"It Refuses To Leave Me": Vijay Reviews Diljit's Amar Singh Chamkila

Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra starrer Amar Singh Chamkila has been receiving love and praise from critics and audiences. The film also impressed actor Vijay Varma. He revealed how the film refused to leave his mind even after five days. The actor also thanked filmmaker Imtiaz Ali for this gift.

Vijay took to his Instagram stories on Monday and shared still of Parineeti and Diljit along with a note. He described the movie as one of the most "potent, poignant and extraordinary" he has seen.

"It's been 5 days since I watched chamkila and it refuses to leave me. It is one of the most potent, poignant and extraordinary film I have seen and I want to thank @imtiazaliofficial sir giving us this gift."

He also heaped praise on Parineeti and Diljit for their performance.

Vijay wrote, "Parineeti Chopra was delightful as she tapped onto such simplicity and genuineness. And Diljit Dosanjh bhai.. mere shabd kam pad jayenge aapki taarif ke liye. Dil jit liya. BRAVO!"

Helmed by Imtiaz Ali, Amar Singh Chamkila presents the untold true story of Punjab's original rockstar of the masses, who emerged from the shadows of poverty and rose to the heights of popularity in the eighties due to the sheer power of his music, angering many along the way, which led to his assassination at the young age of 27.

Diljit Dosanjh portrays Chamkila,' the top-selling artist of his era. Parineeti essays the role of Amar Singh Chamkila's wife, Amarjot Kaur.

Amar Singh Chamkila is streaming on OTT.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Vijay Varma recently appeared in Homi Adajania's Murder Mubarak, which hit theatres month on March 15. The movie features Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, and Pankaj Tripathi in significant roles.

Vijay Varma has finished shooting for their upcoming drama Ul Jalool Ishq.

Helmed by Vibhu Puri, the film also stars veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi in the lead roles.

The release date is yet to be disclosed. Ul Jalool Ishq is produced by fashion icon Manish Malhotra under his company, Stage5 Productions. The movie will also include music from Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Columbia Uni threatens to expel student protesters

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Sita And Gita, Presumed Murdered, Turn Up Alive - And Married - A Year On

This Sita and Gita were not twins, but the past year of their life could have made for an interesting movie nonetheless. Missing and suspected to have been murdered, the sisters in their 20s from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur have turned up not only alive but married with a child each.

The two sisters, along with their brother and parents, used to live in Delhi, while their hometown was UP's Gorakhpur. In January 2023, their brother, Ajay Prajapati, filed a missing report for his sisters Sita (20) and Gita (21). 

While looking for his sisters, Ajay contacted a man from their village, Jaynath Maurya, who allegedly had an affair with one of the sisters. During an argument, Jaynath and his family allegedly threatened Ajay and said, "You'll meet the same fate as your sisters." 

Following this, Ajay, worried for his sisters, went to the police station to file a murder case against Jaynath Maurya and his family. However, the police refused to file a complaint over the lack of evidence. Ajay then approached the court and after a year, on January 8, 2024, the case was filed in Belghat police station, Gorakhpur on the court's order. 

Four months into the investigation, the police found out that the sisters were alive and had run away from home to marry their lovers. On learning about the murder case filed by their brother, the sisters approached the police to avoid any innocent person getting punished.

Sita told police that she is married to Vijender, a resident of Haryana, and is living with him. She also told them that she has a five-month-old daughter and is very happy. Geeta told the police that she was friends with Suresh Ram, a resident of Uttarakhand's Almora, and ran away to marry him. She also has a six-month-old daughter. 

(With inputs from Abrar Ahmad)
 

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"My Personal Wish": SRK Wants This Big-Hitter To Play For India In T20 WC

Kolkata Knights Riders principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has endorsed the inclusion of his left-handed power-hitter Rinku Singh in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, terming it his "personal wish". The 26-year-old Rinku burst into the limelight when he smashed five consecutive sixes in Kolkata Knight Riders' stunning last-over win over Gujarat Titans during IPL 2023. Rinku's name has been doing the rounds as far as selecting the 15-member Indian squad is concerned for the T20 showpiece, which will be held in the USA and West Indies across June. He has a strike-rate of 176 plus in 15 T20I for India with two fifties, Expressing his optimism for Rinku's World Cup prospects, Shah Rukh said during an interview on Star Sports, "Such amazing players are playing for the country. I am really looking forward to Rinku, Inshallah being in the World Cup Squad and some other youngsters from other teams also.

"Some of them deserve it so much, but my personal wish is that Rinku makes it to the team. I will be so happy. That will be the high point for me." With the KKR top-order doing the bulk of scoring so far this season, Rinku has not got many opportunities with the bat.

In his debut season however, the hard-hitting batsman from Aligarh amassed 356 runs in 15 matches, remaining unbeaten in seven of those games. His runs came at a strike-rate of over 175 but power-hitting is not his only talent, for he has the ability to remain calm in pressure situations.

The Bollywood megastar, who shares a great rapport with Rinku, is delighted at his rise after having faced many obstacles on his road to success.

Growing up in modest surroundings, Rinku's family struggled to make ends meet, with his father working as an LPG cylinder delivery man and his mother a housewife.

Despite the offer of a job as a sweeper, Rinku followed his passion for cricket, believing it would lead him to greater heights.

SRK said, "I just want them to feel happy and when I see these boys playing, I feel like I am living as a sportsperson myself. Especially players like Rinku and Nitish (Rana), I see myself in them. I feel really happy when they perform well."

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Selectors To Meet Jay Shah For T20 WC Team. Report Says "Pandya's Place..."

The national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will meet BCCI secretary Jay Shah in Ahmedabad on Tuesday to finalise the 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in the Americas but the official announcement might happen a day later. The BCCI secretary is the convenor of the senior selection committee (men) and with Shah busy with his political commitments, it is understood that the meeting will be held in Ahmedabad.

The second wicketkeeper's slot and all-rounder Hardik Pandya's place in the side will be the two talking points of the selection meeting.

It is understood that KL Rahul (IPL strike rate of 144 and 378 runs so far) and Sanju Samson (385 runs at a strike rate of 161) are still locked in a battle for the second wicketkeeper's slot.

