The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched its campaign song for the Lok Sabha elections titled ‘jail Ka Jawab Vote Se’ from the party headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.

The campaign, which is scheduled to begin on April 27, will witness participation of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal during the third phase. She will reach out to the people with her husband’s message.

The party claimed that their campaign song describes the current situation in the country that includes the alleged conspiracy under which party leader Arvind Kejriwal was put behind bars among other leaders of the Opposition parties, and also the situation of unemployment, price rise and other burning issues related to the public.

The song in rap style has been written and sung by AAP MLA and party’s chief whip in Delhi Assembly Dilip Pandey.

Notably, the Lok Sabha campaign song has a similar theme like the party’s campaign which is being run against the arrest of their leader.

The song was launched in the presence of AAP’s Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai, Dilip Pandey, Rakhi Birla, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi and Jasmine Shah amongst others, while a vacant chair was also there on the stage that was for AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

Party leader Gopal Rai said on the occasion that the party would make its song reach out to every household through various platforms, and claimed that the people of daily are waiting for May 25, as they would give a reply through their vote to the ruling dispensation at the centre.

He pointed out that earlier the party had named its poll campaign “Sansad Mein Bhi Kejriwal,” and further said that they never knew the government would be so scared of the AAP chief that they would put him behind bars.

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Singh claimed that the BJP cannot win in Delhi. He said the saffron party has realised this, which is why it has launched a deep conspiracy to put Kejriwal in jail.

The stock market on Thursday extended its winning streak to a fifth consecutive session, making a smart recovery from the day’s low. However, gains were capped by profit booking in the last hour.

The market opened lower on weak global cues and traded flat in the first half. It saw a sharp surge in the second half amid buying across the sectors, led by PSU banks.

Sensex closed 487 points, or 0.66%, higher at 74,339.44 while the Nifty closed the day with a gain of 168 points, or 0.75%, at 22,570.35 on the monthly F&O expiry day.

In a sector-wise analysis, Nifty PSU Bank surged 3.77% while the Nifty Pharma, Healthcare, Metal and Auto indices rose by over a per cent each. Nifty Bank closed 0.63% higher.

The two sectoral indices that ended in red were Nifty Consumer Durables, down 0.43%, and Realty, 0.25%.

ICICI Bank, SBI, JSW Steel, Ambuja Cements, Bharat Electronics, Eicher Motors, Hindustan Aeronautics, Hindalco and Trent, hit their fresh 52-week highs in intraday trade on BSE.

The biggest Nifty gainers were Axis Bank, SBI, Dr Reddy’s Labs, JSW Steel and Nestle India, while losers included Kotak Mahindra Bank, LTIMindtree, HUL, SBI Life Insurance and Titan Company.

Shares of SBI also witnessed buying interest among Dalal Street bulls. SBI share price today opened downside at Rs 770.65 apiece on NSE, but the Indian banking major bounced back strongly and touched an intraday high of Rs 806 per share level.

Mid and smallcap indices also ended with healthy gains, mirroring the benchmarks. The BSE Midcap index rose 0.71% while the BSE Smallcap index hit its fresh all-time high of 47,165.21 during the session before ending 0.54% higher at 47,112.78.

Further, the overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly Rs 404.1 lakh crore from nearly Rs 401.4 lakh crore in the previous session, making investors richer by about Rs 2.7 lakh crore in a single session.

After the RBI curb on Kotak Mahindra Bank, the bank’s share price saw a steep fall of 10.85% to close at Rs 1,643 levels on the BSE. The Kotak Mahindra Bank’s market capitalisation which stood at Rs 3,66,383.76 crore at the end on Wednesday fell to Rs 3,26,615.40 Crore by the end of Thursday.

Uday Kotak who holds 25.71% stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank also lost around Rs 10,225 crore of wealth.

Vodafone Idea set a new record for volumes in a single stock, with over 1,055 crore shares being traded till now on the BSE and NSE combined.

Vodafone shares experienced a rollercoaster ride, rocketing to 25% above the FPO price of Rs 11, peaking at Rs 13.75 during morning trade.

Most major Asian and European stock markets were down amid lingering concerns over elevated interest rates and geopolitical tensions.

The global market largely traded on a mixed note and is now focused on earning reports. Also, the investors were cautious ahead of the release of US GDP data, a key factor for the US Federal Reserve to consider while deciding monetary policy.

Notably, in the last seven days, FIIs sold equities worth a massive Rs 25,853 crore but the DII buying overwhelmed this FII selling.

Chhattisgarh is abuzz with anticipation with the approaching second phase of Lok Sabha polling, scheduled to be held on Friday, April 26th.

