Nirahua, a Bhojpuri star and the BJP's candidate, is drawing huge crowds in his road shows and meetings after he entered the poll fray against Yadav, but voters with caste and local equations appear favourable for the senior Yadav.
Opposition leaders asked all secular forces to field a joint candidate for presidential elections and have common minimum programme to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party, reports Archis Mohan.
Special Public Prosecutor B V Acharya has advised the Karnataka government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against acquittal of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and three others in the disproportionate assets case, saying it was a "fit case" to do so.
A tally around 150 in Gujarat can see the index hit 10,700 levels going ahead
Prompt refunds have been made for small amounts. For larger amounts, time has been sought till March 2018
'Although the tactical move to outflank the BJP fell through with New Delhi's decisive intervention and eventual dissolution of the state assembly, the PDP, NC and the Congress appeared to be more than satisfied.' 'They see the assembly dissolution as their 'great achievement'.' 'If one were to believe what they say, this was also their main objective,' reveals Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the doyen of Kashmiri commentators.
A moderate GST rate obviates the need for the two-rate structure.
'The BJP should know that simple caste arithmetic may have ceased to follow the basic law of addition.' 'Adding up seemingly distinct vote banks can even cause overall reduction in numbers,' says Sudhir Bisht.
'Learning to learn should be given more importance than what is actually being learnt,' recommends Zaki Ansari.
Under the party's rules, May's leadership of the party cannot be challenged for at least a year now.
The evolving RBI-government relationship, a reversal in the interest rate cycle and return to profitability will dominate bankers' conversation this year, says Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
'If Shivakumar and Deve Gowda play the match well, this government will complete five years.'
They are likely to meet Sitaram Yechury following the meeting with Gandhi.
Sanjay Mookim, India equity strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, tells Puneet Wadhwa that this is not a time for investors to dabble in relatively small and illiquid stocks.
The proposed four per cent inflation target is onerous, considering India is currently battling near-double-digit increases in prices.
The year 2014 is likely to be a "slow recovery year" for India, with economic growth rising, inflation easing and currency and rates largely stable, Citigroup said.
'Slowing down of the economy was mainly due to the demonetisation shock...' 'If you cut off the oxygen supply to a patient in the ICU and the patient dies, the patient does not come alive again when you restore the oxygen supply.'
'The BJP has no presence where the regional parties are strong.' 'And we should think of the Congress and support the Congress in those places where it is the dominant regional party.' 'The leaders of the other parties (have to) get together on this simple principle of one candidate against the BJP candidate.'
Given the strong growth in Asia and easy monetary stance taken by central banks other than the US Federal Reserve (US Fed), overseas investors will soon start re-investing in risky assets, says Abhiram Eleswarapu, head of equity research, BNP Paribas Securities India.
'Only the coming years will tell whether the government finds this an easy way of relieving itself from its fiscal constraints.'
'From his persistent fuelling of pan-Hindu nationalism to pandering to narrow Gujarati chauvinism, Rambo rides again, using fair means and foul -- and often foul -- to gain the battleground,' says Sunil Sethi.
While the BJP has the numbers to send its eight candidates to the Upper House, its ally, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, which has four MLAs in the 403-member UP assembly, holds key to the fate its ninth nominee.
The apex court, however, made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.
Hitting out at the World Cup format, Indian Test batting great Rahul Dravid and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith have claimed that the tournament is too long and predictable for the top eight teams.
'When you come through the hassles and struggles of business life, your mind is wired differently.' 'You are more connected to reality,' Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral tells Rahul Jacob and Archis Mohan
Japanese automaker says the 'element of trust has been broken'
'But that does not make him weaker than his adversaries.'
'It is this new brand of nationalism, where the saffron has elbowed out the other shades in our Tiranga, that will go before the electorate later this year.' 'And it is this new nationalism that will power Modi back into office with 300-plus seats when elections are held,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
'We are in the presence of a truly great politician,' says Aakar Patel.
Patanjali Ayurved's rise has prompted most other babas to go back to the drawing board. Most of them are either scripting or re-jigging their business plans, says Arvind Singhal.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already taken a lead with his knock-on-door campaign.
Manish Sisodia is set to be Deputy CM, while four new faces are likely to join the AAP cabinet.
A Mumbai man did a cricket puzzle in three days that had troubled Sir Don Bradman for about two decades.
Jaitley's fiscal arithmetic, Crisil said, is "shaky", and the scope for fiscal slippage "remains high".
'Just as a wave brought the BJP into power; an anti wave will blow them away.'
'Her tussle is a different ballgame from what it was when Farooq Abdullah and Rajiv Gandhi were the main players at the two ends of the power game.' 'The shadow of the party in power in New Delhi over J&K affairs in 1987 was not as menacing as it is in 2018,' points out Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the doyen of Kashmir commentators.
Systematic investment plans can be the best way to achieve your financial goals if started early, says Vishwajeet Parashar is the Senior Vice President and Group Head -- Marketing, Bajaj Capital.
Congress members also vociferously pressed for a discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General report.
In the normal course, a high turnout reflects anti-incumbency but there is no correlation between high turnout and advantage to the National Democratic Alliance, says Dharmendra Kumar Singh.