The results of the Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors (PM-YUVA 3.0), implemented by the National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education, have been announced on the website of NBT-India.

Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the scheme aims to encourage young writers to contribute to nation building through their writing and ideas.

“Under this edition, book proposals by 43 young authors below the age of 30 years were selected through an All-India contest, in 22 official Indian languages and English, including Assamese, Bangla, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu,” the National Book Trust, India, said in a statement on Wednesday.

This broad language participation strengthens the scheme’s objective of promoting inclusive literary development across India.

Of the 43 selected authors, 19 are women, and 24 are men.

These selected book proposals will be developed into books under the six-month mentorship of eminent scholars. Each selected author will also receive a scholarship of Rs 50,000 per month and a lifetime royalty of 10 per cent on their published book.

The themes for PM-YUVA 3.0 were: Contribution of Indian Diaspora in Nation Building, Indian Knowledge System, and Makers of Modern India (1950–2025).

The selected manuscripts are non-fiction works that reflect India’s past, present and future through topics like history, culture, science, philosophy, governance, social reform and India’s global engagement.

A National Camp of the selected authors will be organised during the upcoming New Delhi World Book Fair (10-18 January 2026).

The first set of books under PM-YUVA 3.0 will be published next year, with the objective of nurturing a new generation of writers to represent Indian literature and thought in India and abroad.

Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, on Wednesday, released a book, “Economic Empowerment of Bharat in the Modi Era”, authored by Prof. (Dr.) Sikander Kumar, Member of Parliament, at the Vice-President’s Enclave.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Vice-President said the publication is a powerful testament to the vision, leadership, and transformative economic policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He noted that over the past decade, India has witnessed remarkable economic transformation and renewed national confidence. He said today Bharat (India) has emerged as the fourth largest economy in the world and is also the fastest-growing major economy.

The Vice-President pointed out that the book highlights major structural reforms such as insolvency laws, digital governance, and transparent banking systems. He emphasised that these reforms were not merely policy initiatives but bold steps aimed at eliminating decades-old inefficiencies and corruption.

The Prime Minister’s vision of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” has evolved into a working model of efficiency and discipline, he observed.

The Vice-President said Prime Minister Narendra Modi places emphasis on ensuring that 100 per cent of benefits reach the beneficiaries. He noted that the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile) has enabled direct benefit transfers, reduced leakages, and enhanced transparency and efficiency in governance. So far, he said, over Rs 47 lakh crore has been directly transferred into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

The Vice-President described the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as another significant milestone of this era. He said GST transformed India into a unified national market by simplifying the tax structure, enhancing compliance and strengthening cooperative federalism.

He said that the removal of interstate check posts streamlined the movement of goods, saved lakhs of man-hours and fuel. GST is widely acknowledged as one of the biggest reforms undertaken in independent India.

The Vice-President said India’s economic empowerment has been driven by a strong focus on inclusion. Initiatives such as Digital India, Make in India, Startup India and the rapid expansion of UPI have empowered citizens, entrepreneurs and small businesses.

He added that the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat marks a decisive shift from dependence to self-reliance, while positioning India as a reliable partner in global supply chains. This journey, he said, aligns with the broader aspiration of Viksit Bharat, where economic growth is balanced with social justice, environmental sustainability and technological advancement.

Under PM Modi, the Vice-President said, India has moved from policy paralysis to purposeful governance, from a poverty mindset to a prosperity mission, and from dependence to self-reliance.The Vice-President called upon citizens to celebrate a new Bharat – confident, capable and compassionate, as it marches towards Viksit Bharat@2047.

As the investigation into the Sabarimala gold heist is underway, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar raised more serious allegations of theft from the Ayyappa temple. He alleged that the gold theft from Sabarimala temple was so extensive that even parts of the sacred 18 steps were also stolen

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the BJP leader said the loot from Sabarimala is not limited to four-and-a-half kilos of gold. Investigations have revealed that the Left Front’s Devaswom Board also smuggled four more Panchaloha idols from Sabarimala and sold them to international criminal gangs, he said.

Stating that the most shocking thing is that even parts of the sacred 18th step, which was renovated during the UDF regime in 2015, have been looted, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said justice will not be served just by arresting Unnikrishnan Potty or Vasu.

“Behind this, there is a huge conspiracy that was hatched during the Congress-UDF era and was implemented during the CPM-LDF regime,” he said.

