Highlights: Congress releases 7th list of five candidates for LS polls

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The Congress on Tuesday released its seventh list of five candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, fielding R Sudha from Tamil Nadu's Mayiladuthurai constituency. The Mayiladuthurai constituency was with its ally DMK in the last elections. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had been an MP from this constituency thrice earlier.The Congress announced candidates for four seats in Chhattisgarh and one in Tamil Nadu.In Chhattisgarh, the party fielded Shashi Singh from Sarguja (ST), Menka Devi Singh from Raigarh, Devender Singh Yadav from Bilaspur and Biresh Thakur from Kanker (ST).

India's current account balance recorded a deficit of USD 10.5 bn (1.2 pc of GDP) in Oct-Dec, down from USD 11.4 bn in Jul-Sept: RBI

Amid the Philippines' maritime dispute with China in the South China Sea, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India firmly supports the Southeast Asian nation's in upholding its national sovereignty.

The Rose Avenue court in Delhi has sent Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 9.
 K Kavitha was arrested on March 15 by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam. A week after her arrest, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also taken into custody by the probe agency. The ED was seeking a 14-day custody for BRS leader K Kavitha to interrogate her about the alleged irregularities related to Delhi liquor policy. The probe agency has claimed that K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the AAP bribes worth Rs 100 crore in return for a large share of liquor licences in Delhi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest Lok Sabha elections alone in Punjab, the chief of the state unit said today, ruling out an alliance with Akali Dal.

A second directive was issued by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from jail premises on Tuesday morning. The directive was related to the health department and it was conveyed by the Chief Minister through a memorandum to Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.

After the Aam Aadmi Party  (AAP) called for a "gherao" to protest against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, the Delhi Police has strengthened security at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. A Police officer told PTI that movement is likely to be affected in parts of New Delhi and Central Delhi because of the protest. "Robust security arrangements have been made. We have installed layers of security to maintain law and order in the area," the Delhi Police officer said. "Section 144 (of the CrPC) is already imposed around the prime minister's residence and no one will be allowed to protest," he added. The chief minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy on March 21. He is in the agency's custody till Thursday.

A derogatory remark purportedly made by senior Congress leader Supriya Shrinate about actor Kangana Ranaut lead to a political  slugfest on Monday, with the ruling party attacking the Congress and demanding that she be sacked as the party’s social and digital media head. The comment, featuring a photograph of Ranaut, was posted from Shrinate’s Instagram account. Shrinate claimed it was posted by somebody who had access to her accounts. 

The United Nations Security Council on Monday demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The United States abstained from the vote. The remaining 14 council members voted for in favour of the resolution, which was put forward by the 10 elected members of the body.

9:26 PM

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk ends 21-day-long hunger strike in Ladakh

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday evening ended his 21-day-long hunger strike in support of the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Earlier in the day, he made a fresh appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfil the promises made to the people of the Union Territory and also called upon people to use their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections very carefully in the interest of the nation. "The first phase of the hunger strike is ending today but this is not the end of the agitation, Wangchuk said after taking a glass of juice from a minor girl here amid a massive turnout of people at the protest venue.

8:06 PM

LS polls: JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy to contest from Karnataka's Mandya as NDA candidate

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, confirmed on Tuesday that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections as BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. "Today, my decision is to contest from Mandya for the upcoming elections. BJP leaders advised me to contest from Mandya. Most of the party workers from Mandya also insisted. I will file a nomination and then campaign in the state," Kumaraswamy said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

7:38 PM

Atal Pension Yojana poorly designed, says Congress; Sitharaman hits back accusing it of 'hoodwinking' people

Hours after the Congress dubbed the Centre's Atal Pension Yojana as a "poorly-designed scheme" that "hoodwinks and coerces" people into participating in it, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday hit back at the grand old party accusing it of "hoodwinking" people in the name of vote bank politics. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Atal pension scheme is a "fitting representation of the Modi Government's policy making: headline management, with few benefits actually reaching the people". His attack came after a media report claimed that nearly one of three subscribers who dropped out of the Centre's pension scheme for unorganised sector, did so because their accounts were opened without their "explicit" permission. The report cited a recent sample study by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).

