Barring a few minor incidents, the third phase of panchayat elections was conducted peacefully across Odisha on Friday.

The third phase of polls recorded 75 per cent voter turnout in which Sonepur district recorded highest with 86 per cent, while Ganjam district registered the lowest with 66 per cent.

The first phase of panchayat poll recorded 71 per cent turnout, while the second phase recorded 73 per cent.

"The third phase of panchayat elections was held peacefully, excluding some minor incidents. We have received information about some stray incidents, including booth capturing and ballot looting. We will take action after getting detailed information from the district collectors," State Election Commissioner (SEC) RN Senapati told media persons here.

The Commission said polling was cancelled in two places of the state due to several reasons.

While errors in ballot papers were found in one zone of Lahunipada gram panchayat in Sundergarh district, polling parties were attacked in a zone under Dasarathpur block in Jajpur district.

Fresh poll will be held in the booths after getting information from the district collectors, said Senapati.

Voting was held for 1,394 panchayats, 18,859 ward members and 175 zila parishad zones of 65 blocks in 30 districts.

Adequate security personnel have been deployed at sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths in the state to ward off any untoward incident and ensure free and fair polls.

Amid marked strain in bilateral ties, India and China are likely to discuss a host of contentious issues, including Beijing repeatedly blocking a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar and stymeing India's NSG membership, when Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar meets the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui next week in Beijing.

Jaishankar will attend the first India-China Strategic Dialogue to be held in Beijing on February 22. 

New Delhi is expected to try and persuade Beijing not to roadblock its bid for the NSG membership and as well as its proposal to have Jaish-e Mohamed chief Masood Azhar branded as an international terrorist. 

On the other hand, China is likely to raise the issue of the Dalai Lama and India inviting Taiwanese lawmakers, among others. 

"The two sides are expected to discuss all issues of mutual interest in the bilateral, regional and international domain," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. 

Jaishankar is likely to voice India's displeasure over China repeatedly shielding Azhar from being branded as an international terrorist. 

China blocked India's proposal at the UN to add Azhar to the international terrorists' list thrice in 2016, only to reject a fresh US proposal for the same this month, irking India. 

India says Azhar is behind the terror attack on the Pathankot air base in January last year, in which seven security personnel were killed.

China put a technical hold on the recent US move to list the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief as a terrorist in the 1267 committee of the UN Security Council, apparently at the behest of its all-weather friend Pakistan.

Jaishankar is also likely to take up China's opposition to India's entry into the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Pakistan factor comes into play here as well. 

Beijing opposes New Delhi's inclusion into the elite bloc which regulates global nuclear trade. 

Last June, China blocked India's application, citing New Delhi's non signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for the membership. 

China's argument is if India can be let in why not Pakistan, which also is not signatory to the NPT.

Besides, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is another vexed issued which could figure in the discussion. 

The ongoing $46 billion Chinese-funded project links China's Xinjiang province to Gwadar port in Balochistan. This corridor is key to China's ambitious One Belt One Road Project. 

India is dead against CPEC because the corridor passes through Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi considers as its territory. 

Like New Delhi, Beijing has reservations too. 

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee hosting the Dalai Lama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last December has not gone down well with China. Beijing accuses the spiritual leader of secessionist activities in Tibet. 

China is also likely to tell New Delhi not to mess with Taiwan whose lawmakers this week were on a visit to India.

On Wednesday, China warned India to be cautious in dealing with Taiwan and asked it to stick to One China Policy. 

India has termed the visit of the Taiwanese lawmakers as informal and asked China not to read much into it.

The long-standing boundary dispute and the current trade deficit can also feature in the dialogue. 

A day before Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami seeks the confidence vote in the Tamil Nadu assembly, his support base suffered erosion by one legislator.

AIADMK legislator representing Mylapore constituency and former Director General of Police (DGP) R Nataraj on Friday said he would vote against Palaniswami.

Following Nataraj's about turn at the last minute, Palaniswami's support base is down to 124 legislators.

