THE HEADLINES:
- Campaigning for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in full swing; Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi to address two rallies in Maharashtra today.
- Prime Minister says, Ratan Tata always supported dreams of others and remains alive in the lives he touched.
- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says, safety should be given highest priority while constructing roads to bring down accidents.
- East Central Railway to operate 446 special trains in next 15 days to clear return rush of passengers after Chhath Puja celebrations.
- FBI thwarts Iranian plot to assassinate US President-elect Donald Trump; 3 persons charged.
- In Cricket, India beat South Africa by 61 runs in first T20 International of four-match series in Durban.
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Campaigning is in full swing for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand with senior leaders of various political parties holding multiple rallies and roadshows in the two states to garner support for their candidates.
Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address public meetings at Akola and Nanded in Maharashtra today. Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders are expected to be present in Prime Minister’s rallies.
NCP President Ajit Pawar will be campaigning in Pune, Sangli and Satara. On the other hand, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge will hold poll meetings in Nagpur. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar will be campaigning in Beed. Other opposition leaders will also be holding public meetings in different districts of the state.
Polling for all 288 constituencies in Maharashtra will take place on 20th of this month.
In Jharkhand, elections to the 81-member State Assembly will be held in two phases on the 13th and 20th of this month. With polling day for the first phase approaching, political parties have ramped up voter outreach.
Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah will address public meetings in Chhatarpur, Hazaribagh and Potka Assembly Constituencies in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur. He will also hold a roadshow in Jamshedpur.
On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will attend election meeting at Baghmara assembly constituency in Dhanbad district and Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum district. Senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren will address a series of meetings in Ranchi, Kharsawa and Mandar constituencies. Leaders of RJD, AJSU and left parties will also address poll rallies in different parts of the state.
Counting of votes will take place on 23rd of this month.
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In our series on constituency profiles of the poll bound states, today we turn our focus to the Potka assembly seat in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Potka will go to polls in the first phase on 13th of this month. The region, known for its rich tribal heritage, plays a crucial role in the state’s political landscape.
The Potka Assembly seat is home to a large tribal population, and issues related to land rights, tribal welfare, and development are always at the forefront during election campaigns. The constituency is set for a fierce electoral battle this time, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielding Meera Munda, former Union Minister Arjun Munda, against the incumbent Sanjib Sardar of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). This will be Meera Munda’s first foray into electoral politics, while Sanjib Sardar, a sitting MLA, seeks re-election to retain his seat. Although 16 candidates, including eight independents, are in the race, the main contest is expected to be between Meera Munda and Sanjib Sardar. Over two lakh 87 thousand voters will decide the fate of the candidates. Key issues dominating the campaign include unemployment, scarcity of drinking water, and inadequate electricity supply, with all parties focusing on these concerns. With KK Lal’s report from Ranchi, Aprajita Nayar for Akashvani News.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata’s life reminds that true leadership is measured not just by one’s achievements but by one’s ability to care for the most vulnerable. In an OpEd in a national daily, Mr Modi said, it has been a month since Ratan Tata left the mortal world but his absence is deeply felt across every segment of society, not only in the nation but around the world. The Prime Minister said, Ratan Tata is alive in the lives he touched and the dreams he nurtured. He said, seasoned industrialists, budding entrepreneurs and hardworking professionals mourn his loss. He said Ratan Tata was an inspiration for the youth and a reminder that dreams are worth pursuing and that success can coexist with compassion as well as humility.
The Prime Minister highlighted that in recent years, Ratan Tata became known for mentoring the country’s StartUp ecosystem. He remarked that the industrialist understood the hopes and aspirations of young entrepreneurs and recognized the potential they had to shape nations’ future.
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Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has stressed that road safety should be given the highest priority while constructing pathways in the country to prevent road accidents and consequent deaths. Mr. Gadkari was speaking after inaugurating the 83rd annual session of the Indian Roads Congress at Raipur in Chhattisgarh last evening. He said, efforts are being made to improve the shortcomings in road engineering and automobile engineering but defective detailed project report has created a major problem. Pointing at the gathering of officials and engineers, the minister said no tenders should be issued without carefully examining detailed project report. He said, improvement in road engineering will curb accidents and save lives.
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East Central Railway will operate 446 special trains in the next 15 days to manage the return rush of passengers after the end of Chhath Puja celebrations. These special trains are being operated to facilitate the return of passengers from Bihar to other places. Talking to Akashvani News, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra said that this time more than 70 additional trains are running compared to last year during the same period.
Mr. Chandra said that to manage the crowd at platforms, holding areas have been set up at several stations, including Patna, Danapur, Rajendra Nagar, Samastipur, and other major stations. He said this will help prevent overcrowding on platforms and avoid stampede-like situations. The CPRO added that besides the major stations of New Delhi and Anand Vihar in North India, the East Central Railway is operating a good number of trains for cities in Western and Southern India.