He said this is not just looting, but an act of blasphemy. “This is a betrayal of Swami Ayyappa and crores of Ayyappa devotees around the world like me,” he added.

Asserting that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will not be able to uncover the truth, the BJP Kerala chief reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry to reveal the whole truth.

He recalled Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, initially, trying to cover up this by portraying it as just a “mistake”. “Don’t forget one thing – Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan initially tried to cover up this shameful corruption by portraying it as just a “mistake,” he said.

Full text of Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s Facebook post:

“As an Ayyappa devotee, the pain I felt before has increased tenfold now.

More worrying than previously known‍ information is coming out now.

The loot from Sabarimala is not limited to four and a half kilos of gold. Investigations have revealed that the Left Front’s Devaswom Board also smuggled four more Panchaloha idols from Sabarimala and sold them to international criminal gangs.

What is most shocking is another thing – even parts of the sacred 18th step, which was renovated during the UDF regime in 2015, have been looted.

That is why justice will not be served just by arresting Unnikrishnan Potty or Vasu. Behind this, there is a huge conspiracy that started during the Congress-UDF era and was implemented during the CPM-LDF regime.

This is not just looting. This is blasphemy. This is a betrayal of Swami Ayyappa and crores of Ayyappa devotees around the world like me.

An SIT investigation alone will not reveal the whole truth. A CBI investigation is essential for that.

Don’t forget one thing – Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan initially tried to cover up this shameful corruption by portraying it as just a “mistake”.

We will ensure justice for Ayyappa devotees.Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa .”

Piyush Goyal, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, on Wednesday visited the headquarters of Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) at Bhubaneswar and reviewed the progress of ongoing expansion projects.

During his maiden visit to NALCO Headquarters after assuming charge as secretary, Ministry of Mines, Goyal chaired a review meeting in the presence of Brijendra Pratap Singh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NALCO. He reviewed the Company’s ongoing expansion initiatives and operational performance.

The meeting was attended by members of the NALCO Board, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Director (Production), Jagdish Arora, Director (Projects & Technical), Tapas Kumar Pattanayak, Director (HR), Abhay Kumar Behuria, Director (Finance), along with other senior officials.

During the meeting, Goyal emphasized timely completion of expansion projects, meeting of production targets, and systematic enhancement of operational efficiency.

He commended NALCO for its collective achievements and strong performance across key physical and financial parameters. Goyal also encouraged the collective to continue setting new benchmarks across all spheres of its operations.

Earlier in the day, the secretary had a meeting with chief secretary and other senior state government officials to discuss matters related to expediting NALCO’s expansion activities at its Mines & Refinery Complex in Damanjodi and Smelter & Power Complex at Angul.

The UP Police have sent a report to the Bureau of Immigration seeking issuance of a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against an absconding accused In a codeine-related case registered at Purani Basti police station.

Once the LOC is issued, surveillance will be initiated at international airports and seaports to ensure that the accused, Ritvik Goyal, does not leave the country under any circumstances, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in another case registered at Kotwali police station, teams have begun searching for Pankaj Kumar, proprietor of M/s Ganpati Pharma, who is also absconding. Police teams are conducting raids in Varanasi to trace him. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also intensified monitoring of the close associates of the accused to reach them at the earliest.

The case at the Purani Basti police station was registered on November 19 on a complaint of Drug Inspector Arvind Kumar. According to the complaint, Goyal Pharma, located at ground floor, Pandey Bazaar, Bansi Road, Narharia, allegedly violated Rule 66 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, along with conditions mentioned in the issued license. It was further alleged that the firm continued buying and selling medicines on a license that had automatically become invalid due to illegal alteration of its constitution.

Based on these allegations, the Purani Basti police registered a case against Khushbu Goyal, wife of Shrikar Goyal and resident of Marwatiya, Pandey Bazaar, Purani Basti; Ritvik Goyal; and the owners of Mega Logistics, a Lucknow-based firm. Several crucial facts have emerged during the course of investigation.

According to police sources, accused Khushbu Goyal does not possess a passport.

Details about the accused associated with the Lucknow-based firm are still being collected to ascertain whether they hold passports. In the same case, the police have moved to issue a Look-Out Circular against Ritvik Goyal. Once issued, strict monitoring will be enforced to prevent his escape abroad.
On the other hand, police teams continue intensive search operations to arrest absconding accused Pankaj Kumar in the Kotwali case.

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, on Wednesday, participated in the High-Level Task Force Meeting on Agriculture and Horticulture convened by Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, in New Delhi.