The assembly has been convened on Saturday where Palaniswami, now with 124 legislators in his camp, will seek the confidence of the house for his government.

Ranged on the opposite side is the Panneerselvam camp with 11 legislators, besides DMK with 89 members, Congress with eight, and the Indian Union Muslim League with one MLA. One seat is vacant in the 234-member house.

Delhi High Court on Friday directed Delhi Police to immediately ensure safety to app-based taxi service providers Ola and Uber, observing that recently there was violent protest by agitating taxi drivers in the national capital.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw directed Delhi Traffic Police to ensure that drivers or owners who want to ply and have contract with Ola and Uber are not stopped or blocked.

The court also directed police to ensure that incidents like damaging of vehicles do not happen.

The court was hearing a plea by app-based taxi service providers against the strike called by taxi drivers unions, Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi (SDAD) and Rajdhani Tourist Drivers' Union.

The court also criticised the violent protest by app-based taxi drivers and said the two drivers' unions cannot demand anything from plaintiffs except by peaceful commercial negotiations.

The court asked the unions to create a peaceful atmosphere and listed the matter for further hearing on February 28.

"The Delhi High Court's order today (Friday) reaffirmed that no one can engage in violence or prevent drivers who wish to drive using apps like Uber from doing so. We're dismayed that violence and intimidation of drivers has continued, despite a court order on February 13 prohibiting such actions," an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.

The Uber spokesperson added that continued disruptions will harm drivers looking to earn an honest living, and riders looking to move around Delhi. "We're also grateful that the court has directed the police to take appropriate action to stop this cycle of intimidation," the spokesperson said.

Uber, in its plea, has accused the two drivers' unions of blocking cabs of drivers who had not joined the strike.

Since February 10, hundreds of app-based taxi drivers have been on strike in Delhi-NCR over several financial issues with app-based taxi service providers Ola and Uber.

The Congress on Friday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after nine students of a government school fell ill as a dead rat was found in the midday meal and alleged that the AAP leader has no time to look after the people of the city.

"The Chief Minister has not visited his office in the last four months. He was so busy that he didn't feel the importance of releasing the report card of his government here," Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said while releasing a paper on the AAP's alleged mis-governance here.

"What do you expect from the government which is not serious for its people," Maken said.

The Congress leader's remarks came following the students on Thursday falling ill after a dead rodent was found in the midday meal served at a government school in south Delhi's Deoli area. 

The rodent was found at the Government Boys Senior Secondary School.

"The government must order a probe on how such a lapse happened," Maken said.

According to Maken, it was not the first incident. "In a similar incident 10 days ago, over a dozen students fell ill after they were given deworming capsules."

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to register an FIR against Gayatri Prajapati — a Minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government — for allegedly raping and blackmailing a woman.

Asking the state police to register the FIR, the bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice R.K. Agrawal directed it to submit the status report within eight weeks.

A middle-aged woman has alleged that Gayatri Prasad Prajapati had raped her when she met him three years ago. She has alleged that she was raped when she fell unconscious after taking tea laced with a sedative. 

Prajapati took some obscene photos of the victim and then threatened to make them public and continued to rape her for the past two years.

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday faced the ire of one of his east Delhi constituents, who alleged that Sisodia had never visited his constituency in the past two years.

While flagging off 100 cluster buses from Delhi Secretariat, Sisodia was confronted by the man who said he belonged to Sisodia's Patparganj constituency and claimed that the Dy CM had never visited his constituency in the past two years and had no connect with the people.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, however, dismissed the charge and said the protestor belonged to the liquor mafia.

The man, after the incident, also spoke to media persons and said his name was Sanjeev Jain and he did not belong to any political party or liquor mafia.

"I belong to Sisodia's Patparganj constituency," he said.

"He (Sisodia) called me a member of the liquor mafia. I belong to his (Sisodia's) constituency. He never visited his constituency and never met the people there in two years," the protestor alleged. 

