Mumbai, Dec 22: Reacting to the Maharashtra local body election results, BJP MLA Ram Kadam on Monday said that the Mahayuti alliance entered the electoral battle with confidence and a winning mindset, which ultimately translated into a resounding victory.

Speaking to media, Ram Kadam credited the success of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies to the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the development work carried out across the state over the past few years.

He said the performance of the government in power laid a strong foundation for success, first in the Assembly elections and now in the local body polls.

“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Fadnavis, the work done in Maharashtra over the past few years led to tremendous success in the Assembly elections. Because of these efforts and achievements, we delivered remarkable results in the Assembly, and from the very first day, we carried the spirit of victory on our foreheads,” Kadam said.

Highlighting the government’s development agenda, the BJP MLA said that infrastructure projects and welfare schemes had benefitted people across sections, particularly farmers.

“Roads are being built, and farmers are receiving benefits on a large scale. On the other hand, the Opposition entered the election with a losing mindset from Day One,” he told Media.

Kadam further accused the Opposition of repeatedly raising excuses instead of focusing on campaigning.

“They spoke about postponing elections, alleged vote theft, raised issues related to EVMs and voter rolls, and made several other excuses. These issues were raised only after they lost. During the campaign period, the Opposition hardly came out on the roads. There were no rallies or grassroots outreach,” he said.

Contrasting this with the Mahayuti’s approach, Kadam said the BJP leadership and alliance partners actively connected with voters.

“Our Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers were constantly on the ground, campaigning and holding major rallies. With courage, determination, and the hard work of our karyakartas, we stepped into the electoral arena with confidence. That is why we won, and the Opposition faced defeat,” he added.

Another BJP leader, Sanjay Sarawagi, said, “The party’s popularity is increasing nationwide. In the Maharashtra municipal elections, the BJP and NDA secured a massive victory, while the Opposition was nearly wiped out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on inclusive development, and that is why the mandate in favour of the BJP keeps growing. I congratulate the leadership and party workers.”

The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the NCP, recorded a sweeping victory in elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, winning 207 posts of municipal presidents and leaving the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with just 44.

Final results released by the State Election Commission late Sunday night showed the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 117 municipal president posts, followed by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 53 and the NCP with 37.

Among Opposition parties, the Congress won 28 posts, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction secured seven, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena(UBT) managed only nine, underscoring the continued dominance of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.

Palakkad, Dec 22: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday assured justice to the family of Ram Narayan, the migrant worker who was beaten to death by a mob at Attappallam in Walayar and said strict action would be taken against all those responsible for the crime that has shaken Kerala.

In a statement on Monday, the Chief Minister said a special investigation team led by the Palakkad Superintendent of Police is probing the case and has been directed to examine all aspects of the incident and initiate appropriate legal action.

The government will also consider the matter and ensure suitable compensation for the bereaved family.

Calling the incident unacceptable, CM Vijayan said such acts tarnish the image of Kerala as a progressive society and stressed the need for vigilance to prevent a recurrence.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came as disturbing details emerged from the remand report, which revealed the extreme cruelty inflicted on Ram Narayan, a native of Chhattisgarh who had come to Kerala in search of work.

According to the report, the accused assaulted him with a clear and conscious intent to kill, subjecting him to hours of sustained violence.

Medical findings recorded ahead of the post-mortem showed more than 40 injuries across the body.

Severe head injuries, profuse bleeding and multiple grievous wounds were cited as the cause of death.

Investigators said heavy sticks were used to beat the victim, while marks on the body indicate he was thrown to the ground, kicked repeatedly and dragged. X-ray examinations confirmed that he was stomped on his face and back, pointing to prolonged torture rather than a single attack.

The remand report also notes that those who attempted to intervene were threatened and driven away.

Meanwhile, Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh, who hails from Palakkad, alleged that the attack stemmed from hate-driven politics, claiming the victim was targeted after being branded a “Bangladeshi”.

He said the government stood firmly with the victim’s family and would ensure maximum punishment for the culprits.

Five accused have so far been arrested, all of whom have criminal antecedents.

Police said efforts are underway to trace more suspects as the investigation continues.

New Delhi, Dec 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, on Monday as the two leaders jointly announced the successful conclusion of the historic, ambitious and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

During the conversation, both leaders expressed confidence in doubling bilateral trade over the next five years as well as an investment of $20 billion in India from New Zealand over the next 15 years.

The negotiations began in March this year and the two leaders concluded the FTA in a record time of nine months, reflecting the shared ambition and political will to further deepen ties between the two countries, according to a statement from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“The FTA would significantly deepen bilateral economic engagement, enhance market access, promote investment flows, strengthen strategic cooperation between the two countries, and also open up new opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, MSMEs, students and youth of both countries across various sectors,” said the statement.

The leaders also welcomed the progress achieved in other areas of bilateral cooperation such as sports, education, and people-to-people ties, and reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening of the India-New Zealand partnership.

This historic FTA eliminates and reduces tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports – among the highest of any Indian FTA – with almost 57 per cent being duty-free from day one, increasing to 82 per cent when fully implemented, with the remaining 13 per cent subject to sharp tariff cuts.

It puts New Zealand exporters on an equal or better footing to our competitors across a range of sectors and opens the door to India’s rapidly expanding middle class, according to an official statement from New Zealand.

“The Indian economy is forecast to grow to NZ$12 trillion by 2030. The India-NZ Free Trade Agreement unleashes huge potential for our world-class exporters to the world’s largest country and will significantly accelerate progress towards New Zealand’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of exports over 10 years,” it added.