Voters across the state are gearing up to cast their ballots in three crucial Lok Sabha constituencies – Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, and Kanker. Stalwart from both the Congress and the BJP camps vying for attention as a total of 41 candidates are in the fray, eyeing the support of the state’s 52,84,938 registered voters.

Building on the vigilant oversight of the initial phase, the Election Commission remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the integrity of the voting process. Stringent supervision of online polling centers is underway to safeguard against any potential irregularities, with swift corrective measures poised for prompt action.

The second phase witnesses the deployment of a robust workforce comprising 2,22,000 personnel. Across 6,567 polling booths, equipped with cutting-edge Ballot Units, Control Units, and VVPATs, meticulous arrangements have been made to facilitate a smooth voting experience. Additionally, heightened security measures, including the relocation of 55 booths to sensitive areas of Kanker, Mohla-Manpur, and Kondagaon, contribute to ensure a secure electoral environment.

In regions facing connectivity challenges, innovative solutions such as satellite technology and runners are being employed to ensure seamless data transmission from 76 polling centers situated in remote areas. Proactive measures, including the deployment of nine polling teams via BSF helicopters in volatile areas like Antagarh, underscore authorities’ commitment to ensuring a safe electoral process.

Enthusiasts and experts are keeping a close eye on the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat, where a riveting contest is set to unfold between former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and incumbent MP Santosh Pandey. Meanwhile, Mahasamund and Kanker are witnessing intense battles between prominent candidates representing both Congress and BJP.

As political heavyweights intensify their campaign efforts, the Election Commission remains committed to bolstering voter awareness initiatives, aiming to stimulate a surge in voter turnout.

While stringent security protocols aim to instill confidence among voters, recent encounters with extremists in Kanker have underscored the need for heightened vigilance. Despite apprehensions stemming from Naxal shutdown calls, robust security arrangements led by the authorities continue to thwart any disruptive activities. With all police checkpoints on high alert, the election commission remains unwavering in its resolve to uphold the democratic ethos of free and fair elections.

In yet another significant initiative to make an automated access to information by the Advocates-on-Record (AORs) and the parties in person relating to the cases – about electronic filing of cases, cause list, orders and judgments – the Supreme Court on Thursday announced linking of the WhatsApp messaging services with its IT services.

Announcing the integration of top court’s IT Services with WhatsApp, the Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said, “This small initiative will have a big-bang impact.”

“In the 75th year of its existence, the Supreme Court of India launches a small initiative. It has the potential to have a big-bang impact. WhatsApp messenger has been a ubiquitous service in our daily lives and has taken the role of a powerful communication tool. To strengthen the right to access to Justice and enhance transparency in the judicial system, the Supreme Court announces integration of Whatsapp messaging services with its IT services”, the Chief Justice said.

Appreciating the step, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President, Adish Aggarwala termed the move a great step that would help not only the AORs and the members of bar, but everyone to have access to the cause list, information relating to cases and others merely with one’s fingertip.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also termed the step “one more revolutionary” initiative by the Supreme Court. The court has seen a steady stream of promising reforms in the last one year.

On a lighter vein, Justice Hrishikesh Roy said, the more and more digital devices you use, you will look more and more young.

Another round of high-voltage electoral battle between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc will be witnessed on Friday with the second phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha elections.

Polling in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held in 88 parliamentary constituencies spread over 13 states and Union Territories including the remaining part of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency.

The voting is scheduled to start at 7 am across 1.67 lakh polling stations, manned by more than 16 lakh polling officials, amid tight security to avert any untoward incident. It will culminate at 6 pm.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) said the polling time has been extended to 6 pm in many polling stations in Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria and Munger constituencies in Bihar so that voters avoid hot weather conditions.

More than 15.88 crore electorate will cast their votes to decide the fate of 1, 202 candidates, including 102 women candidates. The eligible voters include 8.08 crore men, 7.8 crore women, and 5,929 third-gender electors. The number of first-time voters is 34.8 lakh.

In the second phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, prominent candidates like Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray.

Chandrasekhar is the BJP’s nominee from Thiruvananthapuram seat while Tharoor is Congress’ candidate from the same seat. Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Wayanad, which he currently represents in the House.

Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. The seat is likely to see a triangular contest among the BJP, the Opposition INDIA bloc and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The BJP has replaced three-term MP Rajendra Agarwal and pitted Ramayana actor Arun Govil against Samajwadi Party’s Sunita Verma and BSP’s Devratt Kumar.

The Mathura Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh is one of the high-profile seats up for grabs in the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections from where actor Hema Malini is eyeing her third victory. The Lok Sabha elections in Mathura will see a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress and the BSP.