Flagging off 100 cluster buses Sisodia said the new cluster buses are GPS-enabled and it would strengthen the public transport system in Delhi.

Delhi Transport Minister Satyendar Jain, who was present on the occasion, said it was only the beginning as Delhi government would soon launch more cluster and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses.

"We will soon launch 450 AC buses, and 250 cluster buses in Delhi. We will also build eight depots in the national capital," Jain said. 

He said a plan to develop bus depots with multi-level parking was being considered.

Delhi has around 4,500 DTC and cluster buses.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday described climate change as a major global issue and pointed out that India played a key role in initiating climate action plan as part of solutions.

"Climate Change is a big threat for the mankind, we can tackle through collaborative efforts," Prabhu told reporters after flagging off the Science Express Climate Action Special train here. 

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has played a key role in initiating climate action plan during Paris meet." 

Recently, the Indian railways has taken several measures to mitigate its operational carbon footprint such as a massive shift towards solar energy, water conservation and increasing bio-toilet installations. 

The Science Express will be open for public viewing at Delhi Cantonment Railway Station on February 18-19 and will embark on its journey of over 19,000 km to cover 68 locations across India till September 8, 2017.

According to the Railway Ministry, the special train will run for 205 days, and is expected to attaract over 30 lakh visitors. 

The Science Express is a mobile science exhibition showcased on a 16 coach AC train, custom-built by the Indian Railways.

This is the ninth tour of the Science Express since 2007. 

The ministry disclosed that since October 2007, the express train has made eight tours of the country, traveling about 142,000 km and exhibiting at 455 locations. 

Besides, the Science Express holds the record for the largest, longest running and most visited mobile science exhibition with six entries in Limca Book of Records.
 

South Africa rode on leg-spinner Imran Tahir's career-best five-wicket haul to thrash New Zealand by 78 runs in the one-off Twenty20 cricket match at Eden Park here on Friday.

Put in to bat, opener Hashim Amla's 43-ball 62 and skipper Faf du Plessis' quickfire 36 helped South Africa pile up a huge 185/6 before International Cricket Council's (ICC) T20 top-ranked Tahir's 5/24 restricted the hosts to 107 in 14.5 overs.

Amla, who struck nine boundaries and a six along with du Plessis, put on 87 runs for the second wicket to help the Proteas reach the three-figure mark and recover from the early loss of opener Quinton de Kock (0).

Medium pacer Colin de Grandhomme then managed to break the partnership by removing du Plessis but cameos from AB de Villiers (26) and Jean Paul Duminy (29) helped the visitors reach the total.

In reply, the hosts were off to a dismal start and lost half their side with the score at 60. Tom Bruce was the top scorer for the Kiwis with 33 runs as only four of the batsmen managed to reach double figures.

While Tahir was the wrecker-in-chief with his five wickets, pacer Andile Phehlukwayo took three wickets and Chris Morris chipped in with two scalps.

Brief Scores: 
South Africa 185/6 (Hashim Amla 62, Faf du Plessis 36, Jean Paul Duminy 29, Trent Boult 2/8) beat New Zealand 107 (Tom Bruce 33, Tim Southee 20, Imran Tahir 5/24, Andile Phehlukwayo 3/19) by 78 runs.
 

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Friday lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh and called upon the people to vote for her party, so that the rule of law could be established in the state.

"There is seething anger among the people against the ruling party and they are looking with hope towards the BSP to change the situation," she said at a rally in Fatehpur.

Alleging atrocities on Dalits and women, the four-time Chief Minister also said that there was a sense of fear and insecurity among the people. This could be removed only by a BSP government, she later told a crowd of supporters at Allahabad.

Referring to the bitter feud within the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mayawati said at every step SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had humiliated his younger brother Shivpal Singh Yadav in his blind love for son Akhilesh Yadav.

"This will ensure that the SP ship sinks faster," she predicted. 

Warning people not to "waste" the votes by going for the BJP or the SP-Congress alliance, the Dalit leader urged them to ensure that the BSP candidates won everywhere with handsome margins.