Rajasthan Royals captain Samson has for the first time in over a decade been a consistent performer for his IPL side but there is no way his No. 3 batting slot is going to get him a place in the India team.

Another school of thought is that someone like Samson, who has 25 T20Is under his belt but an average of just 20 and a strike rate of around 135, should not be considered based on just one good IPL season.

In case of Rahul, it can be said that one senior member of the coaching staff will certainly go all out to push for his inclusion but many believe that the stylish right-handed batter's approach in T20 cricket remains archaic.

However, he is still considered a better bet than Samson at No. 5 or 6 on slowish Caribbean tracks.

The other option, Jitesh Sharma, is in very poor form, while Dhruv Jurel hasn't got a chance to keep wickets. During the last game in Lucknow, he did get an opportunity to bat long and scored a fifty.

Left-handed batter Tilak Varma, who is also a handy off-spinner, remains an option along with pacer Sandeep Sharma, the Punjab veteran whose slower variations at the death have played a big role in Rajasthan Royals' surge to the top of the IPL table.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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IPL 2024: Gaikwad, Deshpande Star As CSK Thrash SRH To End Losing Streak

IPL 2024, CSK vs SRH Highlights: Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad missed his second successive IPL century by a whisker, while pacers Tushar Deshpande and Matheesha Pathirana decimated the Sunrisers Hyderabad batting as Chennai Super Kings won their IPL home game by 78 runs at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. After Gaikwad scored a 54-ball 98 and shared a 107-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell (52) to give CSK a healthy 212/3, Deshpande (4/27) and Sri Lankan Pathirana (2/17) came up with match-winning bowling figures to dismiss SRH for 134 in 18.5 overs. Deshpande took the wickets of opener Travis Head (13) and Anmolpreet Singh (0) in his first over before getting rid of Abhishek Sharma (15) and captain Pat Cummins (5), while Pathirana got the dangerous Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen to demolish SRH. (Scorecard | IPL 2024 Points Table)

Highlights of Chennai Super Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 match:

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Style statement of the new rich

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Hardik Brutally Reminds MI Stars About 'Game Awareness' After DC Defeat

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya said he wanted batters to take chances in the middle overs and claimed MI were backing themselves to chase down the score in the end against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. Fraser-McGurk equalled his own record for the fastest fifty in IPL 2024, smashing 87 off 27 balls to lay the groundwork for a massive total. DC scored 257 in 20 overs, with cameos from Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant, and Tristan Stubbs. MI seemed to be always behind the chase, and Tilak Varma's brave effort was insufficient as Delhi prevailed by 10 runs. MI suffered their sixth loss of the season, jeopardising their playoff ambitions significantly.

Speaking after the match, Pandya stated that the game was becoming increasingly close.

"This game is becoming more and more closer. It (the difference) used to be a couple of overs, now it's becoming a couple of balls. Because of the kind of games and how the bowlers are under pressure, we backed ourselves to do it. If I had to pick something out, we could have taken a couple of more chances in the middle overs," Pandya said in a post-match presentation.

Pandya defended the decision to bowl first in their loss to DC on Saturday. Pandya won the toss and decided to bowl first because he wanted to know what target they would be chasing. However, the plan quickly backfired, as DC got off to a flying start thanks to Jake Fraser-McGurk.

"The left-handers could have probably gone after Axar a little bit, it's something we missed out on in terms of game awareness," Pandya said.

Pandya went on to compliment Fraser-McGurk on his knock and stated that he would not have altered anything about the toss.

"It was quite amazing the way he (Fraser-McGurk) batted, he took calculated risks, he played the field really well. It shows the fearlessness of youth. (If he would've done something different at the toss) not really." he added.

Talking about the match, Fraser-McGurk's powerful knock, followed by Rasikh Dar Salam, Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed's supercharged pace attack, helped Delhi Capitals (DC) defeat Mumbai Indians by 10 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

Rasikh was the pick for the home side, he came on as an impact sub and picked up 3 for 34 in this high-scoring affair, while Mukesh also returned with a three-wicket haul. For MI, Tilak Varma scored 63 runs, while skipper Hardik Pandya scored 46 for MI.

Earlier put to bat first, explosive knocks by DC batters Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs, and Shai Hope guided the team to a mammoth total of 257/4 against the five-time champions Mumbai.

Mumbai Indians will next play against LSG on Tuesday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

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UP Students Clear Exam With 'Jai Shri Ram' Answers, Professors Suspended

First year students at an Uttar Pradesh University aced the exam by allegedly writing 'Jai Shri Ram' and names of cricketers in the answer sheet. But then the law caught up.

Two professors at state-run Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur were suspended for allegedly extorting money from students in exchange of marks on answer sheets written with songs, music and religious slogans.

Student leader Divyanshu Singh had alleged in a letter sent to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Governor and Vice Chancellor that with the connivance of some officials of university, even the students who got zero marks were passed by giving them more than 60 percent marks.

Irregularities, exposed by an RTI response, were identified during the assessment of special bank copies, resulting in significant variations in marks upon re-evaluation.

"There was an allegation that students have been given more marks. So we constituted a committee. That Committee in its report said that students have been awarded more marks," said Vice-Chancellor Vandana Singh.

Asked about the religious slogans, she said: "Have not seen the copy with Jai Shri Ram answers but saw a copy in which I could not make out anything relevant based on which marks could be given to the student. The handwriting was not very clear."

The Raj Bhavan had written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the University and directed to take action in the matter.

NDTV has accessed the answer sheets where Jai Shri Ram appears in the middle of the answer about 'pharmacy as career'. In the same answer, appears the names of cricketers like Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The examiners, Dr Vinay Verma and Manish Gupta, were suspended in the examination committee meeting on Wednesday.

"Teachers have been warned so that such a thing is not repeated. The committee has recommended termination for the involved teachers. But there's a model code of conduct is in place and further action will be taken once the poll code is lifted," said the Vice-Chancellor.  

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PBKS beat KKR by 8 wkts after world record chase

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"I Can't Breathe": Black Man Dies After US Cops Pin Him Down, Kneel On Neck

Ohio police released video of a Black man who died at a local hospital after repeatedly telling officers "I can't breathe" as they pinned him to the floor of a bar and handcuffed him, evoking memories of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

In body camera video released on Thursday by the Canton Police Department, officers are seen apprehending the man, identified as Frank Tyson, 53, who was suspected of leaving the scene of a single-car accident on April 18.