Hema Malini is a two-time MP from Mathura who is fielded by the BJP for the third consecutive time from the Mathura Lok Sabha seat, while Congress has decided to field Mukesh Dhangar and the BSP has given the ticket to Suresh Singh.

The first phase of voting took place last Friday with an estimated 62.37 per cent turnout in 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories.

Of the 88 Lok Sabha seats to go to polls tomorrow in the second phase of voting, 20 are in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight each in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Bihar and Assam, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur.

Polling in 15 Assembly segments in the Outer Manipur parliamentary seat was held in the first phase on April 19, and 13 Assembly seats will witness voting in the second phase.

The high-octane campaigning for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections came to an end on Wednesday evening with top leaders of the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc making a last-gasp effort to woo voters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was his party’s star campaigner in his home state of Karnataka.

The campaign in the second phase was marked by a war of words between the BJP and the Congress over the Prime Minister’s remarks on the grand old party at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday. The Congress called it objectionable and filed a complaint with the poll panel.

The prime minister, while addressing the rally, had alleged that “the Congress manifesto says they would calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it, and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom – Manmohan Singh’s government had said Muslims have the first right on the country’s assets.”

Congress overseas chairman Sam Pitroda’s reported remarks on “inheritance tax in US” also stoked controversy with the prime minister tearing into the Congress. The Congress, however, categorically stated that Pitroda’s views do not reflect the position of the party.

The end of the campaigning marked the commencement of a 48-hour silence period.

The last date for filing nominations for the second phase for all 13 states and UTs was April 4.

In the second phase, Kerala has a maximum of 500 nominations from 20 parliamentary constituencies, followed by 491 nominations from 14 PCs in Karnataka. A minimum of 14 nominations were received from the parliamentary constituency in Tripura. 16-Nanded Parliamentary Constituency in Maharashtra received a maximum of 92 nominations.

According to the poll panel, for the phase 2 of the Lok Sabha polls, three Helicopters, four Special trains and nearly 80,000 vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel.

Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro-observers in all polling stations. Webcasting is being done in over 1 lakh polling stations.

A total of 251 observers (89 general observers, 53 police observers, 109 expenditure observers) have already reached their Constituencies days ahead of the polls. They serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission to exercise utmost vigilance. Additionally, Special Observers have been deployed in certain states.

A total of 4,553 flying squads, 5,731 static surveillance teams, 1,462 video surveillance teams and 844 video viewing teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters.

The third phase of voting is scheduled to take place on May 7, fourth phase on May 13, fifth phase on May 20, sixth phase on May 25 and seventh phase on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4.

With Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats going to polls on Friday, reports from across the state indicate that the Congress-led UDF has an upper hand in most of the constituencies.

Unlike the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, neither the Rahul Gandhi factor nor the issue of entry of women to the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala seems to be making any significant impact on voters. However, there is a discernible anti-incumbency sentiment among the electorate towards the LDF government under Pinarayi Vijayan, which is giving the UDF an advantageous position this time.

The LDF government has been facing the wrath of the people due to its failure to timely disburse social security pensions, delays in government employees’ salaries, and outstanding DA instalments owed to them. Additionally, subsidised grocery items are not being distributed properly through the supply company outlets.

The death of JS Sidharthan, a second-year veterinary student at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode campus in Wayanad,  inside the hostel after a brutal ragging and assault allegedly by the SFI leaders on February 18 has sparked outrage. Additionally, incidents such as the Panoor bomb blast, the Karuvannur cooperative bank scam, corruption allegations against the Pinarayi Vijayan government, including the Life Mission housing project kickback case and the monthly pay-off case involving the Chief Minister’s daughter Veena Vijayan, have significantly tarnished the image of the LDF government.

Furthermore, the temporary disruption of the Pooram festival due to stringent rules imposed by the police also went against the LDF.

Knowing well that the LDF government is facing massive anti-incumbency, the front leaders tried to overcome it by raising the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issue. The CAA notification has come as a blessing in disguise for the ruling CPI-M, which has been grappling with massive anti-incumbency sentiment. With an eye on the minority votes, the LDF had been harping on the CAA and atrocities against Christians in Manipur and north Indian states in their poll campaign meetings. However, it remains to be seen whether the CAA issue can overcome the people’s ire against the government.

While the main contenders in the state continue to be the traditional political formations, namely the CPI-M-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF, the BJP-led NDA has managed to give a tough fight to both fronts in several constituencies this time.

BJP candidates — Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram, Shobha Surendran in Alappuzha, Anil Antony in Pathanamthitta, Suresh Gopi in Thrissur and Union Minister V Muraleedharan in Attingal — are giving tough fights to their LDF and UDF rivals.

