secured only 25,580 votes and lost by a margin of 1,44,791 votes. AIMIM and Azad Samaj Party candidates secured 8,111 and 14,194 votes, respectively.

BJP’s focused strategy reshaped voting patterns

During campaigning, the BJP made efforts to unite the Muslim Rajput and Turk communities. Among the total voters in the constituency, 62% are Muslims. Of these, around 45,000 are Muslim Rajputs, and around 40,000 are Turks. They played a key role in the victory of the BJP’s candidate. The BJP conducted frequent minority-focused meetings led by the party’s minority cell chief, Kunwar Basit Ali. Thakur’s personal outreach was also a key factor in shifting the narrative in favour of the BJP.

Above all, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak extensively campaigned in the region. Both of them held over 100 minority meetings among them. Ramveer Singh Thakur did not shy away from symbolism and was seen wearing the traditional skullcap paired with an Arab scarf during his outreach efforts in Kundarki, which conveyed his message of inclusiveness. Opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav criticised him throughout the campaigning, but it did not have the intended impact.

Kundarki’s result reflects shifting political dynamics

The election results in Kundarki show that political dynamics can shift in Muslim-majority areas. The BJP challenged the traditional voting patterns with a specific strategy that worked well. The focused engagement with specific communities and high-profile campaigning helped the BJP turn a 31-year drought into a historic victory.

What does it mean to lose a deposit

According to the Representation of People Act, 1951, candidates contesting general or assembly elections are required to submit a security deposit of Rs 25,000 or Rs 10,000, respectively, with the Election Commission of India. The measure is in place to ensure only serious candidates participate in elections. To save the deposit, candidates must secure at least one-sixth of the total valid votes. If they fail to do so, the amount is considered forfeited.

For example, in Kundarki, the total number of valid votes was 2,22,097. Out of these, BJP’s Ramveer Singh Thakur secured 1,70,371 votes, which is 76.71% of the total votes. To save the deposit, a candidate had to secure 37,016 votes or 16.66% of the total votes. However, the Samajwadi Party’s candidate Mohammad Rizwan secured only 25,580 votes, which was 11.52% of the total votes, or 11,436 votes less than the required threshold.

Sanatan Padyatra: Seers of Varanasi extend support to Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Dhirendra Shastri’s yatra

ANI
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Sanatan Padyatra: Seers of Varanasi extend support to Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Dhirendra Shastri’s yatra

Seers of Varanasi have come out in support of religious leader Baba Bageshwar’s ‘Sanatan Ekta Padyatra’. They said this is just the beginning and such journeys will be organised across the country.

Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, also known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, initiated a ‘padayatra’ where he will walk for 160 kilometres. Many young saints gathered together in Varanasi to extend their support for the ‘Sanatan padayatra’ being undertaken by Shastri from Chhatarpur to Orchha in Madhya Pradesh.

On the call of Baba Bageshwar, Peethadheeshwar Balak Das of Varanasi’s Patalpuri Math extended his support by reciting Hanuman Chalisa along with his disciples.

“The way our Pandit Dhirendra Shastri ji is on a padayatra… he is trying to wake up the Hindus. He has done a huge work at such a young age. I believe that such a person should be supported and it is the duty of every person to extend their support. If they are not able to join the yatra, they should recite Hanuman Chalisa at their homes,” Patalpuri Math’s Peethadheeshwar Balak Das told ANI.

Patalpuri Math’s Peethadheeshwar Das appealed to the people to gather in Orchha and said that those who are unable to reach should pray to Lord Hanuman to give strength to Baba Bageshwar.

“This is the beginning of the Yatra and such yatras will be organised all over the country so that Hindu awakening can happen. Baba Bageshwar had said that if any Sanatani is unable to reach the Yatra, then he can support by reciting Hanuman Chalisa in his house,” Das said.

Meanwhile, Acharya Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the Peethadhishwar of Bageshwar Dham, on Thursday suggested that the national song Vande Mataram should be sung after the Aarti in both temples and mosques. He believes this practice would help identify true patriots and distinguish them from anti-nationals.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “In temples and even in mosques, Vande Mataram should be sung. If this is implemented, it will clearly show who are true patriots and who are anti-nationals.”Describing this practice as a unifying gesture for the nation, Shastri added that it would reflect the shared respect for the country among all communities.

