Eleven passengers of the Mumbai-Lucknow Pushpak Express were killed and nine others injured after they alighted due to a fire rumor and were run over by another train passing on the adjacent tracks in Jalgaon district, North Maharashtra, on Wednesday evening, officials said. The mishap took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations of Bhusawal Division, Central Railway officials said. After the train crossed Jalgaon station on Wednesday around 5 pm, smoke emitted from the general coach of Pushpak Express. Due to this, passengers of Pushpak Express pulled the alarm chain and jumped on the track when the Delhi-bound Karnataka Express, which was coming from Bengaluru, ran over them. Officials fear that the casualties could rise as some of the injured are in a serious condition. VIDEO | At least six persons were killed after they stepped down from their train on the tracks and were run over by another train coming from the opposite direction in North Maharashtra's Jalgaon district on Wednesday evening. Visuals from the spot near Pachora station, where… pic.twitter.com/EKQU5LE50w — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2025 The accident spot is more than 400 km away from Mumbai. Chief PRO of Central Railway, Dr Swapnil Nila, gave an official statement on the Jalgaon incident, where several people were severely injured after being hit by the Bengaluru Express. The tragedy occurred when passengers on the Pushpak Express, fearing a fire after smoke came… pic.twitter.com/xQXx5ohTLJ — Mid Day (@mid_day) January 22, 2025 "Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of Pushpak Express due to either 'hot axle' or 'brake-binding' (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing," a senior railway official told PTI."Senior officials are reaching the spot, after which more information will be available," said Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil who is also the guardian minister of Jalgaon. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in an unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district. My deepest condolences to the affected families. 🙏My colleague Minister Girish Mahajan and the Superintendent of Police are already at the site, with the District Collector… https://t.co/MbS8rCdzDu — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) January 22, 2025
22 January,2025 09:24 PM IST | Jalgaon | mid-day online correspondentThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will file an appeal before the Calcutta High Court (HC), seeking death sentence for Sanjoy Roy, who was sentenced to "life imprisonment until death" by a Sealdah court in the Kolkata rape-murder case, officials said Wednesday, two days after the judgment. According to news agency PTI, CBI received a legal advice suggesting that the case may be categorised as the "rarest of rare", deserving capital punishment, they said. The central probe agency is likely to file an appeal against the Sealdah court order as soon as possible with detailed arguments in favour of capital punishment, PTI reported. The agency's plea seeking death penalty for Roy was turned down by the trial court, where Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das said that the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category. "The CBI prayed for the death penalty. The defence lawyer prayed that a jail term be given instead of the death penalty. This crime does not fall under the 'rarest of the rare' category," Judge Das said while sentencing Roy. "I am sentencing you to life imprisonment, meaning till the last day of your life, for causing injury during the act of committing rape on the victim that led to her death...," he told Roy. The West Bengal government has already approached HC, challenging the verdict and seeking death penalty for Roy. The CBI has opposed the state's right to file an appeal in the case, claiming that as it was the prosecuting agency, it had the right to appeal on the grounds of inadequacy of the sentence, PTI reported. Deputy Solicitor General Rajdeep Majumdar, appearing for CBI, on Wednesday opposed the state's submission, maintaining that the West Bengal government does not have the right to appeal against the trial court's order on the ground of inadequacy. He submitted that the central agency had prayed for awarding capital punishment to Roy before the trial court. HC said it would hear the CBI, the victim's family and the convict before deciding on the admission of the state government's appeal. The court further stated that it will hear the matter on January 27. The 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and killed in the early hours of August 9 in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata when she was taking a rest during her graveyard shift. Her body with severe injury marks was found inside the hall by a doctor next morning. Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, was arrested the next day based on CCTV footage in which he was seen entering the seminar hall at 4.03 am on the day of the incident. On August 13, the Calcutta HC transferred the probe in the Kolkata rape-murder case from the police to the CBI. The central probe agency took over the case the next day. (With PTI inputs)