The UDF might not be able to win all 19 of the total 20 seats it got in 2019. However, according to political analysts, the front may win around 16 seats this time. Rahul Gandhi is predicted to win Wayanad with a reduced margin this time. Last time, he won the seat with a massive majority of over four lakh votes.

In Ernakulam, Hybi Eaden of the Congress is believed to be in a comfortable position and so is UDF’s RSP nominee N K Premachandran in Kollam.

The Alappuzha constituency is in the national spotlight as Congress general secretary KC Venugopal is contesting from here. He is pitted against sitting MP AM Arif, who won the seat in 2019 by a slender margin of 10,474 votes, and senior BJP leader Shobha Surendran, who has a track record of lifting the BJP vote percentage wherever she contested, albeit losing the elections.

In Vadakara, where former minister K K Shailaja of CPI-M is taking on Shafi Parambil of the UDF, the poll outcome is unpredictable.

In Thrissur, the BJP has fielded actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, who is facing Congress’ K Muraleedharan, and CPI’s V S Sunilkumar. In Thiruvananthapuram, sitting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is pitted against  BJP’s Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar. CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran is making it a three-cornered contest.

The BJP, which has never won any Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, is intensifying its efforts to break its electoral dry spell in Kerala. The BJP expects that the party can win two or three Lok Sabha seats in Kerala this time. BJP candidates have successfully transformed the contests in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Attingal, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Palakkad into three-cornered fights.

The BJP’s major expectation rests on Thiruvananthapuram. In Thiruvananthapuram, sitting Congress MP Sashi Tharoor is facing a stiff challenge from BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Tharoor is facing anti-incumbency, as he hasn’t delivered much as an MP in 15 years. It has been reported that Rajeev Chandrasekhar has succeeded in conducting the poll campaign in a  professional manner, as is being done by Tharoor.

India’s hopes of competing in the cycling program of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics centre around Frenchman Kevin Sireau and a clutch of talented young men who have already established their credentials on the Asian and world junior circuits.

Supported by the Sports Ministry, overseas coaches have had a role to play in almost every Olympic sport where India has excelled globally. This is the first time the Cycling Federation of India is riding on two-time Olympic medallist Kevin Sireau of France to fully exploit the potential of the national cycling ecosystem.

Thirty-seven-year-old Sireau, a professional racing cyclist, joined CFI in January and in four months, is already sniffing the eagerness among India’s best cyclists to excel internationally. India are not only the Asian champions but have been junior world champions in the sprint category.

The Indian quartet of Esow Alben, L Ronaldo Singh, Y Rojit Singh and Jemsh Singh had won a historic men’s team sprint gold at the 2019 World Junior Track Cycling Championship in Frankfurt. Three years later at the Asian Track Cycling Championship in Delhi, Ronaldo became the first Indian to win an individual silver medal in the men’s sprint race.

India did well as hosts in the Asian Track Cycling Championship for both able-bodied and special cyclists in February this year. India finished with a total of nine gold, six silver, and three bronze medals and created numerous national records on the way. The Asian meet was also a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics but no Indian made the cut.

Having won silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Games, Kevin Sireau certainly knows what it takes to win an Olympic medal. A matter of a few seconds can make a huge difference.

“In a big country like India I believe we have many future talents. Right now I train only sprint riders. I oversee the progress of riders like Ronaldo, Rojit and David (Beckham). These guys have just started by winning the junior worlds. Now they are in the senior category and if they have to finish on the Olympic podium, a very high level has to be achieved.”

“But I am confident that they have the skills and talent to finish on the podium. Extra hard work is required. We also have some good juniors like Sarita Kumari and Wattaba Meitei, who are Indian cycling’s future stars,” Sireau said.

It will be a tough grind for the Indian team but they are showing signs of improvement. The quartet clocked its personal best of 44.451 seconds at the Asian Track Cycling Championship sprint race this February. This was after a time of 45. 692 at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships last year where India finished 17th.

India may not be anywhere close to the Olympic record and gold standard timing of 41.369 clocked at the Izu Velodrome by the Dutch team of Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen and Roy van den Berg at Tokyo 2020, but they are not far from Australia’s 44.013 seconds, the fourth-best time in Tokyo.

“This year our target is the world championships in October. We are driving all energies in that direction. I have discussed the roadmap for LA 2028 with CFI and doing things step by step. In the next three-four years you will see a big difference, I promise,” said Sireau.

Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) secretary general Onkar Singh, who was part of the national federation from 2011-12, is confident that the on-boarding of the French coach has been a good move.

