Shiv Sena MLA Narendra Bhondekar Quits Over Denied Ministerial Post

EAM Dr S Jaishankar holds delegation-level talks with Mihai Popșoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova.

EAM S Jaishankar tweets, "Pleased to call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the start of his first State Visit to India. Sri Lanka is key to both India’s Neighborhood First policy and SAGAR Outlook. Confident that the talks with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will lead to greater trust and deeper cooperation."

Hindi played important role in development of India, says Om Birla.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tweets, "The passing away of Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab leaves our world of culture poorer. Making his fingers dance on the dayan and bayan, he took Indian Tabla to the global stage and will always be synonymous with its intricate rhythms. A doyen of music, a stalwart of creativity whose works endeared him to people across generations.  His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill.  My heartfelt condolences to his family, disciples and countless admirers."

Tripura CM Dr Manik Saha stopped his convo to help an injured person lying after a road accident on Gokulnagar Road in Sepahijala District, earlier today.
 

Tabla Maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passes away at 73.

Union Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, President of Indian Olympic Association PT Usha, Chairman GTCC Sunaina Prakash paid a courtesy visit to Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Chief Minister's residence.

On the swearing-in ceremony of cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government, CM Devendra Fadnavis says "Regarding the allocation of departments, we have arrived on a consensus. It will be finalised in the next 2-3 days"

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel attended the Kutch Rann Utsav earlier today.

The Uttar Pradesh government has made preparations for the participation of 450 million pilgrims, saints and tourists during the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, a state minister said on Sunday.

The grand spiritual gathering will take place from January 13 (Paush Poornima) to February 26 (Maha Shivratri) in Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh is organised every 12 years.

Addressing a press conference in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, UP’s Minister for Jal Shakti and Flood Control Swatantra Dev Singh said the congregation will surpass the previous ones in grandeur and divine essence.

EAM Dr S Jaishankar meets Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in New Delhi.

On the swearing-in ceremony of cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government, CM Devendra Fadnavis says "We are going to have a performance audit of all the minisiters and in the audit, if it is noticed that the minister is not doing the right work, then that minister will be reconsidered."

On the swearing-in ceremony of cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government, CM Devendra Fadnavis says "Regarding the violence in Maharashtra's Parbhani city, I have to make a request that it is not right to react in this way. This government will never do anything against the constitution. Action has been taken against some people. Three accused have been found..."

On the swearing-in ceremony of cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde says "A letter has been given regarding EVM. Everyone has seen the work we did. 86 cabinet meetings were held and 850 decisions were taken. Even after this, we will work as a team. After winning in Karnataka, Jharkhand and these places, they say that EVM is good and if they lose, they blame the Election Commission. We will nurture everything that has been given to us..."

President Droupadi Murmu attended an 'At-Home' reception at Army House on the eve of Vijay Diwas. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi were among those present on the occasion. The President also interacted with the guests.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah interacts with the naxalites who have surrendered and joined the mainstream in Jagdalpur.

During his address he says, "...In 2019, PM Narendra Modi gave me the opportunity to become the Home Minister of this country. At that time, our youth used to take up arms and ruin their lives by indulging in violence and keeping the entire region away from development in Kashmir, northeast and naxal areas... Then, we decided that whoever wants to give up arms, will be allowed to do so. From 2019 to 2024, in the Northeast, 9000 people have surrendered...In Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra also, a lot of youth have surrendered in naxal-affected areas. The Government of India is making a comprehensive plan for the welfare of the surrendered youth..."

After taking oath as cabinet minister in the state government, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat says "This is the biggest achievement of my life. This chance has been given to me by Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar...CM Fadnavis has to take the final call on the portfolios..."

BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal says, "The INDI alliance is almost shattered now. On one side there is talk of making Mamata Banerjee the leader, on the other side there is talk of making Sharad Pawar the leader... Arvind Kejriwal's party's announcement that they will fight (the assembly elections) alone is telling their fate. He (Arvind Kejriwal) has understood that he will be finished if he fights the elections together with Congress. He is going to be finished anyway... Now the BJP government is going to be formed in Delhi."