The Canton Police Department was not immediately available for comment on the video, which was posted online by several local media outlets, or to confirm details about the incident.

The 36-minute clip begins with a patrol officer coming upon a car that had struck an electrical pole and a bystander telling him that the driver of the vehicle had fled into a nearby tavern.

Canton, Ohio

Bodycam footage of Frank Tyson pic.twitter.com/RvpE4Meuib

— The Daily Sneed™ (@Tr00peRR) April 26, 2024

Officers are then seen entering the establishment, where they find Tyson standing at the bar. An altercation ensued as they attempted to grab his arms, and he repeatedly shouts "They are trying to kill me" and "Call the sheriff."

Officers wrestled Tyson to the ground and handcuffed him. One of them is seen placing a knee on his back near his neck for about 30 seconds.

Tyson can be heard repeatedly saying, "I can't breathe. I can't... get off my neck," as an officer yells "Calm down" and "You're fine" before standing up.

The video next shows Tyson lying motionless, face down on the floor for about six minutes, while officers speak with bar patrons.

The officers then check on Tyson, who appears to be unresponsive. They can be heard saying, "Is he breathing?" and "Does he have a pulse?"

Eight minutes after the officers handcuffed Tyson, they remove the cuffs and begin CPR. Paramedics then arrive at the scene and take Tyson out of the bar on a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance, the video shows.

Tyson died at a local hospital, according to WKYC, an NBC affiliate in Cleveland. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The official cause of death has not been determined.

The incident is reminiscent of Floyd's deadly encounter with Minneapolis police four years ago. A cellphone video of Floyd's killing, which went viral, unleashed a wave of protests worldwide against police brutality and racism.

It shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd, who was Black, begs for his life, repeating "I can't breathe" before falling silent.

Chauvin and three of his fellow officers was eventually convicted of manslaughter and other crimes.

The Canton Police Department officers involved in the Tyson incident were identified as Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch, WKYC reported.

Both were placed on administrative leave and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OCI) is investigating the incident, the station reported.

Calls to the OCI were not immediately returned.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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AUS Great Gives Brutal Verdict On Hardik As Skipper, Says "Don't Think..."

The decision taken by Mumbai Indians to appoint Hardik Pandya as the captain in place of Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2024 was not accepted by a section of their fanbase. Hardik, who completed a sensational trade from Gujarat Titans, ended Rohit's ten-year tenure as skipper but the fans were not happy with the decision and he was booed at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Things did not improve as Mumbai Indians have won just three out of their eight matches and are fighting an uphill battle in the race for the IPL 2024 playoffs. During a discussion on Cricbuzz, former New Zealand international Simon Doull and legendary Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist were asked to rate Hardik's captaincy this season and both of them were not quite convinced with how he has led the side till now. 

"It is a tough thing to come and take over a franchise that is so storied and successful. He obviously had good captaincy skills at Gujarat, you don't lose those. I think he is growing into it but he's still got work to do," said Doull.

"I am not seeing him strategically getting it right. I think some batting positional changes, some bowling changes at certain times, just overall strategy, I don't think as captain he's quite got it right," Gilchrist added.

Earlier, six-time IPL winner Ambati Rayudu opened up about the chances of Hardik making his spot in the India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

"Both of them are not competing for the same spot. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are finishers in the Indian team, and Shivam Dube is the kind of batter who comes in at No. 4 or 5. When the spinners are operating and conditions are slow, he can hit boundaries and accelerate to change the game. But between overs 16 and 20, Dube's strike rate isn't that high, he fails to hit that many runs. So I feel Hardik and Jadeja have that role in the Indian team," Rayudu said on Star Sports.

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"Make No Mistake, This Is A Ban": TikTok Vows To Fight New US Law In Court

TikTok's CEO vowed Wednesday to fight in the courts to overturn a newly signed US law that could see the popular app banned due to allegations it is controlled by the China government.

The legislation gives TikTok nine months to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market.

The US and other Western officials have alleged the social media platform allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It has 170 million users in the United States alone, many of them young.

Critics say TikTok is also a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company strongly deny the claims.

"Make no mistake, this is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice," TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew said in a video posted on TikTok moments after President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.

"Politicians may say otherwise, but don't get confused. Many who sponsored the bill admit a Tiktok ban is the ultimate goal."

Chew called the move "ironic" given that the "freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom."

"Rest assured, we aren't going anywhere," Chew told the platform's users.

"We will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side."

The ban measure was included in a $95 billion foreign aid package, including military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The bill, which could trigger the rare step of barring a company from operating in the US market, passed the Senate by a 79-18 vote three days after it cleared the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support.

Under the bill, ByteDance would have to sell the app or be excluded from Apple and Google's app stores in the United States.

TikTok for years has been in the crosshairs of American authorities, who say the platform allows Beijing to snoop on users in the United States.

The bill passed by Congress also gives the US president the authority to designate other applications as a threat to national security if they are controlled by a country deemed hostile.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, came out last week against banning TikTok, saying "doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"My Brother Has Lucked Out With Her": Riddhima On Sister-In-Law Alia

Ranbir Kapoor's sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, who will soon be making her acting debut with web series Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives, in a recent interview with Galatta India talked about how her sister-in-law Alia Bhatt supported the Kapoor family during Rishi Kapoor's death and became a great source of comfort for Ranbir. “She was a great support. She has been there at a bad time and she has been a part of it." Talking about Alia, she went on to say, "She is a lovely girl. She is extremely loving and very kind and the best thing about her is that she is very giving. My brother has lucked out with her. Even she is very lucky.”

Meanwhile, Animal star Ranbir Kapoor's sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni is all set to feature in the third part of the series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, titled Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives. Days after announcing the big news of her debut, Riddhima treated her fans and followers to some behind the scenes pictures from the sets of the upcoming show. In the pictures shared, Riddhima can be seen looking stunning in a royal blue gown. She captioned the images as "Fabulous Lives v/s Bollywood wives S3. Coming soon. Only on Netflix." Bollywood Wives aka Maheep Kapoor and Seema Sajdeh dropped heart emojis below the post.