“From 149th rank to Category 1 in juniors in four years’ time, speaks for itself. We won all the four sprinting events in junior class in Asia, a record that won’t be broken anytime soon… We are lucky to have a person like Kevin. It took some time to convince him but please remember these coaches monitor all countries before they say yes. He is 200 percent sure that the Indian team is capable of doing it,” said Singh.

Cyclist Rojit, who is supported by the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme, said Kevin Sireau has been a great addition. “There has been a lot of difference since Kevin sir joined the team. He has changed how we train, what we eat and how we plan recovery. He has brought a new discipline and I am very happy to be able to learn from him,” Rojit said.

Only top-20 teams qualify for the Olympic Games with seven quotas allocated to each National Olympic Committee (NOC) as per the UCI Track Olympic Ranking 2022-2024.

The counting events for the final rankings are – last two editions of the respective Continental Championships, best two results in the UCI Track Nations Cup in consecutive editions and result in the previous UCI Track World Championships. The NOC which qualifies in team sprint also gets slots to compete in both individual sprint and keirin races.

For India and Sireau, the long haul to LA 2028 has truly begun.

Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva on Thursday asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has completely lost touch with the people and even volunteers associated with the party are distancing themselves.

“After Arvind Kejriwal’s involvement in the liquor scam corruption, AAP has completely lost touch with the people of Delhi. The support for the AAP has completely waned, and even volunteers associated with the party are distancing themselves from it,” he said here.

The Delhi BJP chief further said, “In such a situation, the AAP is trying to save its political existence by portraying Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest for corruption as a political martyrdom, but now, not only Delhi but also the people of all those 21 seats in the country where they are contesting elections, have decided to reject the AAP.”

He alleged that not just Delhi, the people of Punjab are distressed by the development stagnation and rapid corruption under the AAP’s rule.

“No matter how many pamphlets the AAP distributes or songs they play, the public will not support them anymore, and they will suffer a severe defeat in the Lok Sabha elections,” added Sachdeva.

Last month, Chief Minister Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a liquor policy case. At present, he is in judicial custody till May 7.

Former Pakistan women’s team captain Bismah Maroof announced her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.

Having made her international debut in 2006, Maroof represented Pakistan in 276 international matches, aggregating 6,262 international runs, including 33 half-centuries to go with 80 wickets. Maroof holds distinction of being the top scorer in both ODIs (3369 runs) and T20Is (2983) in Pakistan cricket. Remarkably, she is the sole Pakistani cricketer to breach the 3000-run milestone in Women’s ODIs.

Maroof captained Pakistan in a total of 96 games – 62 T20Is (27 wins) and 34 ODIs (16 wins). Only Sana Mir led in more T20Is (65) for Pakistan than Maroof, while in ODIs she was third on the list behind Mir (72) and Shaiza Khan (39).

“I have decided to retire from the game I love the most. It has been an incredible journey, filled with challenges, victories, and unforgettable memories. I want to express my gratitude to my family, who has supported me throughout my cricketing journey, from the very beginning until now,” she said in a PCB release.

“I also want to extend my thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for believing in me and providing the platform to showcase my talent. The support from the PCB has been invaluable, particularly in implementing the first-ever parental policy for me, which enabled me to represent my country at the highest level while being a mother. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow players, who have become like family to me. The camaraderie we shared both on and off the field is something I will cherish forever,” she added.

Maroof was part of the women’s team that won the gold medal twice in the Asian Games, in 2010 and 2014. She also represented Pakistan in four editions of the Women’s ODI World Cup (2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022), captaining the team in the 2022 edition held in New Zealand. She featured in eight editions of the T20 World Cup (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023) and led the side in the 2020 and 2023 editions held in Australia and South Africa, respectively.

For Punjab Kings, the IPL 2024 has been yet another season of missed opportunities similar on the lines of the previous editions as the side finds itself at the bottom half of the points tally, and are all but out of contention for a place in the play-offs.

Having lost six games out of eight, Punjab Kings will look to end the season on a high in their remaining six matches, beginning with Friday’s outing against second-placed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

In their six losses, Punjab Kings have found themselves in contention till the end before ending up on the wrong side of the result, and as such, the Kolkata crowd can expect another juicy contest between the sides.

The lack of form of Punjab’s top order has deeply hurt the franchise this season, and the visitors will be desperately hoping that skipper Shikhar Dhawan, who is nursing a shoulder injury, makes a comeback, after sitting out of their last three matches. In the absence of Dhawan, the top order has been toothless as the likes of Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone have all failed to set the stage on fire.

