Politics
AIMIM to give a fight to Congress in Gujarat

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) entry into Gujarat politics may not have a significant impact but it is definitely going to affect the Congress party.
Muslim community leaders fear that if the AIMIM puts up its candidates in Muslim dominated seats, their representative strength will fall further in the state assembly. Once there were at least eight Muslim MLAs in the state assembly. The number has fallen to three after the 2017 assembly elections.
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi visited Gujarat on Sunday and Monday and addressed two public meetings, one in Ahmedabad and another in Chhapi in Vadgam taluka of Banaskantha district.
The venues of the meetings clearly indicate that the party is targeting constituencies where the Congress has a presence and its representatives have got elected. Chhapi is the place where the biggest protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens had taken place.
Chhapi falls under Vadgam assembly constituency which is reserved for Scheduled Castes. Jignesh Mevani got elected in 2017 as an independent MLA from here and has now joined the Congress.
The Muslim population in the state is 58.47 lakh – 9.67 % of the total population. Going by these numbers, it should have 18 representatives in the assembly.
There are at least 20 assembly seats where Muslims have a more than 20 per cent vote share, but hardly two to three Muslims get elected to the assembly. “Now if AIMIM enters the fray, it will divide Muslim votes further, affecting the Congress party’s prospects,” feels Adam Chaki, Congress leader and candidate from Bhuj constituency in the 2017 elections.
Chaki said that at least on 34 to 35 seats, the Muslim vote share is around 15 to 16 per cent, but the parties are not taking a risk and are fielding more Muslim candidates. According to him, the AIMIM will field candidates in two constituencies: Kutch district, Bhuj and Abdasa, on Jamnagar seat; and two in Ahmedabad in Jamalpur-Khadia and Dariapur. It is less likely to field candidates in Jambusar, Vagra and Bharuch constituencies in Bharuch district.
When it comes to the BJP, it is “least concerned with AIMIM’s entry,” says Mohsin Lokkhanwala, president of the BJP minority cell, and adds that the AIMIM can’t divide nationalist Muslim votes as those Muslims who believe in the BJP’s one nation theory are committed voters of the nationalist party.
The AIMIM is receiving a good response. Said Sabir Kabliwala, state president of the AIMIM, “It is not decided on how many seats the party will field its candidates. The party is conducting a survey and based on its conclusions, the party will field its candidates.”
This party’s entry in the state has already started denting the Congress vote bank. “See the results of Modasa and Godhra nagar palika and Ahmedabad municipal corporation elections. In Modasa, in second elections 16 councillors got elected, all on Congress symbols. All were Muslims. In 2021, 16 got elected, but nine on AIMIM symbols and seven on Congress,” elucidated Shafi Madani, national secretary of Jamat-e-Islami-Hind.
Though Muslims have a good presence in more than 50 seats, its representatives are less because parties field less number of Muslim candidates. After fielding Muslim candidates, they are left on their own and have little support from the party and the non-Muslim community, that is why their victory is dependent on how much Muslim votes one garners, elaborates Shafi Madani.
Business
Foreign investors infuse Rs 8,500 crore into Indian equities this week

Mumbai, April 19: Foreign investors have once again turned their attention to Indian equities, pumping in around Rs 8,500 crore during the week, as per the latest National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) data.
The inflows came in during just three trading sessions — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday — as stock markets remained closed on Monday and Friday due to public holidays.
This marks a positive turnaround after months of consistent selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in the equity segment. Their return helped the markets end the week on a strong note.
Both the Indian equity indices wrapped up the week on a strong recovery by surging over 4.5 per cent — driven by positive signals from both domestic and global factors.
The rally was primarily fuelled by optimism surrounding the deferral of tariffs and recent exemptions on select products, raising hopes for potential negotiations that could mitigate the impact on global trade.
A key reason behind this fresh wave of investment is the weakening of the US dollar. As the dollar slips and currencies like the Indian rupee gain strength, global investors find it more attractive to move funds from the US to emerging markets like India.
While these inflows bring temporary relief to the markets, analysts say the coming weeks will be crucial.
“Investors will be watching closely to see whether this positive trend continues or if global factors once again influence foreign investment in Indian stocks,” experts noted.
As per market experts, in the coming week, market participants will closely watch the quarterly earnings of major companies like Infosys, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank.
Other key players, including HCL Technologies, Axis Bank, Hindustan Unilever and Maruti Suzuki India are also set to release their financial results.
Meanwhile, the expiry of the April derivatives series could add to market volatility. On the global front, any developments related to tariffs and their potential impact on international markets will also be closely tracked, the experts mentioned.
National News
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray hint at unity to safeguard Maha interests and Marathi language

