Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

In a major setback to Delhi's <keyword id="19935664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Aam Aadmi Party" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Aam Aadmi Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> government, the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Supreme Court" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</keyword> on Monday ruled that the law "expressly enables" the lieutenant governor to nominate <keyword id="22669982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aldermen" source="keywords">aldermen</keyword> to the <keyword id="19900879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mcd" source="keywords">MCD</keyword> and he is not bound by the advice of the council of ministers in the matter. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala rejected the <keyword id="19925995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-government" source="keywords">Delhi government</keyword>'s plea challenging the LG's power to nominate 10 aldermen in the <keyword id="19907640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Municipal-Corporation-of-Delhi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Municipal Corporation of Delhi" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Municipal Corporation of Delhi">Municipal Corporation of Delhi</keyword> without the aid and advice of the council of ministers. The apex court pronounced its verdict on the Delhi government's plea after reserving it for nearly 15 months. In its ruling impacting the fraught relationship between the LG's office and the AAP-led Delhi government, the bench said the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act as amended in 1993 "expressly enables the LG to nominate persons having special knowledge to the corporation". It said the power expressed by the statute in the name of the LG, also seen in the context of other provisions, demonstrates the statutory scheme in which the powers and duties are distributed among authorities under the Act. "The context in which the power is located confirms that the LG is intended to act as per the mandate of the statute and not guided by the aid and advice of the council of ministers. The power to be exercised is the statutory duty of the LG and not the executive power of the state. This is how we analysed the constitutional provisions," Justice Narasimha said while pronouncing the verdict on behalf of the bench. The bench said the statutory power under provision 3(3)(b)(1) which deals with nomination of persons having special knowledge was vested with the LG for the first time by the 1993 amendment of the DMC Act of 1957. The bench said the DMC Act as amended in 1993 recognises five authorities exercising the state's power and duties under the Act -- these are the Central government, the government of NCT, administrator, corporation and the commissioner. It said the amendment Act of 1993 carries out several amendments to the original DMC Act of 1957 by which the power, duties were allocated to the authorities depending on the function they perform under the law. The bench said by way of the amendment the power of nomination of aldermen was given to LG under the provision just like the power of nomination of MLAs was given to the speaker of the House. On May 17 last year, the top court had said that giving the LG the power to nominate aldermen to the MCD will mean he can destabilise an elected civic body. The MCD has 250 elected and 10 nominated members. In December 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party defeated the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> in the civic elections, winning 134 wards and ending the saffron party's 15-year run at the helm of the MCD. The BJP won 104 seats and the Congress finished a distant third with nine. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, had contended during the hearing that no separate powers have been accorded to the state government to nominate people to the MCD. For the past 30 years, the practice of the LG nominating aldermen on the aid and advice of the city government has been followed, he said. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the LG's office, submitted that just because a practice has been followed for 30 years does not mean it is correct. The top court had observed that giving the LG the power to nominate aldermen will effectively mean that he can destabilise a democratically elected MCD because these aldermen get appointed to the standing committees and have voting power. Earlier, the top court had questioned the "source of power" of the LG under the Constitution and the law to nominate aldermen to the MCD without the aid and advice of the elected government. On May 12 last year, the top court observed that LG has to act on the "aid and advice" of the council of ministers of the Delhi government in nominating 10 aldermen to the MCD.

SC backs LG's right to nominate aldermen to MCD, setback for AAP govt

New Delhi: Senior AAP leader <keyword id="19909124" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manish-Sisodia" source="keywords">Manish Sisodia</keyword> on Saturday called upon party workers and people to fight against the "dictatorship" in the country, a day after he was released from jail in the Delhi excise policy case. Targeting the BJP, he also said these people are not more powerful than the Constitution. Every person has to fight against this "dictatorship" which is not just putting leaders in jail but also harassing citizens, Sisodia said while addressing <keyword id="19935664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Aam Aadmi Party" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Aam Aadmi Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> (AAP) workers at its headquarters here. He claimed that while in jail, he was not worried about getting bail but was pained seeing businessmen being put in prison in "fake cases just because they did not donate money to the BJP". The <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Supreme Court" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</keyword> on Friday gave Sisodia bail in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged excise policy "scam" and said his long incarceration of 17 months without trial had deprived him of the right to speedy justice. On AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister <keyword id="19901384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal" source="keywords">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword>, who is also in jail in the case, Sisodia said he is the symbol of honesty in the country. Conspiracies are being hatched to defame Kejriwal's work, he said and added that if opposition leaders unite against the "dictatorship", Kejriwal will come out of jail in 24 hours. Sisodia told AAP workers that "we are just horses of a chariot but our real 'saarthi' (charioteer) is in jail, he will come out soon". On his bail verdict, Sisodia said the Supreme Court used the power of the Constitution to "trample dictatorship" yesterday. He said he was hoping to get justice in seven-to-eight months but it took 17 months. But at the end truth triumphed, Sisodia said. Seeking to target the BJP over the Vinesh Phogat issue, Sisodia, without taking the wrestler's name, said she protested against its leader and people saw what happened at the Olympics. Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being found 100 grams overweight ahead of her women's 50kg final, was at the forefront of a lengthy protest alleging government inaction against former Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers.

