Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and one ex-governor are among those who are set to test their electoral fate in the first phase of elections on April 19 when 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls.
Opposition to the controversial Local Body Tax in Congress and NCP-ruled Maharashtra reached in New Delhi on Thursday, with several party MPs making a strong plea to All India Congress Committee Chief Sonia Gandhi to intervene and prevail upon Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to find an "acceptable" solution.
The appointment of Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar, a former Union minister, in July as the party's general secretary to monitor central programmes appears to have failed in delivering any results so far.
Amid a vociferous campaign for a separate Telangana, a Congress leader from Maharashtra has shot off a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi demanding carving out of Vidarbha from the state.
The issue of separate Vidarbha has gained momentum after the dramatic developments over Telangana issue and senior Congress Member of Parliament from Nagpur Vilas Muttemwar seizing the opportunity has written to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh reiterating the need for creation of separate Vidarbha.
The agitation for a separate Vidarbha state gained momentum on Monday with all political parties barring Shiv Sena deciding to intensify the movement and call a bandh in support of their demand.
The Centre's decision to carve out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh has given a much-needed boost to the proponents of a new Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra.
Amid the Centre's move to initiate the process for the creation of a separate Telengana state, the demand for statehood to Vidarbha in Maharashtra gained momentum, as former Union minister Vilas Muttemwar on Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded a separate state for the region. Muttemwar, senior Congress Member of Prlaiment from Nagpur and protagonist of the statehood campaign for Vidarbha, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"The Sukhoi will invest Euro 2 billion (Rs 13,600 crore) for manufacturing about 25 to 50 super jets initially and later 100 aircraft at full capacity," Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Vilas Muttemwar said on Friday.
The government said on Monday it expected an investment of Rs 22,500 crore (Rs 225 billion) over the next five-six years in a proposed Special Economic Zone for manufacturing renewable energy equipment.
The Centre has proposed to set up a special economic zone for renewable energy device manufacturers, at a proposed investment of Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion), according to Union Minister of State in charge of non-conventional energy, Vilas Muttem
Opposition MPs have been boycotting the defence minister citing his role in the Tehelka expose.
Muttemwar, who hails from Vidarbha region, told PTI that the video in circulation was distorted.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was on Thursday made a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party.
AAP is quite keen to repeat party chief Arvind Kejriwal's sterling victory against Delhi's former chief minister Sheila Dikshit by pitting Damania against Gadkari in the proposed high-profile contest.
The April 11 polling will decide the fate of several political bigwigs.
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, IT expert Nandan Nilekani and cricketer Mohd Kaif are among 194 candidates as Congress tonight released the first list of its nominees for Lok Sabha polls that contains several new and young faces.
He is among the contenders for the top job in the event the BJP gets fewer seats in 2019. That may have something to do with him picking up the cudgels for Sushma Swaraj when many in the party kept mum, says Aditi Phadnis.
With the United Progressive Alliance government likely to announce a separate Telangana state on Tuesday, the call for carving out Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra has started gaining heat.
Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP Nitin Gadkari, late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's daughter Poonam, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil are a few of the 29 new entrants to the 16th Lok Sabha among the 48 MPs from Maharashtra.
Still to recover from their electoral rout, defeated Congress members of Parliament and ministers are now faced with the heart-wrenching job of moving out of their official houses, says Rediff.com contributor Anita Katyal
"I would also like to tell judges that do not be afraid and keep going on the path of justice," Modi said.
In her letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi three days ago, Kidwai said she was relinquishing charge as party general secretary and Mahila Congress chief as he felt that Rahul Gandhi should be given the necessary space to bring in younger leaders of his choice
Vidarbha region has gained notoriety for a high number of farmers' suicides and the multi-crore irrigation scam. Sanjay Jog reports
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