The meeting saw participation from Chief Minister of Tripura, Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha; the Agriculture Minister of Assam; Atul Bora, the Agriculture Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; Gabriel D. Wangsu, the Agriculture Minister of Sikkim; Puran Kumar Gurung, Secretary, MDoNER; along with other senior officers of MDoNER, and State Governments.

The HLTF deliberated upon the need for addressing key gaps in the value chain and market linkages across the North Eastern Region. The discussions focused on strengthening the agri-horti ecosystem by leveraging the region’s inherent strengths, with specialisation, quality, and the ability to stand out as the unique selling proposition of agri-horti products from the NER.

Need to systematically diagnose existing bottlenecks across the production, post-harvest, processing, marketing, and logistics segments of the value chain, while prioritising interventions and designing suitable investment mechanisms was also discussed. Reducing post-harvest losses and lowering marketing and logistics costs emerged as critical focus areas to enhance overall value realisation for farmers.

The importance of charting a clear roadmap that progresses from foundational interventions to full-scale value chain integration was also deliberated upon during the meeting.

This includes developing a strategic infrastructure map to support export readiness, recognising priority commodities for each State, and promoting cluster-based development for each identified product to ensure scale, efficiency, and market alignment.

A blueprint-based approach was proposed, beginning with the selection of one product and addressing its end-to-end value chain through clearly defined short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans with product-wise targets and investment requirements.

The approach also emphasised assessing, for every product, the number of farmers engaged across the NER and evaluating how farmers would benefit on a product-wise and state-wise basis. Once these interventions are implemented, the focus would be on measuring the resulting increase in farmers’ incomes.

The HLTF reaffirmed that a focused, product-specific, and cluster-driven strategy would enable measurable and sustainable outcomes, strengthen market linkages, reduce inefficiencies across the value chain, and ensure long-term income enhancement for farmers across the North Eastern Region.

Delhi Metro, the lifeline of the national capital, celebrated a landmark moment on the completion of 23 years of successful metro operations in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday.

Currently, the Delhi Metro caters to an average of 65 lakh passenger journeys per day.

On this very day in 2002, the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had inaugurated the first stretch of the Delhi Metro from Shahdara to Tis Hazari on the Red Line. Since then, the Delhi Metro has emerged as the lifeline of the city of Delhi and the entire National Capital Region.

“On a cold December morning back in 2002, the journey of the Delhi Metro started, and with it, commenced the story of India’s most successful mass transport system. Today, the 24th of December 2025, marks the completion of 23 years of the Delhi Metro’s illustrious operational journey,” a DMRC spokesperson said.

TS#01, the first-ever train to operate on the Delhi Metro network, continues to be a proud member of the large fleet that transports lakhs of people to their destinations every day. The train has undergone multiple upgrades in keeping with the standards followed worldwide.

Initially, TS#01 was of four cars, but to cater to the requirement of increased passenger demand, the number of coaches was increased to six in 2014 and then to eight in 2023.

Delhi Metro’s first-ever train has been in revenue service since 2002, covering approximately 2.9 million kilometres and safely carrying over 60 million passengers, with a mammoth 2.4 million door operations.

TS#01 was manufactured by MRM Consortium, South Korea, and was then transferred to Kolkata, India, by ship. From Kolkata, it was transferred to Delhi using the Indian railway network. The initial cost of the four-coach train was approximately Rs 24 crore.

The advanced design of the propulsion system of the train has helped in reducing the carbon footprint by regenerating as much as 40 percent (approx) of the total power consumed through regenerative braking.

So far, TS#01 has undergone two major overhauls by DMRC’s maintenance team. Because of timely interventions and maintenance overhauls, TS#01 has been able to maintain MDBF (Train kms per reliability failure) of 85,000 kilometres over the minimum contractual requirement of 40,000 kilometres.

“Today, when the Delhi Metro is proudly completing 23 years of operations, TS#01 continues its glorious journey of providing safe, reliable, and comfortable travel to the commuters,” the spokesperson said.

TS#01 went through mid-life rehabilitation in 2024 with upgrades, which included the latest IP-based PAPIS (Passenger announcement and passenger information system).

