Month: August 2022

The election for the post of president has now become a challenge for the Congress with the reluctance of party leader Rahul Gandhi to contest the polls.

The Congress party has completed the internal election process till August 20. The party had announced that the election for the post of president will be held between August 21 and September 20 but despite several attempts, Rahul Gandhi has not cleared the stance till now.
According to sources, the Central Election Authority has made full preparations to complete the election process on time. The chairman of the authority is waiting for a meeting of the Congress Working Committee which will announce the election dates for the post of chairman and then the authority will notify the same.

Sources said the process seems to remain stuck since Rahul is not willing to contest the election for the post of Congress president, although all the efforts to convince him are still going on.

In fact, Rahul is adamant on giving the post of president to a non-Gandhi and that is why he is preventing sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from filing a nomination, sources claimed.

At the same time, Sonia Gandhi does not want to hold the post due to health reasons and Rahul wants a non-Gandhi should hold the post in place of Sonia.

Congress tried to persuade Rahul and considers Priyanka as the second option. If not, Sonia Gandhi will be asked to stay till 2024 for the sake of party unity, said sources.

If the logjam continues, there may be an attempt to agree on one of the names of the leaders like Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Kumari Shailaja and Mukul Wasnik.

The next few days are going to be very important for the Gandhi family keeping the time frame for Congress president election in mind which has technically started on Sunday itself.

Meanwhile, Congress plans to embark on ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari on September 7 under the leadership of party leader Rahul Gandhi and the 148-day march will culminate in Kashmir. The five-month yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 3,500 kilometre and more than 12 states. The padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.

The yatra will include padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.

Meanwhile, sources said Rahul Gandhi will meet civil society people and organizations in Delhi on August 22 to listen to their issues and share their thoughts. Gandhi will also discuss his Bharat Jodo Yatra and its purpose with people from civil society.

Ahead of his Bharat Jodo Yatra starting from Kanyakumari on September 7, Rahul Gandhi will work with civil society to chalk out a strategy for the 2024 general elections. Gandhi is going to meet organizations and individuals working for different sections of society before his Bharat Jodo Yatra. (ANI)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in 39 districts including Bhopal, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Ratlam, Neemuch and Mandsaur.

IMD also informed that a deep depression over the Central parts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining south Uttar Pradesh has weakened into a depression.
The IMD said that the depression will continue to move west-north-westwards across north Madhya Pradesh and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 24 hours.

“Depression over Central parts Madhya Pradesh and adjoining south Uttar Pradesh near latitude 24.4°N and longitude 78.8°E, about 60 km north of Sagar (Madhya Pradesh). To move west-north-westwards across northwest MP and weaken into a Well-Marked Low-Pressure Area next 12 hrs,” tweeted IMD.

For Northeast Madhya Pradesh, IMD tweeted, “Depression over Northeast Madhya Pradesh near latitude 24.4°N and longitude 79.7°E, about 70 km north-northeast of Damoh (Madhya Pradesh). To move west-northwestwards across north Madhya Pradesh and weaken into a Well-Marked Low-Pressure Area during the next 24 hours.

The department also predicted moderate rainfall to take place in twelve districts including Indore, Gwalior, Dhar and Khargone.

Earlier on Saturday, the IMD reported that rain occurred in large parts of the state on Saturday. Guna district received 44.0 mm of rain between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Umaria district in eastern Madhya Pradesh received 86.9 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, which ended at 8.30 a.m. (ANI)

Police on Monday morning removed posters of VD Savarkar put up by unknown persons at the Congress party office in Karnataka’s Vijayapura overnight. Police have increased security in the area.

The move comes amid a row over remarks by the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and senior Congress leader’s comments on the ongoing Savarkar poster row in Shivamogga, which saw clashes on Independence Day on August 15.
Meanwhile, a BJP functionary today admitted his involvement in the conspiracy of pasting the VD Savarkar’s posters. He said, “We are the ones who pasted Savarkar’s photo, Savarkar’s photo was burnt under the leadership of Congress leaders in Hubli. Congress has repeatedly created controversy over Savarkar, They have burned it.”

“It is not a big deal that we have posted a photo, Congress has used the Savarkar issue for propaganda Congress people should respect Savarkar and read books about him, What message is Congress trying to send by burning Savarkar’s photo?,” he said.

Earlier, the Congress party in the Udupi district had requested police and district administration to remove Savarkar’s posters installed on the walls of the party office.

“We are worried because they (BJP) workers installed it today but can later tear it down themselves and create problems. They have deputed several police officials for the protection of the poster. It looks shameful. That is why we are objecting to it,” said a local Congress leader.

Karnataka Police on August 15 imposed Section 144 in parts of Shivamogga district after a clash over Savarkar and Tipu Sultan’s banners on Independence Day.