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A post shared by Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (RKS) (@riddhimakapoorsahniofficial)

Last month, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni shared the poster from the show and she wrote in an Instagram post, "More drama, more spice, and the most FABULOUS you've ever seen them be. Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives S3 coming soon only on Netflix." This is what Riddhima posted:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (RKS) (@riddhimakapoorsahniofficial)

Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, daughter of actor Neetu Kapoor and late actor Rishi Kapoor, is a Delhi-based jewelry designer. She is married to entrepreneur Bharat Sahni. The couple are parents to a daughter named Samara.

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Ayushmann Reveals He Broke Up With Tahira After Winning Roadies

Ayushmann Khurrana in a recent interview with Mashable India opened up about the time when he had broken up with his then girlfriend Tahira Kashyap after winner reality show Roadies. Ayushmann Khurrana said, "It is very difficult to deal with fame when you are 16-17. I remember I broke up with my girlfriend then. I was getting a lot of attention for the first time apart from my girlfriend. I lost my mind. I went through that journey when you are in your teens, and you have a gawky image, you are blooming and flowering and becoming a man."

"I was the most popular guy in Chandigarh at that time. So, I broke up with Tahira saying, 'See I am getting a lot of attention, I have to live life now.' But I got back to her in six months and told her 'I can't do this, I can't be a 'f*****'," Ayushmann added.

For the unversed, Ayushmann emerged as the winner of the second season of the adventure reality series Roadies.

Ayushmann Khurrana is known for his roles in hit films like Badhaai Ho, the Dream Girl series, Bala, Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Bareilly Ki Barfi, among others. He has also featured in critically-acclaimed films like Article 15, Gulabo Sitabo, Doctor G, Anek and An Action Hero. The actor received a National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the 2018 film AndhaDhun. He stepped into the Indian entertainment industry with the reality show Roadies and in 2012, he made his Bollywood debut with Vicky Donor.

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Development issues a factor in this North WB seat

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"People Happy With PM, Will Win Congress Stronghold": Mohan Yadav To NDTV

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed confidence today that the BJp will win all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. The big promise is the victory in Chhindwara - which has been a Congress bastion for around 40 years. This, he said, will be possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "track record".

Chhindwara is the constituency of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, from where the Congress has fielded his son Nakul Nath. Even in 2014, when the BJP came to power across the country, Chhindwara had voted for the Congress. Ditto in 2019, when the party increased its numbers to 303.

This time would be different because of the "Modi-ki guarantee," Mr Yadav told NDTV in an exclusive interview with Editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia. 

"People have seen PM Modi's 10 year track record. We have people's support. There is no anti-incumbency factor against Modi," he said, citing last year's assembly election, in which the BJP won a massive victory despite a buzz about anti-incumbency.  

"We will win Chhindawara too. People are very happy with PM's work," he added.
 
This is also borne out by voteshare, he said. From 44 per cent, it went up to 48 per cent in the assembly election. The party had won 58 per cent votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, with 28 of the 29 seats. "We will definitely get more this time," he said.

The Congress, he added, is well aware of its imminent defeat. It became clear when they gave away the Khajuraho seat to the Samajwadi Party, he added. 

Asked about the issues and narratives for this election, Mr Yadav said the party has a "straight plan". 

"Like PM Modi says, double engine Sarkar -- like interlinking of river projects that will benefit the region. There are a lot of projects where we have benefitted from central government's help," he added.
 

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On CCTV, UP Businessman Pushes Man Off 5-Star Hotel's Terrace After Fight

A pre-wedding party turned violent when a businessman pushed a man who had an argument with his son off the terrace of a five-star hotel in Uttar Pradesh. The chilling incident that happened in the early hours of Sunday has been captured on a CCTV camera installed at the hotel in Bareilly. In one of the frames, the victim can be seen touching the feet of the accused, moments before he was thrown off the terrace.

Victim Sarthak Agrawal - a businessman in the health sector - has been admitted to a medical college in critical condition.

The victim had gone to the hotel with his friends, including Ridim Arora whose father threw Mr Agrawal from the terrace, to attend the party. Soon after an argument broke out between them that escalated into a physical fight around 2 AM. Ridim then called his father Sanjeev Arora, a textile businessman, to the scene.

Footage shows a heated argument between the two groups before Sanjeev Arora enters the frame. Mr Agrawal was seen touching his feet after which Mr Arora grabbed him by his collar, slapped him and then pushed him off the hotel terrace. He doesn't stop there, he then turns to a man standing next to him and beats him up.

Sarthak Agrawal's father Sanjay Agrawal has denied any connection with the accused, saying, "Neither my son nor I have any idea who these people are."

A case of assault causing grievous harm has been registered in connection to the incident. The First Information Report states that the accused were drunk and attacked the victim without any provocation.

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Aishwarya Celebrated Her 17th Wedding Anniversary With Abhishek-Aaradhya

Actors Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, who celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary on Saturday, shared an adorable post with daughter Aaradhya.

The two on Saturday took to their Instagram accounts to share a cute family picture.

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A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb)

In the picture, Aishwarya can be seen wearing bright lipstick and smiling happily, while Abhishek poses sweetly in a beige shirt for the selfie. Aaradhya looks joyful, snuggling up to her mom and making the family photo complete.

The actors posted the pictures with a red heart emoji.

Abhishek and Aishwarya acted together in 'Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke' in 2000 and later in 'Umrao Jaan' in 2006, where they became good friends. However, Abhishek revealed on the Oprah Winfrey show that while filming in New York, he used to stand on his hotel balcony, wishing he could marry Aishwarya. Years later, during the premiere of their 2007 film "Guru" at the same hotel, he saw it as a sign and proposed to her. They got married that year and welcomed Aaradhya in 2011..

Meanwhile, on the work front, Abhishek was last seen in R Balki's 2023 film "Ghoomer," playing the role of a disgraced cricketer who transitions into a coach. He is now gearing up for his next project with Shoojit Sircar, along with starring in 'Be Happy' on Amazon Prime Video.