Ahead of its strategic dialogue with India, China on Friday said "solid evidence" was needed for it to back efforts to get JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui will hold a new round of strategic dialogue in Beijing on February 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang told a media briefing here.

The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on the international situation and other regional and global issues of mutual interest in the strategic dialogue which is an important communication mechanism between India and China, he said.

Commenting on reports of "friction points" in the bilateral relationship, including the Azhar issue and India's admission into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Geng said "differences are only natural".

"Through all kinds of conversation and exchanges, including (the) upcoming Strategic Dialogue, (the) two sides can step up communication to narrow differences and reach new consensus on achieving cooperation," he said.

On the Azhar issue, over which China has put a technical hold on the recent US move to list the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief as a terrorist in the 1267 committee of the UN Security Council, Geng said China will support the move if there is solid evidence.

"China upholds principles of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism and takes part in relevant discussions.

Whether last year's application by India or this year's by (the) relevant country, our position is consistent," Geng said.

"Our criteria is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus," he said.

Stating that China has reiterated its stand several times, Geng said, "On (the) 1267 committee, the latest development is relevant countries have made another application with the committee. Relevant members of (the) committee are in consultation and relevant parties have failed to reach consensus so far." .

China last year put a technical hold twice on India's application to get Azhar banned by the UN.

This year, the US moved the proposal in the UNSC to designate Azhar, the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack, as a terrorist. China once again has put a technical hold on the move.

On India's entry into the NSG, he said, "We have said many times this is a multilateral issue".

"We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of non-NPT state parties into NSG and then move forward discussions of specific cases," Geng said.

"Our position is consistent. Apart from India, other non-NPT state parties are also making applications. Our position on those applications is consistent," he said.

Whether the Azhar issue or the NSG issue, they are in essence multilateral issues and not bilateral ones, Geng said.

"We hope India can understand China's attitude and position on the two matters," he said, adding that China and India are the two largest developing counties having a wide range of converging interests.

"China India cooperation benefits not only two countries but the region and developing world which can contribute to our solidarity," he said.

An unfazed US President Donald Trump has vowed to issue a new immigration executive order next week that would be "tailored" to the court's ruling that stalled his controversial travel ban on people from seven Muslim- majority countries into the US.

"The new order is going to be very much tailored to what I consider to be a very bad decision," said Trump during a hurriedly convened White House news conference, referring to a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that blocked his travel ban earlier this month.

The court had refused to lift a federal judge's temporary restraining order on Trump's executive order barring foreign nationals from Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and all refugees from Syria indefinitely.

Trump said that his new executive order is being tailored. "We have some of the best lawyers in the country working on it. And the new executive order is being tailored to the decision we got down from the court," he said.

However, he did not give details of the new order.

Trump criticised the court order suspending the travel ban as "a very bad decision, very bad for the safety and security of our country. The roll-out was perfect." 

"We've vetting very, very strongly. Very, very strongly. But we need help, and we need help by getting that executive order passed," he said.

Soon after Trump's comments, the US Justice Department approached a federal court in San Francisco for a pause in the proceedings.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in its order late Thursday put the proceedings of the case on hold.

The new executive action next week, Trump said, will comprehensively protect America.

"We will be going along the one path and hopefully winning that. At the same time, we will be issuing a new and very comprehensive order to protect our people, and that will be done some time next week, toward the beginning or middle at the latest part," he said.

Meanwhile, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson who was instrumental in filing the case against the executive order claimed victory.

"Let's be clear: Today's court filing by the federal government recognizes the obvious the President's current Executive Order violates the Constitution. President Trump could have sought review of this flawed Order in the Supreme Court but declined to face yet another defeat," he said.

Ferguson alleged that the Executive Order violates the US Constitution's guarantee of Equal Protection and the First Amendment s Establishment Clause, infringes individuals constitutional right to Due Process and contravenes the federal Immigration and Nationality Act.

Trump's first executive order on immigration had triggered global condemnation as well as by US tech giants and attorneys general from 16 American states.

