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Mumbai (<keyword id="19897316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="keywords">Maharashtra</keyword>) [India], February 13 (ANI): Former Maharashtra Chief Minister <keyword id="20501102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ashok-chavan" source="keywords">Ashok Chavan</keyword> joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at the party's office in Mumbai on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, party leader Ashish Shelar and Maharashtra <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> president Chandrashekhar Bawankule were also present at the occasion. Former <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress" source="keywords">Congress</keyword> MLC Amar Rajurkar, who resigned from the party on Monday, also joined the BJP today. Asserting to make a new change in his 38-year political career <keyword id="20559325" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="chavan" source="keywords">Chavan</keyword> said, "Today, I am making a new change in my 38 years of politics by joining BJP. To join the country's development journey under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi." "I will ensure that the BJP gets the full benefit of my experience and understanding in politics. After leaving Congress, some people criticized me, some people also supported me, some people also made different comments, but I would like to say once that I will take all these things together and move forward positively. Today I have given my form to become BJP member which has been accepted by Bawankule ji," he added. "Maharashtra politics has its own color, in which we also respect our opponents. When Devendra Fadnavis was the leader of the opposition and we were in power, we used to cooperate with each other positively and even today we do positive work to take the state and the country forward," The former CM said that he is ready to accept any post the party gives adding that he has not demanded anything. "I will accept whatever role the party gives me. I have not made any demand for any role or post from the party. I will accept whatever the party has decided for me," Chavan said. "The decision I have taken is my personal decision and I am just the beginning, so at the moment I am not saying much on this subject, I am ready to fulfill whatever responsibility will be given to me positively, that's all I would like to say," he added. According to sources, Ashok Chavan is likely to be BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Maharashtra putting Congress in a tight spot. Ashok Chavan resgined from the primary membership of the Congress party on Monday. Chavan submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Nana Patole. "I have resigned from the Assembly membership as an MLA. I have given my resignation to the Speaker. I have resigned from the Congress Working Committee and the Congress primary membership," Chavan told reporters after resigning from Congress on Monday. Ashok Chavan was the Vice President and General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Committee from 1986 to 1995. He served the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for three terms, starting in 1999 and ending in May 2014. He served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra State from December 8, 2008, to November 9, 2010. On November 9, 2010, the Congress Party asked him to resign from office over corruption allegations relating to the Adarsh Housing Society scam. In the 2014 general elections, Chavan was elected from the Nanded constituency but lost the seat in 2019 Pratap Patil Chikhalikar of the BJP. He is the third big name to desert the Congress ship in Maharashtra. First to go was former South Mumbai MP Milind Deora, followed by former MLA Baba Siddique. (ANI)

Did not demand any role or post, says Ashok Chavan as he joins BJP

<ul><li>Chief Minister <keyword id="53973" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uddhav-Thackeray">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>, at a meeting of non-Bharatiya Janata Party CMs with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi voiced a similar stance along with his counterparts from seven states</li><li>Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took the line that students are worried about transportation and accommodation facilities in view of the pandemic, besides, there are floods in Bihar and Assam.</li><li>State Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that while exams are very important, the health and safety of the students is equally important.</li></ul>In the ongoing nationwide tug-of-war over the crucial <keyword id="9811655" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="JEE-NEET">JEE-NEET</keyword> examinations scheduled for next month, Maharashtra, along with several other states, is firm on postponing it to avoid Covid-19 risks to the students. Earlier this week, Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his personal intervention to defer the exams in view of the health risks both for students and their families. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, at a meeting of non-Bharatiya Janata Party CMs with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi voiced a similar stance along with his counterparts from seven states Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took the line that students are worried about transportation and accommodation facilities in view of the pandemic, besides, there are floods in Bihar and Assam. State Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that while exams are very important, the health and safety of the students is equally important. "Since coronavirus has not yet come under control, the demand to postpone the JEE-NEET exams is definitely justified. The Central government and Supreme Court Court must rethink on the issue," said Chavan. Aditya Thackeray, who heads the youth wing Yuva Sena, along with ruling Nationalist Congress Party leaders, have gone a step ahead and demanded that the entire academic year be postponed this year. They also rooted for starting the next academic session from January 2021, instead of the regular June/July 2020 as an added precaution during the pandemic. For non-professional courses, most academic assessment has been carried out and the final exams would not amount to more than 10 per cent of the assessment and hence Aditya Thackeray urged passing students based on a marking system devised by the universities. The Congress has planned nationwide protests in support of its demands, while several student organisations from the state have also sought postponement of the JEE-NEET exams, to be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). Preparing in full swing, the NTA has already asked states to provide facilities to students to enable them reach exam centres in time, besides other requirements for the smooth conduct of the examinations. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-fires-two-missiles-into-the-south-china-sea-and-asian-markets-feel-the-blow/articleshow/77777358.cms">China fires two missiles into the South China Sea and Asian markets feel the blow</a>

