Sharat Pradhan In Lucknow And Agencies

Stories by Sharat Pradhan In Lucknow And Agencies

40 dead, 150 injured as Gorakhdham Express rams goods train

40 dead, 150 injured as Gorakhdham Express rams goods train

Rediff.com   26 May 2014

At least 20 passengers were on Monday feared killed as the Gorakhdham Express rammed into a stationary freight train in the district. The incident occurred on Monday morning when the express train came on the same track as the freight train near Chureb Railway Station, District Magistrate Bharat Lal said.

Lucknow's leading Islamic cleric under fire for running down Mecca mosque Imam

Lucknow's leading Islamic cleric under fire for running down Mecca mosque Imam

Rediff.com   26 May 2014

Well-known Islamic scholar and cleric Maulana Salman Hussain Nadwi is under fire from different quarters for attempting to run down the Imam of the Islamic world's most revered Mecca mosque.

The Lucknow teen who became 'India's PM' on Twitter

The Lucknow teen who became 'India's PM' on Twitter

Rediff.com   23 May 2014

Qaiser Ali received 30 minutes of fame on Tuesday when he took over the @PMO handle on Twitter. Speaking about the incident, Ali said that he was busy surfing on Twitter when his hunt took him to the prime minister's account, which was free and saved it instantly for himself. "I saved it immediately and suddenly I found myself handling the @PMOIndia handle," said Ali.

Mulayam makes everyone other than son Akhilesh accountable for poll debacle

Mulayam makes everyone other than son Akhilesh accountable for poll debacle

Rediff.com   22 May 2014

Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav might have repeatedly castigated his Chief Minister son Akhilesh Yadav for his loose grip over the administration.

Mulayam and Mayawati are still in denial mode!

Mulayam and Mayawati are still in denial mode!

Rediff.com   20 May 2014

Sure enough, the two UP satraps would need to initiate steps to put their respective houses in order and to rejuvenate their badly disillusioned party ranks following the humiliating drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. However, whether the two regional titans would care to introspect about their own failings remains a million dollar question. Sharat Pradhan reports.

From 21 seats in 2009 to 2: UP gives Congress thumbs down

From 21 seats in 2009 to 2: UP gives Congress thumbs down

Rediff.com   16 May 2014

Five Congress ministers lose. Only Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi win.

Modi on Rahul's turf promises to transform Amethi in 7 months

Modi on Rahul's turf promises to transform Amethi in 7 months

Rediff.com   5 May 2014

BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi left no stone unturned to make frontal attacks on Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, repeatedly blaming them for Amethi's neglect. Sharat Pradhan reports

How the sharp divide in votes in UP will benefit Modi

How the sharp divide in votes in UP will benefit Modi

Rediff.com   2 May 2014

The strong Modi wave, disillusionment with the Akhilesh Yadav-led government in the state and the division of the anti-Modi vote will help the BJP leader edge closer to the PM's chair, observes Sharat Pradhan.

Akhilesh's Lucknow road show outdoes other parties

Akhilesh's Lucknow road show outdoes other parties

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2014

The last day of the campaigning in Lucknow brought all political rivals to converge on the streets of the state capital, throwing normal life out of gear.

'Wise of BJP to replace Murli Manohar Joshi with Modi in Varanasi'

'Wise of BJP to replace Murli Manohar Joshi with Modi in Varanasi'

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2014

Unhappy with the veteran leader's performance in the city, political pundits, academicians and the common man say the call to field him from Kanpur instead was a blessing in disguise for him. Sharat Pradhan reports.

Euphoric crowd chants 'Ab ki baar Modi sarkar' in Varanasi

Euphoric crowd chants 'Ab ki baar Modi sarkar' in Varanasi

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2014

Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's supporters seemed desperate to get a glimpse of their leader as they waited patiently on balconies and rooftops along the 4 km route of his road show, reports Sharat Pradhan

Do the Gandhis see a threat to their bastions?

Do the Gandhis see a threat to their bastions?

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2014

Does India's first political family see some serious threat to its own bastions? The question was doing rounds in Uttar Pradesh, where lie Rae Bareli and Amethi -- the respective parliamentary constituencies of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president son Rahul Gandhi. Sharat Pradhan reports.

Divided maulanas may help the BJP in Bareilly

Divided maulanas may help the BJP in Bareilly

Rediff.com   9 Apr 2014

Sharply divided maulanas appear to have paved way for a smooth sailing for Bharatiya Janata Party nominee Santosh Kumar Gangwar in Bareilly.

LS polls: Muzaffarnagar hopes for record turnout to heal riot scar

LS polls: Muzaffarnagar hopes for record turnout to heal riot scar

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2014

Thousands of students, school teachers and government employees created history of sorts in Muzaffarnagar as they formed a 120-km long human chain to spread word on the importance of vote in a democracy.

For Rajnath Singh, the going will be tough in Lucknow

For Rajnath Singh, the going will be tough in Lucknow

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2014

Even after giving five rounds to former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee followed by the last round in 2009 to his close lieutenant Lalji Tandon, Lucknow is now all set to give a rough ride to Bhartiya Janata Party president Raj Nath Singh, who has taken the plunge after forcing Tandon's exit from here.

Akhilesh-Modi 'roar' at each other over Gir lions

Akhilesh-Modi 'roar' at each other over Gir lions

Rediff.com   3 Apr 2014

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's quest for lions from the Gir forest in Gujarat to develop a lion safari in the once dacoit-infested Chambal ravines in Etawah has provoked an interesting wordy duel between him and his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi.

'Cong does not believe in lip service, Bihar will have its own model'

'Cong does not believe in lip service, Bihar will have its own model'

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2014

Thousands of hands went up in the air to greet the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as he landed in the semi urban constituency of Aurangabad in Bihar after making the crowd to wait for two hours in the open on a hot sunny afternoon.

EC gives marching orders to 44 top UP officials

EC gives marching orders to 44 top UP officials

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2014

In a sudden late Wednesday night development, the Election Commission gave marching orders to 22 district magistrates, 19 district police chiefs and three DIGs of police in Uttar Pradesh.

Rajnath invokes Vajpayee to win Lucknow's heart

Rajnath invokes Vajpayee to win Lucknow's heart

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2014

The Bhartiya Janata Party may have forgotten its one time stalwart and ailing former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. But the 2014 Lok Sabha election has prompted party president Rajnath Singh to profusely remember the tallest BJP leader, whose five-term long stint as MP from Lucknow obviously comes in handy for Singh to make the capital of Uttar Pradesh his new political turf.

No chance of a united candidate against Modi in Varanasi

No chance of a united candidate against Modi in Varanasi

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2014

Even as both the ruling Samajwadi Party and its bte noire, the Bahujan Samaj Party may swear in the name of secularism, neither of the two critical players in Uttar Pradesh politics is willing to go for a united nominee against their common political foe, Narendra Modi, who seemed cocking a snook at them from Varanasi. Sharat Pradhan reports