Farmers' body to protest during PM's visit
Bhubaneswar: On the day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow on Thursday, Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), a farmer outfit, will hit the Bhubaneswar streets protesting the BJP-led state govt's alleged failure in providing pensions to farmers, setting up cold stores, and solving paddy procurement-related problems in the state.
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Indian Express
22 minutes ago
- Indian Express
5 Assembly bypolls in 4 states largely peaceful; Nilambur sees 73% turnout
Bypolls were held in five Assembly segments across Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat and Kerala on Thursday, with the Nilambur seat in Kerala registering a voter turnout of 73.26% and Ludhiana West in Punjab recording a polling percentage of 51.33%. The bypolls to the Assembly seats of Kadi in Gujarat's Mehsana district and Visavadar in Junagadh were peaceful and recorded around 57.90% and 56.89% turnout, respectively, on Thursday, said a release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Kadi bypoll was necessitated following the death of BJP MLA Karshan Solanki in February this year. The seat is reserved for the SC communities and a total of eight candidates were in the fray. The BJP fielded Rajendra Chavda and the Congress picked a former MLA from the same seat, Ramesh Chavda. AAP nominated Jagdish Chavda. In Visavadar seat, bypoll was necessitated after AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned in December 2023 and later joined the BJP. In the polls, however, the party fielded former Junagadh district president and local cooperative leader, Kirit Patel against AAP's senior leader Gopal Italia and Congress's Nitin Ranpariya. The bypolls in Ludhiana West saw the lowest turnout since 2007 at 51.33%, as polling remained largely peaceful in this urban constituency of Punjab, barring a few incidents. In 2007, the polling was 58.92%, while the highest turnout was recorded in 2012 at 69.66%. The bypoll was necessitated after AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi died in January this year. In West Bengal, Kaliganj bypoll recorded a turnout of 69.85% amid peaceful voting. However, the Election Commission has sought a report from the presiding officer after taking cognisance of reports that the BJP candidate for Kaliganj seat, Ashish Ghosh, made a vulgar gesture after casting his vote Thursday The EC has also sought the CCTV footage of the booth. Meanwhile, both the BJP and the Congress accused the ruling TMC of 'terrorising' polling agents of their parties. The poll panel deployed 14 companies of central forces for the bypolls in the seat. In the fray are Congress candidate Kabil Uddin Sheikh, backed by the Left Front, TMC's Alifa Ahmed, apart from BJP's Ghosh. The bypoll was necessitated due to the demise of Alifa Ahmed's father Nasiruddin Ahamed in February this year. Voting in the Nilambur bypoll in Kerala saw a steady turnout during the day, but slowed down towards evening and crossed the 70% mark at 5 pm. The turnout was 73.26% according to the latest figures by the EC. In the 2021 assembly polls, the turnout was 75.20%. Among the 10 candidates, the key contenders are ruling LDF pick M Swaraj, Aryadan Shoukath (Congress-led UDF), TMC state convener and independent candidate P V Anvar, and Mohan George of the BJP-led NDA. The bypoll was necessitated following Anvar's resignation as MLA from Nilambur. Counting of votes is on June 23. With PTI inputs
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rifts widen in Himachal Congress: Transfer requests turns into face-off between agriculture minister Chander Kumar and ex-MLA son Neeraj Bharti
1 2 Shimla: A war of words has broken out between Himachal Pradesh agriculture minister Chander Kumar and his former MLA son, Neeraj Bharti, over transfer requests — a sign that differences within the rift-hit Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee are getting worse. A day after former Congress MLA Bharti wrote in a social media post that he had advised his father to resign from the cabinet if he couldn't meet requests by Congress workers, Kumar clarified on Thursday that there was no reason to resign as the matter pertaining to "transfer and adjustment" had been resolved. The minister stated that Bharti is a "young man and sometimes speaks in anger". "There is no question of resignation. This is our internal matter. BJP should worry about itself," he added. The minister clarified that transfers were a "pandora's box in every department, especially in education". He said people, at times, got involved in such transfers and maligned the image of elected representatives as well as the govt. "I don't get involved in such acts. This is a criminal wastage of time," said the minister, adding that some Congress workers had also made such transfers their "profession". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo He added now it had become a norm for even a small party worker to hand over a list of transfer requests when he met the chief minister. After the minister made this statement before the media, Bharti again took to Facebook on Thursday afternoon to express anger against his father. "The compulsion of the chair must be yours, not mine. I did not expect that you will humiliate me by giving such an interview. I am fighting this battle openly on social media because this is not my personal battle nor is it a battle of property, this is the battle of thousands and lakhs of Congress workers and this cannot happen in a closed room," added Bharti. The former MLA went on to mention that if the transfers of BJP members were not cancelled, even if he was alone, he would fight openly against his father and the Congress govt. "Honourable minister sahab, transfers in Himachal Pradesh are also a part of the politics of Himachal Pradesh. When you are in the opposition and the employees associated with your party are transferred to far-off places and you are out of power, you tell them that when the govt comes, we will adjust you, now you somehow spend your time. But when our govt comes, to save their lives, leaders like you give such statements, especially those of Congress, that we have not become MLA or minister for transfers and we do not give importance to transfers," wrote Bharti. The former MLA added that BJP members' requests for transfers were being accepted, but those who openly supported his father in the elections had not been transferred yet.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Modi gifts Odisha's artefacts to world leaders during recent tours
1 2 Bhubaneswar: During his recent international tours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a curated selection of Odisha's finest traditional art and artefacts, including Pattachitra painting, silver filigree works and miniature replicas of the iconic Konark wheel, to his counterparts and global leaders. People of Odisha, including politicians and artisans, said such recognition can boost global demand, tourism, and economic opportunities for Odisha's artists. During his meeting with Croatian president Zoran Milanović, the Prime Minister presented a traditional Pattachitra painting, known for its intricate depictions of mythological tales, particularly stories from the Jagannath tradition. Chief minister Mohan Majhi expressed his gratitude to the PM for selecting the timeless creations from Odisha as a gift and wrote in an X post: "Time and again, Prime Minister Modi ji has brought global recognition to Odisha's rich cultural and spiritual heritage. This gesture further reaffirms our pride in Odia Asmita and brings the timeless legacy of the Jagannath tradition to the forefront on the world stage. Such international appreciation serves as a profound source of inspiration for our artisan communities and strengthens Odisha's cultural identity globally. " Puri MP Sambit Patra described it as 'a proud moment for Odisha and Puri!' "Pattachitra is a centuries-old cloth-based art from Odisha, known for its detailed mythological stories, especially the divine pastimes of Lord Sri Jagannath. These are carefully painted using only natural mineral and vegetable colours. These scrolls have long been carried by pilgrims returning from darshan in Puri, as a symbol of blessings from the Jagannath temple," Patra wrote in an X post. He further added that Raghurajpur, a heritage village in Puri Lok Sabha, is the heart of this age-old tradition, where skilled 'chitrakars' preserved and passed down Pattachitra for over a thousand years. Under Modiji's leadership, India's cultural strength continues to shine across the world, he wrote. In addition to the Pattachitra painting, PM Narendra Modi gifted chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz a sandstone replica of the Konark wheel and a silver clutch purse to governor general of Canada Mary Simon during the G7 summit. The labour-intensive crafts are known for their precision and elegance and are a symbol of Odisha's unmatched metallurgical tradition. Odia netizens appreciated PM Modi's gesture of gifting Odisha's timeless crafts. "What a thoughtful way to share India's living tradition with the world," read an X post. Another person wrote, "A tribute to India's storytelling heritage." These diplomatic gifts are more than symbolic gestures as they carry the legacy of generations of artisans, many of whom live in rural and coastal Odisha. "Prime Minister Modiji's gesture of gifting Pattachitra paintings, the stone wheel of Konark, and silver artwork to world leaders not only showcased Odisha's rich cultural heritage but also highlighted the exceptional craftsmanship of its artisans. This gesture will boost international recognition and appreciation for Odisha's art, potentially leading to increased demand and opportunities for local artisans," said Khitish Das, an artist.