JEE-NEET 2020: Maharashtra government wants Centre to defer the exams

In January 2013, <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> had hogged the limelight during ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Jaipur, as many <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> leaders had then demanded that he should be named as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> Elections. Rahul is once again at the centre-stage. The news is rife that he may be crowned as the Congress party chief at AICC meet in April and this in reveals an ET report. 
 
As per the business daily, Congress is prepping up to organise an AICC session, on lines of ‘Chintan Shivir’, in between March 28 and April 15 for Rahul Gandhi’s immediate elevation. The party leaders feel that there should be no more delay in this decision. 
 If we believe the report, <keyword id="689" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonia-Gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> is likely to be announced as the chairperson of the Congress parliamentary party. This hints at that the party leadership is preparing for generation shift. 
 The much-anticipated rejig in the party took place on Monday, when Ashok Chavan became the new <keyword id="2540" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="President">president</keyword> of Maharashtra, <keyword id="56431" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Nirupam">Sanjay Nirupam</keyword> took over as the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, Ghulam Ahmed Mir replaced <keyword id="346988" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saifuddin-Soz">Saifuddin Soz</keyword> to take over as <keyword id="145409" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PCC-chief">PCC chief</keyword> in J&amp;K. Bharatsinh Solanki is now the new PCC chief of Gujarat, <keyword id="50339" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajay-Maken">Ajay Maken</keyword> has taken over over the reins of Congress party in Delhi, and for Telangana region, Uttam Kumar Reddy is the new PCC chief. According to the Economic Times report, these appointments have Rahul Gandhi’s stamp. 
 
Some of the Congress leaders feel that two power centres is resulting in more confusion in the party. And they believe that an immediate solution may help party draft its future strategy. 
(Image: TOI)