People have to fight against dictatorship in country: AAP leader Manish Sisodia

INDIA bloc leaders gathered at <keyword id="19895812" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jantar-Mantar" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jantar Mantar" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Jantar Mantar">Jantar Mantar</keyword> here on Tuesday to demand the release of Delhi Chief Minister <keyword id="19901384" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal" source="keywords">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> amid his declining health and hit out at the BJP-led Centre for "suppressing" the voice of <keyword id="19895395" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="opposition" source="keywords">opposition</keyword>. They also blamed the Centre for obstructing the work of the Delhi government, therefore leading to the recent incident in Rajinder Nagar where three students died after getting trapped in a flooded basement of a coaching centre. Slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "End dictatorship" were raised during the <keyword id="19895811" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="protest" source="keywords">protest</keyword> rally called by the <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AAP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AAP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="AAP">AAP</keyword>. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said three senior AAP leaders -- Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put in jail as "part of a conspiracy". He also accused the Centre of obstructing the work of the Delhi government, and held them responsible for the situation in the national capital, including the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths. "The Modi government is responsible for the anarchy in Delhi. This anarchy took the lives of the three <keyword id="20217536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UPSC-aspirants" source="keywords">UPSC aspirants</keyword> in Rajinder Nagar. <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> took the lives of three UPSC aspirants," Bhattacharya said during the rally. "They tried to end AAP, weaken Delhi government as part of a conspiracy. The elected chief minister is in jail. Umar Khalid and many activists are in jail in false charges in Delhi riots. Bhima Koregaon fake case, father Stan Swamy was in jail and he even died while in custody. There is a huge conspiracy against leaders, activists," he said. The BJP-led Centre is "trying to suppress the voice of those who oppose them", he said. "Six months ago when Arvind ji, Hemant ji were arrested, we knew it was a conspiracy because Lok Sabha elections were there," he said. "Hemant ji came out, there was an appeal to stop his bail but it was dismissed. Kejriwal ji was released for less than a month. Now though he has been given a bail there is a conspiracy to keep him in jail," he said. "It is a conspiracy to finish a democratically elected government and a political party," Bhattacharya said, urging the people to give their reply to the BJP in upcoming assembly polls in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand by defeating the BJP. "The recent mandate has proved that people won't tolerate tyranny. We will ensure justice,"he added. Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja also demanded the immediate release of the Delhi chief minister, and expressed concerns about his health. "After BJP's coming to power, democracy is no longer 'for' the people, democracy is 'far' from people, democracy is not 'of' the people, it is 'off' the people, and it is not 'by' the people, it is 'buy' the people," Raja said. "Kejriwal is one of the victims of the central agencies used by the Modi government. Can we allow this? How much longer can we tolerate this situation in the country. Kejriwal is not well and his health has deteriorated," he said. AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai said Kejriwal's sugar levels are going down in custody. "He was granted bail by trial court and Supreme Court but a conspiracy was hatched to keep him in jail. Why does BJP want to put opposition leaders in jail? Who is responsible for the deaths of the three UPSC aspirants?" Rai said. "When LG is being asked about the incident, he is quiet. The BJP, which is demanding Kejriwal's resignation, snatched away the powers of the Delhi government. They want rights but run away when they are held accountable," he charged. has been accusing the BJP of "conspiring to kill" Kejriwal in jail and cited his medical report to show that his sugar levels have fallen 34 times between June 3 and July 7. Nationalist <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi are also present in the INDIA bloc rally. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari referred to Kejriwal's wife Sunita as a "symbol of resistance" as he began his address. "We have come to give complete moral support to AAP and Kejriwal on behalf of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the struggle against illegal arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The arrest of Kejriwal in an illegal and unconstitutional manner indicate nothing but the bad intentions of the BJP," he alleged. Tiwari said it was "height" of inhumanity to keep Kejriwal in jail despite his medical reports showing dip in his blood sugar to a dangerous level. The Congress and AAP had fought the recent Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in alliance. AAP had fielded candidates on four seats and Congress on three seats. However, the alliance drew a blank. Gogoi warned the BJP and its leaders saying they cannot scare the opposition whether it is AAP, Congress or any other party. "Their illusion lies shattered with this rally. If fair Lok Sabha elections had been held in 2024, the BJP would have been in opposition and we would have been in power. The BJP-led government is not going to complete its five-year term," he stressed. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam and has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. However, he is currently lodged in Tihar in a connected CBI case.