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In order to clear the extra rush of passengers during the winter season, Western Railway will run Winter Special Trains on Special Fare between Bandra – Gorakhpur – Valsad stations. The train comprises General Second Class Coaches. Train No. 09093 Bandra – Gorakhpur Special will depart from Bandra Terminus on 10th and 17th November at 6 am and reach Gorakhpur at 3:05 pm the next day. Similarly, Train No. 09094 Gorakhpur – Valsad Special will depart from Gorakhpur on 11th and 18th November at 6:05 pm.
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In Kerala, the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will suspend the flight operations temporarily for five hours today from 4 PM to 9 PM to accommodate the Alpassi Arattu procession linked to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It is a part of the historic annual tradition going on for decades now.
The Alpassi Arattu procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a major tradition that involves a ceremonial journey from the temple that passes through the airport path to reach Shanghumugham Beach for the holy bath of the idols. Thousands of people participate in the Arattu procession that began centuries ago. The airport authorities had issued guidelines well in advance for the hassle free travel of the passengers and the airlines had rescheduled the flights accordingly..The runway at the airport remains closed twice a year for the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple procession. Mayusha for Akashavani News from Thiruvananthapuram.
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Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan inaugurated the 2nd edition of the annual Indian Military Heritage Festival in New Delhi yesterday. The two-day festival aims to engage global and Indian think tanks, corporations, government and private sectors, non-profits, and academics, focusing on India’s national security, foreign policy, and military heritage. General Chauhan also launched Project Shaurya Gatha, which aims to conserve and promote India’s military heritage through education and tourism. He also released key military publications, including Because of This: A History of the Indo-Pak Air War December 1971 by Air Marshal Vikram Singh (Retd), Valour and Honour, and War-Wounded, Disabled Soldiers and Cadets.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) arranged a photo exhibition highlighting its journey and achievements in contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat through innovations in defence research. Informative stalls from the three services were set up, showcasing their roles and the various opportunities available for aspiring youth.
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The US Department of Justice has said that Federal Bureau of Investigations thwarted an Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. It charged an Iranian national and arrested two American citizens for involvement in a plot to murder the Republican President-elect.
In a criminal complaint, the Department of Justice accused Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot. It charged 51-year old Farhad Shakeri, alleging he was tasked with providing a plan to kill the US president-elect. The department described Shakeri an IRGC asset residing in Tehran.
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In the world of Sports, India experienced a roller-coaster of results yesterday. Team India celebrated victory in Men’s cricket, while Chess player Arjun Erigaisi continued his impressive form. In racquet sports, Kiran George advanced to the semifinals of the Korea Open Badminton, while Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli bowed out in the Men’s doubles semifinal at the Moselle Open Tennis.
In Cricket, India defeated South Africa by 61 runs in the first T20 International of a four-match series at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban last night. Chasing a target of 203 runs, the hosts were bowled out for 141 in 17.5 overs. Earlier, after being put into bat, the visitors scored 202 for eight in their allotted 20 overs. Sanju Samson dazzled with a score of 107 off 50 balls, earning the Player of the Match accolade for his second T20I century. In chess, World No. 2 Arjun Erigaisi defeated Iran’s Amin Tabatabaei in the fourth round of the Chennai Grandmasters Classical tournament yesterday, taking the sole lead with 3.5 points. He’ll face Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo in the fifth round today. And in badminton, India’s Kiran George will face top-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the men’s singles semifinal this morning at the Korea Masters in Iksan, South Korea. MANIK SHARMA, AKASHWANI NEWS, SPORTS DESK.
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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- “Prime Minister amplifies unity pitch at Maharashtra poll rally, says ek hain to safe hain” reports The Tribune.
- In another story the paper quotes Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying “India fastest growing economy, deserves to be superpower.”
- The Statesman quoting The Prime Minister Narendra Modi says “No power can bring back Article 370.”
- “Supreme Court upholds Aligarh Muslim University’s minority status, ‘1967 ruling struck down” reports The Asian Age.
- “Trump names his campaign manager Susie Wiles as 1st female White House Chief of Staff” informs Hindustan Times.
- The Indian Express quotes BCCI as saying ” India won’t travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, wants its games in Dubai.”
- And finally, “On Delhi Deeputsav’s debut, 3.5 Lakh diyas will light up Vasudev Ghat on November 13th” reports The Times of India.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN-
- Campaigning for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in full swing; Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi to address two rallies in Maharashtra today.
- Prime Minister says, Ratan Tata always supported dreams of others and remains alive in the lives he touched.
- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says, safety should be given highest priority while constructing roads to bring down accidents.
- East Central Railway to operate 446 special trains in next 15 days to clear return rush of passengers after Chhath Puja celebrations.
- FBI thwarts Iranian plot to assassinate US President-elect Donald Trump; 3 persons charged.
- In Cricket, India beat South Africa by 61 runs in first T20 International of four-match series in Durban.
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