Is Congress sinking ahead of Lok Sabha polls?

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March 24, 2019

The ideological war between the BJP and Congress has been going on since their political debut however; the war took the form of tsunami when the Modi-led BJP government won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections historically by side-lining all the other national as well as regional opposition political parties. During the 2014 election campaigning Narendra Modi took oaths and promised so many things to the voters which now proved to be total false and alleged the Congress and its leaders of being corrupt and anti-nationals.

However, the results seem to be depressing and heart-breaking. A majority of voters are supporting the BJP and praying for its return to power again whereas there are also a group of voters who are repenting their mistakes of voting Modi and are on a verge to correct their mistakes in the coming general elections.

Moreover, between all this political ideological wars, the leaders from both the parties have been swapping from the BJP to Congress and from the Congress to BJP whereas it is observed that, in most of the cases prominent and senior leaders from the Congress have been joining the BJP ahead of the general elections, after being inspired by Modi’s high class and influential leadership in the last five years.

Satpal Maharaj – the senior Congress leader from Uttarakhand who has a huge fan following left the party recently. Jasa Barad – the sitting MLA from Somnath constituency of Junagadh district left the party. D. Purandeswari – A former Union minister and daughter of famous actor-politician NTR left Congress over Telangana issue. JP cadre cited communication gap between new and old generation political leaders of the Congress party as his reason of leaving party. Congress MLA Bavku Undhad from Lathi assembly constituency of Amreli district joined BJP with almost his 80 supporters to fulfil the wish of people to see Narendra Modi as the next PM. Congress MLA Rajendrasinh Chavda from Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district moved to BJP with 1,500 party workers and said that Congress has nothing at this time. Suresh Kotadia, a son of former Union minister Manu Kotadia left the party along with 80 Congress leaders and joined the BJP and also claimed that Congress is a vision-less political party. Another leader who left Congress are former Deputy Chief Minister Narhari Amin, parliamentarian Vithal Radadiya and his son, Jayesh Radadiya, Vallabh Dharaviya, Sujay Vikhe Patil, Kalidas Kolambkar, Tom Vadakkan, Krishna Tirath, Chaudhary Birender Singh, Jayanthi Natarajan and Datta Meghe and more.

Not only leaders many alliance partners have also abandoned the Congress and the list includes Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The reason for not coming with the Congress or having alliance with the India’s largest political party differs from party to party however, it is quite evident that the Congress is sinking in-between all this power packed political drama and its leaders are quitting with a strong desire to come into power again and be with the rising star which is known to everybody very well.

However, some leaders from the BJP also joined Congress claiming of ideological conflicts which include Shyama Charan Gupta, Ram Prasad Sarmah, senior BJP leader B.C. Khanduri’s son Manish Khanduri, five-time BJP MP and former agriculture minister of the state, Ramkrishna Kusmaria, Ramesh Saxena, Premlata Rathod, Kirti Azad, N Dwijamani Singh, and M Hemanta.

In the latest list from Maharashtra, BJP replaces four sitting MPs

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March 24, 2019

The BJP has replaced four sitting MPs in Maharashtra in its third list of six candidates from the state, and has fielded a woman candidate from Baramati, the bastion of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, against sitting MP Supriya Sule.

The latest list includes 36 candidates from various states.

With six candidates from Maharashtra, the BJP has so far announced names of 22 candidates. The saffron party is contesting 25 out of total 48 seats in alliance with the Shiv Sena, which will fight on rest of the seats.

The BJP had won 22 of the 24 Lok Sabha seats that it contested from Maharashtra in 2014.

Prominent among those who are denied re-nomination is Dindori MP Harishchandra Chavan, who has been representing the tribal-dominated seat since 2009.

This time, the party has reposed faith in NCP turncoat Bharti Pawar, who had lost to Chavan in 2014 polls by a huge margin.