INDIA bloc leaders gather at Jantar Mantar, demand release of Delhi CM Kejriwal

In a significant <keyword id="20359239" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-development" source="keywords">political development</keyword>, <keyword id="19969165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Atishi" source="keywords">Atishi</keyword> is poised to become the next Chief Minister of Delhi, following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal. The <keyword id="19935664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Aam Aadmi Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Aam Aadmi Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> (AAP) convened a legislative meeting earlier today, where all MLAs unanimously accepted Kejriwal's proposal to nominate Atishi for the top post. <h2>Who is Atishi?</h2>Atishi Marlena, widely known as Atishi, is a prominent figure within the AAP and currently holds multiple key portfolios in the <keyword id="19925995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-government" source="keywords">Delhi government</keyword>. A Rhodes scholar, she has long been a key architect of AAP’s <keyword id="20374249" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="education-reforms" source="keywords">education reforms</keyword> in Delhi, which transformed the public schooling system and gained national attention. Her work has earned her recognition as a progressive leader committed to enhancing education, governance, and <keyword id="20228723" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-welfare" source="keywords">public welfare</keyword>. Atishi has served as a Delhi MLA, representing the Kalkaji constituency, and has been an essential part of the Kejriwal-led government. She took on many responsibilities when Kejriwal was jailed in connection with the excise policy case, and her reputation for efficiency and dedication helped solidify her as a strong contender for the chief ministerial position. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113312516" title="Supreme Court grants bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Liquor scam case" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Kejriwal’s resignation and resultant suspense</h2>The sequence of events leading to Atishi's ascension began with Arvind Kejriwal's sudden announcement that he would resign as Delhi’s Chief Minister. On September 13, 2024, Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail, where he was lodged for his alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor policy scam. Following his release, Kejriwal took to the public platform to declare that he would step down, pending a “certificate of honesty” from the people of Delhi. In a political gambit that stunned many, Kejriwal pushed for advancing the polls to November 2024, ahead of the originally scheduled February 2025 elections. His rationale was that only a fresh mandate from the people, whom he asked to consider his honesty as the deciding factor, would validate his return to power. Until then, he vowed not to reassume the office of Chief Minister. "I didn't resign (after arrest in excise policy case) because I respect democracy and the Constitution is supreme for me," Kejriwal had said earlier. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113364559" title="Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces resignation, demands Delhi elections in November" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Kejriwal’s resignation prompted a flurry of activity within AAP, as speculation mounted about who would succeed him. The party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and other senior leaders, including Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Gopal Rai, held several rounds of discussions. Names floated for the role included Atishi, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and even Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal. Some sources hinted that a surprise candidate from a minority community could also emerge. However, Atishi was always seen as the frontrunner. She holds a majority of the key portfolios in the Delhi government and was handpicked by Kejriwal to unfurl the national flag on August 15 while he was in jail — a symbolic gesture that hinted at her growing political stature within the party. <h2>Atishi’s nomination and the path ahead</h2>The AAP legislative meeting, held at Kejriwal’s residence earlier today, saw Atishi’s nomination as the new Chief Minister of Delhi. The decision was unanimously accepted by all AAP MLAs, with Kejriwal personally proposing her name. Once Kejriwal officially tenders his resignation later today, Atishi will likely meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to stake her claim for the CM’s office. It is expected that Atishi will not take the oath of office immediately, as the process involves proving majority on the floor of the Delhi Assembly and appointing a new council of ministers. Sources suggest that the swearing-in ceremony may take place closer to the next Assembly session. Atishi’s rise to the Chief Ministerial post comes at a time of political turbulence for AAP. Kejriwal’s resignation, driven by his desire to restore his public image following his incarceration, has put the party in a precarious position. The opposition <keyword id="14666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="Orion">BJP</keyword> has termed Kejriwal’s resignation a "PR stunt" aimed at deflecting attention from the corruption charges. Atishi, with her track record of governance and public service, represents a fresh face for AAP, one that can potentially rejuvenate the party’s image. She will need to navigate a host of challenges, including the corruption allegations surrounding Kejriwal and the upcoming elections. Whether she will be able to maintain the party’s grip on Delhi or lead it to a new electoral victory remains to be seen. (With inputs from agencies)

Atishi set to become Delhi's new Chief Minister as Arvind Kejriwal steps down months before the assembly elections