Mumbai, April 19: In a significant development, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray on Saturday signalled a willingness to set aside their past differences and unite for the larger cause of protecting Maharashtra’s interests and preserving the Marathi language.
Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the Shiv Sena (UBT), and Raj Thackeray, founder of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), voiced strong opposition to the MahaYuti government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory subject from Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools.
Both leaders, speaking on separate platforms, suggested they were open to collaboration on issues crucial to the state’s identity and culture — particularly at a time when Marathi has been granted classical language status by the BJP-led central government.
In an interview with actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj Thackeray said, “The disputes and fights between Uddhav and me are minor — Maharashtra is much bigger than all that. These differences are proving costly for the existence of Maharashtra and the Marathi people.”
He added, “Coming together is not difficult, it’s a matter of will. It’s not just about my desire or selfishness. We need to look at the bigger picture. All Marathi people across political parties should unite and form a single party.”
Raj Thackeray further distinguished his past political decisions from the rebellion led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “I left Shiv Sena when MLAs and MPs were with me. Even then, I chose to walk alone because I couldn’t work under anyone except Balasaheb Thackeray. I had no objection to working with Uddhav. The question is — does the other side have the will to work with me?”
“If Maharashtra wants us to come together, let Maharashtra speak up. I don’t let my ego get in the way of such matters,” he said.
Responding at a Bhartiya Kamgar Sena function, Uddhav Thackeray expressed similar sentiments. “I’m ready to put aside petty disputes. I appeal to all Marathi people to unite in the interest of Maharashtra. But there is a condition — when we pointed out in Parliament that industries were being shifted to Gujarat, if we had united then, we could have formed a government that worked for Maharashtra. We cannot keep switching sides — supporting them one day, opposing them the next, and then compromising again.”
“Anyone who acts against Maharashtra’s interests — I will not welcome them, invite them home, or sit with them. Let this be clear first, and then let us work together for Maharashtra,” he asserted.
MNS general secretary Sandeep Deshpande welcomed the tone of reconciliation but posed a key question — “Raj Thackeray rightly asked — does the other party truly want to come together? Until that is clear, the conversation is incomplete. We all want what’s best for Maharashtra. But do others feel the same way?”
Echoing the sentiment, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve said, “As a Marathi manoos, it’s important for all forces to unite. Whether it is Uddhav or Raj, both are brothers. The political context may differ, but at the end of the day, the bond remains. There are many who are willing to mediate in this matter.”
disaster
Strong 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan; tremors felt in Delhi-NCR, J&K

New Delhi, April 19: A powerful earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon at 12:17 pm IST, as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The quake’s epicentre was located at 36.10 degrees North latitude and 71.20 degrees East longitude, with a depth of 130 kilometres. Tremors from the earthquake were felt across several northern regions of India, including Jammu & Kashmir and the Delhi-NCR area.
While there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries, authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation.
The NCS confirmed the seismic activity via a post on social media platform X.
“EQ of M: 5.8, On: 19/04/2025 12:17:53 IST, Lat: 36.10 N, Long: 71.20 E, Depth: 130 Km, Location: Afghanistan,” NCS said in a post on X.
This event follows a similar tremor that occurred earlier in the week. On Wednesday, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Afghanistan, with its epicentre approximately 164 km east of Baghlan.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially reported the quake as 6.4 in magnitude but later revised it to 5.6.
In a related development, the Kishtwar region of Jammu & Kashmir also experienced a mild earthquake measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale on Wednesday morning around 5:14 AM IST.
The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 5 kilometres.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) highlights that Afghanistan is extremely susceptible to natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and seasonal floods.
UNOCHA also pointed out that the frequent seismic activity in the region severely impacts already fragile communities, which have endured years of conflict and underdevelopment.
These conditions have significantly weakened their capacity to handle multiple crises at once. According to the Red Cross, Afghanistan has a long history of experiencing powerful earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush region, which is known for its intense geological activity and frequent tremors.
The country lies along several major fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. One of these fault lines passes directly through Herat, increasing the area’s risk of seismic events.
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