The BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance secured a majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, winning 118 out of 227 seats and ending the Thackeray family's long-standing control.
Police in Pune have registered a case against members of the MNS students' wing for allegedly barging into the ABVP's office following a dispute over posters at a college.
Ruling allies BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest 137 and 90 seats, respectively, in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. A seat-sharing pact was revealed by Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam on Monday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the next Mayor of Mumbai will be from the ruling alliance and will be 'both Hindu and Marathi,' as political campaigning heats up for the city's top civic post.
Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli was released from Nagpur Central Jail after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a 2007 murder case. He had been serving a life sentence for the murder of a Mumbai corporator.
The much-delayed election for ten seats was held on September 24 following a Bombay high court directive.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has strongly criticized its ally, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, for felicitating Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi. The party's spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, views the felicitation as an endorsement of BJP leader Amit Shah, who was instrumental in Shinde's split from the Shiv Sena. While Pawar's party maintains that the event focused on literature, BJP interprets it as an acknowledgment of Shinde's leadership. The incident has sparked a political controversy in Maharashtra, with both sides engaging in verbal sparring.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has voiced strong opposition to the cutting of trees for the construction of a 'Sadhu Gram' in Nashik ahead of the Kumbh Mela, urging the government to reconsider the decision. Actor Sayaji Shinde has also joined the protest, threatening opposition if the government proceeds with the tree removal.
Aligarh BJP MP Satish Gautam has sparked a controversy over the celebration of Holi at Aligarh Muslim University, declaring that "no one can stop anyone from celebrating Holi inside the AMU campus". The controversy erupted after members of right wing Hindu groups accused the AMU administration of denying permission to the Hindu students to organise a 'Holi Milan' function on campus. Gautam has extended his support to Hindu students, saying, "If any Hindu student faces any problem in celebrating Holi inside the campus, then I am there to help him."
The biggest losers in the 2009 Assembly polls
The richest and poorest candidates who contested the Maharashtra assembly elections were defeated.
Gangster turned MLA Arun Gawli was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in an extortion case in which his younger brother Vijay Ahir was earlier held. "After verifying the details of the case, we have established that the extortion was asked on behalf of Gawli on the basis of which we have arrested him," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria told PTI.
Sometimes, it pays to be single. This seems to be the message Arun Gawli's Akhil Bharatiya Sena has given through its performance during the past two years and ahead of the 13th Assembly election in Maharashtra. The gangster-turned-politician's party has not only utilised 100 per cent of the MLA's fund for local area development, but is also the only party to do so.
Quoting a dialogue on the villain Gabbar Singh from the Hindi blockbuster Sholay, the Supreme Court on Wednesday "confirmed" its earlier order staying the premature release of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli who is serving life imprisonment in a murder case.
In a video circulated on WhatsApp, Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta is purportedly heard saying in Hindi, 'Saffron is being insulted in the JNU campus on a regular basis. We want to warn those who are doing this. Mend your ways. We won't tolerate this.'
As counting is underway for the civic bodies in Maharashtra, and all eyes are on Mumbai's cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Here are a list of some of the big winners and losers from these elections.
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed till further orders the premature release of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who is serving life imprisonment in a murder case.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea of the Maharashtra government challenging a Bombay high court order which paved the way for premature release of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who is serving life imprisonment in a murder case.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it would like to examine the plea of the Maharashtra government, challenging the remission granted to gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli who is serving a life sentence in a murder case.
Political sources say Modi is 'keen' on getting the NCP (SP) over to the Mahayuti to counter Eknath Shinde's 'demands' and to act as a cushion against his present allies, Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu, 'in case their relationship became untenable'.
Ranvir Sena's front organisation Akhil Bharatiya Rashtrawadi Kisan Sanghathan has urged people, particularly supporters and sympathisers of upper caste Bhumihars, to socially boycott Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United MLA Sunil Pandey, his MLC brother Hulas Pandey and the families of Hareram Pandey, suspected to be involved in the murder of Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh Muhiya on June 1.
The elections for the 288-member House are due in September-October this year.
Devendra Fadnavis, a veteran politician from Maharashtra, is set to become the state's chief minister for the third time following a decisive victory by the BJP in the recent assembly elections. Fadnavis' political journey has been marked by resilience, strategic manoeuvring and a string of successes, including becoming the youngest mayor of Nagpur. He is known for his articulate speeches and effective governance, but his tenure has also been marked by challenges, including the Maratha reservation issue and the irrigation scam. He faces a new set of challenges, but his ability to adapt and make tactical decisions could prove crucial for him and his party in the coming days.
A third complaint was filed against Maharashtra Navanirman Sena president Raj Thackeray in Jharkhand in connection with the violence by the party's activists on Hindi-speaking candidates of railway recruitment examination in Mumbai.
Granting bail to Gawli, the court observed that while police must ensure that the interests of the public are protected, they needed to be sure of what their jurisdiction was.
While actor Arjun Rampal's portrayal of gangster Arun Gawli in Daddy is gutsy, producer- writer Arjun Rampal pushes the audience to discover more plot holes than Mumbai citizens encountered this monsoon, says Prasanna D Zore.
SC dismisses plea against Sena-NCP-Congress alliance
The world knew who Balasaheb's Shiv Sainik was. But who was Uddhav's Shiv Sainik? And most importantly, why did he believe in Uddhav, and not Nitin Gadkari or Devendra Fadnavis?
'Undeniably, Modi's position has stabilised and he has staged a comeback of sorts from the weeks after the Lok Sabha results.' 'Coalition partners are likely to be more tolerant of Modi... The forthcoming elections in Delhi and Bihar will determine whether this continues or not.' 'To win Delhi and Bihar, Modi will have to work in conjunction with the RSS.' 'However, because of the 'truce' that has been worked out within the Sangh Parivar, Modi will have to be more consultative than he has been in the past ten years,' reveals Modi biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Congress's Mumbai unit president Sanjay Nirupam also told reporters that the party was planning to hold discussions with like-minded parties for a common candidate in mayor's election.
Delhi Police have registered a case in connection with posters announcing a "reward" of Rs 11 lakh for anyone who "shoots down" JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.
The BJP is set to make decisive gains in civic elections in Maharashtra even as it is locked in a neck-and-neck fight with its bickering ally Shiv Sena in Mumbai.
An estimated 47 per cent voters exercised their franchise on Sunday in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation polls
The party has to zero in on its chief ministerial candidate from one of three leaders -- Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari, state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis and Leader of Opposition in the state council Vinod Tawde. But the biggest handicap with them is that they can't match Munde in terms of popularity.
New government will have to mobilise money to complete pending irrigation, infra projects
'Education played the most significant role in entrenchment of Hindutva ideology in coastal Karnataka.' 'Teachers of most of the schools, junior colleges, degree colleges and universities are active agents of Hindutva propaganda.'
Here's a recap of the events from the past 24 hours.
The studio said it would soon announce the new release date for the film.
Raj Thackeray issued a statement on Monday, admitting that one of his local party workers had opposed Sahgal's presence at the literary meet.