The eastern metropolis needs to reduce its annual average pollution levels by 44 per cent to be able to meet the clean air standards, with a special focus on vehicular emissions, an analysis said on Friday.

"The national annual ambient air quality standard is 60 microgram per cubic metre," the Centre for Sciencs and Environment said in a rapid diagnostic analysis that looked into whether key metro cities figure in terms of pollution and carbon footprint of motorisation.

It pointed out that of all the major metro cities in India, Kolkata's transport sector had the smallest pollution and carbon footprint.

However, the analysis warned the city was at "serious risk of losing this advantage" as it was encouraging car-centric planning and infrastructure.

"Kolkata has the highest share (among all metros) of public transport and walking — 89 per cent of the population uses these modes. It also has the most diverse system of public transport among all metro cities — bus, metro, tram, suburban rail and waterways. Its policymakers and planners should recognise and leverage this advantage," it said.

In terms of carbon footprint, a car user has 6.5 times more carbon footprint than a two-wheeler rider and 10.6 times more than a bus user, in the city.

"With growing motorisation, this will get worse — in 2010-12, vehicle registration was in the range of 8-11 per cent; after 2012, this has shot up to 158 per cent," the analysis said.

Do you know what a behrupiya (an impressionist) is? The answer will be in the negative for the most as
this once popular traditional performing art is almost dead and most of its practitioners are either ignored or ridiculed by the society.

The word Behrupiya is referred to a community of artistes who imitate and dress like Gods, animals and various characters to entertain masses. Having enjoyed respect in the past, the condition of behrupiyas has gone from bad to worse in the recent past following the modernisation of art forms and changing taste of the public.

"Many days go without work but I am still holding on to the flag of our community. I will always, but my kids will not, they will learn music. I have heard, the singers are paid well," said Maksud, a behrupiya from Rajasthan who was in Chandigarh to perform in a fair recently.

"At times it takes as much as four hours to perfect the makeup, for a look. Many times I stay in low temperatures till late nights in minimum clothing to play some character," he added. Behrupiyas wear their makeup almost every day, being public performers they take special care of their skin.

This is a traditional art, the customs attached to it are passed onto the next generation by their elders. The skin colour is made by rubbing a special stone into the powder which does not harm their skin. During the times of kings, these artists were adored. When they entered a gathering, they never took bakshish (money given in appreciation) in the middle of the performance. The reward was accepted only at the end. This was to ensure the success of their camouflage.

Everyday a new identity is adorned. "It is the work of a quick-witted to perform like us. I don't care if people do not extol us; our spirits are picked up with the rarest positivism shown. We might be lost but we will always exist," said Maksud. It was an art developed for the royals. With the lost luster of royalty, the behrupiya is lost as well.

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor, who plays a soldier of the British Indian Army in Vishal Bhardwaj's upcoming historical war drama Rangoon, says it is one of the most heroic characters he has ever played in a film so far.

Shahid said "My character Nawab Malik is a very different character from Tommy Singh ('Udta Punjab'), Charlie-Guddu ('Kaminey') and Haider ('Haider'), and that was the reason why I played the part… Vishal sir always offers me something challenging and different."

"Nawab Malik is the most heroic character I have ever played so far, who is a soldier with a strong sense of duty and big patriot. It is a very inspiring character and I am glad to get the opportunity."

The film is set in a time when India was going through a political turmoil.

Asked about understanding the psychology of a character of that era, Shahid said: "Of course, the socio-political scenario of that time was quite different. The whole nation was aroused to achieve freedom. Nawab Malik symbolized that emotion in the film. But there is an emotional tussle as he was an Indian, serving for British Army and there come different dynamics that makes it interesting."

Considering how Shahid has delivered some of his best performance as an actor in collaboration with Bhardwaj, when asked about how their equation has developed over a period of time, he said: "I share a special bond with him. Since the film is a director's medium… If as an actor I am the cake, he is the icing on the cake."

