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After Decades, Rivals-Turned-Friends Lalu, Nitish to Share Stage

July 28, 2014

New Delhi, Jul 28: They have been the most bitter rivals for over two decades. But a common need to defeat the BJP has brought Bihar stalwarts Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav on the same side of an electoral battle.

lalu prasad nitishThe two former chief ministers will share stage while campaigning for by-elections to 10 assembly seats to be held on August 21. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), decimated in the general elections by the BJP-led NDA of which it was a part for 17 years, is now partnering with Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The RJD and Janata Dal will contest four assembly seats each and the Congress will contest two - a formal announcement is expected later this week.

The JD(U) rules Bihar with a depleted strength after the split last year with the BJP engineered by Nitish Kumar, who stepped down as chief minister after his party's disastrous showing in the Lok Sabha elections in May. Hit also by multiple desertions in a bad political year, the JD(U) is now supported by the RJD and Congress in the Assembly.

The BJP's new partner Chirag Paswan of the LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) mocked the alliance saying, "When we joined the NDA Nitish ji had said 'strange but true'. I would like to say the same today. They used to once sit like kings in their homes and distribute ticket. Today they have been reduced to sharing these seats."

"The situation is very clear. Two people who have lost have come together. They are just trying to save their political status. They are just making this alliance to create an illusion," said Bihar BJP President Mangal Pandey.

Bashisht Narayan Singh, JD(U) Bihar unit chief said, "This alliance is the need of the hour to defeat communal forces. I agree that Nitish and Lalu had differences but there is a lot in common too, especially the socialist agenda."

Mr Singh pointed out that the combined vote share of the three parties in the Lok Sabha elections was more than that of the NDA. He also blamed the BJP for their split.

Nitish Kumar had in June last year called off the partnership once it became clear that arch political rival Narendra Modi could be the BJP's choice for Prime Minister in the general elections.

The JD(U) has 114 seats, the BJP 89, the RJD 24 and the Congress 4 in the 233-member Assembly.

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News Network
April 17,2020

New Delhi, Apr 17: With 1,076 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 32 deaths, India's total count of coronavirus cases has surged to 13,835, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday.

The total cases are inclusive of 1,766 cured and discharged patients, one migrated and 452 deaths. At present, there are 11,616 active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Before the lockdown, the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases was about three days, but according to the data of the past 7 days, the doubling rate of cases now stands at 6.2 days, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare.

"Before the lockdown, doubling rate of COVID-19 cases was about three days but according to the data of past 7 days, the doubling rate of cases now stands at 6.2 days," Aggarwal said during the daily briefing on COVID-19.

Aggarwal said that as many as 5 lakh rapid antibody testing kits are being distributed to States and Districts where a high case burden has been observed.

"A total of 1,919 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with 1.73 lakh isolation beds, 21,800 ICU beds readied in India," he added. 

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Agencies
April 27,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 27: Over 1.5 lakh Non-Resident Keralites (NRK)s, stranded in various countries, have registered online for returningto the state, once the Centre gives the nod and air services resume

The Norka (Non Resident Keralites Affairs) department had commenced the registration process at around 6pm on Sunday and within an hour 25,000 had registered, government sources said.

Till Monday morning, over 1.5 lakh NRKs have registered, the maximum is from UAE-- over 60,000.

The aged, pregnant women, children, critically ill patients, those with expired visas and those who had gone abroad on visiting visa are among thelarge numbers of people who are waiting to return.

Those wanting to return, have to get themselves tested for COVID-19 in the respective countries, where they are and register after getting a negative certificate for the infection.

Theregistration is for arranging quarantine facilitiesin the state, if necessary, and not for getting any priority on flight bookings,the sources said.

After the NRKs register themselves, the government would draw up a list on how to bring them back as per priority.

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Agencies
August 5,2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Ayodhya to lay the foundation of the Ram temple. He participated in the bhoomi poojan rituals at the temple site and offered prayers. He will shortly lay the foundation of the temple with a sliver brick.

From Varanasi to Tamil Nadu, many devotees have sent gifts for the ceremony, like silver bricks and coins.

Special prayers were started on Monday and will culminate with the PM laying the foundation stone for the temple. The city has been decorated with paintings depicting scenes from the Ramayana. The Uttar Pradesh government has also made elaborate security arrangement for the event.

Apart from the state police, the NSG commandos have also been kept on stand-by. The invitations for the ceremony have been kept limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. Veteran BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi will witness the event from New Delhi via video-conferencing.

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