A delegation of Saini community met Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini at Sant Kabir Kutir.

CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "Next year, the government will celebrate the birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Shri Sain Maharaj in a grand manner at the state level... Every eligible beneficiary is getting the benefits of government schemes sitting at home..."

 Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami attends the launching of the logo, theme song and mascot for the 38th National Games in Dehradun. Uttarakhand will host the 38th National Games.

"I held a conversation with Amit Shah ji, but I will meet him again. I am going to Delhi. We thought that our name will be there in this (Maharashtra Cabinet expansion), and Devendra Fadnavis had promised us about it as well. However, it was not implemented. I will try to meet Amit Shah ji and JP Nadda ji, and the RPI should be given ministerial berth," says Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale at a press conference in Mumbai.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat and BJP leader Nitesh Rane take oath as Cabinet Minister in the state government, at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur.

After being denied ministerial post, Shiv Sena MLA Narendra Bhondekar quits.

Shiv Sena leader Shambhuraj Desai, BJP leader Ashish Shelar, NCP leader Aditi Tatkare take oath as Cabinet Minister in the state government, at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur.

Sena MLA Shambhuraj Desai sworn-in as Maharashtra minister.

Ashok Uike of BJP takes oath as minister.

BJP's Atul Save takes oath as minister.

Daughter of Gopinath Munde, Pankaja Munde takes oath as Minister in Maharashtra Cabinet.

Jaikumar Rawal takes oath as Maharashtra minister.

Sena MLA Uday Samant Sworn in as Minister in Fadnavis Cabinet.

BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha takes oath as Maharashtra minister.

Dhananjay Munde sworn-in as minister in Maharashtra Cabinet.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Rathod takes oath as minister in Fadnavis Cabinet.

Shiv Sena MLA Dada Bhuse takes oath as minister.

BJP MLA Ganesh Naik takes oath as Minister.

Shiv Sena's Gulabrao Patil sworn-in as Maharashtra Minister in Fadnavis Cabinet.

BJP's Girish Mahajan takes oath as Minister in Fadnavis Cabinet.

NCP leader Hasan Mushrif sworn in as Maharashtra minister.

Chandrakant Patil take oath as Cabinet Minister in the state government, at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur.

Maharashtra cabinet expansion: Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil takes oath as minister

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule takes oath as Cabinet Minister in the state government, at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at the Raj Bhavan in Nagpur, where the swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers of Maharashtra Government will take place.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "In the last 10 years, we have worked against Naxalism on both fronts... Today, there is a reduction of 73% in the deaths of security personnel, and 70% in the deaths of civilians in areas which were the stronghold of Naxals since 1973... By 31 March 2026, we will completely finish Naxalism from our country..."

On One Nation One Election, BJP leader* Brijbhushan Sharan Singh says, "Since independence, simultaneous elections have been held in the country, but later it was removed. Congress misused Article 356 the most and elected governments were toppled... PM Modi and the central government have taken this decision in the interest of the country... Holding elections repeatedly hinders development work..."

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Lok Sabha, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi says, "...PM Modi spoke to all the members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha for more than 1.5 hours. He talked about 11 action points that we have to work on in the days to come. This was a very enlightening speech. It was a kind of guidance for all of us. As you know, we were talking about the Constitution for 2 days. We had debates on the Constitution and many of the MPs gave their views on the Indian Constitution that was adpoted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949 and since then, till now, the Indian Constitution has been the lighthouse. I can only say that the Prime Minister of the country gave a direction, gave a path for all of us to follow and this direction, this path was not for the members of the NDA only. The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of the entire country. So when he spoke, whatever he said, whatever directions he gave, these directions were meant for all the members of Parliament from all across the political parties. The only goal that Prime Minister said we had was to follow the provisions of the Constitution and to see that we emerge as one of the fastest growing economy..."

 Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, his wife Sudesh Dhankhar, Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and others visited Jai Vilas Palace, in Gwalior.

They had lunch and toured the palace with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and his wife. 

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "A state level conference of the Non Gazetted Forest Officer Association of Odisha was organised here today. The coverage of forest and plantation in Odisha is about 36%. PM Narendra Modi has given a call for Mission LiFE. He has also given a call for 'Ek Ped Maa ke Naam'. The main center of our Odisha's economic policy is the forests of the state and how to take that forest based economy forward, increase tourism, employment and sustainability, all this as discussed today..."

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC says "History is going to be created today. The leaders of Shiv Sena, NCP and BJP are going to take oath as ministers in Nagpur today and are going to work for the betterment of Maharashtra."

On PM Narendra Modi's speech, BJP leader Nisith Pramanik says, "No party is just for a family, a party is formed by organising the common people. It is formed to fulfil their demands. But Congress could not get out of nepotism and family system in any state. So it is natural that PM Modi will speak on this topic and whenever PM Modi talks about nepotism, Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family get irritated..."

Bihar, once seen as less industry-friendly, has seen a surge in big ticket investments from the likes of Adani Group to Coca-Cola as it packages its vast resources with progressive policy to lure investors.

Its industries and tourism minister Nitish Mishra, with his CEO-style approach to governance, is pivoting Bihar into a state that could be a gateway for investors to eastern India.

Mishra says the perception bias regarding Bihar's industrial capabilities is slowly being overcome.

The country's first diabetes biobank, a repository of population-based biological samples aimed at supporting scientific research, has been established in Chennai by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).

The biobank set up at the MDRF, Chennai aims to gather, process, store and distribute biospecimens to assist scientific studies with the permission of the ICMR.

The biobank will facilitate advanced research on the causes of diabetes, the variations of the Indian type of diabetes and related disorders, said Dr V Mohan, chairman of the MDRF and Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre.

Four persons were arrested in Surat in Gujarat with fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 2.57 crore, a police official said on Sunday.The four accused, three of whom are from Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar district) in neighbouring Maharashtra, were walking with three bags when they were apprehended at a check post in Saroli on Saturday evening, the official said.

Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav accompanied by Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs Mayank Mishra on Sunday met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on fast-unto-death to press the Centre to accept the demands of farmers, and enquired about his health.

The 70-year-old Dallewal, a cancer patient, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, "We came to enquire about the health of Dallewal." Government of India's representative Mayank Mishra was specially sent here, he added.

'We are committed to end Naxalism before March 31, 2026': HM Amit Shah said while speaking at President's Police Colour Award function in Raipur.

HM Amit Shah Attends President's Police Colour Award Function in Raipur, Addresses Crowd

Maha CM Devendra receives grand welcome at Nagpur airport on arrival

Twelve MLAs from Shiv Sena are set to take oath as ministers in Maharashtra cabinet expansion on Sunday.

Shiv Sena MLA Bharatshet Gogawale said that the oath-taking ceremony will take place at 4 pm today.

According to Gogawale, twelve MLAs from his party including himself will take oath as ministers of which seven are new faces.
"Oath ceremony will take place at 4 pm today. So, we have all come to Nagpur. 7 people are new (who will take oath as ministers) and 5 are being repeated," Gogawale told ANI.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Girish Mahajan said that he got a call from the state BJP Chief announcing his selection as minister.
"State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule called me and told me that I have to take oath (as Maharashtra Minister) at 4 pm. I will take oath as the minister for the third time. I express gratitude to the party," Mahajan told ANI.

 Four tribal persons were killed and 15 others injured when a tractor-trolley overturned in an attempt to save a buffalo in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, police said on Sunday.

The accident took place at around 10.30 pm on Saturday in Ghatigaon area, an official said.

As many as 31 persons, belonging to the Saharia tribal community, had gone to a forest in Pai Kho village for collecting herbs.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has directed cow shelters and dairy farms in the city to obtain pollution control consent within 15 days, warning of strict action in case of non-compliance.