“This initiative would not only instill patriotism but also bring clarity to the intentions and loyalties of people,” he said.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Negative politics, parivarvaad have been defeated’: PM Modi lauds Mahayuti’s smashing victory in Maharashtra

ANI
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‘Negative politics, parivarvaad have been defeated’: PM Modi lauds Mahayuti’s smashing victory in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday joined celebrations at BJP headquarters following party-led Mahayuti’s landslide victory in Maharashtra assembly elections and said people of the state have defeated “negative and parivarvad politics.”

He said Maharashtra has strengthened the resolve for a developed India.

“Development, good governance and social justice have won in Maharashtra. Lies and deceit have suffered a crushing defeat. Today negative politics has been defeated. Today ‘Parivarvad’ have been defeated. Today Maharashtra has strengthened the resolve for a developed India. I congratulate all the workers of BJP and NDA across the country,” PM Modi said addressing the party workers and leaders.

He lauded Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, state Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for victory in Maharashtra polls.

The Prime Minister referred to the slogan ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’, raised by him during the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and said the biggest message of the polls is unity.

“After Haryana, the biggest message of this election is unity. ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ has become the ‘maha-mantra’ of the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister also referred to the results of bypolls across 48 assemblies and two Lok Sabha seats in 15 states and said the BJP had increased its strength.

“The results for byelections in several states were also declared today. Besides, our tally in Lok Sabha has increased today as well. UP, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have strongly supported BJP (in bypolls). The people of Assam have once again expressed their trust in the BJP. We have also had success in Madhya Pradesh. Support for NDA has increased in Bihar. This shows that the country now only wants development,” he added.

The Prime Minister received a grand welcome as he arrived at the BJP headquarters and greeted party workers and leaders present there.

Addressing the party workers, Union Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda termed the victory of Maharashtra assembly polls as “historic” and said that people have once again expressed their trust in the policies and development work of PM Modi.

“Today is a historic day. The people of Maharashtra and the by-elections held in various states have shown that people have once again expressed their trust in the policies and development work of Prime Minister Modi,” Nadda said.

“For some time now, the INDI alliance had the illusion that they would gain power by dividing people in the name of caste, constitution, and religion. Haryana, Maharashtra have given them an answer… In 2019, Uddhav Thackeray insulted the mandate, but today the people of Maharashtra have shown that they are with the Mahayuti, PM Modi,” he added.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance won the Maharashtra assembly polls and is poised for a landslide mandate. JMM-led alliance returned to power in Jharkhand.

In Maharashtra, the BJP led the Mahayuti alliance to a smashing victory carrying its allies – Shiv Sena and NCP – with its momentum.

While the BJP has won or is ahead in 132 seats, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has won or is ahead in 57 seats and NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is poised to win 41 seats. The state has 288 assembly seats.

The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray poised to win 20 seats, Congress 16 and NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats.

The BJP saw a fabulous strike rate with the party poised to win 133 of 148 seats it contested in Maharashtra. Party’s allies Shiv Sena and NCP also have a very good strike rate.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Shut down the agendas of fake well-wishers of the Consitution’: Home Minister Amit Shah takes a dig at INDI bloc after Maharashtra sweep

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shut down the agendas of fake well-wishers of the Consitution’: Home Minister Amit Shah takes a dig at INDI bloc after Maharashtra sweep

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday thanked the people of Maharashtra for the historic mandate and took a dig at the INDI alliance, stating that the public had put an end to the fake defenders of the Constitution.

Taking to X, Shah tweeted, “Jai Maharashtra! Heartfelt gratitude to the people of Maharashtra for this historic mandate. By giving such a huge mandate to the Mahayuti alliance amidst illusion and lies, the people have closed the shops of those who are fake well-wishers of the Constitution. This victory is the victory of every Maharashtra resident.”