Punjab has so far banked on sizable contributions from stand-in captain Sam Curran and their unsung heroes Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, and would expect a similar performance from their rising stars in case the top order once again fails.

On the bowling front, Kagiso Rabada and Curran will look to carry on their fine form, while the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel have put in a much-improved performance in their last game.

Meanwhile, the KKR will be playing its fourth consecutive match at home, where it has won two and lost one in the three previous outings. The previous match saw a total of 443 runs where the hosts edged out visiting Royal Challengers Bengaluru by the narrowest of margins – one run.

As such, KKR would once again be hoping for their in-form top order to continue the onslaught and put the opposition under pressure from ball one. Sunil Narine (286), Phil Salt (249), skipper Shreyas Iyer (190) and Andre Russell (155) have all contributed heavily in KKR’s success so far, but the team would be expecting a similar disciplined effort from their bowling unit.

When one talks about KKR’s bowling department, the one name that flashes immediately is their Rs 24.75 crore buy Mitchell Starc, whose underwhelming performance (6 wickets at economy rate of 11.48) is the worst among the specialist bowlers. The Australian quick must be feeling the heat but would be hoping to cash on to the advantage of facing a side with a vulnerable top order.

If Starc manages to rattle PBKS’ fragile top order, it could be a great confidence booster for the seasoned left-arm pacer, and help in building the overall confidence of the bowling unit heading into the business end of the tournament. The KKR pace unit also comprises uncapped India pacers Harshit Rana (ER 9.25, 9 wickets) and Vaibhav Arora (9.57, 7 wickets) and the duo has been more impressive than Starc although they have also got hit at times.

KKR will also be pinning their hopes on the West Indian all-round pair of Narine and Russell, as their bowling has also been instrumental in the team’s success. In the scenario of Starc being taken to the cleaners, it could well boil down to the likes of Narine, Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy to do the damage control in the middle overs.

As the Lok Sabha elections progress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), have set their sights on a significant lead in Uttar Pradesh’s electoral battleground.

The BJP and its alliance partners are exuding confidence of gaining a smooth victory on all the eight seats going to polls in UP in the second phase scheduled for tomorrow.

From the NDA, seven BJP candidates and one RLD candidate are contesting on these seats. The BJP candidates are contesting from Amroha, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura while the RLD candidate is representing NDA in Baghpat.

What is noteworthy is the intense campaign trail of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in support of these candidates.

During these rallies and public gatherings, Yogi urged individuals who are benefiting from both Central and state government initiatives to cast their votes with enthusiasm. Various schemes, ranging from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi to sugarcane price payments, have been emphasized, including numerous others like PM SVANidhi Yojana and Ujjwala Yojana, which directly benefit the general public.

BJP leaders claimed here on Thursday that considering these 8 Lok Sabha seats, a large number of people have benefited from the schemes initiated for farmers. Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, funds have been transferred to the accounts of 17,76,105 farmers. Except for Mathura, payments totaling Rs. 58,576.94 crore have been made to farmers on the remaining seven Lok Sabha seats.

Under the Pradhan Mantri/Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana, a total of 1,30,811 houses have been distributed in these 8 seats. A large number of this allocation was included in Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana. Not only this, a total of 11,44,391 toilets have been constructed in these 8 Lok Sabha constituencies, including individual and community toilets.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Government has fostered self-reliance among its citizens through initiatives such as pensions for the destitute, old age, and the differently-abled. Across these 8 constituencies, 3,04,794 women are receiving benefits from the Destitute Women Pension scheme, receiving a monthly stipend of Rs 1000. Likewise, 4,31,116 elderly individuals are also benefiting from the Elderly Pension program provided by the government in these areas.

Additionally, 90,420 Divyangjans are receiving Disability Pension. Apart from this, mass marriages of 23,545 daughters have been conducted in these 8 Lok Sabha seats. Likewise, 1,58,447 daughters have benefited from the Kanya Sumangala Yojana, under which financial assistance is provided at various stages from the birth of the daughter to her graduation. Until recently, this scheme provided a total of Rs 15,000, which has recently been increased to Rs 25,000 by the UP government.

The BJP leaders further claim that in addition to this, the efforts of the Yogi government in these 8 seats have resulted in the successful opening of bank accounts for 65,13,996 people under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. Similarly, 45,52,134 people have been issued Ayushman Bharat Golden Cards while 45,53,989 ration cardholders are benefiting from the free ration scheme in these 8 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Along with this, under the PM SVANidhi Yojana, 2,32,981 street vendors have been provided the facility of loan without guarantee. Additionally, under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, 12,02,163 women have been given free gas connections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday came down heavily on the INDI alliance, saying it can go to any extent to snatch the rights of the people.