​Rahul Gandhi may take over the reins of Congress in April

Election 2019: Congress Candidate List for Maharashtra

Gadkari votes, predicts 'record-breaking' win for BJP-Sena Mumbai, Oct 21 () Union Minister <keyword id="26680" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitin-gadkari">Nitin Gadkari</keyword> on Monday expressed confidence that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will form the next government in Maharashtra with a "record- breaking victory". Gadkari, who was among the early voters in Nagpur, said people will vote on the basis of the five-year performance of the <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> government at the Centre and the Devendra Fadnavis-led dispensation in Maharashtra. "The BJP-Sena will have a record-breaking victory and Fadnavis will be the chief minister again," he told reporters after casting his vote. He also urged people to come out to vote and strengthen the democracy, and said NOTA (none of the above) was not a good option in democracy. Besides Gadkari, NCP MP Supriya Sule and her mother Pratibha Pawar were also among the early voters, who exercised their democratic right at Baramati in <keyword id="2094" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pune">Pune</keyword>. "The Congress-NCP alliance will form the next government," claimed Sule, who is the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Former state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of the NCP chief, also voted in Baramati. He is the NCP's nominee from Baramati Assembly seat. The early voters also included Union minister Raosaheb Danve, who exercised his franchise at Bhokardan in Jalna. Udayanraje Bhosale, who quit the NCP and is the BJP's nominee for the bypoll to Satara Lok Sabha in the state, voted in Satara. Former Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde cast his vote in Solapur, where his daughter Praniti Shinde is seeking a third term as MLA. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan and his family members cast their votes at a school in Nanded. Chavan is the Congress' nominee from Bhokar in Nanded. In Mumbai, where it has been drizzling since last two days, state school education minister Ashish Shelar exercised his franchise at a school in suburban Bandra. Shelar is the BJP's candidate from Bandra-West seat. Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde cast his vote in Aurangabad district. State Housing Minister <keyword id="6361973" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="radhakrishna-vikhe-patil">Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil</keyword> and his family members cast their votes at Shirdi in Ahmednagar. Former cricketer <keyword id="66710" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sandeep-Patil">Sandeep Patil</keyword>, who was also among the early voters at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, said more than the party, the merit of an individual candidate was important. "We should vote for candidates who work for their constituencies," he said. Polling began on Monday morning in all 288 Assembly constituencies of the state. The voting commenced at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.

Nitin Gadkari casts his vote and expects 'record-breaking' win for BJP-Sena in Mumbai

Mumbai, In a setback for Congress in Mumbai ahead of Lok Sabha polls, former Union minister <keyword id="85636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="milind-deora" source="Orion">Milind Deora</keyword> on Sunday quit the party "to walk the path of development" and joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, ending a "55 years old association" of the Deora family with the Grand Old Party. With Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for headline management to counter the yatra, and asserted that it would have no impact. The former Mumbai South MP announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party on social media platform X in the morning hours on Sunday. "Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of the Congress, ending my family's 55-year relationship with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years," Deora stated. He later went to Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi to offer prayers. In the afternoon, Deora joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Eknath Shinde in a function at Varsha, the official residence of the chief minister. Earlier in the day, when Deora stepped out of his residence 'Ramalayam' in south Mumbai, he told reporters that he was "going to walk on the path of development". Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) staking a claim to the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency which he had represented in the past. The undivided Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, now with the Thackeray faction, had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Deora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time. He is the son of party stalwart late Murli Deora. After Deora announced his resignation on X, Mumbai Congress president <keyword id="20188187" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="varsha-gaikwad" source="keywords">Varsha Gaikwad</keyword> said it was unfortunate that he had quit the party on the day when the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' commences from Manipur. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called it a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to divert the attention from the Yatra and mocked Deora as a "twice defeated candidate". Former chief minister Ashok Chavan said Deora wanted to contest from the Mumbai South constituency but the (Maha Vikas Aghadi) alliance's understanding is that the sitting MP must not be disturbed. "The BJP was spreading rumours that the Congress will split. Now the BJP and its allies are taking along with them a twice-defeated candidate to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. This attempt will not be successful," Patole said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, however, said there would be no compromise on the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat. "Arvind Sawant is a two-time MP (of Shiv Sena-UBT). What is wrong with him contesting again? There will be no compromise on this," Raut asserted. In a swipe at BJP, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP <keyword id="20083020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supriya-sule" source="keywords">Supriya Sule</keyword> asked if the saffron party had no talent of its own. Asked about Deora's resignation, Sule said the BJP and its allies were becoming the Congress, an apparent reference to leaders from the grand old party switching allegiance to the ruling side.