22 January,2025 05:43 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members to target winning over 50 per cent booths in the assembly polls, and said people are openly expressing anger with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and are reminding it of its promises, news agency PTI reported. PM Modi, in an online interaction with Delhi BJP members, said AAP, which he called "aapda (disaster)," has been exposed. The aapda is making new announcements everyday as it is daily receiving information of losing ground in various parts of Delhi, he said. PM Modi accused AAP of conspiring to push people from 'purvanchal' out of the national capital, alleging that the party is full of hate for them. He added that AAP engaged in lies and deceit while the Congress has betrayed people massively in the past 25 years. Those born in the past 25 years or are in the 35-40 years group have seen nothing but distraction, he said, adding they have lost hope and are in despair. According to PTI, PM Modi also said that defeating the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP would pave the way for fulfilling the resolve of making Delhi the developed capital of a developed India. 'Liquor is available but water is not' Criticising AAP for failing to provide basic needs such as water to people, PM Modi said "liquor is available but water is not", while interacting with a BJP member. PM Modi said BJP will run a massive campaign to ensure that drinking water reaches everyone once it is elected to power here, PTI stated. "The 'aapda' did not fulfil any of its responsibility," he said, asking BJP members to carry videos and pictures of poor roads, drainage conditions and garbage, among other problems people are facing, to "expose" AAP. He also stated that the Delhi government was responsible for a rise in people's electricity bills. Slamming Kejriwal, he said that the "Sheeshmahal" is a live example of the AAP's deceit and lies. The BJP had dubbed Kejriwal's official residence as Sheeshmahal, claiming he spent crores on the house, PTI stated. PM Modi also urged BJP members to ensure record polling in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025. 'AAP failed to fulfil its promise' Without naming Kejriwal, he said the former CM had failed to clean the Yamuna river as he believes that cleaning the Yamuna does not get votes. The prime minister said AAP also failed to fulfil its promise of building houses for the poor, and noted that the Centre has built thousands of homes for them. He further alleged said that AAP only makes fake announcements and promised that the BJP will improve the condition of government schools in the national capital. The BJP will record a massive victory in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 on the strength of its booth workers, he said, asserting that people, especially women, are leading its campaign. Slamming Congress, PM Modi said the party often made false promises but the AAP has very much surpassed the main opposition party in doing so. BJP demands explanation over delay in CAG report by Delhi govt, WATCH: He said the BJP's model is based on truth and its state governments in Haryana, Maharashtra and Odisha, among others, have fulfilled its promises, including releasing cash assistance to women. It took over seven decades for various ills to grow in the Congress, but the AAP matched it in seven months and has surpassed it in the next nine years, he added, reported PTI. Highlighting BJP's commitment to the middle class and improving ease of living, the prime minister said the central government has spent a significant amount of money for this, including by building Metro and highways. To ensure the middle class enjoy a comfortable standard of living, the government spends significant amounts of money. "We have responded to the aspirations of the middle class in Delhi," he added. The prime minister also noted that lakhs of families in Delhi are with central government employees and pensioners, and asserted that the 8th pay commission will change their fate, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
22 January,2025 05:16 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe West Bengal government has appealed to the Calcutta High Court's (HC) Division Bench against the trial court's life imprisonment verdict handed over to Sanjay Roy in the Kolkata rape-murder case. The next hearing in the case is scheduled on January 27, ANI reported. As per ANI, Advocate General Kishore Dutta has approached the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak, seeking the death penalty for Roy. The matter has been allowed to be registered. The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court on Monday announced life imprisonment till death for Roy in the Kolkata rape-murder case. Along with this, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on him. Following the court's verdict, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction and said that if the case had been with the Kolkata Police, they would have ensured a death penalty, ANI reported. "I learned about the sentencing from the media. We have always demanded capital punishment and we continue to stand by it. However, this is the court's decision and I can't say much about this. For three other cases, Kolkata police ensured capital punishment through thorough investigations concluded within 54-60 days. This was a serious case. Had it been under our purview, we would have ensured the death penalty long back," CM Mamata said while addressing the media at Malda. The father of the doctor, who was a postgraduate trainee at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, on Monday rejected the Rs 17-lakh compensation by the state and said that he will move to a higher court seeking death penalty for Roy. Speaking to ANI, the victim's father said, "What the court thinks as a good judgment based on the evidence produced by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), the court has given that verdict. We have a lot of questions on the investigation done by the CBI. We did not go to the court for compensation. We want justice, not compensation. Kolkata police did wrong and the CBI will have to do something. The Kolkata police have given us more pain than the passing away of my daughter." (With ANI inputs)
