NCP on Monday dared Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to contest the Lok Sabha election against Supriya Sule from the Baramati parliamentary seat.

NCP’s state chief Bhaskar Jadhav launched a blistering attack on Uddhav for targeting Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at a rally at Shirur in Pune district on Sunday.

Uddhav had said that Pawar would lose his deposit if he contests from the Shirur parliamentary constituency. “It was uncivilised behaviour on part of Uddhav to target a senior leader like Pawar, who has already said he is not in the fray for Lok Sabha elections,” Jadhav said.

“Instead, Uddhav should contest against Supriya Sule from Baramati. If he does not dare to do so…he can choose to contest Assembly elections by contesting against either of us,” Jadhav said, with NCP state working president Jitendra Awhad by his side. Jadhav and Awhad are NCP legislators from Chiplun and Mumbra constituencies, respectively.

Entering the electoral fray will make Uddhav understand and realise the blood and sweat of the party cadre, Jadhav, a former Shiv sainik himself, said, adding that Uddhav is “incapable” of providing the aggressive leadership, which the Shiv sainiks are used to.

Continuing the ire against Shiv Sena president, Jadhav said civilised behaviour is not expected from Uddhav and Shiv Sena which does not respect senior leaders and women workers. He highlighted humiliation of former state Chief Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi at the Dussera rally last year and complaint of former mayor Shubha Raul and corporator Sheetal Mhatre about women being ill treated in the Shiv Sena.

“In fact, when Thackeray’s estranged son Jaidev wanted to join the NCP, it was Sharad Pawar who decided not to get him in the party as the move would hurt Bal Thackeray in his old age,” Jadhav said.

Jadhav charged that Uddhav was losing his grip over the organisation. “Six sitting Shiv Sena MPs were in touch with the NCP, but wanted our party to go alone in the Lok Sabha elections.

Their constituencies were in Congress quota, so they wanted us to fight elections separately so that they could be fielded. However, we decided that our alliance with Congress would continue,” he said.

Seventy-year-old Zaibunisa Kazi, who is a co-accused in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, is granted 30 days parole.

Her daughter will collect the order of the parole from the state secretariat in the afternoon. Last year, her plea for parole was rejected by the Divisional Commissioner.

Zaibunisa Kazi, who was convicted for the same charges as Sanjay Dutt, had appealed to the Maharashtra Governor seeking pardon.

Both Kazi and Dutt were charged under TADA Act for aiding and abetting a terrorist act and the Arms Act. But Dutt was held guilty only under the Arms Act while Kazi was convicted under TADA too.

Jet Airways on Monday announced a daily direct service from the city to Paris from May 14, making the French capital its 21st international destination.

The Paris-bound flight will depart from Mumbai at 1200 hrs and arrive at the Charles de Gaulle airport at 1750 hrs local time. The return flight will depart at 2110 hrs (local time) and arrive in Mumbai at 0945 hrs the following day, the private carrier said in a release in Mumbai. The Paris-Mumbai service will be the only evening departure from continental Europe to the megapolis, the airline said. Jet is offering a special return economy fare of Rs. 45,291 (including taxes) and return premiere introductory fare of Rs 1,53,315 (including taxes) on the route.

The regular fare will be Rs.62,040 (economy) and Rs. 2,02,114 (premiere) (inclusive of taxes). These fares, available since January 14, have a travel validity commencing 14 May. However, to avail of the discounted fares, booking has to be made before 10 February, the release said. Jet Airways Group operates a fleet of 113 aircraft, connecting 75 destinations in the country and abroad through 573 flights.

Architecture experts and students from Scotland’s biggest university are visiting India’s largest city Mumbai to study how its urban landscape and infrastructure operates.

The group from the University of Edinburgh will attempt to better understand how the city’s approach to urban planning and design differs from that of the West.

The team of 30 international students from 11 countries and academics are also keen to explore what the future holds for the vibrant city.

Collaborating with academic partners from India, the Edinburgh group will present an exhibition of their work examining how Mumbai’s residents interact with the city.

Dorian Wiszniewski, of the University’s School of Architecture and Design, the organiser of the visit, said: “As India’s fastest growing city, Mumbai’s presence is being felt across the world.