Milind Deora quits Congress, joins Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde to 'walk development path'

The tenure of the present state government in the state of Maharashtra ends on November 9, 2019. At present, the state is ruled by the BJP – Shiv Sena coalition government that has a total number of 185 MLAs out of 288. As per the election commission’s announcement, the assembly elections in the state will be held in October 2019 and here is the full schedule of the election and the important highlights you need to know. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Event </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Date </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">The election commission announces the dates of election </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Saturday, September 21, 2019 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Publishing of the official notification of the elections in the gazette </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Friday, September 27, 2019 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Last date to file the nominations for the contesting candidates </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Friday, October 4, 2019 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Scrutiny and approval of the nominations by the election commission </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Saturday, October 5, 2019 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Single phase polling for all the 288 assembly constituencies of Maharashtra </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Monday, October 21, 2019 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Counting of votes and declaration of results </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Thursday, October 24, 2019 </td></tr></tbody></table> Maharashtra goes for polling for all its 288 assembly constituencies on October 21, 2019. The votes will be counted and results will be declared on October 24, 2019. By October 4, 2019, the candidates looking forward to contest must file their nominations. Sunil Arora, the Chief Election Commissioner declared that during the counting of votes, random tallying of the EVMs will be carried out as it was done during the Lok Sabha elections 2019. Commenting on the suitability of the EVMs for the elections, the EC said "EVMs are safe, they cannot be tampered with. Candidates are free to come to near the strong rooms at a safe distance." The election scene in Maharashtra sees <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), Shiv Sena and Indian National Congress (INC) contesting in all the 288 constituencies. In 2014 general elections, the NDA faced a sweeping victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections and the combined force of BJP and Shiv Sena was 185 MLAs (BJP 122 and Shiv Sena 62). Following the thumping victory, the two parties together formed the coalition government in the state making Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister of the state for the five year period. Sharad Pawar, the leader of the <keyword id="54794" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nationalist-Congress-Party">Nationalist Congress Party</keyword> (NCP) said his party will contest in 125 seats in the upcoming elections for Maharashtra’s Vidhan Sabha. During the recent elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won 41 out of 48 parliamentary seats from the state. Political experts say the same fortune can repeat for the parties this time during the assembly elections too. Congress is fielding Ashok Chavan, the former chief minister from the Bhokar constituency. The chief of Maharashtra Congress party Vijay alias Balasaheb Thorat will face the elections from Sangamner. Amit, the son of former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh has been nominated from Latur City seat. Ex-Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti will face the competition from the Solapur City Central. BJP and Shiv Sena have finalized their seat sharing agreement in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena will contest in 124 assembly seats and BJP will face the elections from 164 seats. Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray will contest from the Worli constituency. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/how-many-vidhan-sabha-seats-in-maharashtra/articleshow/71424705.cms">How many Vidhan Sabha seats in Maharashtra</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/how-many-vidhan-sabha-seats-in-haryana/articleshow/71424624.cms">How many Vidhan Sabha seats in Haryana</a>

Maharashtra State Election - Nominations, voting, counting schedule and all you need to know

In the run up to the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, there was a huge controversy when <keyword id="1275069" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sanjay-Baru">Sanjay Baru</keyword>, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor, released a book <keyword id="2193106" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="The-Accidental-Prime-Minister">The Accidental Prime Minister</keyword>: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh. In this book, he alleged that the PM did not exercise full control over the government and was remote-controlled by the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. 
 However, this was not a one-off case in Indian politics. There have many instances of ‘<keyword id="2443943" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Accidental-Chief-Ministers">accidental chief ministers</keyword>’ taking office in various states. The latest example is Bihar’s new <keyword id="5269" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chief-Minister">Chief Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6385519" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jitan-Ram-Manjhi">Jitan Ram Manjhi</keyword>. Following the dismal performance of his party, the Janata Dal (United), in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, <keyword id="6358190" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar">Nitish Kumar</keyword> played the tried and tested caste card and anointed Manjhi – who belongs to the Musahar caste (the most backward caste among the Dalits) – as the state’s chief minister. Manjhi is not known for his administrative skills and is widely regarded as Nitish’s ‘puppet.’ BJP’s <keyword id="6364740" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sushil-Kumar-Modi">Sushil Kumar Modi</keyword>, Bihar’s former deputy chief minister, even dubbed Manjhi as "<keyword id="2443948" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="dummy-chief-minister">dummy chief minister</keyword>." 
 