Last week Siddaramaiah lashed out against the BJP and raised questions on attempts to put up posters of Savarkar in Muslim-dominated areas.

Earlier, addressing mediapersons, Siddaramiah said, “Why did they put Savarakar’s photo in a Muslim area and remove Tipu Sultan’s portrait? BJP is doing double standard politics.”

During his recent visit to rain-hit areas in Kodagu, Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP workers hurled eggs at his car and raised black flags against him. The BJP said that the people of the area had protested against Siddaramaiah’s remarks which were “against the majority Hindu society”.

Siddaramaiah said that he has decided to lay siege to the SP office in Kodagu on August 26 to condemn the incident. (ANI)

Priyanka Chopra has happily taken up the responsibilities that come with the motherhood phase.

She is leaving no chance to spend time with her daughter Malti Marie, who was born via a surrogate earlier this year.
On Monday, Priyanka took to Instagram and shared how she spent the weekend with her little one.

In the first image, Priyanka is seen holding her seven-month-old daughter as she embraces her and takes a selfie.

In the second picture, Priyanka smiles at Malti, who has her feet on the actor’s face.

Malti is seen wearing a black thread around her ankle.

“Love like no other,” Priyanka captioned the post.

Priyanka’s mommy time with Malti has left netizens in awe of the duo.

“True,” new mommy in town and actor Dia Mirza commented.

“PC and her baby…biggest hug,” actor Kareena Kapoor Khan commented.

Preity Zinta and Anushka Sharma dropped a string of red heart emojis in the comment section.

Priyanka and singer Nick Jonas got married in a Christian and a Hindu ceremony in Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace on December 1 and 2 in 2018. Later, the couple also hosted two receptions in Delhi and Mumbai.

In January 2022, the two announced that they welcomed daughter Malti Marie via surrogacy.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka will be seen in international projects such as ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me’, and the series ‘Citadel’. Produced by Russo Brothers, ‘Citadel’ will hit the OTT on Prime Video. The upcoming sci-fi drama series is being directed by Patrick Morgan and stars Richard Madden alongside Priyanka.

In Bollywood, she will be starring with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Jee Le Zaraa’, which promises to be another tale of friendship following the lineage of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, both of which have become cult classics over the years. ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ is reportedly going on floors around September 2022 and will be ready for release in the summer of 2023. (ANI)

After the pan-India success of ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, actors Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna are all ready to commence shooting for its sequel, ‘Pushpa: The Rule’ with the cast and crew hosting a pooja on Monday.

Pictures from the pooja ceremony has been shared widely on the Internet.
A fan club of with the username Allu Arjun Folks on Twitter shared a picture from the ceremony.

#PushpaTheRule Pooja Ceremony Started 🔥🤩

Missing PushpaRaj 🤗 #AlluArjun @Alluarjun pic.twitter.com/0B3yUGn4aq

— Allu Arjun Folks ™ 🪓 (@AlluArjunFolks) August 22, 2022

The post reads, “#PushpaTheRule Pooja Ceremony Started. Missing PushpaRaj #AlluArjun @Alluarjun.”

Rashmika Mandanna was seen in ethnic wear along with crew members of the film.

Allu Arjun was howver not spotted in the pictures from the ceremony as he is currently in New York for the India Day celebration in the Big Apple.

Earlier, the makers of the film Mythri Movie shared an announcement poster to reveal that Pushpa 2 is all set to start filming. They also revealed that a special pooja will take place on Monday, August 22. The post reads, “#PushpaRaj is back! This time to Rule #PushpaTheRule Pooja Ceremony tomorrow. India’s most anticipated sequel is going to be BIGGER”

‘Pushpa: The Rise’, an action entertainer directed by Sukumar, was released in theatres on December 17, 2021, and has been widely praised. It has been produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar of Mythri Movie Makers in association with Muttamsetty Media.

The movie that stars Allu Arjun as Pushpa Raj also features Rashmika Mandanna in the lead role of Srivalli.

Logline for the movie reads, “Violence erupts between red sandalwood smugglers and the police charged with bringing down their organisation in the Seshachalam forests of South India.”

Pushpa’s dream run at the ticket counters worldwide has surprisingly surpassed the collections of the biggest box-office hits from different language industries, creating a new box office record for Allu Arjun.

After extending its theatrical run and getting amazing responses at the Box Office, the Hindi version of the movie also marked its OTT debut on Amazon Prime Video. (ANI)

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday alleged that the has received an offer by the Bharatiya Janata Party to split the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in what he claims was a quid pro quo as the CBI initiated a probe into the Delhi’s now withdrawn excise policy.

In a tweet today Sisodia wrote in Hindi he has received an offer by the BJP to join them by splitting the AAP in return for getting the cases of CBI and ED against him closed.
“My reply to the BJP is – I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap, a Rajput. I will cut off my head but will not bow down to the corrupt and those who conspire. All the cases against me are false. Do what you want to do,” Sisodia tweeted.