"So no matter how good I perform, the outcome is totally dependent on the imagination of the director… How he conceived the scene, how he is capturing the nuances of my performance, camera movement. Every time when Vishal sir shoots me, I look better than what I am, I think."

The actor who became father to a daughter last year, says fatherhood has changed him as a person. Will it reflect in his choice of films, so that he can show all his films to his daughter in the near future?

Shahid said: "You see, having a child changes you as an individual for sure. But I do not think I will take up a film only so that I will able to show it to Misha. I know it will take some time for her to reach a point to watch certain kinds of films. Having said that, I think I feel a little more responsible of my choice. It will reflect on my performance, of my work."

Rangoon, also starring Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut, will release on February 24.

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor, who plays a soldier of the British Indian Army in Vishal Bhardwaj's upcoming historical war drama Rangoon, says it is one of the most heroic characters he has ever played in a film so far.

Shahid said "My character Nawab Malik is a very different character from Tommy Singh ('Udta Punjab'), Charlie-Guddu ('Kaminey') and Haider ('Haider'), and that was the reason why I played the part… Vishal sir always offers me something challenging and different."

"Nawab Malik is the most heroic character I have ever played so far, who is a soldier with a strong sense of duty and big patriot. It is a very inspiring character and I am glad to get the opportunity."

The film is set in a time when India was going through a political turmoil.

Asked about understanding the psychology of a character of that era, Shahid said: "Of course, the socio-political scenario of that time was quite different. The whole nation was aroused to achieve freedom. Nawab Malik symbolized that emotion in the film. But there is an emotional tussle as he was an Indian, serving for British Army and there come different dynamics that makes it interesting."

Considering how Shahid has delivered some of his best performance as an actor in collaboration with Bhardwaj, when asked about how their equation has developed over a period of time, he said: "I share a special bond with him. Since the film is a director's medium… If as an actor I am the cake, he is the icing on the cake."

"So no matter how good I perform, the outcome is totally dependent on the imagination of the director… How he conceived the scene, how he is capturing the nuances of my performance, camera movement. Every time when Vishal sir shoots me, I look better than what I am, I think."

The actor who became father to a daughter last year, says fatherhood has changed him as a person. Will it reflect in his choice of films, so that he can show all his films to his daughter in the near future?

Shahid said: "You see, having a child changes you as an individual for sure. But I do not think I will take up a film only so that I will able to show it to Misha. I know it will take some time for her to reach a point to watch certain kinds of films. Having said that, I think I feel a little more responsible of my choice. It will reflect on my performance, of my work."

Rangoon, also starring Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut, will release on February 24.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday suggested the BJP that it should manage its own house as "no one" had voted for it in the Punjab elections.

She also accused the Narendra Modi government of threatening her with a probe by the CBI as she raised her voice against demonetisation.

"BJP should manage its own house. In the just-concluded Punjab (Assembly) election, none has voted for the party.

"Only because of mistakes committed by the Congress, the BJP had come to power at the Centre. It will not be repeated.

The Congress has weakened itself because of their own mistakes," she said.

The chief minister was speaking while inaugurating a booster pumping station at Harish Park in south Kolkata.

Accusing the BJP of using money and muscle power apart from using central agencies to threaten others and pull down governments, Banerjee said the saffron party should mind its own business before trying to harm others.

Banerjee held the Modi government responsible for "destroying the economy of the country".

"They have destroyed the country's entire economy. What the country had achieved in all these years have been destroyed totally because of this (note ban)," she said.

"And now when I am talking against demonetisation they are threatening me with the CBI… You can set up 1000 CBIs against me but I will go on raising my voice for the people," she said.

Turning to the Congress, she said that it should look into its own mistakes and concentrate on Delhi before thinking about West Bengal.

"Congress, you were there in Delhi for a long time. But you could not run the government well there… First you must govern at the Centre properly then talk about (West) Bengal…

This will do good for you," she said.

Banerjee described the CPI-M as a "lost case" and a party with "no credibility" and asked it to stop practising destructive politics.