Lonavala: Prominent industrialist Gautam Adani and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar once again shared the stage, drawing attention to their cordial relations. The two were seen together at the wedding ceremony of IPS officer Pravin Ramrao Pawar’s daughter and Prashant Nilawar’s son, held recently in Maharashtra.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, top bureaucrats, and political leaders from across parties.

The meeting between Adani and Pawar sparked interest in political circles, as both leaders were seen engaging in warm conversation and exchanging greetings. Their friendly interaction comes amid ongoing political developments in Maharashtra, where alliances and relations between leaders often draw public scrutiny.

Despite political differences, Sharad Pawar is known for maintaining cordial ties across the business and political spectrum. Similarly, Gautam Adani’s appearance at the event highlighted his personal and professional connections with several prominent figures in the state.

The ceremony remained a grand affair, marked by the presence of influential personalities, reflecting the strong social and political networks that connect Maharashtra’s top leadership.

Patna, Nov 13: As the counting of votes for the highly-anticipated Bihar Assembly elections will begin on November 14, the NDA on Thursday expressed full confidence that Nitish Kumar will once again become the Chief Minister for the 10th time. Opposition parties, however, also exuded optimism about forming the next government in the state.

BJP State President Dilip Jaiswal said, “The people of Bihar have given their mandate, and voters across the state participated with great enthusiasm. The development work carried out by the Bihar government, along with the trust people have in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will lead to the NDA forming the government once again with a massive majority. Abki Baar NDA Sarkar!”

He added, “There was no need for re-polling anywhere, and no incidents of violence were reported. This reflects the trust people have in the government. The voter turnout was also significantly higher, and polling was peaceful across the state. This clearly indicates that there will be an NDA government again.”

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “The people of Bihar no longer want Tejashwi Yadav, who faces several charges. He will continue to lose because the INDIA bloc has suffered under his leadership. The people of Bihar trust the NDA, and they want Nitish Kumar to take charge as Chief Minister for the 10th time.”

BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav also voiced confidence in the NDA’s victory.

“The result is already known to us even before counting. The NDA will form the government with a huge majority, and Nitish Kumar will once again become the Chief Minister,” he said.

LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The Opposition will, of course, make claims — that’s part of politics. But these statements have no factual basis. The NDA is set to form the government once again with a full majority and complete strength. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will take the oath once more.”

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have also expressed confidence in their chances.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said, “We are waiting for the results, but we have no faith in the exit polls sponsored by the government or the BJP. We trust the people’s vote and are confident that the Mahagathbandhan will secure a large majority and form the government in Bihar. The NDA had also claimed it would sweep Uttar Pradesh, but the Mahagathbandhan performed strongly there. We are confident of a similar outcome in Bihar.”

RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari added, “Tomorrow, when the results are out, the people of Bihar will triumph. The Mahagathbandhan government is destined to be formed, just as the Sun rises in the East. The public has voted for change, and every vote will count. Tonight will be a long night for the NDA.”

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), counting of votes and the announcement of trends for the Bihar Assembly Elections will begin at 8 a.m, with the final results expected by the evening.

The second phase of polling concluded peacefully on Tuesday, recording a 68.79 per cent voter turnout, with data from around 2,000 polling booths still pending, according to Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal.

The Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, held in two phases on November 6 and 11, witnessed record voter participation. Most exit polls released on Tuesday predicted a decisive victory for the BJP-led NDA and a setback for the RJD and Congress-led Mahagathbandhan in the high-stakes contest.

Several polling agencies forecast a comfortable majority for the NDA, projecting it to easily cross the halfway mark of 122 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan was seen struggling to touch the 100-seat mark.

Out of seven major pollsters, most projected a clear majority for the BJP-led NDA, with three predicting its tally to cross 160 seats. For the Mahagathbandhan, most forecasts placed it in the double digits, with a few giving it a possible upper limit of around 100 seats.

As Bihar awaits the final results, political tension continues to mount, with both alliances — the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan claiming victory ahead of the decisive counting day.

Mumbai: The Borivali Police have arrested a 39-year-old Bengaluru-based businessman, identified as Rajat Jain, for allegedly cheating a Mumbai-based private company of Rs 36 lakh under the pretext of selling unlisted shares of the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Jain was taken into custody shortly after a complaint was lodged and later produced before the court.

According to the police, Jain had accepted Rs 95 lakh from the company for the purchase of unlisted NSE shares. While he returned Rs 59 lakh, he allegedly withheld and misappropriated the remaining Rs 36 lakh, leading to the registration of a cheating case.

Investigations revealed that the complainant, a Borivali-based stock market consultant, handled share transactions for the affected firm. In May 2025, the company had planned to acquire unlisted NSE shares when an acquaintance introduced the consultant to Rajat Jain. Posing as a genuine seller, Jain claimed ownership of ten such shares and offered to sell 5,000 units at Rs 1,900 per share, bringing the total value to Rs 95 lakh.

After a series of email confirmations, the company transferred Rs 94.95 lakh (after TDS deduction) to Jain’s bank account, along with transaction proof. However, Jain later denied receiving the funds and refused to transfer the shares. Despite being shown confirmation of the payment, he continued to dispute the transaction.

When the complainant travelled to Bengaluru to resolve the issue, Jain avoided meeting them. Later, he called them to a meeting at Hotel Radisson, where he finally admitted to the transaction and agreed to return the amount. He transferred Rs 54 lakh on the spot and assured payment of the remaining balance by June. On June 2, he paid an additional Rs 5 lakh, but thereafter stopped responding to calls and messages.

When the victims persisted, Jain allegedly threatened to file a false molestation case if they visited his home again and soon switched off his phone. Realising they had been duped, the complainant approached the Borivali Police, who registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust under relevant sections.

Jain was traced and arrested within hours. Police have launched a detailed probe to track the misappropriated funds and are checking if he has defrauded others using a similar modus operandi.