The latest IP-based PAPIS features includes CCTV to increase the safety and security of the passengers; Integrated Passenger Emergency Alarms is to increase passenger convenience and safety; LCD Based Dynamic Route Map & Public information boards is to provide real time information of stations and door opening directions as well as safety videos to the passengers; Door Refurbishment is to improve the reliability of the door system; Fire Detection system is to increase the passenger safety; Relay Panel Refurbishment is to improve the reliability and punctuality of the train; Mobile/Laptop Socket outlet is for convenience of commuters and Interior and Cab Exterior Repainting is to improve the aesthetics of train.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reached Pushkar town in Ajmer district of Rajasthan on a brief private visit.

The Defence Minister’s special plane landed at the Kishangarh Airport around 01:20 pm. Union Minister of State(MoS) for Agriculture Bhagirath Chaudhary, Rajasthan Minister for Water Resources, Suresh Singh Rawat, and several leaders of the ruling BJP accorded a warm welcome to Singh at the airport.

Soon after the arrival, the Defence Minister proceeded further to Pushkar by road, where he attended a wedding ceremony. Staying at the function for almost an hour, he returned to Kishangarh airport to fly to Lucknow, his Parliamentary constituency.

The third edition of Shimla Winter Carnival began here on Wednesday, as the city is all set to welcome tourists ahead of the New Year celebrations. Commenting on the same, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the carnival presents the state’s “Identity and the spirit of hospitality in a powerful manner.”

“The Shimla Winter Carnival, beginning today, is a celebration of the cultural consciousness and vibrant traditions of Himachal Pradesh. On this auspicious occasion, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all my family members in the state and to the tourists.

”This carnival, while preserving Himachal’s rich cultural, historical, and folk heritage, presents our identity and the spirit of hospitality in a powerful manner. It is my wish that this event infuses new energy into Himachal’s cultural consciousness,” Sukhu said.

Providing more information about the carnival, Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan stated that the intention behind this initiative is to “attract more and more tourists” to the state.

“This is our third Winter Carnival. It’s being organised by the Municipal Corporation,” Chauhan said.

“This is our effort to showcase the art and culture of Himachal Pradesh, and we will involve all the tourists who have come from outside,” he added.

Commenting about the arrangements, he said, “We have spoken to the police department and the law and order authorities. We have held meetings with everyone. We have also created a selfie point for Christmas.”

The carnival will continue for more than a week.

It is pertinent to mention here that there is also a carnival going on in Kangra, scheduled from December 24 to 31. With cultural performances, local crafts, and local cuisine as main attractions, the carnival is expected to add extra sparkle to the region’s celebrations.

Ishan Kishan, the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter gave an amazing performance on Wednesday at the Vijay Hazare Trophy hitting a 33-ball century against Karnataka in Ahmedabad.

Kishan’s hundred became the second-fastest by an Indian in List A cricket, leaving him just one ball short of a national record that had been set only hours earlier by Bihar skipper Sakibul Gani.

Ishan was not the only one who played well. Youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also scored a 36-ball century for Bihar, which he later converted into an 84-ball 190 followed by Gani’s record-breaking ton and Ayush Loharuka’s rapid 56-ball 116, as the team finished with a massive 574 against Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier in the day, Bihar scripted history by registering the highest team total in List A cricket in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kishan came really close in the end to surpass Gani’s record, but eventually finished with 125 off just 39 balls, helping Jharkhand post a formidable total of 412 for nine.

The innings further underlined Kishan’s form in domestic cricket. Only days earlier, the left-hander had made headlines after being named in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, shortly after leading Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.

He was the standout performer of the SMAT campaign, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 517 runs. He played a match-defining role in the final against Haryana, where he struck a blistering 45-ball century. That innings made him only the second batter to score a hundred in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final and the third-fastest centurion in a men’s T20 final. With five centuries in the tournament, he also equalled Abhishek Sharma’s record for the most hundreds in SMAT history.

At the international level, Kishan has well established himself. He holds the record for the fastest double century in One-Day Internationals, having reached the milestone in just 126 balls against Bangladesh in 2022.

Against this backdrop, Kishan has earned a return to the international fold and has been named in India’s T20I squad for the five-match series against New Zealand as well as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for February 2026.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that security is the primary need of society and establishing the rule of law is the state government’s top priority.

He said that every individual, businessman, and woman must feel secure, adding that his government has produced tangible results in this direction. He noted that the people of Uttar Pradesh have consistently endorsed these efforts.

The CM made these remarks while participating in the discussion on the supplementary budget on the last day of the winter session of the state assembly on Wednesday. The House later approved the supplementary budget.