The <keyword id="19895344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Enforcement-Directorate" source="keywords">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> alleged Saturday that the CPI(M) in <keyword id="19896018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala" source="keywords">Kerala</keyword> was holding proceeds of <keyword id="19899231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="money-laundering" source="keywords">money laundering</keyword>, as it attached a land parcel and <keyword id="20202062" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bank-deposits" source="keywords">bank deposits</keyword> worth Rs 73 lakh of the political party in a <keyword id="19913348" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="probe" source="keywords">probe</keyword> linked to the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank "scam". Assets worth Rs 28.65 crore of various individuals and entities linked to the case have also been attached by the federal agency after a provisional order under the <keyword id="19912399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prevention-of-money-laundering-act" source="keywords">Prevention of Money Laundering Act</keyword> (PMLA) was issued. Official sources said the party may be nam<keyword id="19956083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ED" source="keywords">ed</keyword> as an accused in the next supplementary chargesheet to be filed in this case. If so, it will be the second political party to be arraigned as accused in a money laundering investigation after the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP has recently been named by the ED in the Delhi excise policy case. The CPI(M) vehemently denied the charges of wrongdoing and money laundering. The attached assets include 18 immovable properties, valued at Rs 28.65 crore, consisting of lands and buildings in Kerala of the beneficiaries of the "scam", including an immovable property worth Rs 10 lakh registered in the name of a district secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for a party office, the ED said in a statement. The attachment also includes eight movable properties, including a credit balance of Rs 63.62 lakh in eight "undisclosed" bank accounts of the CPI(M) local area committees in Thrissur, it added. The agency claimed that the CPI(M) received these funds from the beneficiaries as donations through the governing body and the party is "in possession of proceeds of crime" which has been invested in the purchase of immovable properties and credited to its five bank accounts in the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Ltd. The bank is promoted by the party. The CPI(M) rejected the ED charges, saying it would legally and politically fight any move by the agency to arraign it in the case linked to the alleged multi-crore Karuvannur bank scam. Party state secretary M V Govindan alleged that the ED was trying to make opposition parties and their leaders accused in various cases due to political reasons. He also accused the central agency of attempting to create a smokescreen as it had failed to collect any evidence against the party. The ED believes that the land parcel attached by it was meant for the CPI(M) party office and was purchased using alleged kickbacks from the loanees or beneficiaries of the loans sanctioned by the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank. The agency has relied on the "confessional" statements of at least two accused in this case who claimed in their statements recorded before a judicial magistrate that the purported irregularities in the bank were orchestrated at the behest of CPI(M) Thrissur district committee leaders. The ED alleged that "bogus loans" were sanctioned by the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank on the same property multiple times without the knowledge of members of the society. "Investigation found benami loans were sanctioned to non-members against inflated property valuations in the names of other members and such loan funds were siphoned off and laundered by the accused beneficiaries," it said, adding that the loan amounts were disbursed in cash to avoid a money trail. "Such benami and illegal loans were sanctioned at the behest of the secretary and the governing body of the society in connivance with the then-bank manager, at the behest of the Thrissur district committee, CPI(M). "In return, the Thrissur district committee, CPI(M), collected money in the form of donations and salary cut from the beneficiaries and society committee members into their undisclosed and illegally opened bank accounts in the same society," the agency said. These funds, according to the ED, were utilised for the purchase of land worth Rs 10 lakh by the secretary of the Thrissur district committee of the CPI(M) for the construction of the party office, which has now been attached as proceeds of crime. Govindan said it has been a decades-long practice of registering the office and other assets of party units in the name of the respective district committees. What role does the party have in the office constructed by one of its local committees, he asked. But the ED is now trying to tarnish the image of the CPI(M) in the name of the assets of one such party unit, Govindan claimed. "We will fight it legally and politically. We haven't got any notice in this regard so far," he told reporters. The ED filed a chargesheet in this case against 55 accused entities in November last year. The money laundering case stems from 16 FIRs registered by the <keyword id="20086884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kerala-police" source="keywords">Kerala Police</keyword> (<keyword id="20146853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crime-branch" source="keywords">Crime Branch</keyword>) in Thrissur in 2010. Four people have been arrested by the ED in this case so far.

After AAP, ED attaches land, bank deposits of CPI(M); says party holding proceeds of money laundering

New Delhi, The BJP on Friday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of peddling a bundle of lies on the issue of its leader Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword>'s arrest, asserting that those who are corrupt will go to jail. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said politicians used to scratch each other's back to help each other while indulging in scams but this has changed in the last 10 years under the government headed by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>. "Should he (Kejriwal) be let off because he is a chief minister and not a common man," he asked, alleging that the Delhi chief minister is a kingpin in the corruption case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). With opposition parties, including the Congress, rallying to Kejriwal's defence and describing his arrest as part of the Union government's crackdown on their leaders, the BJP spokesperson said it is a case of thieves displaying brotherhood. He is the leader of the corrupt, Patra charged and added that <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aap" source="keywords">AAP</keyword> leaders have been peddling a bundle of lies on the matter. <keyword id="19935990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonia-gandhi" source="keywords">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> and <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> are also on bail in a corruption case, he said, adding mockingly that it is "bail bond" among them. They are also coming together as their ships are sinking, he said. Dismissing AAP leaders' allegation of political vendetta, Patra asked if people will believe courts or them and said every thief claims innocence when caught. With the AAP insisting that Kejriwal will remain chief minister, the BJP leader said it shows his greed for power and post while he and his colleagues rose in politics by claiming to disdain the very thing. As Delhi government minister Atishi questioned the arrest of a chief minister and expressed concern about his safety as he has 'Z plus' security, he hit back, saying it shows their sense of entitlement. She is saying how a CM can be arrested as he is not a common man, Patra said, noting that Kejriwal once named the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav as corrupt and would ask when people will start going to the jail. The AAP leader then claimed he has entered politics to cleanse it but began living in a palace and moving around in a security cover, he said. "It is high time that people who are embroiled in corruption are arrested," Patra asserted. Patra also played a statement of Congress leader Ajay Maken in which the he had lashed out at Kejriwal for the alleged excise scam and accused him of using Rs 100 crore collected from it to harm the Congress in the Goa assembly polls in 2022. Even the Supreme Court has spoken about a money trail of over Rs 338 crore while denying bail to AAP leader <keyword id="19909124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manish-sisodia" source="keywords">Manish Sisodia</keyword> in the same case, he said. Following Kejriwal's arrest Thursday evening, the AAP had given a nationwide call for protest against the BJP. BJP leaders have called the protest a drama and "celebration of corruption".