Aishwarya, on the other hand was last seen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I and II. She potrayed Nandini in the film, a queen who's beautiful and cunning in her quest for power.

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Turkey's Erdogan Meets Hamas Chief In Istanbul, Israel Reacts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Palestinians to unite amid Israel's war in Gaza following hours-long talks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday, his office said. 

Erdogan has failed to establish a foothold as a mediator in the Gaza conflict that has roiled the region, with the Hamas-run Palestinian territory bracing for a new Israeli offensive and a reported Israeli attack on Iran.

Erdogan said Palestinian unity was "vital" following the talks at the Dolmabahce palace on the banks of the Bosphorus strait, which Turkish media reports said lasted more than two and a half hours. 

"The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity," Erdogan said according to a Turkish presidency statement. 

Hamas -- designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Israel -- is a rival of the Fatah faction that rules the semi-autonomous Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank. 

As fears of a wider regional war grow, Erdogan said recent events between Iran and Israel should not allow Israel to "gain ground and that it is important to act in a way that keeps attention on Gaza". 

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the meeting, writing on X: "Muslim Brotherhood alliance: rape, murder, desecration of corpses and the burning of babies. Erdogan, shame on you!" 

Hamas was founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1987.

Close ties with Haniyeh

With Qatar saying it will reassess its role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, Erdogan sent Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Doha on Wednesday in a new sign that he wants a role. 

"Even if only I, Tayyip Erdogan, remain, I will continue as long as God gives me my life, to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people," the president said Wednesday when he announced Haniyeh's visit. 

Hamas has had an office in Turkey since 2011 when Turkey helped secure the agreement for the group to free Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. 

Erdogan has maintained links with Haniyeh, who has been a frequent visitor.

Fidan was a past head of Turkish intelligence and the country provided information and passports to Hamas officials, including Haniyeh, according to Sinan Ciddi, a Turkey specialist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. 

This has never been confirmed by Turkish authorities, however.

Erdogan slams Israel

If Qatar withdraws from mediation efforts, Turkey could seek to increase its mediation profile based on its Hamas links.

Fidan on Saturday held talks with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, with both men emphasising the need to deliver more humanitarian aid to devastated Gaza where the threat of famine looms.

Turkey is one of Gaza's main humanitarian aid partners, sending 45,000 tonnes of supplies and medicine in the region.

Israel has said it is preparing an offensive against the Gazan city of Rafah and the reported Israeli attack on the Iranian province of Isfahan, following Iran's direct attack on Israel, has only clouded hopes of a peace breakthrough.

But Erdogan can only expect a "very limited" role because of his outspoken condemnation of Israel and its actions in Gaza, according to Ciddi.

Last year, the Turkish leader likened the tactics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to those of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and called Israel a "terrorist state" because of its offensive against Hamas after the group's October 7 attacks on Israel. 

Ciddi said Erdogan would not be welcome in Israel and at most might be able to pass messages between Palestinian and Israel negotiators.

The unprecedented Hamas attacks that sparked the Gaza war resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Hamas also took about 250 hostages. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 34,049 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India delivers BrahMos missiles to Philippines

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Watch: MS Dhoni Smacks Never-Seen-Before Six, Achieves 310+ Strike-Rate

MS Dhoni was back to his best for Chennai Super Kings once again. This time facing his wrath was Lucknow Super Giants at their home-ground on Friday. After Chennai Super Kings were six down, MS Dhoni came at the crease in  the 18th over. And it did not take him long to show his old magic. In the IPL 2024, MS Dhoni has played the role of cameo to perfection. Against LSG, he achieved his first six on the second ball of the 19th over bowled by left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan. 

He walked across the stumps and scooped the ball. Such kind of shot is very rare from MS Dhoni. It was a short of a length delivery and Dhoni hit it over LSG wicketkeeper KL Rahul's head to perfection. Dhoni stayed unbeaten on 28 off nine balls with a strike-rate of 311.11, he hit three fours and two sixes.

Upgraded, updated version of MS DHONI
The man, the myth, the legend.#CSKvsLSG #CSKvsLSG #CSK #MSDhoni #IPL2024livepic.twitter.com/RbkCjIlWup

— Jai Meghwal (@jai_meghwal723) April 19, 2024

Talking about the match, Chennai Super Kings rode on a controlled fifty by Ravindra Jadeja to reach a strong 176 for six against Lucknow Super Giants in their Indian Premier League match here on Friday. Apart from Jadeja (57 not out, 40b, 5x4s, 1x6), Ajinkya Rahane (36, 24b, 5x4s, 1x6), Moeen Ali (30, 20b, 3x6s) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (28 not out, 9b, 3x4s, 2x6s) too chipped in with handy contributions after CSK were asked to bat first.

For LSG, Krunal Pandya (2/16) was the most successful bowler.

LSG made one change as New Zealand pacer Matt Henry replaced his West Indian counterpart Shamar Joseph.

CSK made two changes to their eleven with Moeen Ali coming in for Daryl Mitchell and Deepak Chahar walking in for Shardul Thakur.

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings: 176 for 6 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 57 not out, Ajinkya Rahane 36, Moeen Ali 30, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 28 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/16).

With PTI inputs

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"Great Response, People Voting For NDA In Record Numbers": PM On Phase 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the BJP has received a "great response" in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which saw a national average voter turnout of 60 per cent.

In a post on the microblogging website X, PM Modi said the people of India are voting for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in record numbers.

"First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers," PM Modi said.

First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today.

Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2024

Polling took place in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories in the first of the seven-phase elections. The Election Commission (EC) described the turnout as "high", noting that voting remained "largely peaceful".

In the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 69.43 per cent. Some constituencies were different then and the total number of seats which went to the polls were 91.

Violence was reported from some areas in West Bengal and ethnic crisis-hit Manipur. Inner Manipur Congress candidate A Bimol Akoijam alleged BJP workers and an armed group stopped people from coming out of their homes to vote.

At least four incidents of people breaking electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Inner Manipur polling booths were reported. The people got upset allegedly over proxy voting by an armed group.

Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep completed their voting process today in a single-phase election.

For the first time, people in 56 villages in Bastar in Chhattisgarh cast their vote in polling booths set up in their own villages.