Launching a scathing attack on the opposition, the Chief Minister said that under previous governments, state power had bowed to the mafia and criminal elements.

Referring to the Puja Pal case, he said that the government at that time lacked the courage to deliver justice, while his administration has ensured that justice is delivered in accordance with the law, without considering any party or group.

He clarified that justice would be ensured for every woman, irrespective of which party she belongs to. The Chief Minister added that he had also assured Vijma Yadav of full security from the government.

Taking a dig at the Samajwadi Party, the Chief Minister questioned whether its leaders had ever advised their own government, when it was in power nearly nine years ago, to rein in the mafia and criminal activities.

He taunted the opposition with a couplet, saying, “Don’t talk about this and that, tell us how the caravan was looted,” adding that the public has already given its answer to this.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the government’s policy against the mafia has been clear and strict, and it has been implemented effectively on the ground. He said that economic development is not possible without strong political will and better law and order, and his government has made security the cornerstone of development.

Referring to development works, the Chief Minister said that before 2017, the state’s roads were full of potholes, and metro rail projects had become a joke. Due to a lack of coordination with the central government, no concrete efforts were made to connect rail and road transport. He said that at that time, they had to depend on the Congress due to coalition compulsions.

The Chief Minister informed that before 2017, there were only one and a half expressways in the state, while now this number has increased to 22. Nearly 60 percent of the country’s total expressways are in Uttar Pradesh.

He said that the highest number of airports, the largest rail network, and robust infrastructure have become the hallmarks of Uttar Pradesh today, which is a result of the balance between law and order and development.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and SP leader Mata Prasad Pandey launched a sharp attack on the state government over the supplementary budget. He said that if the Chief Minister reviews the budget periodically, the government would be able to know in a timely manner how much budget is available with each department.

He reminded that earlier district-level committees were formed to recommend budget allocations, a system that has since been discontinued by the government. He demanded that this mechanism be restored.

Mata Prasad Pandey made these remarks while speaking during the discussion on the supplementary budget. He said that bringing a supplementary budget is not wrong, but it cannot be called very good either. All possibilities should be seriously considered while preparing the budget, as it is a long-standing and established tradition.

Mata Prasad Pandey said that this time, a provision of about Rs 24,000 crore has been made in the supplementary budget, while the government has received approximately 30 percent less revenue compared to the estimates made in the original budget.

He alleged that the government wants to spend more money on publicity and propaganda instead of development works. When there is a budget deficit, work is carried out by spending small amounts of money.

Referring to the Housing Development Department, he said that while permission was given to spend approximately 80 percent of the allocated budget, the sanctions have not yet been issued according to the original budget.

Raising the issue of compensation for natural calamities, he said that after the money is released, it is distributed by the Tehsildar, but due to budget constraints, people do not receive timely assistance and are forced to approach political leaders. He demanded that the Revenue Department be allocated its full budget to ensure timely assistance to those in need.

Mata Prasad Pandey said that calamities often strike the homes of the poor rather than the rich. Therefore, the government should take special care of the poor and ensure sufficient resources for relief and rehabilitation.

1991-batch IAS officer Anu Garg is set to become Odisha’s first woman to don the mantle of State’s Chief Secretary post with the Government issuing a notification in this regard on Wednesday.

Garg, who held several key positions in the administration in the past, is currently shouldering the responsibility as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary to the Government, Planning and Convergence Department, with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department.

Anu Garg will assume charge after the incumbent Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja retires on December 31.

“Anu Garg, IAS (RR-1991), DC-cum-ACS and Secretary to Government, Planning and Convergence Department with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Water Resources Department is appointed as Chief Secretary, Odisha and Secretary to Government, General Administration and Public Grievance Department vice Shri Manoj Ahuja, IAS retiring on 31.12.2025,” stated a notification issued by the General Administration & Public Grievance Department.

Uttar Pradesh politics is once again abuzz with discussions about caste equations. Nearly four dozen Brahmin MLAs and MLCs of the ruling BJP attended an informal baati-chokha dinner meeting in Lucknow.

The meeting on Tuesday night has intensified political activity in the state.

The meeting was held at the official residence of BJP MLA P N Pathak from Kushinagar, at his official residence. A large number of Brahmin MLAs and MLCs were present, including MLAs Ratnakar Mishra, Prakash Dwivedi, Prem Narayan Pandey, Shalabh Mani Tripathi, Ankur Raj Tiwari, Vinay Dwivedi, Rishi Tiwari, Vivekananda Pandey, and Kailashnath Shukla. MLC Saket Mishra, son of retired bureaucrat Nripendra Mishra, also attended the meeting.

