LIVE: Modi targets 'Didi' with remote control jibe, 'no more' chants

In Kolkata rally address, PM wonders why Mamata is so busy protecting interests of her nephew

2:31 AM

DMK promises Rs 1,000 cash aid for women family heads in TN if voted to power

The DMK on Sunday assured it would provide financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to all women family heads in Tamil Nadu if the party was voted to power in the April 6 assembly elections.
 

This would benefit all families that get essential commodities from the Public Distribution Outlets, party chief M K Stalin told a grand election rally here, releasing a 10- year vision document for the development of the state where the DMK is eyeing to storm back to power after being in opposition for ten years.
 

"For all the women family heads in Tamil Nadu, we are going to provide every month Rs 1,000 'rights' assistance. As a result, all the families that get food (essential) commodities from Public Distribution Outlets would be benefited for sure," he said amid rounds of applause.
 

The announcement came nearly three months after Makkal Needhi Maiam chief and actor Kamal Haasan, had promised 'payment' to women for their work at home as part of his party's economic agenda.
 

Stalin promised that the educational scholarship for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities would be doubled. Machinery and technology would completely replace manual scavenging.
 

2:30 AM

AIUDF announces first list for Assam polls, renominates 7 sitting MLAs

The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), a major constituent of the opposition Congress-led Grand Alliance, on Sunday night released the first list of 16 candidates and said it has renominated seven of its 13 sitting MLAs for the Assam assembly election.
 

AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal said that the party has put 11 candidates in alliance with its partners while in five seats, it has decided to go for a friendly contest.
 

The AIUDF is a part of the Grand Alliance comprising the Congress, BPF, CPI(M), CPI, CPI-ML and the Anchalik Gana Morcha.
 

Aminul Islam is one of the seven renominated candidates who will contest the Dhing seat, which is the only constituency in the list that goes to polls in the first phase on March 27.
 

The other six such contestants are Suzamuddin Laskar (Katlicherra), Nizamuddin Choudhury (Algapur), Nazrul Haque (Dhubri), Nijanur Rahman (Gauripur), Hafiz Bashir Ahmed (Bilasipara West) and Dr Hafiz Rafiqul Islam (Jania).
 

The party presidents brother Sirajuddin Ajmal has been nominated for the Jamunamukh constituency, replacing the elder Ajmal's son and sitting MLA Abdur Rahim Ajmal.
 

Phani Talukdar, Aminul Islam (advocate) and Karimuddin Barbhuiya were nominated from Bhabanipur, Mankachar and Sonai constituencies respectively.
 

2:29 AM

Let alone 100 days, even if it takes 100 months will stand with farmers: Priyanka Gandhi

"Let alone 100 days, even if it takes 100 months I will stand in support of the farmers," Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Sunday as she slammed the government over the three Central farm laws accusing it of "insulting" the tillers.
 

The Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh has been holding 'kisan panchayats' in western parts of the state recently and has been attacking the government over a range of issues from farm laws to rise in price of cooking gas, petrol and diesel.
 

"The farmers have been struggling for 100 days. More than 200 farmers have been martyred. It was the responsibility of the government to go to the farmers and talk to them," she said in a tweet in hindi and shared pictures of her addressing a large gathering at the 'kisan panchayat' in Meerut on Sunday.
 

"The BJP government made fun of the martyrdom of the farmers, insulted the farmers," she alleged.
 

Priyanka Gandhi urged people to stand with the farmers' struggle and to take the movement to the villages.
 

"I promise you, let alone 100 days, even if it takes 100 months, I will stand in support of the farmers," she said.
 

2:28 AM

Assam Assembly polls: Cong issues list of candidates for Titabor, 2 other seats

The AICC on Sunday issued the second list of three candidates for the prestigious Titabor, Dhakuakhana and Naoboicha assembly constituencies of Assam, which goes to polls in the first phase on March 27.
 

The party had announced on Saturday a list of 40 out of the 47 constituencies going to polls in phase one.
 

Congress' candidate for Titabor, earlier represented by former three-time chief minister Tarun Gogoi who died on November 23, is Bhaskarjyoti Barua.

The candidate for Naoboicha is former minister Bharat Chandra Narah and for Dhakuakhana, the nominee is Padma Lochan Doley.
 

The party has left Bokakhat, Dhing, Tinsukia and Behali seats for its allies.
 

The Congress is contesting the forthcoming polls as a part of the 'Grand Alliance' along with the AIUDF, BPF, CPI (M), CPI, CPI-ML and the Anchalik Gana Morcha.

Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6.
 

2:28 AM

Farooq Abdullah pitches for thaw in Indo-Pak relations

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are praying that the recent agreement between India and Pakistan on ceasefire holds as it will bring them some relief.
 

Peace is in the larger interest of the region, he said.
 

"Hostilities on borders bring only agonies and miseries to the dwellers, halt agriculture and economic activities, and impact the way of life of every segment of society," Abdullah said while addressing NC workers in Udhampur.
 