The BJP has given ticket to Kanchan Kul, wife of Daund legislator Rahul Kul, from Baramati seat in Pune district against Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar.

Rahul Kul is the MLA of Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, an alliance partner of the BJP in Maharashtra.

BJP president Amit Shah had earlier said the party was all set to make inroads into Baramati.

Another significant replacement is in Pune constituency, where cabinet minister Girish Bapat has been picked in place of sitting MP Anil Shirole.

In Solapur, the BJP has given ticket to Jaisiddeshwar Swami in place of sitting MP Sharad Bansode. Swami will be pitted against Congress veteran from Solapur Sushilkumar Shinde, a former Union home minister.

Maha: JJ medical students protest ‘no short skirts’ diktat

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March 24, 2019

Female medical students of state-run JJ Hospital’s Grant Medical College on Sunday protested against what they claimed was an attempt at moral policing by authorities through a diktat asking them not to wear “short skirts” and to sit separately from male counterparts during events.

The authorities came up with these instructions after a Holi event on March 21 in the campus of the reputed medical institution witnessed ruckus and unruly scenes by some youth.

Protesting female students on Sunday wore ankle-length clothes and covered their faces to show their resentment towards the circular from authorities.

The college administration shared two posts detailing the instructions, one on Facebook and the other on a Whatsapp group of hostel inmates, a protesting student said.

“The posts are said to be issued by Dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale and Warden Shilpa Patil. They lay down that female students must not wear short skirts, and should sit separately during a college event. It also instructed the girls to return to their hostels before 10 pm,” the student said.

Speaking to reporters at the protest venue, she said, “We condemn this decision of the college administration as it unnecessarily encroaches on our right to dress the way we want. Why should everyone be punished for the handiwork of some unruly students.”

The second instruction, she said, was about an annual college event ‘Astitva’ which was held recently.

“Male and female students were asked to sit separately during the Astitva event. We fail to understand the logic behind this decision since there are male and female students who are good friends and would want to sit together. It is ridiculous on the part of the authorities to come up with such a diktat,” she said.

Shiv Sena worker surrenders Mumbai flat won in lottery citing bad ‘vaastu’

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March 24, 2019

The winner of a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) lottery has surrendered his prize-winning costly flat in Mumbai citing bad ‘vaastu’.

Vinod Shirke, the shakha chief of Shivsena in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had in December last year won two flats valued at Rs 4.99 crores and Rs 5.08 crores each, the costliest flats in history to be ever sold in a MHADA lottery.

The BMC official said he decided to relinquish the costlier flat on the suggestion of his ‘Vaastu’ consultant.

Speaking to ANI, Shirke said, “I had won two flats in the same building and as per the guidelines of MHADA, I can establish a claim on any one of them. After seeking advice from my Vaastu consultant, I have decided that I won’t be accepting the costlier flat which is worth of 5.80 crores.

“My Vaastu consultant has suggested some mandatory alterations to be made in the flats to ensure a better career in politics and social life for me. But the suggested amendments cannot be undertaken in the costlier flat (5.80 crores) of Dhavalgiri but those can be made in the second flat which amounts for 4.99 crores. I have informed the authorities about withdrawing my claim from the costlier flat. “

While confirming the news, a MHADA official told ANI that Shrike has intimated the department about his decision and now as per procedure, the flat will be offered to people in the waiting list for the said flat.

EC seeks to make election accessible’ for over 2 lakh Divyang voters

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March 24, 2019

Over two lakh disabled Divyang’ voters in Maharashtra can use a specially designed mobile app to seek special facilities at polling booths during the next month’s Lok Sabha elections.

Facilities such as wheelchairs, ramps, and transport from home will be rolled out for 2,24,162 registered Divyang voters in the state, an Election Commission official said.

“Accessible Elections” is the EC’s slogan, he said.

The largest group –37,324 — among Divyang voters are those suffering from visual impairment, while 18,022 voters suffer from handicaps of limbs (such as not being able to walk), the official added.