The EC said in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, voters belonging to tribal communities came out in large numbers. The Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar made history by casting vote for the first time.

Voters braved the heat in most parts of the country while, at others, they waited patiently in pouring rain.

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Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Swing Seats In Phase 1. See Details

1. The Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat will see a high-stakes battle, with Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai facing DMK leader Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK's Singai Ramachandran. The candidature of its Tamil Nadu state president shows the BJP is pressing hard to increase its presence in south India.
2. Union Minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is eyeing a third straight victory from Maharashtra's Nagpur seat. The seat will see a contest between Mr Gadkari and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre, who is at present the Nagpur West MLA.
3. Jitin Prasada, who quit Congress in 2021, is among the key candidates of the BJP in the first phase. He replaced two-time MP from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi. The BJP got a solid majority in UP in the previous two Lok Sabha elections. The Samajwadi Party fielded Bhagwant Saran Gangwar, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded Anees Ahmes Khan against Mr Prasada.
4. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is contesting from Gaya. This election holds important political significance for the 79-year-old Manjhi. Gaya has the highest number of candidates - 14 in total - contesting the elections. The BJP has left the Gaya (reserved) seat for its ally, the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S).
5. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to snatch the only seat won by the Congress in the 2019 elections, Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is fighting again from the Chhindwara seat against BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, who had lost to Kamal Nath in the last two assembly polls.
6. The Jorhat seat in Assam will decide if the Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, can make it to the elected house this time too. The Constituency has been seen as a stronghold of the BJP. Mr Gogoi's decision to contest the elections from Jorhat, instead of his family's stronghold Kaziranga (erstwhile Kaliabor) -- from where he is the MP -- has made the contest interesting.
7. The assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) will also be held today. Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations; over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote.
8. Polling will be held in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).
9. Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, 2 seats in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
10. In 2019, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 45 of these 102 seats and the NDA 41. Six of these seats have been redrawn as part of the delimitation exercise.

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AAP Alleges MLA Amanatullah Khan Arrested By Enforcement Directorate

Less than a month after arresting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the Enforcement Directorate has taken an AAP MLA, Amanatullah Khan, into custody in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board, the party has claimed. 

Delhi Minister Atishi and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are at the house of the Okhla MLA and the Delhi unit of the party has posted on X that Mr Khan's alleged arrest is another chapter in the "BJP's failed attempts to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party". 

Mr Khan was the chairman of the Waqf Board between 2018 and 2022 and the Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating a money laundering angle, has alleged that the MLA acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in cash through illegal recruitment of staff in the Board, which manages Waqf properties.  

The ED has claimed he invested the money to purchase assets in the name of his associates.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had refused to grant anticipatory bail to the AAP MLA in the case and asked him to join the investigation today. The bench had, however, cautioned the ED against "unnecessarily exercising" its right to arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"You arrest him in case there is material. In case, there is no material, do not arrest him. You have to follow Section 19 of the PMLA. Right to arrest should not be taken for granted," the bench had said. 

In a message posted on X, the MLA said in Hindi that central agencies have been after him and have troubled him for over a year and a half. "Their attempt has been to get me to resign. They want me to leave Arvind Kejriwal and testify against him. Because I haven't done that, they have arrested me. I want to assure the people of Okhla that, despite my arrest, we will continue to work for the area like we have so far."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Advances Rejected, Ex Classmate Stabs Woman 7 Times In Karnataka College

The daughter of a Congress corporator has died after being stabbed seven times with a knife by a former student of the college she was attending in Karnataka's Hubbali. Her attacker has been arrested and police said it appears that he carried out the killing because she had rejected his advances.

Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year Master of Computer Applications student at the BV Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology in Hubballi. Officials said she had known her attacker, Fayaz - who also studied with her at the college, but later dropped out - for some time.

Around 5 pm on Thursday, Neha was walking inside the campus when Fayaz confronted her. CCTV footage shows a couple of sentences being exchanged between them before Fayaz attacks her. Neha falls to the ground after being stabbed the first time and Fayaz goes on to knife her at least six more times.

Fayaz then makes a run for it while some students chase after him.

Fighting back her tears, Neha's mother said, "I came to pick her up and spoke to her over the phone. Within five minutes of our conversation, chaos erupted and someone mentioned she had been stabbed. I haven't seen her face yet and I still believe our daughter is alive. I can't accept that she's gone. I'm not ready to see her in that state. We sent her to college with the hope that we would see her smiling."

Hubballi Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar said Neha was rushed to a hospital, but declared brought dead.

"The accused had fled, but we arrested him in under 90 minutes. Other students have told us that Neha and the accused knew each other and had studied together. We will know more once the accused's interrogation is done," she said.

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India Showed Will To Counter China's Activities In 2023: US Official

India in 2023 showcased itself as a global leader as it demonstrated a greater willingness to counter China's activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region and took steps to modernise its military and reduce its dependency on Russian origin-equipment, the top US intelligence official has told Congress.

The remarks by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency came during a Congressional hearing on defence intelligence countering China. "During the past year, India has showcased itself as a global leader by hosting the Group of 20 economic summit and demonstrated a greater willingness to counter PRC's (People's Republic of China) activity throughout the Indo-Pacific region," Kruse told members of the House Armed Services Committee - the subcommittee on intelligence and special operations.

India, he said, has advanced partnerships in the Indo-Pacific with regional South China Sea claimants, such as the Philippines, through training and defence sales and deepening cooperation with the US, Australia, France and Japan.

China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, while The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the maritime area.

"In 2023, India took steps to modernise its military to compete with China and reduce its dependency on Russian-origin equipment. India conducted sea trials for its first domestically produced aircraft carrier and also has negotiated with several Western countries on the transfer of key defence technologies," Mr Kruse said.

India has maintained its neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia remains India's most substantial defence partner and New Delhi continues to acquire weapons from Moscow, such as the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, despite New Delhi's desire to diversify its defence acquisition partnerships, Mr Kruse said.

"In 2024, New Delhi probably will focus on securing its national parliamentary elections, maintaining economic growth, and building on its 'Make in India' initiative as part of its military modernisation effort -- which is aimed at countering Beijing," he told the lawmakers.

Bilateral relations between India and China remain tense following the 2020 Galwan clash that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least five PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers.