 
 
In Bihar itself, on July 25, 1997, the then Chief Minister Lalu Yadav was forced to quit after an arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with the <keyword id="6362256" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fodder-scam">fodder scam</keyword> case. In order to retain hold on power, he brazenly installed his wife <keyword id="6362315" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rabri-Devi">Rabri Devi</keyword>, who was not only a political novice but was also illiterate, as chief minister of Bihar. 
 

	Rabri Devi earned the dubious distinction of being the <keyword id="2443949" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="first-illiterate-chief-minister">first illiterate chief minister</keyword> of a state. Interestingly, in the press conference following her swearing-in ceremony, Lalu asked reporters not to pose tricky questions to her as she was new to politics and a “seedhi-saadi aurat.” 
	 
	 
	 In the neighbouring state of Jharkhand, Madhu Koda, an independent MLA, was propped up as chief minister by Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, <keyword id="6362712" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jharkhand-Mukti-Morcha">Jharkhand Mukti Morcha</keyword> and the Congress. It was Lalu’s masterstroke to keep the BJP away from power. It was also for the first time that an independent MLA was made the chief minister of a state.<o:p></o:p>
He is known only for the large-scale corruption that marked his rule. Koda allegedly took huge bribes for illegally allotting iron ore and coal mining contracts as the chief minister of the state. According to estimates, Koda and his associates accumulated Rs 4,000 crore in the mining scam. He was also arrested and he is currently out on bail. 
 In Maharashtra, <keyword id="6356262" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prithviraj-Chavan">Prithviraj Chavan</keyword> was appointed the chief minister after Ashok Chavan had to step down from the chief minister's post after the allegations of his involvement in the Adarsh Housing Society scam. Prithviraj Chavan, who is not a significant political figure, has still not been able to have a firm grip either on the party or the government. He had no experience of the state politics of Maharashtra and was directly paratrooped as the state’s chief minister. Although he has been in politics for almost three decades, he was never a member of the state legislature. 
 <keyword id="172066" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sadanand-Gowda">Sadanand Gowda</keyword>, who is the current railway minister, was the self-proclaimed ‘accidental chief minister' as he had himself once admitted that he was an accidental CM. He said he had never thought he would become chief minister one day. Gowda said his “politics of love” was the reason behind his accomplishment.