This meeting is considered politically significant because just a few days ago, the BJP appointed seven-time MP Pankaj Chaudhary from Maharajganj as the new president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP. Pankaj Chaudhary belongs to the Kurmi community. Therefore, this dinner meeting is being seen as a display of activism and a message from the Brahmin leadership within the party.

Political analysts believe that the BJP’s vote share declined in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after a section of the OBCs, particularly the Kurmi community, distanced themselves from the party. Against this backdrop, this meeting of Brahmin MLAs is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on the party leadership to maintain caste balance.

However, one of the MLAs who attended the meeting described it as a purely social gathering and said that it should not be linked to any political objective. Nevertheless, political observers say that the way MLAs from various caste groups have been gathering in separate meetings recently provides a glimpse into the BJP’s internal strategies ahead of the upcoming 2027 assembly elections.

According to sources, such meetings are likely to further intensify political activity within the state BJP in the coming days. It is noteworthy that a meeting of about 40 Thakur MLAs from Uttar Pradesh was held in Lucknow during the previous monsoon session of the state assembly. This meeting was given the name “Kutumb Parivar” (Family Gathering). The gathering of approximately 40 out of the total 49 Thakur MLAs in the state had raised several questions in political circles.

Following these meetings, the state BJP organisation submitted a detailed report to the central leadership. This report specifically mentioned factionalism among MLAs belonging to a particular caste. Now, the gathering of Brahmin MLAs has further intensified the political activity in the state.

Unlike other turncoat legislators of the BRS, Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender has asserted that he is with the Congress and will soon participate in the party’s campaign for the Hyderabad civic polls. His statement has triggered speculation that a bypoll for the Khairatabad seat may be imminent.

Nagender is the only MLA who ignored the notices issued by the Telangana Speaker to appear before him in connection with the disqualification petition filed by the BRS. Since Nagender contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket without resigning as a BRS legislator, there is little room left for political manoeuvring, unlike in the case of the other nine turncoat MLAs.

When questioned about his political allegiance on Tuesday, Danam Nagender reiterated that he was in the Congress. “I don’t know which party the other MLAs are in, but I am clearly in the Congress,” he said. The other nine MLAs have claimed that they are still with the BRS and had met the Chief Minister to discuss the development of their constituencies.

However, Nagender, a six-time legislator, also remarked, “Whichever party I am in, that party will win. I will always have the blessings of the people.” Considered an approachable public representative, he enjoys considerable popularity in his constituency, although he lost in 2014 after the BJP and TDP joined hands.

Nagender expressed confidence that in the upcoming Hyderabad civic polls, the Congress, along with the AIMIM, would secure a majority. The Congress has traditionally been on a weak electoral footing in Hyderabad city. Not only did it fail to win a single seat in the 2023 Assembly elections, but it also won only two wards in the previous civic polls.

However, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has expanded the GHMC limits to cover 300 wards, bringing in areas where the party is electorally stronger to compensate for its weak base in the city. Moreover, the party has won two bypolls so far—Secunderabad and Jubilee Hills—indicating its growing strength in Hyderabad as the ruling party.

Danam Nagender also promised to campaign for the Congress in all 300 wards of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), highlighting the welfare schemes introduced by the Congress government.

Virat Kohli added another historic chapter to his illustrious career on Wednesday, becoming only the second Indian cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 16,000 List A runs. The landmark came during his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he produced a vintage knock for Delhi against Andhra.

Kohli’s innings ended at a commanding 131, as Delhi chased down a competitive target of 299 in just 37.4 overs, underlining their dominance in the contest. The achievement stands as one of the most significant milestones in the 50-over format.

Overall, the 37-year-old is the ninth player in world cricket to reach the 16,000-run mark in List A cricket, joining an elite club that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Sir Vivian Richards, and other legends of the game.

The knock was particularly special given the context of Kohli’s return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His last appearance in the competition came during the 2010–11 season, when he captained Delhi. Although he featured in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in 2013–14, Kohli had not played the Vijay Hazare Trophy for nearly a decade before this much-anticipated comeback. Expectations were high following his recent masterclass in a T20I against South Africa, and he delivered in emphatic fashion.