22 January,2025 05:00 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentAAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced a seven-point "manifesto" for the nation's middle class, saying that they have been neglected by successive governments and are a victim of "tax terrorism", PTI reported. In a video message on Wednesday, he claimed that the middle class is the real superpower of the Indian economy but has long been ignored and exploited solely for tax collection. Kejriwal announced the seven-point charter aimed to address the concerns of the middle class, PTI cited. As per PTI, the demands included raising the education budget from the current 2 per cent to 10 per cent and setting a limit on private school fees. He also proposed subsidies and scholarships for higher education to make quality education accessible to all. The AAP leader highlighted the need for an increase in healthcare spending, suggesting a rise to 10 per cent of the GDP, along with the removal of taxes on health insurance premiums. He also called for an increase in the income tax exemption limit from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, citing the heavy financial burden on the middle class, PTI cited. According to PTI, another demand was the removal of GST on essential goods, which Kejriwal argued disproportionately affects middle-class households. He also advocated for more strong retirement plans, including free healthcare for senior citizens in both private and government hospitals. Additionally, he requested the union government to reintroduce the 50 per cent concession on train fares for senior citizens, which was discontinued in recent years. Kejriwal accused the political parties of reducing the middle class to what he termed as a "slave mindset" since independence. He pledged that AAP MPs would raise the concerns of the middle class in upcoming parliamentary sessions, vowing to make their issues a central focus of the political discussions, PTI reported. The announcement comes just weeks before the Delhi Assembly elections 2025 set to take place on February 5, with vote counting results to be declared on February 8. The Aam Aadmi Party, which won 62 of the 70 assembly seats in 2020 Delhi elections, is seeking a third consecutive term. SC seeks response from BJP leader on Atishi, Arvind Kejriwal plea The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted six weeks to a Delhi BJP leader to respond to a petition of Delhi CM Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal against an order that refused to quash a defamation case against them over their alleged remarks on deletion of the voters' names. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti adjourned the hearing after the counsel for complainant Rajiv Babbar sought more time to file his response. On September 30, last year, the apex court while issuing notice to Babbar stayed the proceedings before the trial court. Babbar said he did not file the complaint in an individual capacity but as the authorised representative of the BJP, a political party, while bringing on record a January 16, 2019 authorisation letter in support of his claim. Previously, senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing Babbar, submitted the alleged statements were defamatory in nature as they lowered the party's credibility amongst voters. (With inputs from Agencies)
22 January,2025 02:39 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentDelhi's minimum temperature on Wednesday was recorded at 9.3 degrees Celsius, 1.8 notches above the normal for this time of the season. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is likely to witness rain with thunderstorms. The humidity level recorded at 8.30 am was at 98 per cent. Meanwhile, the air quality remained in the 'poor' category, with an Air Quality Index of 262 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 24 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor" and 401 and 500 severe. Foggy weather disrupts flight, train services in Delhi Foggy weather disrupted train and flight services in Delhi on Wednesday. Several flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed due to fog. Nine trains originating from various stations to Delhi were running late as well. The trains running late include Brahmaputra Mail (15658), Poorva Express (12303), Purushottam Express (12801), and GCT ANVT SF EXP (22433). According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), fog conditions were detected over parts of North Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and patches over the Northeast. Delhi recorded a temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am today. Other North Indian regions were also impacted by fog this morning. A dense layer of fog was seen blanketing Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh this morning. As per IMD, the minimum temperature forecasted in Ayodhya for today is 11 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, amid cold weather conditions, thousands of people gathered on the ghats of Sangam to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam, a sacred confluence of three rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. A cold wave continued to grip the Kashmir Valley. Srinagar recorded a temperature of 2.6 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am this morning. According to the IMD, there is a possibility of rain in Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, Delhi NCR, and North Rajasthan on the 22nd and 23rd of January.