Maharashtra will witness voting in four phases, starting from April 11. To make voting easier for Divyang voters, the Election Commission has come up with a mobile application called “PWD”.

The app, available on Google Play store, provides information such as the location of the voting booth and the facilities available there. More importantly, a Divyang voter can seek free transport from home to booth through the app.

At the polling booth, Divyang voters will not need to wait in a queue. Ramps, voting rooms with doors large enough to allow movement of wheelchairs and special parking space would be provided wherever needed, the official said.

As the administration is gearing up for elections, the Election Commission undertook a special drive this time to ensure that district collector provide necessary facilities for Divyang voters, he said.

5 Indian sailors return home after 14 months in Greek jail

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March 24, 2019

Five Indians, who spent over 14 months in a Greek jail after their cargo ship was detained on charges of carrying explosive material on board, arrived in Mumbai on Sunday morning.

MV Andromeda was detained by the Greek Coast Guard on January 9, 2018.

Although it was established that the cargo in question was only a raw material for firecrackers, the crew of the ship had to languish in jail for over a year.

The ship had set sail from Turkey on January 6, 2018 and was headed for Djibouti when it was diverted to the Greek coast for repairs and later, detained by the coast guard.

“The explosive material was legal. Local authorities did not go through the documents which the Greek ship owner had,” Bhupendra Singh, one of the Indian crew members who returned home on Sunday, told the media here.

“We were given consular access and they (the Indian embassy staff) were very supportive and were present at every hearing,” said Singh, a native of Gurudaspur in Punjab, adding that they were not subjected to physical torture in any form.

Singh, however, said he had to undergo mental agony “especially when beef was served frequently.”

“There were few times when I thought of ending my life. I was the only son of my father…I could not be present in my sister’s wedding,” he added.

Another crew member, Gagan Deep, who is from Bengaluru, said jail authorities informed them that they were the first Indians to be lodged in the jail since it was built in 1953.

Gagan Deep claimed that he had not been paid salary for the last 23 months by the company which owns the ship.

Interestingly, it was the Pakistani inmates lodged in the jail who provided them emotional support, he said.

“Whatever grudge we may hold against each other’s country, but when we meet each other in other countries, we (Indians and Pakistanis) understand each other very well … those two Pakistanis helped us a lot in every way,” Bhupendra Singh said.

The other three Indian crew members are Rohtas Kumar, Jaideep Thakur, and Satish Patil.

They will meet officials of the Union Shipping Ministry on Monday and apprise them of the entire episode.

Amar Singh Thakur, General Secretary of the Maritime Union of India (MUI), said a court in Greece ruled a fortnight ago that the explosive material on board the ship was raw material for crackers, and not a banned explosive material.

MUI, a city-based union of shipping workers, helped the crew members in their legal battle, he said.

The Korydallos Prison Complex, where they were kept, is infamous for overcrowding and inhumane treatment of detainees as per Amnesty International, Thakur claimed.

The MUI will petition the Greek government not to release the ship until the owners pay the salaries of the crew, he said. Amitabh Kumar, Acting Director General of Shipping, said the Directorate General of Shipping was following up on the matter with the Greek government through the Indian embassy.

Elle Fanning ‘refused to watch’ sister Dakota on Friends after failing in audition

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Web Team

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March 24, 2019

Actor Elle Fanning has revealed she decided to boycott “Friends” after she could not clear the audition for a role in the cult show and her sister Dakota made the cut.

In an interview with the an leading magazine, the 20-year-old actor said, “I might be remembering this wrong but I think I was gonna be one of Phoebe’s triplets. I auditioned for it but I didn’t get it and I was like, ‘I’m boycotting the show, I’m never watching this again’.”

“Then my sister was on it and I refused to watch the episode. I was like, “I am not watching this!” she added.

Friends, which started airing in 1994, was a worldwide phenomenon and continues to have a large fanbase.