Kohli’s List A achievements mirror his dominance in ODIs, where he is the second-highest run-scorer in history, behind only Tendulkar. The former India captain has amassed 14,557 runs in 308 ODIs, averaging an exceptional 58.46, and holds the record for the most centuries in the format with 53. Tendulkar leads the charts with 18,426 runs in 463 matches and 49 centuries.

Kohli is also closing in on another of Tendulkar’s long-standing records of the most centuries in List A cricket. He currently has 57 hundreds, just three shy of Tendulkar’s tally of 60.

Since making his List A debut for Delhi in February 2006 during the Ranji Trophy One-Day tournament, Kohli’s career has been adorned with numerous accolades. Over the years, he has consistently delivered standout performances across domestic and international competitions, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest batters in the history of the 50-over game.

The Indian stock market on Wednesday ended with marginal losses amid a volatile session ahead of the Christmas holiday. At close, the Sensex was down 116.14 points or 0.14% at 85,408.70, and the Nifty was down 35.05 points or 0.13% at 26,142.10.

The BSE Midcap index fell 0.37%, while the Smallcap index ended 0.14% lower, taking the overall market capitalisation below Rs 475 lakh crore from Rs 475.70 lakh crore in the previous session.

Among the sectors, barring Media, Realty, and Metal, all sectoral indices ended lower. Nifty Media was up 0.44%, Realty up by 0.17%, and Metal up by 0.15%.

The key names on the losing side were Nifty Oil and Gas down by 0.76%, Pharma down by 0.51%, and IT down by 0.51%.

Nifty Bank also slipped 0.20%. Some of the key banking and NBFC stocks posted strong gains, namely Manappuram Finance, IIFL Finance, City Union Bank, and Aavas Financiers, rising between 2% and 7%.

On Nifty, the top gainers were Trent (2.26%), Shriram Finance (1.69%), and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (1.46%).

InterGlobe Aviation (1.55%), Adani Enterprises (1.37%), and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (1.28%) ended as the top losers. Out of 4,332 stocks traded on the BSE, 1,841 advanced, while 2,346 declined. Some 145 stocks remained unchanged.

More than 100 stocks hit a 52-week high while 102 stocks hit their 52-week lows on the BSE.

The key names on the highs were Vedanta, Shriram Finance, Hindalco Industries, and Eicher Motors. ACC, Raymond, Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities, Patel Engineering, PCBL Chemical, and TeamLease Services were at low.

Coal India shares gain on gives in-principle approval to list South Eastern Coalfields and Mahanadi Coalfields. Rail Vikas Nigam added 1% on appointing Saleem Ahmad as CMD.

The US GDP data, which was stronger than expected, pointed to economic resilience. The market will remain shut on Thursday, December 25, on account of Christmas.

During the winter session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the principal opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) launched a scathing attack on the government over the alleged encroachment of the Aravalli hills and the power situation in the state.

The government responded to the allegations, and Energy Minister A K Sharma urged all members to bring their problems to his attention, assuring them that the government would resolve them.

On Wednesday, SP MLA Atul Pradhan arrived in the Assembly carrying a banner and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government of selling the Aravalli hills to their “friends”.

SP MLA Ragini Sonkar raised the issue of disparity in power generation and distribution in the state. She said that villages were experiencing power cuts for up to 12 hours, affecting daily life. She questioned what action had been taken so far regarding the difficulties in distribution.

Ragini Sonkar also objected to the purchase of electricity from the Adani Group at a rate of Rs 5.383 per unit on a 25-year long-term contract.

Responding to these allegations, Energy Minister AK Sharma said that the opposition’s allegations were baseless. He said that during the previous government in 2014, electricity was purchased at a higher rate. At that time, a contract was signed with KSK Limited to purchase electricity at a rate of Rs 6.25 per unit.

The Energy Minister claimed that electricity has been provided to 2.5 lakh villages and hamlets in the state. He stated that from 1947 to 2017, the total power generation in the state was approximately 6,000 megawatts, which has now increased to more than 11,000 megawatts.

During the session, senior SP leader and MLA Shivpal Yadav demanded 20 hours of power supply in rural areas and asked the Energy Minister to make a clear announcement in this regard.

Responding to questions raised about smart meters, Energy Minister AK Sharma said that smart meters are a better and more transparent device. He clarified that no additional charges are being levied on consumers who have regular meters, and both types of meters are functioning equally well. The minister assured that all complaints related to smart meters are being addressed.

The debate on electricity supply and environmental issues led to a brief period of commotion in the House.