“I find Mumbai a fascinating place. It has grown rapidly in spite of a very challenging location and is now home to over 20 million people.”

A symposium involving some of India’s most influential urban designers, planners and architects will also take place to encourage discussion and analysis, focusing on Mumbai’s successes and the challenges it faces.

Symposium delegates include Sheela Patel of the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC), Darryl D Monte, Chair of the Forum of Environmental Journalists of India, and architect Brinda Somaya.

Indian students from Sir JJ College of Architecture and the Department of History at the University of Mumbai will participate in the symposium, which will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and hear fresh perspectives.

The University of Edinburgh currently has almost 250 Indian students and it will welcome more next year to its architectural postgraduate courses.

State-run Air India is looking at mopping up a bridge loan of over Rs. 1,400 crore to finance the delivery of two more Dreamliners.

The aircraft, for which it has sought the bridge financing, are to be delivered in the next two months, according to the bid document posted on the national carrier’s website.

A bridge-loan is typically used to meet payment commitments until a long-term financing is arranged.

The need for loan came as the government has refused to infuse a part of the Rs. 30,000-crore bailout package it had promised to the airline by FY 2019-20, this fiscal.

The cash-strapped Air India, which is already sitting on a debt pile of over Rs. 35,000 crore, and accumulated loss of over Rs. 27,000 crore, is raising the money for the 6-12 months period and plans to repay the same after a sale and lease back of these planes.

The airline is likely to report a loss of around Rs. 3,900 crore this fiscal, which is better than Rs. 5,400 crore it had incurred last fiscal, and is offering the aircraft as the security but has not offered government guarantee for these loans.

The bridge financing for the 12 Dreamliners, inducted between September 2012 and January 2014, is already in place, the bid document said.

Air India has already sold and leased back seven Dreamliners and it hopes to conclude the sale and lease back process of seven more (including the two on arrival) by March.

The state-run airline had placed ordered with US aircraft maker Boeing for 68 planes in January 2006, which includes 27 Dreamliners.

Apart from this, the national carrier had also booked 43 planes from Airbus, which have already been inducted.

Maharashtra cabinet decided to hike the remuneration of the personnel of Home Guards and Civil Defence units.

Accordingly, home guards personnel would now get Rs. 300 per day, compared to the Rs. 150 they get now. Similarly, civil defence personnel would get Rs. 150 per day, compared to the Rs. 75 they get at present.

Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil had assured the state legislature last year that the amount would be increased, his spokesperson said.

The decision would benefit 39,792 home guards and 70,476 civil defence personnel, he said.

Patil had said the government had initiated steps to strengthen the force in terms of manpower and equipment.

The cabinet also approved issuance of an ordinance to set up a national law university at Mumbai, Aurangabad and Nagpur.

Besides, the cabinet decided to extend the sugarcane purchase tax concession to sugar mills with co-generation projects of less than 6 MW, an official said.

The Bombay High Court recused itself from hearing confirmation of death penalty awarded to Indian Mujahideen operative Himayat Baig in the German Bakery blast of February 13, 2010 that left 17 people, including foreigners, dead in Pune.

Along with the confirmation of death sentence awarded to Baig, the appeal by this convict also came up for hearing.

“Not before us,” said a bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil.

The judges did not assign any reason for not hearing the matter.

As per legal norms, the death sentence awarded to an accused by the trial court comes up before the High Court for confirmation.

Baig, an alleged member of Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010. He was convicted by a special court in Pune in early 2013 for his role in the blast.

The court had found him guilty of taking part in the conspiracy and executing the blast at German Bakery, a popular hangout of foreigners, in Koregaon Park area of the city.

The prize distribution ceremony was held by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to felicitate the winners of swimming competition.

Speaking on this occasion, MLA Sandeep Naik said, “Playing and exercising is beneficial for our health. The swimming competition organized by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation provides a good platform for youth to showcase their talent.”

During the felicitation event, chairman Corporater Prabhakar Bhoir and Raju Shinde, sports Deputy Commissioner D.S. Chabukswh, Additional Commissioner Diwakar Samel, Sports Officer Rewapa Gurav, Shivchatrapati Shivaji Swimming winner Gokul Kamath, Culture committee Chairman, organiser Santosh Patil and Suresh Devkar and M. Mohan were present.