22 January,2025 01:21 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Markets rally in early trade amid mixed global equities Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on an optimistic note on Wednesday mainly due to buying in index heavyweights Infosys and HDFC Bank amid a mixed trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 366.49 points or 0.48 per cent to trade at 76,204.85. On similar lines, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 80.60 points or 0.35 per cent to 23,105.25. Saif Ali Khan attack case: Actor discharged, cops to record statement soon Five days after he was brutally attacked by an intruder in his residence, Saif Ali Khan, 54, was discharged from Lilavati Hospital in Bandra on Tuesday. Accompanied by his wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and other family members, the actor was spotted in a white shirt, jeans and sunglasses as he walked out of the hospital and got into his vehicle amid heavy police presence. Read more. Mumbai: Grass and water to tackle Shivaji Park dust issue The expert committee of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) has suggested spraying water and planting grass at Shivaji Park to prevent dust pollution from the soil. The team also asked the BMC for a time extension to study the soil pattern of iconic ground. After receiving complaints from local residents, BMC’s G North ward decided to remove a nine-inch-thick layer of soil from the park. Read more. Meet Shahid Saeed Ansari, an India cricketer by day and a delivery agent by night! Shahid Saeed Ansari’s life is a juggle… and a struggle! By day, the wheelchair-bound cricketer, who represents the Indian team, practises his batting and wicketkeeping skills, and by night (7 pm to 11 pm), he negotiates the busy Malad traffic as a Zomato delivery agent. Ansari, 44, has played around 40 international matches for India since 2017, scoring one half-century besides numerous stumpings and sharp catches. Read more. Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal's Mirzapur film and season 4 to be shot simultaneously Last October, the makers announced Mirzapur: The Film, making the popular crime drama the first Indian OTT series to be extended to a movie. Now, we’ve heard that the Gurmmeet Singh-directed movie as well as the fourth season of the Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Shweta Tripathi Sharma-starrer will be shot simultaneously from September 2025. Read more.
22 January,2025 11:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court on Tuesday granted six weeks to a Delhi BJP leader to respond to a plea of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal against an order that refused to quash a defamation case against them over their alleged remarks on deletion of the voters' names. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti adjourned the hearing after the counsel for complainant Rajiv Babbar sought more time to file his response. On September 30, last year, the apex court while issuing notice to Babbar stayed the proceedings before the trial court. Babbar said he did not file the complaint in an individual capacity but as the authorised representative of the BJP, a political party, while bringing on record a January 16, 2019 authorisation letter in support of his claim. Previously, senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing Babbar, submitted the alleged statements were defamatory in nature as they lowered the party's credibility amongst voters. On the other hand, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Atishi and Kejriwal, submitted nowhere in the complaint Babbar projected how his reputation was lowered in the estimation of others. Singhvi argued the statements in question were made a few months before Parliamentary elections. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 08:15 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesFourteen Maoists, including a top leader of the CPI (Maoists) with a reward of Rs 1 crore, were killed in a joint operation by central and state police forces along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district superintendent of police Nikhil Rakhecha said of the deceased, one has been identified as Jairam alias Chalpati, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore. The identity of the remaining cadres was yet to be ascertained. Giving details of the incident, police said two women Maoists were killed during a joint operation on Monday along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. A large cache of firearms, ammunition and IEDs, including a self-loading rifle, were recovered from the encounter site. A fresh exchange of firing took place late Monday night and it continued till early hours of Tuesday in a forest under the Mainpur police station areas (Chhattisgarh) along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, in which 12 more Maoists were gunned down. With this, the total number of Maoists killed in the operation went up to 14, police said. The operation was launched on the night of January 19 based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest of Chhattisgarh, just 5 km from the border of Odisha's Nuapada district. A total of 40 Moaists have been killed in separate gun fights in Chhattisgarh this year. ‘Mighty blow to Maoism' Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed the encounter as "another mighty blow to Maoism" and asserted the Narendra Modi government's resolve for a Maoist-free India and the joint efforts of the security forces to eliminate the menace from the country. "Another mighty blow to Maoism. Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Maoist-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Maoists in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border," Shah wrote on X. Hailing the security forces, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said under the BJP-led double-engine government at the Centre and the state, Chhattisgarh will get rid of the menace by March 2026. He said strengthening the resolve of Prime Minister Modi and the union home minister to end Maoism in the country by March 2026, the security forces have been continuously achieving success and moving rapidly towards fulfilling the target. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 08:14 AM IST | Raipur | AgenciesThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested its own deputy superintendent of police in a bribery case involving an Enforcement Directorate (ED) assistant director who allegedly sought illegal gratifications from educational institutions being probed in connection with Himachal Pradesh scholarship scam, officials said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The suspect was identified as Balbir Sharma who was posted at the Special Crime unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi, the officials said. They said that he was called for questioning by the agency at its Chandigarh office on Monday in connection with the case, in which Enforcement Directorate (ED) Assistant Director Vishal Deep was arrested earlier for allegedly seeking a bribe, the officials said, according to the PTI. Sharma was arrested in the evening, they added. After his arrest, Sharma complained of dizziness and was taken to a hospital, where tests were conducted and the results were satisfactory, the officials said. He was again medically examined on Tuesday, before his production in a special court, they added. The special court in Chandigarh sent Sharma to the CBI's custody for a day. Sharma's family has alleged torture by CBI sleuths, an allegation denied by the agency's officials, as per the PTI. The CBI has so far arrested seven people in connection with the case, including the ED assistant director. It is alleged that Vishal Deep had demanded a bribe of Rs 1.1 crore from Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions chairman Rajnish Bansal for not arresting him in a money-laundering case being probed by the ED. The amount was brought down after negotiations to Rs 60 lakh, the probe agency had said. There is a recording of Vishal Deep talking to the complainant before the delivery of the bribe amount and he was present near the spot where the bribe was handed over to co-accused Vikas Deep (his brother) and Niraj (his cousin) by the complainant, the CBI had claimed after his arrest in Mumbai, while seeking his transit remand, the news agency reported. The remand application was rejected by the court on January 8. Later, Vishal Deep was again arrested by the agency and is now in judicial custody. Haryana cop held by ACB for taking bribe in Faridabad The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a Haryana cop in Faridabad after catching him red-handed accepting a bribe, an official said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The cop, a head constable was posted at Dabua police station in Haryana's Faridabad, the officials said. The constable is alleged to have demanded a bribe to get bail to a person accused in an assault case, an official said on Tuesday. According to the complainant, his nephew was accused in an assault case and the constable was demanding a bribe to get him bail. He had already taken some money as part of the bribe demanded and was demanding more, the complainant said, according to the PTI. The ACB, acting on the complaint, asked the complainant to pay the policeman the bribe amount. On Monday, when the complainant handed the bribe to the policeman, ACB officials nabbed him. An FIR has been registered at ACB police station, Faridabad, the official said. (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Delhi government has ordered the closure of liquor shops and other establishments serving alcohol in the city from February 3 to 5, the day of voting, and again on February 8, when the results will be declared, news agency PTI reported. A recent gazette notification issued by the Delhi Excise Commissioner declared "dry days" under the Excise Rules 2010 for various excise licences on the voting day for the 70-member Delhi Assembly and the counting day. "It is ordered that dry days shall be observed (during the 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll) from 6 pm on February 3 to 6 pm on February 5, and again on February 8, being the counting day on account of Assembly polls. During the dry days, no liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs, or establishments selling or serving liquor will be permitted to sell or serve liquor to anyone," stated the notification. It further added that non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants, and hotels operated by anyone — whether issued different categories of licences for the possession and supply of liquor—should also not be permitted to serve liquor, PTI reported. 96 women in the fray for Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 Of the 699 candidates contesting in the February 5 Delhi Assembly Elections, 96 are women, as parties strive to win over female voters. Five years ago, 76 out of 672 candidates were women, PTI reported. Among the three key political parties in the elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have each fielded nine female candidates, while the Congress has seven women nominees. All three parties have nominated more women candidates than in the 2020 Assembly polls. Prominent female candidates from AAP include Chief Minister Atishi, Pooja Balyan, Pramila Tokas, and Rakhi Bidlani. Besides Atishi, AAP has renominated Rakhi Bidlani, Pramila Tokas, Dhanwanti Chandela, Bandana Kumar, and Sarita Singh. New faces for AAP this time include Anjana Parcha and Balyan, the wife of Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Naresh Balyan, who is contesting from Uttam Nagar. Naresh was recently arrested for his alleged links to gangster Kapil Sangwan. Among the BJP's female nominees are Rekha Gupta, Poonam Sharma, Shikha Rai, and Priyanka Gautam. The Congress' seven female candidates include Alka Lamba, Ariba Khan, Ragini Nayak, and Aruna Kumari. A total of 981 candidates filed their papers during the week-long nomination window, which began on January 10. The final count was determined after scrutiny on January 18, followed by the last date for withdrawal on January 20. The Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 will be held on February 5, and the results will be declared three days later. (With PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:41 PM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
