BENAULIM: Local leaders of the Congress and AAP met secretly on Friday evening and discussed the Benaulim ZP by-polls to be held later this month. The meeting took place after Congress Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare said the Congress favors continuance of the INDIA alliance in the State.

While one group within the Congress is in favor of continuing the alliance with the AAP post the Lok Sabha polls and in accordance with coalition dharma wants to leave the Benaulim ZP seat to the AAP, another group led by youth leader and social worker Warren Alemao wants the Congress to go alone for the ZP polls. There is a similar rebel lot in the Benaulim AAP unit which does not want to bed with the Congress for the ZP polls.

Congress sources said any decision by the Congress to contest the Benaulim by-poll alone may send a wrong signal to the other opposition parties that the Congress only wanted their support for the recently-held LS polls.

“The party is cautious because any decision to field a candidate in Benaulim merely days after the Lok Sabha polls could be seen as unethical by the Alliance members,” said a senior South Goa Congress leader, adding that elections are due in Maharasthra for the State Assembly polls in about four months and the INDIA alliance would like to present a combined opposition to the BJP-led NDA alliance in the neighbouring state. Similarly, in Maharashtra polls to several Municipal Corporations and other Municipal and local bodies are long overdue and may by held by the end of this year and a combined opposition will be required if the BJP is to be kept at bay.

The Goa leadership will hold consultations and seek inputs of the Benaulim Congress leaders and workers before taking a final decision in a day or two. The Congress in Benaulim seems to be divided with one group wanting to continue the alliance, while the group led by Warren Alemao wanting to go it alone.

Alemao who has been working very aggressively in Benaulim for the last several months is confident of winning the Benaulim ZP by-polls without the help of any other party.

“The Congress leadership will clear the party’s stand on the Benaulim by-poll issue before the Lok Sabha election results on June 4,” said another party leader.

By-polls for the Benaulim Zilla Panchayat were announced following the disqualification of Aam Aadmi Party member Hanzel Fernandes after his caste certificate was declared null and void by the High Court on technical reasons.

Meanwhile, Warren Alemao who is the cousin of Congress LoP Yuri Alemao, on Friday opposed any alliance for the Benaulim ZP by-polls on the grounds that the AAP Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and the AAP ZP member Hanzel Fernandes have done nothing for the constituency.

“The Congress must regain lost ground in the constituencies of Benaulim, Nuvem, Velim and Navelim which were its traditional strongholds. In order to keep its soul alive in Benaulim, the Congress must go solo and not give up the ZP seat to the AAP,” Warren said.

He also warned that a front will be formed in Benaulim to take on the AAP, if the Congress does not field its own candidate for the ensuing by-poll.

In fact, Warren told the media that he is ready to work and make sure the Congress candidate is the next ZP representative of Benaulim constituency, if the Congress party decides to put up its own candidate.

“We do not need an alliance for ZP elections and that’s the opinion of the people of Benaulim as the AAP MLA and AAP ZP representative have done zero development in the Benaulim constituency. We are waiting for the Congress party to decide if they want their soul to remain in Benaulim otherwise a front will be created and will start working in Benaulim,” he said in a written statement on Friday.

MUMBAI: Bringing some relief from the scorching heat, Mumbai, Thane and adjoining areas on Monday afternoon received heavy rains accompanied with dust storm, lightning, gusty winds and thunder.

However, in most parts there was only a drizzle, while some other parts got some decent rain. Dust storms were present at most parts of Mumbai’s western suburbs, including Goregaon, Malad and Borivali.

The Regional Meteorological Center has issued yellow alert for Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. These regions are very likely to receive thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds (30-40kmph) at isolated places.

According to the weather department, Mumbai will receive light rain and thunder showers at certain places.

Whereas, an orange alert has been issued for Pune, Satara, Sangli, Nashik, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna and Parbhani districts.

“Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds (50-60 kmph, hail are very likely at isolated places,” said weather forecast.

“Heavy to intense rain ahead for the next 2 hours in Thane & Palghar, Kalyan, Badlapur and interiors. Advisable for residents to stay indoors. Wind speeds will be very high and massive near 40-50 kmph. More intense rain in the interior,” posted Rushikesh Agre, an independent meteorologist on X.

Some districts of Marathwada are likely to witness thundershowers at many places, and gusty winds (40-50 kmph), light to moderate rain.

NEW DELHI, (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Friday thanked Lord Hanuman as he stepped out of Tihar Jail on interim bail and sought people’s support in his ”fight against dictatorship”.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener was granted interim bail till June 1 by the Supreme Court earlier in the day.

He walked out of the prison in the evening amid dhol beats and sloganeering by AAP workers and leaders.

Standing through the sunroof of a car, Kejriwal then addressed AAP workers and supporters amid slogans of ‘Jail Ke Tale Toot Gaye, Kejriwalji Chhoot Gaye‘.

Beginning with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai‘, ‘Vande Mataram‘ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad‘, the Delhi chief minister said, ”I am fighting against dictatorship with all my might but 140 crore people (of the country) will have to come together to fight against it.” He further said that he would visit the Hanuman temple at Connaught Place at 11 am on Saturday and address a press conference at the AAP office at 1 pm.

”I am feeling great to be with you. I had told you that I would come out soon… First of all, I want to pay obeisance to Lord Hanuman. I am among you because of the blessings of Lord Hanuman,” Kejriwal added.

The AAP leader also thanked people for their love and blessings and asked them to come together to fight against dictatorship.