The show, featuring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, enjoyed a decade long run on NBC.

Eva Mendes wants to work with Ryan Gosling again

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March 24, 2019

Eva Mendes’ last big screen outing was 2014 film “Lost River” and the actor says she wants to make a comeback with partner Ryan Gosling.

Mendes and Gosling have previously starred together in 2012’s “The Place Beyond the Pines”. They started dating during the making of the film.

In an interview with an leading daily, Mendes was asked who would she want to work with on her next project. “Ryan Gosling,” she replied with a smile, noting that she would “absolutely” collaborate with the Oscar-nominated actor again.

“I’m excited to go back to work. It’s just not, like, I’m dying to do a movie again, so it has to be something really special,” the 45-year-old actor said.

Gosling and Mendes are parents to two daughters, Esmerelda and Amada.

David Sandberg brought ‘some darkness’ to ‘Shazam!’: Zachary Levi

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March 24, 2019

Zachary Levi says “Shazam!” director David Sandberg brought a little “darkness” to the DC superhero film.

The Swedish filmmaker is best known for his work in the horror genre, and Levi, who stars in the title role, believes Sandberg’s background helped the story – about an orphan boy and his superpowered adult alter ego – become more “grounded” than “silly”.

“Inherently, it’s a movie about a 14 year old that gets a superpower to be a superhero but he’s still 14 inside. I mean, there’s no way to do that movie without it being funny and heartfelt.

“And so in order for that to not just become silly, you need somebody like David to come in and ground it and give it some darkness and some grit and balance it out and I think he’s done that in spades, so we find a really nice sweet spot in the middle of it all,” Levi told SciFiNow.

His co-star Mark Strong, who plays the antagonist, Dr Thaddeus Sivana, in the next film, echoed the sentiment about the director’s credentials as a horror filmmaker.

Strong said Sandberg ably combined “humour and horror” and delivered the two sides of the coin needed to make a successful film.

“You need to have real fun with ‘Shazam!’ and the guys but you need to be truly terrified by the forces of evil, otherwise you never really believe that there’s a genuine competition going on there.

“I could always sense he had in his mind exactly what he wanted and little tiny details of things he would be hot on. I remember one day I found him pushing a door to see if it would creak and I realised he was just finding a moment to put in a little creaking door noise in there, it’s the archetypal horror moment,” the actor said.

“Shazam!” is set to hit the screens on April 3.

Will be exciting to see James Gunn’s take on ‘Suicide Squad’: Joel Kinnaman

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March 24, 2019

Actor Joel Kinnaman says he is looking forward to director James Gunn’s version of his 2016 film “Suicide Squad”.

The 39-year-old actor played the role of Rick Flag, an Army Special Forces colonel who leads a pack of supervillain to save the world, in the David Ayer-directed movie.

Despite being panned by the critics, the film, which also featured Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and Viola Davis, raked in over USD 745 million worldwide.

Last year, Gunn, best known for helming Marvel’s “Guardian of the Galaxy” series, was hired by Warner Bros to direct the follow-up, which is scheduled to release on August 6, 2021.

“James Gunn is an incredibly talented director. It will be very exciting to see what he comes up with in terms of his take on ‘Suicide Squad’,” Kinnaman told an agency.

The actor, however, said it is “too early” to talk about him reprising his character in the new movie.

“In terms of my involvement, I think it is too early to talk about that. But as soon as I can comment on it, I will,” he added.

Kinnaman also refrained from commenting on producer Peter Safran’s statement that the project will be a “total reboot”.

The actor currently stars in Amazon Prime Video’s series “Hanna”. The show, which also features Esme Creed-Miles and Mireille Enos, is an adaptation of Joe Wright’s 2011 film of the same name.

David Farr, who co-wrote the screenplay of the film with Seth Lochhead, is serving as the creator and writer on the series.

“Hanna” will premiere on the streaming service platform on March 29.