Politics
Tamil Nadu BJP begins preparations for 2024 Lok Sabha elections

The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP has commenced preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with its state president K. Annamalai sounding the poll bugle in a party convention held at Madurai.
Annamalai in his speech on Tuesday said that the party will be taking up the good work conducted by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre across the nook and corner of the state and this will be a major accelerator for the party’s 2024 election preparedness.
It is to be noted that the BJP state president has put in place a new team of office-bearers and announced the list on May 6.
Sources in the BJP told IANS that Annamalai has been given a free hand by the party national leadership and, hence the resentment that was brewing in the party after the announcement of the list of office-bearers will come down.
The BJP state president is planning to conduct a state tour highlighting the achievements of the NDA government at the Centre and also focusing on the women-centric programmes carried out by the Modi government.
The development works carried out by the Union Ministry of Roadway Transport and Highways in bringing out good connectivity will also be a feature to be highlighted by the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
The BJP state president has also exhorted the party’s local leaders to take up the issue of the double standards adopted by the DMK government in the state, including on issues like NEET, CUET, property tax hike issue, law and order, appointment of Vice-Chancellors to Universities and other teething issues faced by the people of Tamil Nadu.
The back to back custodial deaths in two separate incidents will also be highlighted by the BJP in its campaigning among the people.
Sources in the BJP told IANS that the party will also be indulging in strengthening its grassroots units and communicating with the people on the failures of the DMK government in the state as well as the public welfare measures taken up by the Narendra Modi government at the centre.
With the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the BJP is also planning to project proper candidates in all the 38 seats taking into consideration the public image and other criteria that will bring victory to the party candidates. Sources also said that the state BJP would conduct a detailed survey on the issues that are to be highlighted during the campaigning other than what is being focused at present.
Maharashtra
Mumbai’s Bandra Worli Sea Link Toll Rates To Go Up By 18% From April 1

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has announced an 18% increase in toll charges for Mumbai’s Bandra Worli Sea Link from April 1. According to media reports, this hike in toll rates is limited to-one way travel.
After the implementation of the surge rates, cars and jeeps, from Monday, will have to pay Rs 100, up from the current Rs 85.
On the other hand, minibus, tempos, and similar vehicles will have to pay Rs 160. Earlier, these vehicles paid Rs 130.
While two-axle trucks currently pay Rs 175, they will have to spend Rs 210 for a one-way trip from tomorrow.
The old rates were put in place in April 2021. The new rates will be in effect for three years – from April 1 to March 31, 2027.
The report added that the MSRDC officials announced a rebate of 10% for motorists and 20% on the purchase of booklets carrying 50 and 100 toll coupons in advance, respectively.
The Bandra-Worli Sea Link was opened to the public in 2009. The cable-stayed bridge was named after former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi. It connects Mumbai’s Worli and Bandra, making it easy for commuters to avoid congestion in Dadar, Mahim, Prabhadevi, and Worli neighbourhoods.
In a big relief to commuters, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the Mumbai coastal road. The 9.6-km high-speed corridor also connects Worli with Marine Drive.
The coastal road has been constructed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
It proposes to connect the Marine Drive area in south Mumbai to Kandivali, a western suburb, via the existing Bandra Worli Sea Link and is expected to ease Mumbai’s northbound traffic.
National
After LS nod, Amit Shah to move Immigration and Foreigners Bill in RS today

New Delhi, April 2: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday will discuss the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.
As per the business list of Upper House, Union Minister Amit Shah will move that the Bill “to confer upon the Central Government certain powers to provide for requirement of passports or other travel documents in respect of persons entering into and exiting from India and for regulating matters related to foreigners including requirement of visa and registration and for matters connected there with or incidental thereto, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration.”
He will also seek the passing of the bill after a discussion is held by the members of the House.
A key aspect of the Bill is the implementation of enhanced surveillance and security protocols. The Union Home Minister while speaking about the importance of the bill in the Lok Sabha had said, “It will strengthen the country’s security and economy, pave the way to make our education system and universities global, lay a strong foundation for research and investigation in the country and make India number one in the world in every field by 2047.”
He said that immigration was not an isolated issue but many issues of the country were directly or indirectly linked with it. He said that it was very important for the security of the country to know who is entering our borders, when they are entering, for how long they will stay and the purpose for which they are here.
Also to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha is the Boilers Bill, 2024, returned by Lok Sabha with Amendments. Union Minister Piyush Goyal will move that the amendments made by Lok Sabha be taken into consideration.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will make a statement regarding the “Status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the Tenth Report (Seventeenth Lok Sabha) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs on ‘PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)’ of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.”
Upper House members Sushmita Dev, Rekha Sharma and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya will present the “366th Report (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports on ‘Demands for Grants (2025-26)’ pertaining to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.”
Maharashtra
Three lakh pilgrims visit Haji Ali in Mumbai on Eid

Mumbai: Eid-ul-Fitr passed off peacefully in Mumbai. Muslims celebrated Eid with simplicity and protested against the Waqf Bill by offering namaz with black bands on their arms. After Eid-ul-Fitr, a huge crowd of pilgrims thronged Haji Ali and Mahim dargahs. Three lakh pilgrims visited Haji Ali, for which the police had made tight security arrangements.
More than 300,000 pilgrims visited Haji Ali Dargah on the occasion of Basi Eid 2025. As per the preparations made with the Haji Ali Dargah Trust
200 volunteers
25 swimmers
78 CCTV cameras, CCTV camera operators, public announcement were arranged on the main road as well as in the dargah premises. First aid facilities were available on the main road as well as in the dargah premises. Heavy police force was deployed for search, barricades and ropes were also arranged. Eid and Basi Eid passed off peacefully in Mumbai and no untoward incident took place. On the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Panchalkar, the police had made additional security arrangements at dargahs and mosques.
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