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AAP emerging as single largest party in Punjab

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Arvind-Kejriwal

Punjab is likely to witness a hung Assembly, with AAP emerging as the single largest party in the state in the 2022 state polls, as per the ABP-CVoter-IANS opinion poll.

The battle for the throne of Punjab is between INC and AAP. Erstwhile NDA composed of BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal is no more in contention for power in 2022.

Incumbent Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is facing strong anti-incumbency. In the latest round of opinion poll conducted in the state, while 64.8% of the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the performance of sitting chief minister, only 12.6% of those interviewed stated that they were very much satisfied and 19.0 said they were satisfied to some extent with his performance.

A strong anti-incumbency sentiment is prevalent not only against the sitting Chief Minister but with the overall Congress government in the state as 60.8% of the respondents expressed strong dissatisfaction with the performance of state government.

Similarly, majority of the respondents – 51% expressed dissatisfaction with the sitting MLAs of their constituencies.

This anti-incumbency sentiment combined with non-ending feud between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjyot Singh Sidhu has created an opening for the AAP to rise as the main challenger. As things stand today, while Congress is projected to win a 28.8% vote share in Punjab, AAP is projected to grab 35.1% votes, SAD is projected to secure 21.8% votes and BJP is projected to win 7.3 % vote share

Translated into seats there is a possibility of hung house in Punjab Assembly 2022. AAP could be the single largest party as the party is projected to grab 51 to 57 seats. Congress may finish a strong second by winning 38 to 46 seats, SADl is likely to grab 16 to 24 seats and BJP may notch 0 to 1 seats. The total strength of Punjab assembly is 117 seats.

The strong anti-incumbency against sitting Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is also reflected in the fact that only 17.9% of the respondents consider him as the most preferred choice for the post of chief minister.

The survey revealed that AAP does not have a credible face from Punjab, who can be projected as chief minister face of the party. While 21.6% of the respondents said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is their preferred choice to be the next chief minister of the state, only 16.1% consider Bhagwant Mann, AAP’s face in Punjab as the preferred choice for the top job in the state. 18.8% stated that Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal was their most preferred choice for the post of chief minister.

According to the survey data, price rise and farmers’ issues are key issues of concern for the electorate of the state.

33.5% of the respondents said that spiraling price rise was a major issue of concern, 28.6% of those interviewed during the survey stated that issues related to agriculture/farmers was their top concern.

The sample for the poll is 81006 in five states covering 690 assembly seats. This State Poll is part of the largest and definitive independent sample survey tracker series carried out in India over the last 22 years, conducted by independent international polling agency CVoter, a globally renowned name in the field of Socio-Economic research.

May 2009 onwards, the CVoter Tracker has been carried out each and every week, 52 waves in a calendar year, in 11 national languages, across all States in UTs in India, with a target sample size of 3000 samples each wave. The average response rate is 55%. Starting 1st January 2019, C Voter is carrying the tracker on DAILY basis, using the rollover sample of 7 days (last 6 days + today) for tracker analysis.

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Govt unlikely to renew IndiGo pact with Turkish Airlines

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New Delhi, May 19: The government is unlikely to extend the commercial airline IndiGo’s leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines due to strained diplomatic relations following Turkey’s open support for Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor launched by India to avenge the killings of 26 tourists.

“The current pact, which enables IndiGo to operate wide-body aircraft on the Delhi-Istanbul route, expires on May 31. The government review is underway and the deal is unlikely to be renewed given the broader diplomatic context,” according to an Media report, citing people in the know.

IndiGo currently operates over 500-seater Airbus A330s on lease from Turkish Airlines for its Istanbul flights. The partnership also includes a codeshare deal that allows IndiGo to sell connections to over 40 destinations in Europe and North America via Istanbul.

On Thursday, IndiGo defended the collaboration, calling it “strategic” and essential for offering Indian flyers long-haul international access.

Apart from the vocal support during the heinous Pahalgam massacre, Turkey has also supplied drones to Pakistan, which were used to attack India during Operation Sindoor.

The issue of renewal of the IndiGo agreement with Turkish Airlines comes up at a time when India is already snapping ties with Turkish businesses and universities.

The government on Thursday revoked the security clearance for Turkish ground-handling firm Celebi Airport Services at Indian airports, due to national security concerns.

The Turkish company handled around 70 per cent of the ground operations at Mumbai airport, including passenger services, load control, flight operations, cargo and postal services, warehouses and bridge operations.

Adani Airport Holdings has also scrapped its agreement with Turkish company DragonPass to provide the latter’s customers access to its airport lounges.

“Our association with DragonPass, which provided access to airport lounges, has been terminated with immediate effect. DragonPass customers will no longer have access to lounges at Adani-managed airports. This change will have no impact on the airport lounge and travel experience for other customers,” the Adani Airport Holdings spokesperson said on Thursday.