“The dangerous claws of Congress are going to snatch your rights. A part of OBC and SC reservations will be given to a special vote bank of Congress. The SP knows this but they have chosen to remain silent,” he disclosed.

Modi said that women preserve gold, silver, and household items for their children. Congress and SP have noticed this. “They talk about snatching the mangalsutra. Will any mother or sister allow us to snatch the Mangalsutra? Their intentions are not right. The Yuvraj of the Samajwadi Party has maintained silence on the intentions of Congress,” he alleged.

The Prime Minister was addressing an election meeting at Sainik Maidan in Alampur Jafrabad in the Aonla Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday.

Modi said that the Congress will not let you give your property to your children after your death. “They will impose such a tax on your property that it will be confiscated. If we own four rooms, the Congress and the SP will take over two rooms. They will capture five bighas of 10 bighas of land”.

The Prime Minister said a new slogan has emerged: “Congress’s loot in life as well as after life. This is a matter of concern for all of us, he added.

“Congress wants your property to be X-rayed. Gold, vehicles, houses, and everything that you possess would be surveyed. The Congress wants to give a part of your property to its favorite vote bank,” he alleged.

The PM said that they did not spare Ram alone but also Shyam. Lord Krishna’s Dwarka is under water. “I went under water. Took blessings by touching the stones. But I am surprised that the SP people call themselves Yaduvanshi, yet they also perform aarti for those who insult Shri Krishna,” he remarked.

He said a decade ago, the SP and the Congress people used to say that these BJP people talk big. They not only teased us in the name of Ram temple but also abused us. But we built the temple of Ram Lala with your blessings. Informed them of the date and time and also gave the invitation.

“Arrogance was so much in them that both SP and Congress were invited to Ram temple, but they had rejected it. They thought if they accepted the invitation of the Pran Pratistha, their vote bank would get angry,” he said.

The Prime Minister said Yogi Ji and his team are working hard, leading UP towards new opportunities. Earlier, the mafia used to loot your money but now a sum of Rs 600 crore has been allocated to this region from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. This reflects the priority given to growth.

The Prime Minister stated that women’s power will become more powerful in the coming five years. We will see three crore women becoming Lakhpati Didi. This is Modi’s guarantee.

Modi said the BJP has given houses, tap connections, water, toilets, and gas connections to the people. It also gave free ration so that no one slept hungry. Free treatment was started so that no one has to hide the disease. Now the elderly have also been guaranteed free treatment.

The Prime Minister said that the stronger the foundation, the stronger the house. With this ideology, the BJP is empowering the poor, farmers, youth, and women for a developed India.

Modi said: “Your love is the driving force of my life. It’s especially heartening to see mothers and sisters coming here in large numbers. I am committed to dedicating every moment and every fiber of my being to your service.

Delhi Police have busted an interstate syndicate involved in supply of psychotropic drugs with the arrest of five accused and recovery of a total of 88kg of Alprazolam tablets approximately worth Rs 28 lakh in the international market.

Police said on Thursday the syndicate was involved in supplying psychotropic substances across the national capital and the NCR region in bulk quantities.

A senior police official said the operation was executed by the North-East District Police’s Special Staff team, which was especially assigned to collect the information regarding persons involved in the organised crime and nab them.

According to police, the special team laid a trap near MCD Toll, Pusta Road, Sonia Vihar and on instance of informer, intercepted a car and on checking, 2,40,000 Alprazolam tablets weighing about 28.8 Kg were recovered, and the two people were apprehended. Later on their instance, further raids were conducted and their two other associates were nabbed from the area of Jewar, Gautambudh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh and more quantities of Alprazolam tablets weighing about 59.238 Kgs were picked up.

On sustained interrogation, they admitted to their crime and revealed about their main source of supply, and another raid was conducted and a man belonging to UP’s Bulandshahr was also nabbed.

On sustained interrogation, it was found that he was the main member of this syndicate who coordinated all the supplies with other associates.

All the five accused got into the illicit dealing of the psychotropic substances to earn easy money and for the quest of sustaining a lavish lifestyle.

The police have registered cases accordingly in the entire crackdown on the syndicate, and further probe is underway to find out linkages.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Narendra Modi seeking time from the prime minister to explain the Congress ‘Nyay Patra’ to him.

Coming as it does amid Modi’s intemperate attack on the Congress party, especially over its manifesto, Kharge’s letter to him states that the party’s Nyay Patra (manifesto) aims at providing justice to the youth, women, farmers, labours and marginalised people across all castes and communities.

In the letter, the Congress president pointed out to the prime minister that he was being “misinformed” about things that are not even written in the party’s manifesto.