In October 2023, senior Indian and PLA officers failed to resolve disputes about the two remaining standoff locations in eastern Ladakh during their twentieth round of talks. Both sides maintain approximately 50,000-60,000 troops in the area and continue to improve their military infrastructure near the border, Kruse told the lawmakers.

On Pakistan, Kruse told lawmakers that it has sought international support, including from the UN Security Council, to resolve its dispute with India about Kashmir. Separately, Islamabad and New Delhi have maintained an uneasy ceasefire along the shared Line of Control since February 2021.

"Pakistan has sustained its nuclear modernisation efforts despite its economic turmoil. Terrorist violence against Pakistani security forces and civilians also rose last year," Mr Kruse said.

In 2023, militants killed approximately 400 security forces, a nine-year high, and Pakistani security forces have conducted almost daily counterterrorism operations during the past year.

Pakistan's contentious relationship with India continues to drive its defence policy, Mr Kruse said. However, cross-border violence between the countries has decreased since their February 2021 recommitment to a ceasefire, he said.

"Islamabad is modernising its nuclear arsenal and improving the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear C2. In October, Pakistan successfully tested its Ababeel medium-range ballistic missile," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Israel kills Hezbollah commander in Lebanon strike

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"Voters Intelligent, Look What Happened To Indira Gandhi": Sam Pitroda

Indian Overseas Congress Chairman of  Sam Pitroda has expressed confidence that the Congress and INDIA bloc will do well in the Lok Sabha elections and said that Indian voters have a tendency to surprise.

"Let's wait for two months and we will know (results of Lok Sabha polls). There is no need to predict right now what will happen. Indian voters have a tendency to surprise people. Look what happened to Mrs (Indira) Gandhi when she declared an Emergency. She was thrown out and then she was put back in. So don't underestimate the intelligence of Indian voters," Mr Pitroda told ANI.

"If Indian voters feel they want to live in a democratic country, they want to live in a non-dictatorial environment, they want institutions to work, they want freedom, flexibility, they want to practice religion they like, they want to marry the one they want to, they want jobs to be created, they want inflation to be controlled, they will vote accordingly. So have some faith in Indian voters and not in pollsters," he added.

He was responding to a question about the challenges faced by Congress, especially in north India.

Mr Pitroda, a former advisor to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who is considered close to the Nehru-Gandhi family, said Congress leaders are working hard to put up a good fight in the Lok Sabha polls.

"I would say INDIA alliance is doing a reasonably good job. Mr Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and many others in the Congress party are working hard," he said.

Mr Pitroda said the Congress manifesto released earlier this month is "a perfect manifesto" for the people of the country.

"Look at the quality of the manifesto. Under the leadership of P Chidambaram, the manifesto was prepared. It is a good manifesto according to me but some people say it is not a good manifesto, it is a Communist manifesto. It depends on their perception. I don't think it is a Communist manifesto, it is humanistic. It is the right kind of values that Congress stands for. It is a perfect manifesto for the people of India," he said.

Mr Pitroda, a technocrat, served as Chairman of Telecom Commission and headed India's National Knowledge Commission (2005-2009.)

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases, starting April 19. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Jaypee Infra: SC to see Rs 33K cr I-T claim validity

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MSC Aries: Foreign-flag ship was headed for India

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TMC claims I-T raided Abhishek Banerjee's copter

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Congress Fields Virbhadra Singh's Son Against Kangana Ranaut In Himachal

The stage is set for a battle royale in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha seat as the Congress on Saturday pitted state minister Vikramaditya Singh, the titular king of the erstwhile princely state of Bushahr, against BJP candidate and actor Kangana Ranaut.

Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh is the son of six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Pratibha Singh, the sitting MP from Mandi and the Congress' state unit president.

Historically, the Mandi constituency has favoured scions of erstwhile princely states, electing royals in 13 out of 19 elections, including two bypolls since 1952.

Vikramaditya Singh, the two-time MLA from the Shimla (rural) assembly segment, is not new in the parliamentary constituency as his father and mother each won the seat thrice. In the 2021 Lok Sabha bypoll to the seat, Mr Singh had campaigned extensively for his mother.

Even before his candidature was announced, Vikramaditya Singh was involved in a spat with the actor-politician of Bollywood film 'Queen' fame with neither pulling any punches.

Last Thursday, Kangana Ranaut launched a blistering attack on Vikramaditya Singh and said, "This is not the estate of your father or grandfather that you will threaten me and send me back.

The BJP candidate's retaliation came in response to Vikramaditya Singh's jibe a few days earlier about her reported comments over beef-eating.

"I pray to Lord Ram to give her wisdom and hope she goes back pure from 'Dev Bhoomi' Himachal to Bollywood because she will not win the elections as she knows nothing about the people of Himachal," Mr Singh had said.

She asked why he was not showing evidence of her consuming beef.

"I have made my name in the film industry without the help of my father and mother... I want to join politics and serve the people," she said and asserted that politics is an expression of service and anyone from a king to a beggar is entitled to that expression.

The factors working in favour of Kangana Ranaut are former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur's hold over Mandi and that the party has won all the nine assembly segments under the parliament constituency.

BJP leader Khushal Thakur, a Kargil war hero who lost to Pratibha Singh by a margin of 7,490 votes in Lok Sabha bypolls held in November 2021, has rendered his support to Ms Ranaut. "There are over one lakh ex-servicemen in this Parliament constituency", he had told the PTI earlier.

Moreover, BJP leader and the titular king of Kullu Maheshwar Singh, who earlier opposed Ms Ranaut's candidature, has extended his support to her.

Of the 17 assembly segments under the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, eight are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled castes.

Since 1952, the parliamentary seat has been represented by Raj Kumai Amrit Kaur of Kapurthala dynasty and Raja Joginder Sen Bahadur of the princely state of Mandi once each, Raja Lalit Sen of Suket twice, Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh thrice each and Maheshwar Singh thrice.

