While interacting with students of St Joseph's Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Mulagumoodubn, Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi not only shook a leg with the students but also did push-ups and performed some Aikido martial arts. Rahul even went on to do a one-hand push-up leading to a loud cheer out from the students.
As results pour in for the four states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam -- and one Union Territory -- Puducherry - here's a glimpse at the leaders who are trailing and those who are leading.
The setback promises to have far-reaching ramifications within and outside the party as it is likely to fuel voices that have challenged the Gandhi family's leadership and also those who have been a votary of a non-Congress front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party.
With 17,51,555 people defeating the disease, the recovery rate has surged to 71.17 per cent.
The death toll due to COVID-19 climbed to 47,033 with 942 people succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, health ministry data updated at 8 am showed.
When Mizoram batted, Shreevats Goswami (31) was the only significant scorer but the seasoned Mumbai attack led by Dhawal Kulkarni kept the minnows under check.
Digital canvassing is expected to benefit from political money looking for alternative blow horns.
Murmu's vote share is now likely to go past 61 per cent, while it was earlier estimated to be around 50 per cent at the time of her nomination.
India's tally is now at 2,97,535, while the death toll is at 8,498.
According to the orders of the commission, set up under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019, the Union territory will have 90 assembly constituencies -- 43 in Jammu Division and 47 in Kashmir -- with nine of them being reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Thursday.
The notification for the President poll will be issued on June 15, the CEC said, and June 29 will be the last date for the filing of nominations.
Postal ballot facility for eligible overseas Indian electors cannot be extended for the upcoming assembly polls as the matter is still under discussion with the Ministry of External Affairs to iron out logistical challenges in implementing the proposal, Lok Sabha was informed.
A total of 326 cases were registered in the country under the controversial colonial era law of sedition between 2014 and 2019 in which just six persons were convicted.
The country crossed the 12-lakh mark, just three days after it went past the 11-lakh milestone.
High voter enthusiasm on Thursday marked the sixth phase of polling covering 117 constituencies spread across 12 states as the race to the Lok Sabha crossed the half-way mark with stakes high for the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
This is the seventh consecutive day when COVID-19 cases increased by more than 30,000.
There are 6,76,514 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which is 24.45 per cent of the total caseload, while the number of recoveries has surged to 20,37,870.
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This is the sixth consecutive day when COVID-19 cases increased by more than 30,000.
The country's COVID-19 count includes 6,73,166 active cases, 19,77,780 discharged/migrated patients.
The Election Commission has decided to set up a panel to identify the experiences and shortcomings during the recently-held five assembly polls.
'Farmers will block rail tracks in various places. Markets and transport services will be closed during 'Bharat Bandh'
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
The Congress fared poorly, drawing a blank in West Bengal and failing to win back power in Kerala and Assam, besides losing Puducherry. The party only came to power with the help of its ally Dravida Munnetra Kazagham in Tamil Nadu.
The total coronavirus cases in the country have mounted to 23,29,638, while the death toll climbed to 46,091 with 834 new fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
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The death toll due to the disease rose to 42,518 with 933 fresh fatalities being reported in a day, data updated at 8 am showed. There are 6,19,088 active cases of COVID-19, comprising 29.64 per cent of the caseload.
Words and actions like those of R N Ravi and a vocal section of the state BJP have only added to Tamil fears and suspicions, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The fatality rate has further dropped to 2.07 per cent, the data stated.
With the Biju Janata Dal backing the National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, the vote share of the ruling dispensation has now crossed 50 percent, virtually paving the way for her election as the first tribal President and the youngest too.
Following up with the release of its first list of six candidates for the polls on Friday, the AIADMK firmed up the electoral agreement with the Saffron party late Friday night.
Azad, who is a prominent member of the group of 23 leaders who had demanded organisational overhaul in the Congress, said that for the next two months the party is the top priority.
The country in the last 24 hours reported 1,136 deaths due to the pathogen taking the overall toll to 79,722.
This is the sixth consecutive day that COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 45,000.
It was a repeat of scenes witnessed last month as motorists struggled to manoeuvre their vehicles on flooded roads and subways while showers led to traffic congestion in Chennai and suburbs.
After her night round, Bedi said, "Felt that Puducherry is safe for women even at night."
While EC Secretary General Umesh Sinha would be visiting Tamil Nadu next week, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain would be in West Bengal in the coming days, sources said.
The total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 34,63,972, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 62,550 with 1,021 people succumbing to it in a span of 24 hours, the ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.
'Whether the people will benefit or not depends on what the central government does in Kashmir successfully.'
