The Maharashtra municipal elections showed a troubling shift, where votes were traded for cash, convictions no longer mattered, and ideology became an afterthought, observes Ramesh Menon.
'A poor candidate was given a chance so that the concerns of ordinary, needy citizens could be represented.'
Multi-cornered contests, deep divisions within the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, reflected in the Congress and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray fighting separately and lack of a robust plan among its rivals helped the Bharatiya Janata Party in Mumbai polls as it looks poised to rule India's richest civic body for the first time.
According to Election Commission data, Bhabanipur had 2,06,295 voters as of January 2025. The draft rolls now carry 1,61,509 names, indicating that 44,787 voters, nearly 21.7 per cent of the electorate, have been deleted.
The BJP has expanded its footprint in Maharashtra following strong performance in assembly elections, while other parties are seeing their political bases shrink, according to a party official. The assessment is based on the BJP's performance in civic polls across 29 municipal corporations.
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers beat Ranchi Royals 3-2 in final to clinch men''s HIL title
BJP leader V V Rajesh was elected mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, marking the party's first-ever victory in a municipal corporation in Kerala. The election saw other mayoral contests across the state, with UDF and LDF also securing victories.
Odisha and Uttar Pradesh are among the first to roll out the digital exercise.
Slain Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi's party rejects the police chargesheet in his murder case, accusing the state machinery of involvement. The party warns of potential retaliation if justice is not served, alleging a broader conspiracy beyond the individuals charged.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced the Congress party's goal to win 100 seats in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. He highlighted the party's strategy, including early candidate selection, opportunities for youth, and addressing alleged alliances between CPI(M) and BJP.
Data from the State Election Commission reveals that over 11 lakh voters in Mumbai have duplicate enrolments in the electoral roll. The SEC has extended the deadline for submitting objections, and opposition leaders have alleged irregularities in the voter list revision.
Zampella was reportedly driving a Ferrari south along the Crest Highway when the accident occurred. While the video game creator died on the scene in the fire, another passenger was subsequently pronounced dead at a hospital.
The BJP and its Mahayuti allies have won 68 seats unopposed in the Maharashtra civic polls scheduled for January 15, even as the Opposition parties alleged the ruling combine used threats and money to force candidates to withdraw from the fray.
Despite the deficit, Toofans remained on the front foot in search of a goal that would get them back in the game. They registered 8 circle entries and a couple of penalty corners in the third quarter.
Breaking the nearly three-decade-old dominance of the undivided Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday emerged victorious in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, and also vanquished the alliance of Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar in the Pune civic body.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS leader Raj Thackeray announced an alliance ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
The Congress-led UDF secured a decisive victory in Kerala's local body elections, dealing a blow to the LDF, while the BJP gained significant ground, including winning control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance has made significant progress in challenging the Thackeray family's control over Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after nearly 25 years. The results mark a potential shift in Mumbai's civic politics, with the BJP emerging as a central force.
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers booked their spot in the final of the Men's Hockey India League with a 2-1 win against Ranchi Royals at the Kalinga Stadium, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
Two suspected cases of Nipah virus have been detected in West Bengal, prompting a national outbreak response team to be deployed. The central government is providing full support to the state.
HIL GC beat Shrachi Bengal Tigers 6-3 in a high-scoring men's HIL clash
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were marred by widespread complaints of voter list discrepancies, missing names, and confusion, impacting voters and election staff alike.
Bangladesh police have formally charged 17 people in connection with the murder of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, alleging it was an act of political vengeance orchestrated by the Awami League.
A Trinamool Congress councillor in West Bengal protested being listed as deceased in the draft electoral rolls by walking into a crematorium, highlighting concerns about voter list accuracy ahead of state elections.
Campaigning for the elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra has ended, with the battle for Mumbai's BMC taking center stage. Key political players are vying for control, with a focus on Marathi and Hindu voters.
The video, which was shot by a person who was present in the ward, showed the doctor punching the patient, Arjun Singh, who was lying on the bed, in the face. The patient is seen resisting by kicking, while two other persons try to restrain both of them. Singh, a resident of Kupvi in Shimla, suffered a nose injury in the incident.
Votes will be counted on January 16 and the outcome will be keenly watched as the BJP-led Mahayuti will seek to stamp its supremacy in urban landscape, especially in Mumbai, while the Opposition parties will try to redeem themselves after last year's rout in assembly polls.
S Padma, a street cleaner in Chennai, found a box full of gold worth more than Rs 45 lakh and returned it. 'I have been sweeping the streets of Chennai for 21 years. Nobody in the street knew me. I was just a faceless, nameless sanitation worker in an orange and blue uniform.'
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to display the names of those on the 'logical discrepancies' list at various public offices in West Bengal, addressing concerns about irregularities in the voter rolls.
A private hospital in Meerut has come under scrutiny after the family of a two-and-a-half-year-old boy alleged that the staff at the emergency ward of the facility applied Fevikwik, an industrial adhesive, to his bleeding wound, notwithstanding the parents' objections.
Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil cast his vote in the local body polls after securing protection from arrest in two sexual assault cases. He faced protests from CPI(M)'s youth wing.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued stop-work notices to 53 construction sites for contributing to air pollution in Mumbai. The civic body has also directed strict adherence to air pollution guidelines, including the use of AQI monitoring sensors. The Bombay High Court has also addressed the issue of air pollution in the city.
'When a grassroots worker has laboured day and night for the organisation, does the party not have a responsibility to recognise and uplift such workers?'
The Supreme Court clarified that it has not ordered the removal of all stray dogs, but rather that they should be treated according to Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. The court heard arguments on the issue, addressing concerns about rodent populations, hospital safety, and the implementation of existing regulations.
Books will be included as part of gifts at government functions, alongside the traditional gamusa, to underline the government's message that books must return to the centre of public life.
Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule blames the State Election Commission (SEC) for the Bombay High Court's decision to defer the counting of votes for local bodies polls, citing 'misinterpretation of laws'.
A well-settled India are trying out a few new things in the ongoing five-match T20I series against visiting Sri Lanka keeping in mind next year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup in the UK, said head coach Amol Muzumdar on Thursday.
Arshdeep and Rana snared two wickets apiece in tight spells during a clinical performance.
He chose what was best for India, not for himself. Few can deny that when god took Shastri away so soon, they did India an injustice, points out Harishchandra.
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