Hailing the result as the victory of every resident of Maharashtra, Shah tweeted that the sacred land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, and Veer Savarkar, Maharashtra, has given an overwhelming mandate to the Mahayuti alliance, which prioritises development, culture, and the nation above all. In doing so, it has shut down the agendas of those who, under the guise of falsehoods and deception, claim to be the Constitution’s fake well-wishers.

This victory of the Mahayuti alliance is a testament to the ‘politics of performance’ under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Shah added in a subsequent tweet, asserting that the people of Maharashtra have rejected the politics of appeasement and reaffirmed their trust in the legacy, development, and welfare initiatives of the Mahayuti alliance.

Earlier today, the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra scripted a historic victory, returning to power by winning 231 seats in a 288-seat assembly and shaking off the disappointment it faced six months back in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections.

Pakistan: Two days after attack on passenger vehicles killed dozens of Shias, fresh sectarian violence in Kurram leaves 15 dead

ANI
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Pakistan: Two days after attack on passenger vehicles killed dozens of Shias, fresh sectarian violence in Kurram leaves 15 dead

Police in Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan said that at least 15 people have been killed and at least 25 people injured in fresh sectarian clashes, two days after attack on passenger vehicles, local media reported on Saturday.

Samaa TV reported that violence escalated in Lower Kurram as rival groups exchanged fire with heavy and automatic weapons.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, educational institutions across Kurram district have been closed for the day and authorities have urged residents to stay indoors as tensions remain high.

The ‘Dawn’ news outlet cited police sources to report that clashes erupted when Bushehra tribesmen started establishing bunkers on the lands of Ahmadzai tribals. They said people of Central Kurram also started firing in Baleshkhel area with heavy and automatic weapons following the incident.

The sources said one person was killed on Friday night and four died on Sunday while several others were injured in the fighting.

More than 42 people were killed and 29 others injured when heavily-armed militants ambushed several vehicles carrying passengers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district on November 21, police and local officials were cited by The Nation.

The ‘Dawn’ publication in a report on November 22 cited Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsood as saying that a convoy, consisting of approximately 200 vehicles, was travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar when it was ambushed by gunmen.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the massacre in a district of Pakistan known for ongoing sectarian violence between heavily armed Shia and Sunni Muslim tribes, as reported by the Dawn.

According to police, the attack occurred in Ochat area of Lower Kurram. The militants hiding in mountains targeted the vehicles with automatic weapons, the Nation reported.

Authorities in Kurram attribute the recent outbreak of violence to a land dispute, which has fueled weeks of armed clashes and resulted in the deaths of over 100 people between August and October. Previously in July this year, deadly clashes sparked over a ‘land dispute’ between two tribes in the Kurram district ended after six days of deadly warfare.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner said security forces personnel have been deployed in the area. According to the police, Parachinar, Peshawar highway is closed to all traffic for the seventh day due to which farmers, travelers, and traders are facing difficulties.

Heavy police and security deployment ensured in the troubled area while normal life has come to a standstill due to the tense situation.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Swara Bhaskar and her husband Fahad Ahmad go on a rant against EVMs after poll loss, echo already-debunked ‘99% battery’ rhetoric

OpIndia Staff
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Swara Bhaskar and her husband Fahad Ahmad go on a rant against EVMs after poll loss, echo already-debunked ‘99% battery’ rhetoric

On 23rd November, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) candidate and husband of Bollywood’s flop actress Swara Bhaskar, Fahad Ahmad, lost the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 from the Anushakti Nagar seat by a margin of over 3,300 votes to NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidate Sana Malik. Fahad was leading on the seat for a few rounds, but towards the end, he lost to Sana, leading to him appearing on camera and ranting against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that on the machines where the battery was at 99%, Sana gained the lead.

At around 1:30 PM, Fahad issued a video statement on the social media platform X and claimed that he was leading until the 17th round. However, when the counting started on machines with a 99% battery, Sana Malik gained an “unexpected” lead.

Fahad raised questions about the authenticity of the EVM machines and vowed to write to the Election Commission for a recount. He said, “I hope the results will not be announced for the seat before the recounting is done.”

