"We will carve out a separate Vidarbha state and name it as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Vidarbha Rajya," Mayawati told reporters in Mumbai.
Pandit guided an unheralded Vidarbha side to second successive titles with a mix of strategic acumen and old school discipline.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said an earthquake which impacted parts of the state on Wednesday was mild, and appealed to people to stay alert and not panic as the administration was taking all precautionary steps.
Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who returned to Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday morning, is travelling to his native village in Satara district amid continuing suspense over his successor a week after the assembly poll results. Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi on late Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation will be held in Mumbai on Friday. However, the caretaker CM, who heads the Shiv Sena, is travelling to his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra and the meeting is now expected to take place on Sunday, the sources said. The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the next chief minister. Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde's place in the next government to be headed by the BJP, the biggest constituent in the Mahayuti, which posted a thumping win in the just-held assembly polls. Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years, the sources said. "The government formation process will start after the BJP announces its legislature party leader," they said. During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader. Talking to reporters in the national capital, Shinde called the discussion good and positive. Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president J P Nadda.
'There are legions of unemployed degree holders across rural and semi-urban belts in Maharashtra. Now, they aren't finding brides.' 'This issue has now snowballed into a social crisis. In 2014 and 2019, they had voted for the BJP.'
'The BJP alliance needs to handle the Maratha quota issue skilfully and address its root cause, which is agrarian distress. Then there is stalled industrialisation. If these issues are addressed, caste fault lines would wither away. But, this is next to impossible in a short span of three-four months.'
'The people preferred Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar...'
'More than 9.5% new voters have been added to the electoral voters' list compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha election.' 'This led to an increase in about 5% to 6% in total votes polled for this assembly election.' 'That has tilted hugely in our favour because we worked hard for registration of these voters and concentrated on bringing out these new voters out during this assembly election.'
With spinners extracting significant turn and bounce exploiting the roughs, Sarwate (3/55) and off-spinner Akshay Wakhare (2/42) blew away Saurashtra's top half to seize the momentum.
Ajinkya Rahane might have endured a wretched run with the willow but he was the "happiest man" at the Wankhede on Thursday, having led Mumbai to their 42nd Ranji Trophy title.
Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal announced that the entire prize money will be donated to the families of the CRPF personnel martyred in the dastardly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on Thursday.
The 10-day-old BJP-led Mahayuti alliance ministry in Maharashtra was expanded on Sunday, with 39 ministers being sworn in, taking its strength to 42. The BJP secured 19 ministerial berths, followed by 11 for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 9 for Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party. Governor P C Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the new ministers at the ceremony held in Nagpur. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were present.
Jitesh Sharma could well pip Ishan Kishan for second wicketkeeper's slot in the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian T20 team which will play three T20Is against the Bangladesh starting October 6 in Gwalior.
IMAGES from the Ranji Trophy final played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
This would give BJP the chance to explore Constitutional options for government formation if there is no clear-cut mandate, explains Sheela Bhatt.
Ajinkya Rahane feels that the most memorable thing for him about their record-extending Ranji Trophy triumph is everyone played as a team.
The decision, which comes ahead of the state assembly elections, underscores the cow's spiritual, scientific, and historical significance in Indian society, an official said. It highlights the integral role that cows have played in India's cultural landscape for centuries, he added.
Shreyas Iyer did not take the field for the entire duration of Day 4 in the Ranji Trophy final on Wednesday.
Though he concedes he doesn't have many years left in him, the former India opener says he will continue to play as long as fitness allows him.
Vidarbha and Jharkhand scored outright wins in the Ranji plate division on the third day.
A list of lesser-travelled destinations in India that you must explore this year!
The renewed demand for a separate state of Vidarbha in the backdrop of the Centre's decision to carve out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh has brought to fore differences in the Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
Vidarbha beat Railways by one wicket in the Central Zone Ranji Trophy limited overs league match.
Maharashtra Minister for Food and Civil Supplies and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday announced full support to Vidarbha statehood and agreed to join the proposed Vidarbha bandh call on January 20.
Amol Ubarhande hammered his maiden first class century while Shalabh Srivastava hit a fifty as the two batsmen engineered a spectacular Vidarbha fightback against Karnataka on day three of their Ranji Trophy Group B match, in Mysore on Sunday.
Umesh Yadav starred with a match haul of 12/79 as defending champion Vidarbha routed Kerala by an innings and 11 runs shortly after lunch on Day 2 to storm into the Ranji Trophy final for the second year in a row.
Musheer became the youngest Mumbai batter to score a century in a Ranji Trophy final, surpassing Tendulkar's record.
Rinku Singh picked for second round as top stars leave for Test series against Bangladesh. Mayank Agarwal has been named as India A captain in Gill's place.
It will contest 25 of the 66 seats in the region, in Maharashtra.
His unbeaten 138 steered hosts Vidarbha to 300 for 4 against Jammu and Kashmir on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy 'Plate' Group 'A' match.
Shardul Thakur's sizzling 109 and Tanush Kotian's unbeaten 74 offset R Sai Kishore's six-wicket haul, putting Mumbai in command
Opener Faiz Fazal led Vidarbha's strong reply with an unbeaten century as the home side put up 214 for 2 in their first innings on the third day of their Ranji Trophy group league match against Tamil Nadu in Nagpur on Monday. Fazal was undefeated on 110 off 271 balls (19X4) as Vidarbha ended the day 229 runs short of Tamil Nadu's first innings total of 449 for eight declared at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground.
Pacer Sandeep Singh grabbed four wickets in an impressive spell to help Vidarbha thrash Haryana by eight wickets on the third day of their opening Ranji Trophy group game in Rohtak on Sunday.
After taking a 56-run first innings lead, Vidarbha bundled out Rajasthan for a paltry 151 in their second innings on the second day of Plate Group-B Ranji Trophy league match.
After a month and half of topsy-turvy ride, eight teams have managed to steer themselves clear of other 24 contenders to enter the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals.
A round-up of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final matches played on Monday.
Eight more debt-ridden farmers in Vidarbha region have committed suicide during the last two days, an NGO working for the cause of farmers claimed in Nagpur on Monday.
Following-on, J & K were 36 for 4 in their second innings against Vidarbha on day 2 in the Ranji Trophy 'Plate' match.
The decision left everyone wondering if the on-field umpires faltered in calling off the game, but the Vidarbha player, said nothing like that had happened.