The Making And Unmaking Of Accidental Chief Ministers

Budget has nothing for Maharashtra, says ruling alliance
(Eds: with additional quotes)
Mumbai, Feb 1 () The ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and
Congress on Saturday termed as "disappointing" the Union
budget, claiming that it did not offer much to the "highest
tax-payers" Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Opposition BJP in Maharashtra hailed the Budget 2020-
21, saying it strengthens the economy and makes provision for
the welfare of all.
"The budget has left Maharashtra and Mumbai the most
disappointed. Mumbai gives highest tax, Maharashtra gives
highest tax to the Centre, but they were completely ignored,"
Revenue Minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat
told reporters here.
The budget presented by Union finance minister Nirmala
Sitharaman was "old wine in new bottle", he said.
Thorat also questioned the Union government's claim
that farmers' income would be doubled by 2022.
The agricultural growth rate should be 11 per cent to
achieve this goal, while the current rate is not moving beyond
2 per cent, the Congress leader said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule said, "Sensex plunged when the
budget was being presented in the House. It shows the budget
makes no sense."
 The Budget has introduced new slabs and reduced the
income tax rate for different slabs for individual income of
up to Rs 15 lakh per annum, if a taxpayer opts for foregoing
exemptions and deductions.
Referring to it, Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha
Kayande said there was no clarity about the option offered.
"Who would not like to get a tax benefit? If a person
is investing in LIC or mediclaim, why would the person not opt
for tax benefit? People basically make these investments for
tax benefit apart from getting insurance (cover). So there is
no clarity on this," she said.
The Sena leader also expressed concern over "closing
down" of government-owned enterprises like Air India.
"It is a major drawback. Plus, they are banking
completely on LIC. Almost 290 million people invest in LIC.
That means the government is eying public money," she added.
Water Resources Minister and NCP leader Jayant Patil
said the budget offers nothing to give a momentum to the
economy.
"Farmers too have got nothing from the budget...the
budget is mere 'jumlebaazi' (gimmick)," the former Maharashtra
finance minister said.
NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase accused the government
of "over-commitment and under-delivery" leading to loss of
faith of investors, industry and consumers.
Tapase said the current gross GDP figures do not
support the government's claim about the target of USD 5
trillion economy.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan said
the budget ignores the burning issue of unemployment and the
Union government was making no effort to increase purchasing
power of the poor and middle classes.
BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis
hailed the budget as "progressive and reform-oriented", saying
it lays the foundation of a "new India".
"The 2020 #JanJanKaBudget lays the foundation for the
journey of Bharat to Navbharat in this new decade, of an even
more developed and modern India with a greater speed ! Kisan
Rail, Krishi UDAN are path breaking steps for our farmers and
will fulfill the ASPIRATIONS of INDIA!" Fadnavis tweeted.
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said the
budget takes care of all sections of society including
farmers, women, the youth, tribals, traders, employed and
others in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sab Ka
Sath, Sab Ka Vikas, Sab Ka Vishwas' (inclusive growth with the
trust of all) slogan. ENM NSK
KRK KRK

BUD-LD MAHA-PARTIES

Rahul Gandhi's first interview: Full text

<ul><li>India’s financial capital has richest civic body in the country that is ridden with corruption and inefficiencies. </li><li>The budget for Mumbai’s municipal corporation has increased 5 times in the last 12 years. </li><li>Yet, the creaky infrastructure brings the mega city to a grinding halt every monsoon.</li></ul>The <keyword id="33109" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joker">Joker</keyword> was Gotham’s ‘agent of chaos’ and for Mumbai, it’s the civic body-- the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for its infrastructure. That includes roads, sewage, storm water drainage, bridges, water supply, licenses for commercial activity, schools and hospitals. “Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!” the Joker said in 2009 blockbuster, The Dark Knight. In Mumbai, corruption and inefficiencies of the city’s civic body unleash misery and puts millions of lives at risk, at random. Watch: A Jaguar gets stranded in a Mumbai floods while a Mahindra Bolero wades through 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="UaNcpuDIEzM" title="Mahindra Bolero pick-up overtakes stuck Jaguar in flooded road" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UaNcpuDIEzM/mqdefault.jpg"></div>







 Just like the hopeless people of Gotham, every monsoon, Mumbaikars prepare for the eventuality that they may not return home as they leave for work. On Wednesday (September 5), the civic body magnanimously advised schools to stay shut due to incessant rains-- at 10 am. Watch: Stranded students being rescued by civilians 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="mybmc" handlename="माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/3281764595/0a984bb8488fcd5307a6ccfe5f918287_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="1527" retweetcount="438" status="In wake of IMD’s warning of heavy rainfall for the rest of the day too, the schools shall remain closed today. The… https://t.co/sd7U5QQOhl" createdat="1567570920000" id="1169103292632186881"></div>







 By then children had already left for school and, unsurprisingly, found themselves stranded. In some cases, they were able to get back home as late as 7 pm. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="TamannaInamdar" handlename="Tamanna Inamdar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1140458161800806400/jHsXf1eW_normal.jpg" favoritecount="38" retweetcount="6" status="Finally got her home at 7 pm. Nearly six hours after my child boarded her school bus and after a harrowing 'rescue'… https://t.co/K4Zea2fewx" createdat="1567605078000" id="1169246560745484288"></div>