Corrupt will go to jail: BJP on Kejriwal's arrest, AAP protest

A day after <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> leader <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>'s remarks in the <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> created a political uproar, <keyword id="19905334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena" source="keywords">Shiv Sena</keyword> (UBT) leader <keyword id="19905333" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Raut" source="keywords">Sanjay Raut</keyword> backed his words stating that the leaders of the INDIA bloc do not align with the "fake <keyword id="19935821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindutva" source="keywords">Hindutva</keyword>" portrayed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>). "Yesterday, Rahul Gandhiji said that Hindutva is not equal to the BJP. Hindutva does not promote spreading hatred. We do not align with the fake Hindutva portrayed by the BJP", Raut said while addressing the media here in the national capital on Tuesday. Falling in line with Rahul Gandhi's remarks, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further added that the former said in the Parliament that 'Hindutva' is a much wider term. "He did not say anything wrong about the Hindus. Those who consider themselves Hindus should hear again that Rahul Gandhiji had said that 'Hindutva' is a much wider term and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won't understand this", he said. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi's maiden speech in <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha generated a lot of political heat with BJP leaders accusing him "of speaking lies, misleading the House and terming the entire Hindu community violent" and the Congress hitting back with counter allegations against the <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-government" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Modi government" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Modi government">Modi government</keyword>. The two Houses took up the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address with PM Modi slamming Rahul Gandhi during his speech. "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter," PM Modi said. Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Congress also held an evening presser to slam the ruling party at the Centre. Rahul Gandhi launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP targeting it over its remarks during the Lok Sabha campaign, the NEET-UG controversy, <keyword id="20611113" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agniveer-scheme" source="keywords">Agniveer scheme</keyword>. Participating in the debate on the Motion Of Thanks on the President's Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government over the Agniveer scheme and claimed that Agniveer is not called a 'jawan' and said that Agniveers serving for a period of four years will not get a pension. "One Agniveer lost his life in a landmine blast but he is not called a 'martyr'... 'Agniveer' is a use and throw labourer," Rahul Gandhi alleged, attacking the BJP-led NDA government over the scheme," he had said. He also called the Hindu symbol 'Abhayamudra' which gestures fearlessness, reassurance and safety, as the symbol of the Congress party. "Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress...The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions...All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear...But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth...Aap Hindu ho hi nahi," the Congress leader said. "It is written in the Hindu religion; do not shy away from the truth, stand with the truth", he added. Gandhi's remarks witnessed brickbats from the BJP leaders as they accused the Congress leaders of "spreading lies" and demanded an apology from his side. Meanwhile, PM Modi will deliver his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address in the lower house of Parliament later today. JP Nadda, MoS Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Ram Nath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satya Pal Singh Baghel, Shobha Karandlaje, BL Verma, L Murugan, Ajay Tamta, Kamlesh Paswan, Ravneet Singh will lay papers on the table in Lok Sabha today.

"We do not align with fake Hindutva portrayed by BJP": Sanjay Raut backs Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Parliament

New <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword>: Delhi Chief Minister <keyword id="19901384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="arvind-kejriwal" source="keywords">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> was arrested by the <keyword id="19895344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="enforcement-directorate" source="keywords">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> (ED) on Thursday night in an excise policy-linked money laundering case, officials said. The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aap" source="keywords">AAP</keyword> national convenor from any coercive action by the agency. The 55-year-old leader's arrest, amid campaign for the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections, drew angry reactions from his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Soon after the high court order, an ED team reached his residence and carried out searches. Subsequently, he was arrested, officials said. Officials said the ED would produce the chief minister before a court here on Friday and seek his custody for interrogation. As the ED officials carried out their action inside, additional Delhi Police personnel and Rapid Action Force (RAF) and CRPF teams were deployed around the chief minister's residence. The additional deployment was made as the ED sought extra security measures in anticipation of protests by AAP supporters, sources said. A large number of AAP workers and leaders gathered near the chief minister's residence and shouted slogans against the ED action. During the day, <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword> moved the Supreme Court against the high court's order denying him any relief in the matter. The ED's action is virtually a replay of what transpired during the arrest last week of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader <keyword id="19987244" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="k-kavitha" source="keywords">K Kavitha</keyword>, who is now in ED custody in the same case. The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped. AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrested by ED