6:17 PM

No place for such language, Shrinate has clarified: Congress on row over remarks on Kangana

Amid the row over controversial remarks on Kangana Ranaut posted on party leader Supriya Shrinate's social media handle, the Congress on Tuesday said it has always believed there is no place for such language in public discourse and the matter should end with Shrinate clearing the air. Shrinate has already clarified that someone who has access to her account made the post, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said at a press conference. "She has said she will find out who has done it," Dikshit said.

5:31 PM

Only regional leaders like KCR, Mamata, Kejriwal can stop BJP, not Cong: BRS leader KT Rama Rao

BRS Working President KT Rama Rao on Tuesday said it is only strong regional leaders such as Chief Ministers of Delhi and West Bengal Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee respectively and former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao who are capable of stopping BJP, not the Congress. Addressing a party meeting here, Rama Rao alleged that the Congress party lost its strength and energy to counter the BJP. "If one has to stop BJP, it is only the regional leaders such as KCR, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal who can do it. Congress is not powerful enough to stop BJP. Today, if you see all over the country it is only regional leaders who are able to stop the BJP," Rama Rao said.

5:02 PM

PM Modi speaks to BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra, who raised Sandeshkhali issue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday enquired about Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra's campaign. Earlier, Patra had highlighted the ordeal of Sandeshkhali women.

 

4:59 PM

ED attaches assets worth Rs 1.26 crore of Dehradun firm

Probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets valued at approximately Rs 1.26 crore linked to Uttarakhand's Dehradun-based A to Z Solutions accused of duping foreign customers by providing fake online support services.

4:56 PM

BJP releases second list of 9 candidates for Assembly polls in Sikkim

The saffron party has announced the names of nine candidates who will contest the forthcoming  polls in Sikkim. Till now, BJP has now nominated a total of 23 candidates in the state.

4:21 PM

General Elections news updates: What TMC's Kirti Azad said on BJP's Dilip Ghosh's statement

"Such mentality of BJP leaders humiliates nari shakti. He earlier made derogatory remarks against Maa Durga. He should be arrested under the POCSO act for what he said about Mamata Banerjee," Trinamool Congress leader Kirti Azad said on BJP MP Dilip Ghosh's statement.

4:17 PM

Five Chinese nationals, 1 Pakistani killed in suicide bomb attack Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Report

Pakistani newspaper DAWN reported today that five Chinese nationals and one Pakistani were killed  in an attack on their convoy in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A suicide bomber crashed an explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy that was carrying Chinese engineers and was on its way from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, a police official reportedly said.

 

3:07 PM

India supports Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty: External affairs minister Jaishankar

India supports the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated today, amid the Southeast Asian nation's maritime dispute with China in the South China Sea.

"I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India's support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty," S Jaishankar said. He added that as the world changes, it is essential that India and the Philippines cooperate more closely to shape the emerging model.

2:55 PM

General Elections news update: 'The very idea of India is in danger', says Congress leader AK Antony

"The upcoming elections are very crucial for the nation. The very idea of India is in danger. Constitutional values are in danger. Congress will go all out to ensure that there is no other choice but to throw away this government. We want a change of government. That is why Congress is making all sorts of compromises all over the country," senior Congress leader AK Antony said today. 

2:17 PM

BJP releases list of candidates for forthcoming by-polls in Gujarat, HP, Karnataka, and West Bengal

2:13 PM

'Varun Gandhi welcome to join us': Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury invites Varun Gandhi to join Congress

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said today that Varun Gandhi is welcome to join the party. His remarks came after the BJP dropped Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit in its Lok Sabha list.

2:08 PM

Lok Sabha polls update: Balasaheb Thorat reaches Silver Oak residence of NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar

Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat reached the Silver Oak residence of NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar, to hold discussions over seat-sharing ahead of Lok Sabha polls.