The Committee issued a public notice on Sunday directing all 'gaushalas' and dairy farms with 15 or more cattle, and all dairies operating in dairy colonies in Delhi to apply for mandatory consent under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The directive has been issued in compliance with recent court orders and must be adhered to within 15 days of the notice, failing which legal action will be initiated.

The district administration has cancelled and confiscated the arms licenses of three accused of murdering a man during communal violence in October in Maharajganj town of the district.

A 22-year-old man identified as Ram Gopal Mishra was shot dead and about half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing as communal violence broke out during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich on October 13.

Days after a BEST bus mowed down seven persons in Kurla, a motorcyclist got run over by an electric bus of the transport body in the Govandi area here, police said on Sunday.The accident occurred at the Shivaji Nager junction in Govandi late on Saturday night, an official said.

Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition during search operations in Manipur’s Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, police said.The seized arms include an assault rifle, a single-barrel gun and hand grenades, they said.The recovery was made during search operations at Keirao Khunou area, a police statement said on Saturday.

A jawan of the Border Security Force was injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded while his team was trying to defuse it in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Sunday, police said.The blast occurred around 9.30 am on the Hetarkasa village road near Panidobir camp, where a team of security personnel was out on an area domination operation, Kanker Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela said.

Minumum temperature in the national capital dropped further on Sunday. According to the India Meteorological Department, the temperature recorded in Delhi at 5.30 am today was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius. A day earlier, it was 9.4 degrees Celsius.

At Safdarjung Observatory, the minimum temperature was recorded at 4.9 degrees Celsius at 8.30 am today. The drop in temperature in 24 hours here is 3.1 degrees Celsius and it is 4 degrees Celsius below the normal temperature of the season.

The minimum temperature recorded at Palam Observatory at 8.30 am today was 6.2 degrees Celsius which is 3 degrees Celsius below the normal temperature of the season. The drop in temperature in 24 hours is 0.2 degrees Celsius.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, left for Nagpur from his Sagar bungalow in Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the concluding day of the fourth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi on Sunday.

According to an official release, the three-day Conference held from 13 to 15 December 2024 will emphasise the evolution and implementation of a common development agenda and blueprint for cohesive action in partnership with the states.

It will be another key step towards further boosting the partnership between the Centre and the state governments, the release mentioned.

A man died after a group of people allegedly thrashed him at Kulpi in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, a senior police officer said.

The incident took place at Kalitala area of Ramakrishnapur gram panchayat on Saturday night when Kunal Adhya (22) was returning home.

The officer said police were investigating reports that Adhya was beaten up by members of a rival group over a dispute concerning a local club.

Another person was seriously injured while trying to save Adhya during the alleged assault, he said.

He is undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.

Security has been strengthened in the area, the officer added.

 Over 30 people, including women and children, were injured after a gate at the venue of a folk theatre show collapsed in Odisha’s Cuttack district, police said.

The incident took place at Raisunguda in Salepur area on Saturday night as the people were passing through the iron structure, they said.

The injured have been admitted to Salepur hospital, a police officer said.

Six of them, who suffered critical injuries, were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, he said.

An investigation is underway.

The minimum temperature in Delhi settled three notches below the season's average at 4.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the Met office said.

The city on Thursday recorded the lowest temperature of this winter season so far with the minimum temperature dipping to 4.5 degrees Celsius.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 23 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'poor' category with a reading of 257 at 9 am.

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'.

 Five shops were gutted in a fire that broke out in a vegetable market in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar city, officials said on Sunday.The incident took place around 11.30 pm at the Unit-1 market on Saturday, they said, adding, there were no reports of any injury.Two fire service teams rushed to the spot and doused the flames, the officials said.

 A Pakistani drone carrying nearly half a kg of high-grade narcotic substance was seized by the Border Security Force near the International Border here, officials said on Sunday.The quadcopter entered India from across the border and was seized from the Chinaz Border Outpost area in the Arnia sector late Saturday, they said.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the Atul Subhash death case who committed suicide by hanging alleging harassment by his wife, Karnataka police said, adding that Subhash's wife Nikita Singhania has been arrested from Haryana's Gurugram.