Three-time MP from Mandi and former Union minister Sukh Ram, two-time winner Ram Swaroop and Ganga Singh were the exceptions and did not hail from royal families.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Second batch of Indian military personnel leave Maldives

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DC overcome LSG to register their 2nd IPL 2024 win

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Apple opens doors to used parts for iPhone repairs

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"People Talk About Kohli, Dhoni But...": Harbhajan Picks True IPL Superstar

No bowler, except for the retired Lasith Malinga, can match Jasprit Bumrah's ability to single-handedly win games for his team and that's why the Indian pace spearhead is the superstar of the ongoing IPL, feels former spinner Harbhajan Singh. Bumrah lived up to his reputation with a five-wicket haul against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in an IPL match here on Thursday night to share the purple cap with Yuzvendra Chahal. In awe of his performance, Harbhajan said the unassuming bowler is peerless. (IPL 2024 Points Table)

"To see him bowl from day one and today, there's a huge difference. He's been a great learner of the game....He wants to learn every day, even if he got five wickets today, he'll go back and tomorrow, he'll see the videos of himself and see where he can improve," Harbhajan told Star Sports on 'Cricket Live'.

"And he's so calm, composed. When it comes to pressure situation, no one does better than what he does. People often talk about Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, because it's a batter's game. But, if you talk about the superstars of the game, he's by far I think, the superstar of the IPL.

"He wins games on his day, like nothing. So, how many batters have done that?" he asked.

The only bowler who comes close to Bumrah's brilliance is Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga, who is incidentally the bowling coach of his IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.

"If you count, like three to four batters, but if you see the bowlers, it's only Bumrah or Malinga across the format. So, unbelievable. So, the basic thing is he wants to learn and he wants to get better every day.

"And he's still very humble, very calm, and very, very hardworking...It's a great lesson for all the youngsters. When you're practicing, practice like you're playing the game," he pointed out.

Harbhajan was also effusive in his praise of Suryakumar Yadav, who struck a half century on Thursday to announce his return to form after struggling with injuries in the past three months.

"When Suryakumar Yadav shines, you don't want to see anyone. When I see this guy, I think he's a better version of AB De Villiers...if I was part of any team, he would be my first pick if he comes in the auction," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Another Congress Spokesman Joins BJP. His Parting Shot

Congress spokesperson Rohan Gupta crossed over to the BJP today, accusing the Grand Old Party of flipping its ideology, giving out contradictory messages, arrogance and treading on people's "self-respect". Speaking to NDTV in an exclusive interview, Mr Gupta said the party has lost direction and credibility, thanks to leaders with "Leftist views" who are arrogant enough to ignore feedback from the grassroot level.

While he did not name anyone, he made his target clear, "the person who is handling communications for the party". This leader, Mr Gupta said, not only failed to call up when his father was ailing and in hospital, he was also responsible for much of the garbled messages emanating from the party.

"Ever since he has taken charge, there has been many issues, nationalism, Sanatan, alliances with Aam Aadmi Party... I along with many others were extremely upset. But we soldiered on," he said. The final straw was when he did not receive even a courtesy call about his father. "I thought it was time to call it a day... It was a matter of self-respect," Mr Gupta told NDTV.

Though the Congress is yet to comment on his departure -- Mr Gupta is the latest of a string of leaders from the party's communications section to leave -- he tackled the thorny issue of the party's response.

"Every time anyone leaves they are criticised -- 'He left because of greed. He was scared' -- what about self-respect? When people like us give feedback from the ground, it should be heard. Leaders who cannot listen should not be given a free run," he said.

Asked why he decided to join the BJP, which he has been criticising so strongly on behalf of the Congress, he said it was about the long-term vision of the party. The BJP today stands for everything the Congress once represented, he said. "Primarily the two core values of centrist policies and nationalism, which had helped the Congress rule for 60 years," he said.

But over the last two years, these values have been overtaken by Leftist ideas, which were at the root of the Congress's refusal to attend the Ayodhya Ram temple inauguration and criticism of businessmen who contributed to the growth of the country.

"The Congress was never like this," he said, pointing out the party once brought in liberalisation and stood for the country's economic growth.

Turning away from the temple was also big mistake, he said. "When the faith and emotions of millions are involved, one should not ignore it," he added. "You could have skipped the inauguration, but could have easily visited another day,' he said.

While Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had turned down the invite for the temple inauguration, the party had not banned the visit for any leader. But most took their cue from them, and barring a handful of leaders from Uttar Pradesh, few have visited the temple.

Asked how could the Congress lie clash, since Rahul Gandhi is in the habit of visiting temples, Mr Gupta said Rahul Gandhi listens to his advisors. "But one should also pick the right advisors... A man who never contested elections, how can he give the right advice? He does not know the grassroot issues," he said.

Asked what he intended to do about the tweets that berated the BJP, whether he would delete on not, he said, "I'm not ashamed of my past. I have worked faithfully for a party for 15 years. But I don't think the party is happy any more about my vision or mission and now I'm trying to change gracefully".

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Pet Parents Use Drone To Search For Missing Dog, Find Him Playing With Bears

A recent drone search for a missing husky in Kamchatka, Russia, took a surprising turn when the pet was found not alone, but playfully interacting with a group of wild brown bears.

The undated footage, now going viral on social media, shows the husky trailing the bears and even circling them excitedly. While one bear attempts to nudge the dog away when it gets too close, the overall interaction appears non-threatening.

Watch the viral video here:

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A post shared by Jerri Scherff, CPDT-KA (@sailorjerrithedogtrainer)

The video has amassed more than 20 million views on Instagram and a range of hilarious comments. 

A user joked, "Mama Bear to Papa Bear: I know we said Junior needed a friend, but this kid needs to go home."

Another user commented, "For me, it's the fact that a husky can even annoy bears. Humans don't stand a chance," another user wrote. 

"That dog is going to have so many stories that his dog friends will never believe," the third user commented.

"These are Kamchatka Russian bears. Not grizzlies. Though they are in the same family of Brown Bear. Kamchatka Bears are much bigger than Grizzlies. That's why they look so plump to the North Americans. They are almost as big as the biggest of all bears: the Kodiak," the fourth user wrote. 

"Mama bear was far too tired to argue with the cubs about getting a new family member. She's questioning her decision now," the fifth user wrote. 

The outcome of the encounter remains unclear. It's unknown if the husky eventually returned home or ventured off with its newfound companions.

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