1. At Least 40 Killed As Storm and Lightning Wreak Havoc in Delhi-NCR, UP, Bengal, AP
More than 40 people were killed and many injured as severe storms accompanied by heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds swept through large swathes of the country on Sunday, 13 May. The deaths were reported in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
Four people were killed as a powerful dust storm and rain lashed Delhi, where flight services and road traffic were disrupted.
In Uttar Pradesh, 21 people, including a tourist from Maharashtra, died and 28 were injured due to inclement weather conditions, according to reports.
According to the state government, the casualties included five deaths in Kasganj, three in Bulandshahr, two each in Saharanpur and Ghaziabad, and one each in Kannauj, Aligarh, Hapur, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Sambhal. Unconfirmed reports said two people died in Barabanki and two others elsewhere.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Siddaramaiah Says This Will Be His Last Election, OK If Congress Picks Dalit CM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who contested from Chamundeshwari and Badami constituencies for the Assembly elections, on Sunday, 13 May, said he will not be fighting polls henceforth. “This will be my last election,” the Congress leader told reporters in Chamundeshwari.
Siddaramaiah also said it was fine by him if the party decided to opt for a Dalit chief minister. “It is fine if the party decides to have a Dalit chief minister,” he said.
While asserting that Congress would retain power in the southern state, the CM expressed confidence that the party would win an absolute majority. He also ruled out any possibility of an alliance with Janata Dal (Secular), led by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Ailing Manohar Parrikar Sends Video Message, Says Will Return to Goa in ‘Next Few Weeks’
(Photo Courtesy: PTI)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is undergoing medical treatment in the US, said on Sunday, 13 May, that he will return to India in the “next few weeks.” Communicating through a video message, which was played at a BJP worker’s meeting, Parrikar informed of his return. The meeting, which took place in Goa, was addressed by party chief Amit Shah.
On 11 May, the Opposition Congress had called on the BJP president to “either give Goa its chief minister or he should take back this undemocratically installed government.”
Goa Congress spokesperson Yatish Naik said: “Goa is headless for the last two months (owing to the absence of CM Manohar Parrikar due to health reasons) and the government is in a state of paralysis and administrative chaos.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Says Media ‘Grossly Misinterpreted’
Facing ire from all quarters for his admission on the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday, 13 May, that the media had “grossly misinterpreted” his remarks.
Sharif, for the first time, publicly acknowledged in an interview that militant organisations are active in Pakistan and questioned the policy to allow the “non-state actors” to cross the border and “kill” people in Mumbai.
The former premier, 68, also said that Pakistan has isolated itself.
A spokesperson for Sharif said: “At the outset, statement of Nawaz Sharif has been grossly misinterpreted by the Indian media. Unfortunately a section of Pakistani electronic and social media has intentionally or unintentionally not only validated but has lent credence to the malicious propaganda of Indian media without going through the full facts of the statement.”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. Over 5 Crore to Vote in West Bengal Panchayat Polls Amid Tight Security
Panchayat elections in West Bengal will be held on Monday, 14 May, across 20 districts amid tight security. About 5.08 crore voters —74 percent of total electors in the state — will cast their votes.
Around 70,000 state police personnel, along with 80,000 civic volunteers and 1,500 police personnel from Assam, Odisha, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh, will be deployed for the rural polls. According to a senior official of the State Election Commission (SEC), there will be one armed police personnel in each polling booth.
About 1.15 lakh candidates are in the fray in the three-tire Panchayat polls.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. PDP Raises Pitch for Ceasefire in J&K
Despite the Jammu and Kashmir state BJP’s public opposition, ruling alliance partner Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, 13 May, raised the pitch for a unilateral ceasefire and called upon Pakistan and the Hurriyat to respond to the offer.
Describing the silence of Pakistan and militant conglomerate United Jehad Council (UJC) as “meaningful,” senior PDP leader and close aide of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Peer Mansoor, told The Hindu that “time is opportune for Pakistan to respond to the new situation and the call for a ceasefire.”
“Pakistan and other stakeholders need to take a stand,” said Mr Mansoor. He said the ceasefire could prove to be a confidence building measure, leading to a dialogue. “This could be a starting point for creating a conducive atmosphere for a dialogue over J&K. If all parties agree to a ceasefire, both external and internal dialogue processes will get a fillip in the near future. The ceasefire has to be dialogue-oriented,” he said.
(Photo: The Hindu)
7. CBI Set to Charge PNB Ex-MD in Nirav Modi Scam Today
The CBI will submit a chargesheet against Allahabad Bank CEO and MD Usha Ananthasubramanian and several others on Monday, 14 May, in the over Rs 13,000-crore PNB scam allegedly perpetrated by businessman Nirav Modi. Ananthasubramanian was the MD and CEO of PNB in 2016.
The new names included in the chargesheet are of PNB executive directors Brahmaji Rao and Sanji Saran, and general manager Nehal Ahad. Sources said these officials had not complied with circulars issued by the RBI on the SWIFT control system in 2016. All of them have been questioned by the CBI in this case.
Some of the names that have been excluded are Ami Modi, wife of Nirav, his brother Nishal Modi and uncle Mehul Choksi. The CBI will file a supplementary chargesheet later with more details.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. CSK Seals Semi-Finals Birth
The wait to seal a place in the IPL playoffs more or less ended for Chennai Super Kings at the MCA Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, 13 May.
The MS Dhoni-led side scored a comfortable eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad to register their eighth win of the season, and with 16 points they have almost secured their place in the top-4.
The architects of CSK win were Ambati Rayudu (100 n.o, 7x4, 7x6) and Shane Watson (57, 5x4, 3x6) with the bat and Deepak Chahar (4-0-16-1) with the ball.
(Source: The Times of India)
9. Rajasthan Royals Beat Mumbai Indians to Stay in Semi-Final Contention
Jos Buttler continued his red-hot form as he helped Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets at the Wankhede stadium on Sunday, 13 May. With 12 points, Royals leapfrogged Mumbai to the fifth in the Indian Premier League standings.
Buttler took Royals home in style by smacking a six off Hardik Pandya as the visitors chased down the competitive 169-run target in just 18 overs.
The English opener remained unbeaten on 94 off 53 balls with the help of five sixes and nine fours as he added a quick 61 runs in 4.4 overs with Sanju Samson for the third wicket. Samson hit two sixes and couple of fours in his 14-ball 26 cameo.
(Source: The Times of India)
More From The Quint:
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)