”I want to thank you all. Crores of people of the country sent their blessings to me. I want to thank the Supreme Court because of which I am here,” he added. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate Tuesday claimed in the Supreme Court that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who stayed at the Grand Hyatt – a seven star luxury hotel in Goa, ran up bills running into several lakh during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections.

This amount is inclusive of food and beverages consumed by Kejriwal and other AAP leaders who joined him for meetings at the Grand Hyatt, the agency told the court.

A division bench of the SC was hearing Kejriwal’s plea for interim bail.

The ED also said it had evidence to prove that Kejriwal’s stay at the luxury hotel was partly paid for by another person, also an accused in the excise liquor policy case.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, stated that Kejriwal’s stay at a hotel during the 2022 Assembly elections in Goa was partially paid for by another accused Chanpreet Singh, who was arrested in the case on April 12.

The Enforcement Directorate alleged that Singh was the man who managed all funds and payments for the Aam Aadmi Party’s election campaign in Goa.

“We have found that Arvind Kejriwal stayed in a 7-star hotel called Grand Hyatt during the Goa elections,” Raju told the court. “And at that time, part of his bills were paid by the general administrative department of Delhi government, but part of it was paid by Chanpreet Singh.” Raju also alleged that Kejriwal used public funds of the Delhi government for political purpose during the 2022 state polls in Goa.

The SC is likely to pronounce its order regarding interim bail for Kejriwal to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls on 10th May. Delhi will vote on 25th May in the 6th phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

PANAJI: Curtorim independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has confirmed that a letter bearing his photograph and so-called signature is FAKE and FORGED and requested Goans to take note of the same and not circulate or share the fake post.

A fake digital post in the form of a letter was doing the rounds on social media since Monday afternoon. The letter, which is in the form of an appeal, falsely claims that Lourenco has tendered his resignation as the Chairman of the IDC (Goa Industrial Development Corporation) and has withdrawn his support to the Goa BJP government.

Reginaldo confirmed that the entire letter / appeal is fake and his signature is forged. Sources said that the State Election Commission has been informed about the fake post, which has gone viral on social media. Since it involves the signature and name of an MLA and a government official (IDC Chairperson), the SEC is supposed to immediately forward the fake post to the appropriate police authorities for action, including registration of an FIR.

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Tuesday issued a heatwave warning for several states across the country, including Maharashtra, North Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal, in its latest weather forecast.

Parts of Maharashtra, North Goa and even some parts of South Goa could experience temperature spikes during the noon hours, triggering massive heat waves that could harm human beings and animals causing them to get unwell, the spokesperson for a private weather forecaster said.

Heatwave conditions will prevail in Goa till the end of the week, the IMD said, advising people to avoid outdoor travel between noon to 5 pm, whenever possible

Additionally, the IMD issued a separate warning specifically for cities in Maharashtra such as Thane, Mumbai, and Raigad, indicating an impending heatwave expected this week.

The weatherman has instructed people to stay indoors between 12 noon and 4 pm and if not possible then to avoid direct sunlight, stay in the shade as far as possible, drink lots of water and even splash water on your face, head and body to prevent a heat stroke while outside.

In Maharashtra, Mumbai and Thane are expected to experience minimum temperatures ranging from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD notification, heatwave conditions are forecasted to persist in Odisha and West Bengal until April 19, in Andhra Pradesh until April 18, in Telangana from April 17 to 18, and in North Goa til 16.

The weather department has forecasted hot and humid weather conditions for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala until April 18, and for West Bengal, Odisha, Goa, Gujarat, and Karnataka on April 16.

Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are also bracing for high temperatures, with heatwave conditions expected to prevail in both states from April 16 to 18.

MUMBAI: Former MP and Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who was expelled from the party, claimed that he would contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Mumbai North West seat and win. He is expected to join the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena either tomorrow or day after.

Nirupam was sacked from the Congress, after he used coarse language against Udhav Thackeray for announcing a candidate from the seat which he was eying.

Speaking to media persons, he had also clarified that he would not contest independently but under a party symbol, meaning the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ alliance headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Nirupam, who was interested in contesting from the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, was miffed with the Congress for handing over the seat to the Shiv Sena (UBT).

In the Mahayuti (BJP group) seat-sharing deal, the Mumbai North West seat has been allocated to the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), and for Nirupam to get the ticket from North West, he has to join the Shinde Sena.

The Shiv Sena, under Shinde’s leadership, is still scouting for a suitable candidate for this seat, as MVA ally Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has already nominated Amol Kirtikar.

The Mumbai North West constituency boasts a significant Marathi voter base, while Nirupam represents a prominent North Indian face with reasonable popularity in the locality.

NEW DELHI: Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal failed to get any relief today after the Delhi High Court rejected his pleas, challenging the time of his arrest and the procedure followed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

According to a Reuters report, in its order on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court said Kejriwal’s arrest was not in contravention of the law and “cannot be termed as illegal”.

The AAP said it would appeal to the Supreme Court and reiterated its position that the high-profile leader was arrested in a “fabricated” case in an attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to “finish” him.

Kejriwal, 55, was arrested by financial crime-fighting agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with corruption allegations related to Delhi’s liquor policy, sparking protests in the capital and the northern state of Punjab, also governed by his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The trial court last week extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody until April 15 and moved him to Delhi’s Tihar jail, where two other senior AAP leaders are also held in the same case.

A third AAP leader detained in the case was granted bail recently, after being imprisoned for six months. In its order on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court said Kejriwal’s arrest was not in contravention of the law and “cannot be termed as illegal”.