On February 25, India and Pakistan announced that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors "in the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders".
 

Abdullah, Member of Parliament from Srinagar, said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are praying for the success of this measure as it will bring them some relief.

Both the countries are spending a substantial portion of their budgets on defence procurement, thus compromising on the welfare of their poor populations, he said.

Peace is in the larger interest of the region, especially as the people of the two countries have been yearning for good relations, he added
 

2:26 AM

Saudi-led coalition strikes Yemen''s rebel-held capital

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said Sunday that it had launched a new air campaign on the country's capital and other provinces, in retaliation for missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
 

“The targeting of civilians and civilian facilities is a red line,” Col. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition, was quoted as saying by the official Saudi Press Agency. He was referring to the missile and drone strikes on Saudi cities in recent weeks that the Iranian-backed rebels, known as Houthis, had claimed.
 

“The terrorist (Houthi) leaders will be held accountable,” he said. Residents in Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, reported hearing huge explosions as a round of bombs fell on the city on Sunday.
 

The Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite TV channel reported at least seven airstrikes on the Sanaa districts of Attan and al-Nahda. Al-Masirah did not say what facilities were hit by the coalition, but back smoke was seen rising over military camps in the areas. The channel also reported an airstrike in the district of Bajil, in the province of Hodeida.
 

The coalition said the Houthis were encouraged by a decision of President Joe Biden's administration last month to remove them form the U.S.'s terror list. The designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization was announced in the waning days of former President Donald Trump's administration, and caused widespread outcry from the United Nations and humanitarian groups working in Yemen.
 

While the Houthi attacks rarely cause damage or casualties, strikes on major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, have shaken energy markets and the world economy.
 

The coalition also said it intercepted and destroyed at least 12 explosives-laden drones and two ballistic missiles the rebels fired on Sunday at Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the Houthis said they launched a drone attack on an oil facility in the port city of Jiddah. Another ballistic missile attack last week reached as far as the capital, Riyadh, where it was intercepted and exploded in the sky, scattering shrapnel over the city.
 

8:52 PM

Assam polls: Cong fields fresh faces, 15% women, 5% Muslims

Around half of the 40 candidates announced in the Congress' first list for the Assam Assembly polls are fresh faces, while 15 per cent of them are women and five per cent Muslim nominees.

The main opposition party late on Saturday night released the first list of 40 candidates for the 47 Assembly constituencies that are going to the polls in Assam in the first phase on March 27. According to the list, announced by Congress' Central Election Committee in-charge and party General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, six women - Sibamoni Bora (Batadroba), Roselina Tirkey (Serupathar), Bismita Gogoi (Khumtai), Pallabi Gogoi (Teok), Angkita Dutta (Amguri) and Pranatee Phukan (Naharkatia) and two Muslim candidates - Mohammad Nurul Huda (Rupohihat) and Rakibul Hussain (Samaguri) - were given party tickets.

7:13 PM

TMC's 'Khela' over, lotus will bloom in West Bengal: PM Modi

In a sharp rebuttal to Trinamool Congress' 'Khela Hobe' (Game On) slogan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that because of the corruption and loot in Mamata Banerjee's government, her party's game is over and the BJP's lotus will bloom in West Bengal.

Addressing a public rally in Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, the Prime Minister said 'Didi' Mamata Banerjee changed over the years, and not is being 'controlled' by somebody.

"Nothing is hidden. Bengal knows everything. But this Khel (game) will not continue. Khel Khatam hona chahiye (this game must stop)...TMC ka Khela khatam, Vikas Shuru (TMC's game is over, development has started)...vote for BJP fearlessly, vote against bad governance," the Prime Minister said.

Taking a dig at TMC, he said people of the opponent party are experienced people and play a lot. "They have done innumerable corruption and looted the people of Bengal. They have even looted the relief money sent for Amphan cyclone."

6:46 PM

Air 'very poor' in Ghaziabad, 'poor' in Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon

The air quality was recorded in the "very poor" category in Ghaziabad, while it was "poor" in Greater Noida, Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon, according to data issued by a government agency on Sunday.

Pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 also remained high in the air of the five immediate neighbours of Delhi, according to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

According to the index, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

6:19 PM

Women operating over 1,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras: Modi

While addressing the 'Jan Aushadhi Diwas' celebrations through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the 'Jan Aushadhi' scheme is fast becoming the medium of both social service and employment. These schemes are becoming a boon for the poor sections of society and especially the middle class families.

"The Jan Aushadhi Kendras are providing a source of income to the youth along with making medicines available at affordable rates. There are more than 1,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras which are run solely by women. This scheme also gives a boost to make the daughters of our country 'Self-reliant' or 'Aatmanirbhar'. The scheme is helping to deliver affordable medicines to the countrymen living in the hilly areas, north-east and the tribal areas," Modi added.