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Wednesday,03-September-2025
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Day after Hardik’s resignation, Gujarat Congress leaders call on Naresh Patel

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A Congress delegation led by the party’s Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma met Khodaldham managing trustee and influential Leuva Patel leader Naresh Patel on Thursday.

While the party leaders claimed after the meeting that it was a courtesy call, local sources claimed that Naresh Patel did not respond to Congress’ invitation to join the party.

The meeting came a day after Patidar leader and Congress state Working President, Hardik Patel, quit the party.

There have been talks that Naresh Patel might make his political debut ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

The Congress delegation, which included Sharma, state Congress chief Jagdish Thakor, Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathva, former President Amit Chavda, former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani and Tankara MLA Lalit Kagathra, met Naresh Patel at the latter’s farm house on Thursday morning. The meeting lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes.

After the meeting, Thakor and Dhanani termed it as a courtesy call, and nothing else. But local sources said that during the meeting, Sharma invited Naresh Patel to join the party. The sources also said that Sharma conveyed to him that the party will contest the Assembly elections under his guidance, leadership, and the campaign will be planned as per his design and wish.

The sources said that Naresh Patel offered the delegation tea and snacks, but did not respond to the invitation.

Later, speaking to the media, Thakor and Dhanani said the party’s zonal meeting was planned in Rajkot to prepare for senior party leader Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming proposed tour, so they used the opportunity to call on Naresh Patel.

Meanwhile, even before the Congress spoke about the meeting with Naresh Patel, Hardik Patel told media persons that the meeting between Congress leaders and Naresh Patel lasted only 15 minutes, and wondered what must have conspired in those 15 minutes.

Party sources said that there are two theories doing the rounds in the party. There is one group which believes that if Naresh Patel joins the Congress, it will help the party make deeper inroads in the Patidar vote bank. He can even be projected as the Chief Ministerial face of the party.

The other theory is that if Naresh Patel is projected as the CM face, OBC and other committed vote banks will distance themselves from the Congress, and since this is the core bank of the party, the party can’t afford to lose it.

National News

Western Railway Extends Bandra–Ajmer Special Train Services For Festive Season

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For the convenience of passengers and with a view to meet the travel demand, especially during the festive season, Western Railway has extended the trips of Special Train on Special Fare between Bandra Terminus & Ajmer on existing timings, halts & composition.

Train No. 09622/09621 Bandra Terminus – Ajmer (Weekly) Special [18 Trips]

Train No. 09622 Bandra Terminus – Ajmer Special departs from Bandra Terminus every Monday at 09:35 hrs and reaches Ajmer at 08.50 hours the next day. The trips of this train have been extended from 06th October to 1st December, 2025. Similarly, Train No. 09621 Ajmer – Bandra Terminus Special departs from Ajmer every Sunday at 06.35 hrs and arrives at Bandra Terminus at 04.15 hours the next day. The trips of this train have been extended from 05th October to 30th November, 2025.

En route, this train will halt at Borivali, Vapi, Valsad, Surat, Vadodara, Ratlam, Vikramgarh Alot, Bhawani Mandi, Ramganj Mandi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, and Kishangarh station in both directions.

This train comprises AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, AC 3-Tier (Economy), Sleeper Class, and General Second Class coaches.

The booking for the extended trips of Train No. 09622 will open from 04.09.2025 at all PRS Counters and on the IRCTC website. For detailed information regarding timings of halts and composition, passengers may please visit  www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in.

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Maharashtra

BMC Collects 125 Tonnes Of Waste During 5-Day Maratha Quota Protest In Mumbai

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected more than 125 metric tonnes of garbage from Azad Maidan and its surrounding areas during the five-day-long Maratha quota protest. The agitation, led by activist Manoj Jarange, began on August 29 and ended on Tuesday after the state government accepted most of his demands.

Azad Maidan, along with nearby stretches of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and the BMC headquarters, turned into temporary campsites for thousands of protesters. Many were seen cooking, eating, sleeping, and bathing in public spaces, generating large amounts of waste including leftover food, plastic bottles, paper plates and cups.

BMC officials told PTI that four tonnes of waste were collected on the first day of the protest, followed by seven tonnes the next day. The volume jumped to 30 tonnes on both August 31 and September 1, with a peak of 57 tonnes on September 2.

BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani held a meeting with protest organisers on September 1 to coordinate sanitation efforts. Despite the high turnout, officials said cleaning was carried out without major disruption.

A total of 466 civic workers, including 438 labourers and 28 supervisors, were mobilised for the cleanliness drive. The BMC deployed three large compactors, two mini compactors, 13 sewer-cleaning vehicles, and four specialised suction and jetting machines.

To cater to sanitation needs, the civic body installed more than 350 mobile toilets at three locations near Azad Maidan, alongside 61 permanent toilet seats at Mahapalika Marg, MG Road, DN Road and near the High Court. Around 26 water tankers were also supplied.

Additionally, large quantities of cleaning material were provided, including 1,500 lifters, 400 brooms, 1,000 hand gloves, reflective jackets, rain suits and bleaching powder. Overnight, BMC teams cleared the remaining waste after protesters dispersed.

Some leftover food, donated by community members, was distributed among locals. However, significant quantities remained at the protest site late into Tuesday night, before being cleared by civic workers.

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Crime

Maratha Reservation Protest: FIR Filed Against 8–10 Protesters After They Attempt To Storm CCI’s Premises In Mumbai’s Marine Drive

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Mumbai: Tension gripped the Cricket Club of India (CCI) at Marine Drive after a group of Maratha reservation agitators allegedly attempted to storm into the premises and threatened the security staff. The Marine Drive police have lodged an FIR against 8–10 unidentified protesters.

As per the complaint filed by Shankar Namdev Salunkhe, the incident occurred at Gate No. 9 on Dinshaw Vachha Road. Though the gate was closed, the agitators allegedly tried to force their way in. Salunkhe claimed that the protesters also issued death threats, warning security personnel, “Keep the gate open or we will return at night with more people  then you will see what happens.”

Police have registered a case under Sections 189(1), 189(2), 189(3), 351(2), 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act. CCTV footage is being scrutinised to identify the accused.

Meanwhile, the city has witnessed multiple flare-ups linked to the Maratha agitation. Zone 1 police registered eight FIRs during the stir day before yesterday — including two at Marine Drive, three at Azad Maidan, and one each at MRA Marg, JJ Marg, Dongri, and Colaba police stations. The investigation into the CCI incident and other related cases is ongoing.

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