 Money that would put a smile on any face The mega city’s generous 24 million population has accepted the civic body’s indifference as its fate. This, even after contributing ₹30,000 crore ($4.2 billion) this year to the municipal budget. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s budget has swelled nearly five times in the last 12 years but the plight of its people has only gotten worse. Even by the standards of commercial capitals in developing countries, Mumbai is a mess. Behind the veneer of its entrepreneurial spirit and a professional workforce, lies a city that has been plundered by the ruling elite at an unprecedented scale. Mumbai’s civic body is flushing billions down the drain Meanwhile, the cats at the BMC (which has 1.2 lakh personnel) are getting fatter every year. For instance, documents show that its Chief Engineer AS Yamgar of the Sewerage Operation Department made a monthly salary of ₹1,24,725 as of June 2018. This is nearly as much as <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/business/budget-2018-increases-salary-of-president-by-200-to-rs-5-lakh-per-month-1647855.html">the salary of the President of India before the hike last year</a>, or that of a mid-level corporate employee. However, for the BMC leadership and staff, the money seems to come without accountability. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="surajojhaa" handlename="Suraj Ojha" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1164059122280456192/Jwi4E8aL_normal.jpg" favoritecount="31" retweetcount="26" status="#MumbaiRainsLive Mithi river over flowing @mid_day @RidlrMUM @patel_bhupen #RainyDay #SafetyFirst #MumbaiTraffic https://t.co/670zkW9Zi1" createdat="1567581422000" id="1169147340135026688"></div>







 And the rot runs deep. <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mumbai-bmc-driver-makes-more-money-than-commissioner-216408-2013-11-04">An India Today story in 2013</a> exposed how a driver earns more than the municipal Commissioner he serves. He simply slept in the vehicle after being relieved of his duties and got paid for working overtime. Shiv Sena, the party ruled by the Thackeray family, controlled the corporation for most part of the last three decades. Therefore, the blame for the shortcomings of the civic body squarely falls on them. The poor quality of the pothole-ridden roads of Mumbai reveal the enormity of misused funds. People tend to believe without question when it is informally said that less than 20% of the money is actually used in the infrastructure projects, and the rest is siphoned off. The passivity of the voters can be disheartening. Almost 81% of the total of 1,491 kilometres of roads in the city are managed by the BMC. But, the four best-managed roads in the city – Bandra Worli SeaLink, New Airport Road, Eastern Freeway and Bandra Kurla Complex-- are under the supervision of Mumbai Metropolitan Road Development Authority (MMRDA), which is also in charge of the metro rail construction that is currently underway. The MMRDA is not without flaws as exposed by <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-monorail-a-trip-to-nowhere/article29273282.ece">the colossal failure of the recent monorail project</a>. Yet, it has been slightly more efficient than the BMC in some cases. The devastating floods of 2005 that killed over a 1,000 people should have been a wake up call. At that stage, an honest leadership would have been embarrassed enough to pull themselves into action and resurrect the city to avoid a similar carnage in the future. Since then, there have been five Chief Ministers -- Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan, and now, Devendra Fadnavis-- but the people’s plight has got worse with every passing monsoon. One may expect the authorities to prepare and respond better given that an election is scheduled this year. However, the choice for the voters is between the devil and the deep sea as both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) outfits have failed the people of the city over the years. In Mumbai, “<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/393220611192996582/?nic=1">there are no heroes here, only survivors.</a>” 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="Ketul1Indian" handlename="ketulkumar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/864159255225610240/_A7uwK2n_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6" retweetcount="2" status="👏👏🙏🙏 to all the good Samaritans who helped these kids yesterday. #MumbaiRains https://t.co/SjyFS8ugQK" createdat="1567658862000" id="1169472148504596480"></div>







 Disclaimer: Vishal Bhargava is a contributor to Business Insider. He has donned several hats in India's financial sector-- from investment banking to financial research to business development-- before becoming an entrepreneur. The opinions are solely reflect the views of the author and not of the publication.

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