1. State Executive Meeting: BJP Not A Vulnerable Party, Says Devendra Fadnavis
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the BJP was not vulnerable and the party’s pre-poll alliance initiative was to keep Hindutva unity and also consolidate the forces to combat corruption.
At the BJP’s state executive meeting held at Jalna district in Marathwada region, Fadnavis addressed the party workers and asked them to get ready for the big battle of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He also outlined the strategies and roadmap for individual karyakartas.
“Make no mistake, BJP is not a vulnerable party. Yes, we want an alliance. But our emphasis on alliance is for unity of Hindutva. Our efforts is to consolidate like-minded forces to fight against corruption,” Fadnavis said.
Source: The Indian Express
2. Mixed Results In Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayat Polls
The BJP retained its lead winning 39 of the 90 seats in the municipal council and nagar panchayat polls in Malkapur (Satara), Srigonda (Ahmednagar), Mahad-ula (Nagpur) and Armori (Gadchi-roli). The Congress won 30 seats, NCP 10, Shiv Sena seven and BSP, CPI and Independent one each.
However, post-poll alliances saw the Congress bag the president’s post in the local bodies for Srigonda (Ahmednagar) and Malkapur (Satara). Mahadula (Nagpur) and Armori (Gadchiroli) got BJP president
Source: The Indian Express
3. Hand Over Full Commission Report On Maratha Quota To Public: HC
The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the State government to hand over the full Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) report on Maratha reservation to all the petitioners by Tuesday.
A Division Bench of Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre was hearing a bunch of petitions, opposing and in support of the reservation.
In the last hearing, the State’s counsel advocate V.A. Thorat and the Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni were apprehensive of making the entire report public. Mr. Kumbhakoni said, “We are ready to submit the entire report, running into 4,000 pages to the court. However, there are some 20 pages pertaining to the Maratha community’s history which we do not wish to put out in the public domain. We fear it would create communal tension and law and order problems.”
Source: The Hindu
4. 20-Foot Cavity To Clog Marine Drive For Three Days As Civic Body Begins Repairs
Brace for traffic snarls for the next three days on the Marine Drive with the civic body repairing a 20X7 (HxW)-feet cavity discovered at Kilachand Chowk on Monday.
According to civic officials, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road at this junction, marked by popular restaurant Pizza By The Bay, which connects Churchgate to Marine Drive, had sunk a few inches. After digging up that portion, the civic officer found the cavity.
According to assistant commissioner of A-ward, Kiran Dighavkar, the road sunk because of soil erosion caused by the sea tide. There is a stormwater drain underneath the road in this area, which was affected by inflow of water during high tide. The soil is loosely held together under this road as it is reclaimed land.
Source: Hindustan Times
5. Thane Man Held For Alleged Links With ISIS Was Planning Lone-Wolf Attack In Maharashtra: Sources
The Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on Saturday arrested a 24-year-old man, who was allegedly in touch with Mohammad Mazhar Shaikh, one of the nine men arrested on Wednesday for suspected links to terror outfit ISIS. The arrested accused, working under the name of Ummat-e-Mohammadiya, are suspected of hatching a plan to carry out a chemical attack in India by mixing poisonous substances in water and food at public gatherings.
According to ATS, Talah Potrick, a resident of Shil Daighar, was in touch with an ISIS handler in Syria since 2014. Potrick, a graduate and native of Khed district, met Mazhar Shaikh on several occasions. He was planning to conduct a lone wolf attack in the state. Sources claimed Potrick radicalised at least 12 people in Beed, Nanded and Khed district in the past four years.
Source: Hindustan Times
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