According to the police, the other two accused, identified as Nisha Singhania, mother of Nikita Singhania and her brother, Anurag Singhania, were arrested from Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad. All the three accused in this case were sent to judicial custody as per the order of the court, police said.

A couple was safely rescued after their car got stuck in an automobile lift at a highrise in Maharashtra's Thane city, an official said on Sunday.The four-wheeler got trapped in a three-tier car lift of a 20-storey building in the Shastri Nagar area at 10.48 pm on Saturday, the official said.

The Indian army, in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh Government, on Sunday hosted a Soldierathon in Raipur to mark the 53rd anniversary of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. Former Army Chief General VK Singh flagged off the Soldierathon.

Speaking to ANI, General (retd) VK Singh said that the main objective of the Soldierathon is to inspire people to stay fit.

"The main objective of Soldierathon is to inspire people to stay fit so that the new generation can stay fit. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War. When we all unite, Naxalism will end automatically," General (retd) Singh said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had a detailed discussion with Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs on the preparations and strategy for the upcoming municipal elections on Saturday at Uttarakhand Bhawan, New Delhi.

The discussion was held in the presence of BJP National General Secretary and State In-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam.

State BJP President Mahendra Bhatt and Organization General Secretary Ajaey Kumar were also present on this occasion.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has hit out at the Opposition for initiating impeachment notices against Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Allahabad High Court's Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, saying "whoever speaks the truth" is threatened in this way.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital on Sunday continued to be in the 'poor category' with further deterioration as the city experienced cold wave conditions.

According to the CPCB, the AQI was measured at 246 at 7 am in Delhi on Sunday. On Saturday, it was measured at 212. The temperature in the national capital also further dropped. According to the India Meteorological Department, the temperature in Delhi at 5.30 am on Sunday was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius. A day earlier it was 9.4 degrees Celsius.

In Anand Vihar, Alipur, Bawana and Burari Crossing, the AQI was recorded at 292, 256, 298 and 288 respectively.

A 23-year-old man accused of raping a 16-year-old minor girl from Maharashtra's Bhandara district several times over the last eight months was arrested on Saturday, police said. The victim had lodged an FIR in Bhandara which was transferred by the police there to Gopiganj Police Station in Bhadohi for further legal action, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Meenakshi Katyayan.

 A robust anti-drone system has been deployed here to ensure the safety of devotees who will attend the Maha Kumbh 2025, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement on Saturday.The anti-drone system was activated on Friday and it successfully intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), it said.

India has dispatched a fresh consignment of around 60 tons of emergency medical equipment, generators, and other utilities to Jamaica which will support the country's healthcare needs and enhance their disaster preparedness.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal shared the details of the humanitarian assistance on Saturday.
"India sends Humanitarian Assistance to Jamaica. A consignment of approx 60 tons of emergency medical equipment, Gensets & other utilities has departed for Jamaica. This assistance will support health care needs and rehabilitation of medical infrastructure as well as strengthen the disaster preparedness of against Hurricanes," Jaiswal stated in a post on X.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday, highlighted that tourists are slowly realising the good places to visit, and further expressed his desire to develop tourism in the state.

CM Saha inaugurated the 19th regional Saras Fair event at the International Fair Ground at Hapania in the Agartala district of the state. The fair will be going on till December 26.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the state bagged the second position in the 2024 National Energy Conservation Award for its exemplary energy efficiency initiatives across key sectors.

Hailing the achievement, Vijayan said that the award was a recognition of the state's model in energy conservation.

"Kerala wins 2nd place in the National Energy Conservation Award 2024 for exemplary energy efficiency initiatives across key sectors! This recognition reflects our commitment to sustainability and innovation.

As Cold Wave Conditions Grips Delhi, People Look to Night Shelters for Respite

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose attends Tata Steel World Athletic Gold Label Race, Kolkata