Last week, CBI conducted searches on Sisodia’s official residence and carried out raids at several places in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi’s Excise Policy.

The AAP has said the allegations of corruption are politically motivated.

In a tweet in Hindi today, Kejriwal said: “Rupee is falling, people are troubled by inflation, unemployment is at a high and these people are playing ‘CBI-ED’, and are busy toppling governments chosen by people and exchanging abuses and barbs the entire day,” he said.

“Who do people talk to about their issues and whom should they go to? How will the nation progress like this?” the Delhi chief minister tweeted.

Manish Sisodia along with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal left for Gujarat today for a two-day visit. They are scheduled to address a town hall meeting in Himmatnagar and a town hall meeting in Bhavnagar on Tuesday. (ANI)

Several civilians were injured in a grenade blast by terrorists in Srinagar on Sunday.

According to Srinagar Police, the incident occurred at Nishat area where terrorists hurled grenade causing a low-intensity blast. Several people received minor injuries. All were given first aid and discharged from the hospital.
Police have registered a case and the hunt is underway to nab the terrorists.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday said they averted a major terror incident by recovering an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing about 10-12 kilograms in Pulwama district.

The IED was recovered by security forces in the Beihgund area of Tral in the south Kashmir district.

“On a specific input of police, an IED, approx 10-12 kg has been recovered in Beihgund area of Tral. Police and Army are on the job to destroy it. A major terror incident was averted,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. (ANI)

Ahead of the call by farmers to protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Delhi Police on Monday beefed up the security forces at the Singhu border and Ghazipur border on the Delhi-Meerut expressway.

Delhi Police has increased the security forces and barricaded the Singhu border which is located in North-West Delhi and Ghazipur border which is located on the Delhi-Meerut expressway.
Farmers will hold protests at Jantar Mantar against unemployment.

Earlier, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) – an umbrella body of farmers – had announced the beginning of its 75-hour sit-in in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh from Thursday (August 18) to press for their pending demands.

SKM is an umbrella group comprising around 40 farm organisations, primarily demanding the proper implementation of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

In April, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait joined the protest held by the Telangana leaders in New Delhi against the Centre’s paddy procurement policy and said that there is a need for another protest in the country.

Tikait also added that the farmer umbrella body Samyukt Kisan Morcha will back every Chief Minister who fights for the farmers’ issues. (ANI)

Centre has urged the Supreme Court to end the tenure of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and direct that the day-to-day management of All India Football Federation shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting Secretary General.

Centre has requested the Supreme Court to pass an order to direct the CoA to submit the final draft constitution for AIFF to the Court by the end of August 23, 2022, and that the mandate of the CoA be declared to be over in full from August 23.
Supreme Court had appointed a three-member CoA to manage the affairs of the AIFF.

Centre filing an affidavit tells Supreme Court that one of the concerns of FIFA was that administration and management of AIFF should be conducted by a duly elected body but not in any case by a third party (CoA) and hence the tenure of the CoA should be over.

FIFA’s concern was also that an independent electoral committee (RO) be elected by the AIFF general assembly to conduct the elections of a new executive committee. FIFA’s concern was also that the election should take place at the earliest and an elected body should resume administering the functioning of AIFF.

The AIFF constitution is to be revised in accordance with the requirements of FIFA and the AFC and the same should be approved by the AIFF General assembly without interference from a third party (CoA), the Centre told the Supreme Court pointing out the concern of FIFA.

Centre had moved the Supreme Court relating to the decision of the FIFA Council suspending the AIFF with immediate effect, which has stripped India’s right to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled for October. (ANI)

Congress party faces another big blow as veteran leader Anand Sharma on Sunday resigned from the post of steering committee chairman for the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.

He has written a letter to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and submitted his resignation from the post.

He was feeling ignored and sidelined for the decisions regarding the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, sources close to Anand Sharma said, adding that he will continue to work as a CWC member and another post for the party.

This came days before the Himachal Pradesh state assembly elections.

This is the second blow for Congress in recent days as before this Gulam Nabi Azad resigned as the campaign commit chairman after writing a three-page note to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.

According to sources, Azad, in his resignation letter had written that some other important person should be given the post of campaign committee chairman as he was upset due to some appointments in the PCC and other committees for the Jammu and Kashmir polls.

However, some people say that Azad refused to assume the post of Campaign Committee chairman of Jammu and Kashmir due to health reasons.

The recent developments have again rung the bell for the Congress Party that the G23 camp — members who are critical of the party — may again become a problem.

For the record, Congress on Tuesday constituted the campaign committee, political affairs committee, coordination committee, manifesto committee, publicity and publication committee, disciplinary committee and Pradesh election committee for Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)