Hundreds of Indian tourists have cancelled their trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan as part of the nationalistic backlash against these countries for supporting Pakistan in the conflict with India. Leading online travel booking platforms MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip have reported mass cancellations and a sharp drop in Indian tourists wanting to travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Similarly, many Indian universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University, have suspended academic ties with Turkish institutions.

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Not the time to celebrate victory during ceasefire: Raj Thackeray’s son appeals to PM

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Mumbai, May 19: Amid the BJP’s Tiranga Yatra across the country and similar mobilisation by some opposition parties, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Monday said that as India and Pakistan have agreed on a ceasefire for the time being, restraint should be exercised in celebrations in honour of those heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

MNS leader Amit Thackeray has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there is a need to refrain from celebrating victory and exercise restraint during this time as a true tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

In a two-page letter, Amit Thackeray, who is the son of MNS founder Raj Thackeray, said, “Even today, the countrymen have faith that you are sensitive and grateful towards the contribution of the soldiers. And therefore, through this letter, I sincerely request that until the outcome of the war is clear, we should refrain from celebrating victory and exercise restraint during this time as a true tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country. We have faith in our decisive leadership and hope that we will take these sentiments into account.”

“Even though a ceasefire has been declared for the time being, it is difficult to trust Pakistan completely given its history. It has failed on such occasions many times before. Therefore, keeping the citizens aware of such situations, guiding them about what to do in a war-like situation and preparing them mentally should also be an important part of the government’s policy,” he said.

He said that due to the current situation on the border, the attention of the public has been completely focused on our Indian Army. “The courage, discipline, dedication and sacrifice shown by our brave soldiers in ‘Operation Sindoor’ is a source of pride and glory for the entire country. The Indian Army has made its place in the hearts of the entire country with its bravery. Today, the work of the soldiers is being saluted from every home, crossroad and social media of the country. The country watches every step of the army with love and pride. It is because of their unparalleled bravery that we are safe, and that is why their work is greater than any honour,” said Amit Thackeray.

“Against this backdrop, there is emotional confusion in society over the initiatives currently being implemented in some places as symbols of victory. This is not a time to celebrate victory when the ceasefire has been announced. And so, celebrations during the same period in which our brave soldiers lost their lives are heartbreaking for many. If there is something to express at this time, it is the sacrifice of our soldiers, their stories of bravery and the unparalleled courage of their families. But the joyous displays or ‘Vijay Rally’ (mainly of a political nature) currently taking place in some places do not seem appropriate. In fact, there is only one feeling in the hearts of the countrymen at this time, the need for long-term welfare measures for the families of martyred soldiers, and as a society, we need to be more sensitive towards this sacrifice,” he remarked.

“Additionally, given the current situation, there is still uncertainty about some important issues in the country. For instance, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists, is still fresh in people’s minds. The genuine public sentiment is for a strong and decisive action against those brutal extremists. Moreover, some of our civilians and soldiers have lost their precious lives on the India-Pakistan border in the last few days. In such a backdrop, instead of celebrating the victory, it would be more appropriate to create literacy, awareness and sensitisation in the society in this regard,” he said.

“Under your leadership, the country has made decisive progress on many important milestones. Thank you for the tough but necessary decisions you have taken, especially with regard to national security, which have been vital to the national interest,” he concluded.

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Two terror associates arrested with arms, ammunition in J&K’s Shopian

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Srinagar, May 19: Two terror associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, said police on Monday, adding that arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

Police in Shopian district said on X, “In a notable operation against terrorism a joint naka comprising SOG Shopian,CRPF 178 BN & 34 RR two suspected persons arrested. Upon their search 04 hand grenades, 02 pistols, 43 live rounds & other incriminating materials recovered & accordingly an FIR registered.”

Joint forces have started aggressive operations against terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and their sympathisers across the union territory.

These operations are jointly carried out by the army, police and the security forces.

Last week, six terrorists were killed in two back-to-back operations in Shopian and Pulwama districts.

The slain terrorists included the operational commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The LeT terrorists on April 22 killed 26 civilians, including a local, in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam after segregating them on the basis of religion.

This was followed by precision-guided targeted strikes at terrorists’ headquarters by the Indian armed forces deep inside Pakistan, including Muridke near Lahore, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Pakistan reacted by indiscriminate mortar shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Over 200 houses and shops were destroyed in Pakistan’s mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

Hundreds of border residents were forced to abandon their homes, livestock and agricultural fields.

These civilians are yet to fully return to their villages as the security forces are still defusing unexploded mortar shells in the border villages.

On May 12, the DGMOs of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire after which guns on both sides fell silent.

The ceasefire is holding well, although India has made it clear that the understanding will last only as long as Pakistan does not allow terrorist activity against India from its soil.

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