Self-proclaimed social activist Swara Bhaskar also joined her husband in the rant. In a post on X, she wrote, “In #AnushaktiNagar vidhaan sabha, after a steady lead by Fahad Ahmad of NCP-SP in rounds 17, 18, 19, suddenly 99%-battery-charged EVMs are opened, and the BJP-supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes the lead. How can machines that have been voted on ALL day long still have 99% charge?”

Election Commission debunked ‘99% battery’ rhetoric

This is not the first time the claims of BJP winning on machines with 99% battery has come to fore. Election Commission has already debunked such claims last month after Congress raised suspecion of malpractice during elections. The Election Commission of India responded to the claims and dismissed them. Official sources of the ECI told the media that there is link between battery charge levels and voting numbers shown in EVMs. The officials explained that alkaline batteries are used in the Control Unit of the EMVs, and new  batteries are inserted on the commissioning of the EVMs for the election in the presence of candidates or their agents, and then the machines are sealed.

The battery provides a voltage between 7.5 and 8 volts. When the voltage is above 7.4, the battery capacity is displayed as 99 per cent. As the battery charge is consumed with the use of the EVM for voting, the charge level is displayed as coming down gradually from 98% to 10%. The EVM works till the battery has over 5.8 volts. Before reaching 10% charge, the control unit starts displaying a low battery warning. The ECI further explained that the capacity of the battery on the counting day depends upon the mock poll conducted on the control unit, the actual poll and the initial voltage of the battery which can vary between 7.5 to 8 volts.

After blaming EVMs, Congress now passes the buck on machinery and police as BJP gains lead on six seats in UP bypolls

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After blaming EVMs, Congress now passes the buck on machinery and police as BJP gains lead on six seats in UP bypolls

After BJP gets a lead on six seats in Uttar Pradesh bypolls, state’s Congress President Ajay Rai on Saturday accused the Yogi government of using government machinery in the by-polls conducted on nine state seats. Rai also claimed that voters were intimidated and threatened during the bye-elections.

Ajay Rai said, “It was already decided in Uttar Pradesh that the government was fighting the elections with the help of its machinery and police to win the elections. The result of that has come out… All the machinery and police administration were deployed, and voters were intimidated and threatened. This is a complete murder of democracy.”

Rai said that the INDIA bloc took the lead in Jharkhand because the Mahagathan government in Jharkhand did good work in the state.

He said, “Our government did good work in Jharkhand. Hemant Soren was sent to jail and tortured… The way the BJP broke Champai Soren and brought him to its side using money and muscle power, anger was also seen among the general public over this…”

Samajwadi Party candidate from Karhal Assembly seat, Tej Pratap Singh Yadav alleged that the administration abused power and constantly harassed people in Meerapur and Kundarki assembly constituencies during the bypolls.

“The way the administration abused power and constantly harassed our people, our activists and the people here contested the elections very strongly and we hope that we will win the elections with a good margin. The whole country knows that all the videos of the election day went viral on social media and the way the police contested the elections in Mirapur in Kundarki on behalf of the BJP, everyone has seen that and knows it. I hope that we will win with a good number of votes…” he said.

According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP is leading in six seats—Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Phulpur, Katehari, and Majhawan—as of 2.20 pm.

Samajwadi party is leading on two seats of Sishamau and Karhal while Jayant Chuadhary’s RLD is on the Meerapur seat.

The by-polls were held in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states, with notable contests in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

12 Bangladeshi infiltrators caught at Tripura railway station, had planned to enter other states

OpIndia Staff
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12 Bangladeshi infiltrators caught at Tripura railway station, had planned to enter other states

Government Railway Police (GRP) and Border Security Force (BSF) have arrested 12 Bangladeshi infiltrators in a joint operation at Teliamura railway station located in Khowai district of Tripura. All of them were trying to go to other states of India from this station. They had planned to go to other states and look for work.

Among the intruders caught by BSF and GRP, there are 4 women, 4 men, and 4 children. All of them had entered Silachari area in India through a Bangladeshi agent. Their helper, who came with them, managed to escape after seeing the security agencies.

This is not the first time that infiltrators have been caught at a railway station in Tripura. Earlier too, a large number of them have been arrested at Agartala railway station in Tripura. All of them go to different cities of India via Tripura and settle there illegally.

Illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas use Agartala Railway Station in Tripura to get into trains headed to other parts of India. Over the previous year and a half, security personnel have apprehended hundreds of illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas who have infiltrated Tripura.

The number of infiltrators reaching different places in India via Agartala Railway Station is steadily increasing. Earlier, on June 29, 2024, 11 illegal infiltrators were apprehended. Further, on June 27, 2024, two Bangladeshi infiltrators, Akhtar and Firoza, were detained at Agartala Railway Station. 

A day earlier, on June 26, 2024, Rubia Sultana, Ritu Begum, Jyoti Khatun, and Meem Sultana were apprehended. These individuals were about to take a train to Pune and Ahmedabad. In the month of June, 39 infiltrators in total were caught at Agartala station.

Maharashtra Elections: Incumbent CM Eknath Shinde thanks voters, says CM decision will be joint call

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Maharashtra Elections: Incumbent CM Eknath Shinde thanks voters, says CM decision will be joint call

As the Mahayuti alliance inches closer to a landslide victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, incumbent CM Eknath Shinde stated that, just as the alliance fought the elections together, they will collectively decide on the CM face once the final results are declared on Saturday.

He also thanked his party workers and expressed gratitude to the voters.

The incumbent CM said, “Let the final results come in… Then, in the same way as we fought elections together, all three parties will sit together and take a decision (on who will be the CM).”

“I thank the voters of Maharashtra. This is a landslide victory. I had said before that Mahayuti will get a thumping victory. I thank all sections of society and all the workers of the Mahayuti parties,” he added.

Meanwhile, celebrations were seen at Shinde’s residence in Thane, with bouquets arriving and Shiv Sena workers cheering outside. Shiv Sena MP and Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde, were also seen celebrating with fellow party members.

Speaking on the victory, Shrikant Shinde said, “As we had expected, we have got very good numbers. I thank all the voters who stood behind Mahayuti and gave this landslide victory.”

The Mahayuti alliance is on its way to a landslide victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, crossing the crucial majority mark, winning one seat and leading in over 200 seats as of 1:00 PM. Sweets were also seen being brought to the residence of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. Meanwhile, the BJP’s Mumbai office was abuzz with joy, with party workers bringing sweets in anticipation of a resounding victory.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Vikas Pathak commented on the ECI trends. He said, “We were expecting over 160 seats for Mahayuti, and that is exactly how it’s shaping up. The lead could increase further. This year has been significant for BJP. On its strength, the BJP is crossing 100 seats, and a Mahayuti Chief Minister is set to take office.”

He further noted the enthusiasm among party workers, saying, “At the moment, every party and its workers believe their party member should become the Chief Minister. Similarly, each worker of the BJP feels that the Chief Minister should be from their party. Sweets have arrived, however, the final celebrations will not happen until the conclusive results are out and our senior leaders arrive.”

Pathak added, “This has been the tradition. Leaders like Devendra Fadnavis and possibly Maharashtra BJP Chief Pawan Bawankule, if in Mumbai, will join the celebrations once results are confirmed.”

Meanwhile, celebrations have also started in Baramati, where Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar is leading by 15,382 votes. Supporters were seen bursting crackers to mark the moment. At Devagiri, Nationalist Congress Party’s National President and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Dada Pawar, National Working President MP Praful Patel, and State President MP Sunil Tatkare were also seen participating in the celebrations.

Reacting to the results, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate admitted, “Maharashtra election results are opposite to our (Congress’) expectations. There is no doubt we could have done better. Our campaign was good, but maybe the public expects more from us, and we will deliver on their expectations.”

In response to the results, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut said, “This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra. We know what the people of Maharashtra want…”

His comments were met by criticism from the BJP, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashing out at the Aghadi alliance. “When anyone loses, they start making excuses for their defeat…In Maharashtra, we have worked for the poor, upliftment of women, and enhancing the heritage of farmers…Today, the government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi is going to be formed in Maharashtra with a huge majority,” he said.

As the Sena-BJP-NCP celebrate, all eyes will now be on who will assume the post of CM of the state.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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