New Delhi, The <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aap" source="keywords">AAP</keyword> on Friday claimed the CBI is planning to arrest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword> in the next few days and will serve him a notice by the evening. While the party did not say in which case Kejriwal is likely to be arrested, it said that this was being done to prevent the AAP from stitching an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> is scared of the two parties coming together. While there was no immediate response from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the AAP's claims, the BJP said AAP leaders are trying to create confusion and generate sympathy for Kejriwal. The Congress and the AAP are likely to have a seat-sharing pact in Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls and the talks between the two sides are in the final stages, sources said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference here, Delhi cabinet minister and senior AAP leader <keyword id="19945966" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="saurabh-bharadwaj" source="keywords">Saurabh Bharadwaj</keyword> said as soon as reports of finalisation of seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the AAP started coming in, the ED sent a seventh summons to Kejriwal in the excise policy case. "We have learnt from reliable sources that the CBI is planning to arrest Kejriwal. The CBI will also serve a notice to Kejriwal either this afternoon or by the evening," Bharadwaj said. Kejriwal will be arrested in the next two to three days, he said. "We are getting messages that if the AAP-Congress alliance is formed, Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested. The BJP is scared of the AAP-Congress alliance. You can arrest Kejriwal if you want, but the alliance will be forged," he said. The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fresh summons to Kejriwal asking him to appear before it for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case on February 26, sources said on Thursday. This is the seventh summons issued by the ED to the chief minister, who skipped the previous six. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said people will take to the streets if Kejriwal is arrested. "There will be a tsunami. Their (BJP) political calculations will go wrong. We are not scared of being arrested. We are forging this alliance for the country," he said. Delhi BJP president <keyword id="20040814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="virendra-sachdeva" source="keywords">Virendra Sachdeva</keyword> said Kejriwal knows that the talks on the AAP's alliance with the Congress are failing but AAP leaders have been spreading rumours since Thursday and are trying to generate sympathy for the chief minister. "Kejriwal may delay his punishment with the help of lawyers but ultimately, the people of Delhi will punish him harshly in the coming elections," the BJP leader said. The AAP and Kejriwal should remember that Congress leader Ajay Maken had submitted the first written complaint to the lieutenant governor regarding the liquor "scam" under his government, Sachdeva said. The BJP won all the seven seats in Delhi with 51 per cent votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and 59 per cent in 2019. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the people of Delhi will give 70 per cent votes to the BJP, he asserted.

CBI to arrest Kejriwal in few days, will serve him notice by evening: AAP

<keyword id="19896016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-delhi" source="keywords">New Delhi</keyword>, The Delhi government on Tuesday appealed to citizens to not fall prey to misinformation being spread by "notorious elements" who are trying to "take advantage" of the situation arising from the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword>. A statement issued by the <keyword id="20097855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="planning-department" source="keywords">Planning Department</keyword> said "speculations and rumours are being spread by notorious elements with vested interests in Delhi" that welfare schemes and subsidies will be stopped. "Even as the law takes its own course in the process of criminal investigation, it merits clarification that administration of schemes and governance are never specific to individuals and shall continue in normal course, as in the past," it read. Sources in the AAP dispensation said the statement was issued following directions from Kejriwal. All public services, social welfare schemes and subsidies currently given by the Delhi government will continue uninterrupted, it said, asking people not to be misled by "any fear-mongering and malicious disinformation in this regard". "Appeal to all citizens of Delhi to stay away from any rumour mongers, who would try to take advantage of situation arising from the arrest / remand of Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi by <keyword id="19895344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="enforcement-directorate" source="keywords">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> on 21 March, 2024, by spreading misinformation," it said. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is in ED custody till March 28. In the statement, Planning Secretary Niharika Rai said "such rumours create an atmosphere of fear within the general public". "There shall be no disruption of any kind in disbursement of admissible subsidies, pensions, welfare benefits etc. Social welfare schemes are funded with public money through the consolidated fund, backed by budgetary allocations." The statement clarified that social welfare funds are "neither the personal property of any individual or political entity nor funded by an individual or entity's personal money". "There is an architecture of civil services and processes laid down in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, which continues as usual. Hence, these public services, social welfare schemes and subsidies are not at all affected by the arrest/remand of Hon'ble Chief Minister," it stressed.

Don't fall prey to rumours about discontinuation of schemes: Delhi govt to citizens

Delhi is expected to record 14,000 fresh Covid cases on Thursday, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said. Speaking to reporters, the minister also said the city is in a comfortable position in terms of hospital bed occupancy and there is no need for a lockdown right now. Jain said the number of cases in Delhi is high due as a large number of people are being tested for <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> in the city. "We have been conducting a large number of tests. If we don't do that, the new cases can reduce to 500-1,000. A lot of people (states) don't conduct tests and say they don't have cases. We have been transparent," he said. "We are conducting the maximum number of tests in the country," he claimed. A few healthcare workers in Delhi have tested positive, but the number is not alarming, the minister said in response to a question Asked whether the <keyword id="1983255" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AAP-government" source="Orion">AAP government</keyword> was considering a lockdown in the city, Jain said Delhi has already taken stringent actions, including imposing a night curfew and weekend curfew, which are sufficient for time being. There is no need for a lockdown right now. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-clocks-over-90000-fresh-covid-19-cases-and-325-deaths-in-the-last-24-hours/articleshow/88726971.cms">India clocks over 90,000 fresh COVID-19 cases and 325 deaths in the last 24 hours</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sensex-slumps-over-450-points-in-early-trade-nifty-slips-below-17800-hdfc-hcl-tech-hdfc-bank-infosys-kotak-bank-tech-mahindra-and-tcs-top-losers/articleshow/88725853.cms">Sensex slumps over 450 points in early trade; Nifty slips below 17,800 — HDFC, HCL Tech, HDFC Bank, Infosys, Kotak Bank, Tech Mahindra and TCS top losers</a>

Delhi likely to report 14,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, says Health Minister Satyendar Jain