In the two-page letter addressed to the PM, the Congress chief said, “I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am neither shocked nor surprised by your language or your speeches over the last few days. It was expected that you and other leaders from your party would start speaking in this manner after you saw the dismal performance of the BJP in the first phase of the elections.”

Stating that the Congress has been talking about the deprived poor and their rights, he said, “We are aware that you and your government do not have any concern for the poor and dispossessed. Your ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ works for the corporates whose taxes you reduced, while the salaried class pays higher taxes. The poor pays GST even on food and salt and rich corporations claim GST refunds.”

“That is why when we talk of inequality between rich and poor, you are purposely equating it with Hindu and Muslim. Our manifesto is for the people of India whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist. I think you have still not forgotten your pre- independence allies, the Muslim League and colonial masters,” Kharge said.

Kharge, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha further said, “You and your government have repeatedly turned away from the atrocities that the poor and backward women are facing in the country. Today, you talk about their mangalsutra. Please read about the Nari Nyay which we will be implementing when we come to power.”

“It has become a habit with you to seize on a few words taken out of context and create a communal divide. You are lowering the dignity of the chair by speaking in this manner. When all of this is over, people will remember that the PM of the country used such vulgar language for fear of losing an election,” he said.

Stating that the Congress ‘Nyay Patra’ aims at providing nyay to the youth, women, farmers, labourers and marginalised people across all castes and communities, Kharge said, “You are being misinformed by your advisors about things that are not even written in our manifesto. I would be more than happy to meet you in person to explain our Nyay Patra so that as the PM of the country you don’t make any statements that are false.”

Earlier in the day, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said at a press conference, “There is no mention of inheritance tax in the Nyay Patra. The prime minister says Congress’ Nyay Patra talks about redistribution of wealth. We have not used a single word in the Nyay Patra that talks about wealth redistribution.”

“We have prepared our Nyay Patra after listening to the voice of the people during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,” he added.

Launching a fresh attack on the BJP, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday alleged that if the saffron party wins this election, there will be no more polls in the country.

Referring to elections in Surat, Gujarat, while addressing a press conference here, Singh alleged that the BJP has begun its conspiracy from the place, adding that the nomination papers of candidates of all parties, including the Congress were rejected and the BJP candidate was given the winning certificate even before the elections.

Singh claimed that the same had never happened before in the past, that a ruling party has won without elections.

Sharpening his attack on the ruling dispensation at the Centre, Singh alleged that what happened in Surat is just a glimpse, and claimed that it will be replicated across the nation.

He also alleged that the BJP wanted to stay in power through force and fear.

The AAP leader further alleged that during the past 10 years, the BJP formed its government in many states by force, sometimes by breaking the existing regime and sometimes by force.

He claimed that at some places the MLAs were bought or broken, and at some places the government was brought down by deceit.

“This is the policy of the BJP; they adopt such tricks in regions where they cannot win through elections, ” Singh alleged.

He further urged the people to respond with their votes in a bid ”to protect democracy and the country’s Constitution”.

“This is my appeal to the 140-crore people of the country, this is your last election, after this you will not be given the right to vote. You have seen this yourself; you might have never heard before that the ruling party of the country wins the Lok Sabha elections without voting; it wins without any elections. In Surat, the nomination forms of all the candidates were rejected,” SIngh said.

Singh further claimed that one decision of the Chief Justice of India of the Supreme Court with regard to the Chandigarh Mayor elections, where he alleged that democracy was put at stake, reminded people how the alleged act of manipulating votes was caught on camera in Chandigarh.

India on Thursday confirmed that it has taken up with Iran the issue concerning the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement released by Iran and Pakistan at the end of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Islamabad.

“We have taken up the matter with the Iranian authorities,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on being asked how India sees the mention of the Kashmir issue in the joint statement.

Earlier, Pakistan and Iran agreed that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through “peaceful means based on the will of the people” of the region, said a joint statement issued by the two countries after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s maiden visit.

President Raisi paid an official visit to Pakistan from April 22-24 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

India on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to bring back all Indians who are stranded in the conflict zone in Russia.

”As far as the question regarding Indian nationals is concerned, we are very actively pursuing these matters at various levels, including with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Defence and several other organisations there,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing.

He said India is committed to bringing back all the people who have gotten in touch with the Indian authorities and want to be released. Ten such individuals have already returned to India.

The spokesperson said India has been assured by the Russian side that the other Indians who are there will also be released and allowed to return home.

According to reports, some Indians have been working as support staff to the Russian Army on frontlines in the midst of the ongoing war in Ukraine. They have also been forced to fight alongside Russian troops.