<ul><li>India’s richest and world’s third richest person <keyword id="111343" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="gautam-adani" source="Orion">Gautam Adani</keyword> was in the hot seat on Rajat Sharma’s ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ show on Saturday.</li><li>In the hour-long show, the billionaire from Gujarat addressed several controversial topics like his closeness with the ruling BJP, his group debt and more.</li><li><keyword id="76451" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="adani" source="Orion">Adani</keyword> revealed that Reliance Industries’ founder, the late Dhirubhai <keyword id="10924" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ambani" source="Orion">Ambani</keyword> is his role model, and that Mukesh Ambani is a very good friend.</li></ul>India’s richest and world’s third richest person Gautam Adani was in the hot seat on Rajat Sharma’s ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ show on Saturday. In the hour-long show, the billionaire from Gujarat addressed several controversial topics like his closeness with the ruling BJP, and Mukesh Ambani, his closest rival. “To become successful, discipline and hard work is the only formula, leave the rest to God,” Adani said in the opening segment of the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYKPBgNPlVo"> show</a>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘Doubting the class topper who achieved the first rank’" comment="subhead" text="‘Doubting the class topper who achieved the first rank’">‘Doubting the class topper who achieved the first rank’</cmsannotation> The show, which is known to make top celebrities answer the most uncomfortable questions about themselves, started off with the political connections that Gautam Adani allegedly enjoys. The opposition parties have termed Adani’s meteoric rise as a case of “<a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rahul-gandhi-bharat-jodo-yatra-delhi-red-fort-address-2313120-2022-12-24">crony</a> capitalism”. He is known to be close to the ruling BJP government. One of Adani’s frequent critics is Rahul Gandhi, senior leader of the primary opposition party, the Indian National Congress. The show’s anchor Sharma pointed out how Gandhi has been critical of Adani over the past eight years, calling him “ungrateful”, amongst other things. On this, Adani said, “Rahul Gandhi is a senior leader of the Congress party. As an industrialist, I think it’s not good that I pass a comment about him. He’s a respected leader and wants the progress of the country. Sometimes in the heat of politics, he makes a comment, but I don’t consider it anything more than a political comment.” Adani added that his companies don’t bag projects in only BJP-ruled states. “We want to make maximum investments in every state. Adani group is happy that it is working in 22 states, and not all of them are ruled by the BJP,” he said. “I can say with clarity that we do not have any problem with any state government. We work in Left-ruled Kerala, with Mamata Didi in West Bengal, in Naveen Patnaikji’s Odisha, with Jagan (in Andhra Pradesh), and KCR (in Telangana),” he added. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="96610248" title="Gautam Adani: Man of the year" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Gandhi also alleged that the Modi government has given away business in key areas like mining, green energy, power and others to Adani’s group companies. On this, Adani said, “We have not done any work without bidding. We don’t enter any business without bidding or merits. Adani’s group’s philosophy has been to not touch anything without bidding.” “This is like doubting how the class topper has achieved the first rank,” he quipped. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘Lenders don’t give loans based on what someone says’" comment="subhead" text="‘Lenders don’t give loans based on what someone says’">‘Lenders don’t give loans based on what someone says’</cmsannotation> Adani’s rise has also been criticized for being <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/gautam-adanis-overly-ambitious-growth-plans-can-spiral-into-a-massive-debt-trap-fitch/articleshow/93725014.cms">funded by debt</a>. Sharma pointed out that Adani’s critics say he has over ₹2 lakh crore worth of debt in the books of his companies. Responding to this, Adani said, “Our credit rating is equal to that of India’s sovereign rating. We have brought down the share of loans taken from banks in India to 35% of our total debt now, from 80% in 2013.” “The rest of it is from outside India, and those lenders don’t give loans based on what someone says in India. So, this allegation is entirely baseless,” he added. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="91829090" title="Understanding Gautam Adani’s rise: a story on how to generate wealth via hope, equity and of course debt" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘Mukesh bhai is a very good friend’" comment="subhead" text="‘Mukesh bhai is a very good friend’">‘Mukesh bhai is a very good friend’</cmsannotation> As Adani rose through the ranks of the world’s richest, he also displaced Mukesh Ambani as India’s richest man — who had been holding on to the tag for a very long time. In addition, both the business groups’ interests clash be it green hydrogen, renewable energy and most recently media. On the topic of rivalry, Adani said that Ambani is a very good friend of his, and that his late father, Dhirubhai Ambani is his role model. “Dhirubhai is a role model. The way he set up and scaled Reliance Industries even before liberalization, he showed the way forward. He is an inspiration,” Adani said. Adani also praised Mukesh Ambani, saying he took the Reliance group forward and expanded it. “Mukesh bhai is a very good friend. I respect him a lot. He gave Reliance Industries a new direction with Jio, technology and retail, apart from his primary petrochemical business. He has made a big contribution towards developing the country,” he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/sbi-hdfc-bank-axis-bank-among-other-private-and-public-bank-earnings-could-see-a-further-ramp-up-in-q3-2022/articleshow/96768992.cms">Bank earnings could see a further ramp up in Q3, say analysts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/skippi-ice-pops-what-this-hyderabad-popsicle-brand-is-doing-after-raising-rs-1-crore-from-shark-tank-india-season-1/articleshow/96759786.cms">Skippi Ice Pops – how the Hyderabad-based popsicle brand fared after bagging a ₹1 crore deal on Shark Tank India S1</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-wipro-and-other-it-companies-earnings-preview-for-q3-fy23/articleshow/96731891.cms">December quarter likely to be a weak one for the IT sector – Infosys amongst top analyst picks</a>

Dhirubhai Ambani is my role model and Mukesh Ambani a very good friend, says Gautam Adani

With the early trends in all 182 seats of Gujarat Assembly coming in, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="14666" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bjp" source="Orion">BJP</keyword>) was seen inching towards an all-time high record of 149 seats. As per the latest trends, the party was leading in 149 seats, the number of seats which the <keyword id="1575" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="congress" source="Orion">Congress</keyword> had won in the 1985 election under the leadership of Madhavsinh Solanki, in what remains a record till date. The BJP was all set for a sweeping victory for the eighth term in a state where it has not lost an election since 1995. The Congress was ahead in 19 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (<keyword id="6356115" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="aap" source="Orion">AAP</keyword>) in 9, according to the first trends of all the seats in the state Assembly as reported by the Election Commission. The others were leading in five seats, including a candidate of the Samajwadi Party in Kutiyana seat of Porbandar district and four independents in Dhanera, Vaghodia, Santrampur and Deesa. After registering initial gains, the Congress and AAP slipped while the BJP continued to improve its tally to reach the tally of 149. A number of sitting BJP MLAs were among those leading in the initial trends. Party leaders like Jitu Vaghani, Purnesh Modi, Kanubhai Desai and Hardik Patel were among those ahead of their rivals. AAP's chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi was leading in Khambhalia. The party's candidates were also leading in Jamjodhpur, Dediapada, Dhari, Vyara, Botad, Bhiloda, Gariadhar and Limbayat. AAP state chief Gopal Italia was trailing in Katargam seat and Alpesh Kathiriya was trailing in Varachha Road seat, both in Surat. The BJP has so far received 53.62 per cent vote share, Congress 26.57 per cent and AAP 12.80 per cent. The results of the two-phase elections, held earlier this month, will be watched more for the performance of the Congress and the new poll entrant AAP, which seem to be locked in a battle to grab the status of the main opposition party in the state. While the Congress was not expected to replicate its creditable performance of the last Assembly elections in 2017, a good showing by the AAP would have helped its leader Arvind Kejriwal cement his place as a key challenger to Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> in the parliamentary elections due in 2024. The Modi government is struggling with issues like rising inflation, slowing growth and joblessness, but economic troubles are unlikely to dent the BJP's popularity in Gujarat that has been a bastion of the party for decades and where Modi was the chief minister from 2001 to 2014. Gujarat has 182 Assembly seats and the majority mark is 92. Exit polls have predicted the BJP will comfortably win a seventh straight term -- an outcome that will equal the Left Front's feat in West Bengal. For the Congress, its role as the main challenger to the BJP is at stake. Thursday's results will reveal if the party's silent campaign has cut ice with people. The party's campaign, mostly shouldered by local leaders, has leaned on door-to-door canvassing for votes as its leader Rahul Gandhi, who had aggressively campaigned in the 2017 elections, chose to stay away to focus on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. For the AAP, which carried out a high-decibel campaign, the elections in Gujarat are an opportunity to establish itself as a pan-national party and a challenger to BJP at the national level. Emboldened by the victory in the Delhi municipal elections, the AAP hopes its politics of welfarism will be accepted by the people in Gujarat. That said, the BJP has had to battle anti-incumbency after being in power for 25 years. It is banking on Modi's charisma and appeal to contain anti-incumbency. Modi addressed as many as 30 election rallies. Unemployment, price rise, water not reaching certain pockets of the state, land acquisition for big projects and farmers not getting proper compensation for crop damage due to excess rains were among key issues of the campaign this time. The voter turnout this time dropped 4 per cent compared to 2017, signalling fatigue and possible disillusionment among some supporters of BJP. While the contest in Gujarat has traditionally been between the BJP and Congress, it turned three-cornered this time with the entry of the AAP. Altogether 182 counting observers and as many election officers along with 494 assistant election officers will be on duty for the entire counting process, the official said. A three-tier security system has been ensured at all the counting centres with local police and personnel of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), the CEO said. The fate of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, youth leaders Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor, among a total 1,621 candidates will be decided on Thursday. A total of 70 political parties and 624 independents were in the fray. Apart from the main rivals BJP, Congress and AAP, 101 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and 26 from Bharatiya Tribal party (BTP) also contested. In the 2017 Assembly polls, BJP won 99 seats and Congress 77 seats, while two seats went to BTP, one to NCP, and three to independents. Ahead of this month's elections, the BJP's number in the House stood at 110 and Congress at 60 after 20 MLAs who won on Congress seats switched over to the BJP in the last five years, three of them quitting just ahead of the elections. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/rate-hike-to-affect-housing-demand-in-the-mid-and-affordable-segments-say-experts/articleshow/96076359.cms">Rate hike to affect housing demand in the mid and affordable segments, say experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/dharmaj-crop-guard-lists-at-12-premium-but-below-grey-market-expectations/articleshow/96075246.cms">Dharmaj Crop Guard lists at 12% premium but below grey market expectations</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-searches-on-google-in-india-in-2022/slidelist/96075404.cms">IPL to KGF Chapter 2 to FIFA World Cup, here are the top Google searches in India in 2022</a>

You Searched For "AAP government" and got 13 results