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.
Maharashtra
Work on Panjrapur pumping station begins, 15% water supply cut likely in some western and eastern suburbs of the city

Mumbai: The Hydraulic Engineering Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is undertaking a major project to replace the existing 6.6 kV High Tension (HT) Control Panels at Mumbai-3A Pumping Station in Panjrapur. As a result, water supply from Panjrapur to Bhandup Water Treatment Plant will remain suspended for a period of 20 hours i.e. from 9:00 AM on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 to 5:00 AM on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. As a result, water supply may be reduced by 15% in some parts and sub-parts of the city. The Eastern Suburbs Municipal Corporation administration humbly requests the citizens to take notice of this and extend their cooperation. The project involves replacing the 6.6 kV HT Control Panels at Mumbai-3A Pumping Station in Panjrapur. Under this initiative, 10 existing old HT Control Panels will be replaced with 10 new, modern, and efficient HT Control Panels. In the first phase, 4 out of a total of 10 HT control panels will be replaced. The work is to be carried out from 9:00 AM on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 to 5:00 AM on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. In order to carry out the work safely and in an orderly manner, it is necessary to shut down the ‘Mumbai 3A Pumping Station’ for about 20 hours. As a result, water supply from Panjrapur to Bhandup Water Treatment Plant will remain suspended for this 20-hour period i.e. from 9:00 AM on July 28, 2026 to 5:00 AM on July 29, 2026. This may result in a 15% reduction in water supply across the city and water supply may be reduced in some areas. The Suburbs Municipal Corporation administration strongly appeals to the citizens to take notice of this and cooperate.
Business
There is no delay in probe into Air India Boeing crash: Govt

New Delhi, July 27: The Ministry of Civil Aviation informed Parliament on Monday that there has been no delay in the investigation into the Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad airport and the inquiry “is progressing as per established procedures.”
The investigations into major aviation accidents depend on several factors and involve multiple variables, making it impossible to specify a fixed timeline for the final report, the ministry said in a written reply to a question in the Upper House.
“The timeline for completing a major air accident investigation cannot be predicted,” the Ministry’s statement said.
It also said that all probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated, indicating that the probe remains comprehensive and no conclusions have been reached so far.
The ministry further informed the Rajya Sabha that the inspection of the complete Thrust Control Module at the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) facility is underway as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation had earlier, in a reply, also stated in Parliament that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is “transparently” conducting its investigation into the Air India Boeing crash on June 12 last year and “all probable causes leading to the accident are being investigated.”
A preliminary investigation report was published by AAIB on July 12, 2025, and the same is available on their website www.aaib.gov.in. The investigation is in progress, and the final report will be published after completion of the investigation, the ministry stated in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
“As per the ICAO Annex 13 requirements, the interim statement has been published by AAIB on June 12, 2026. The final investigation report will be published after completion of the investigation,” the ministry added.
As many as 260 people were killed when the AI-171 Boeing Dreamliner flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick on June 12 crashed within 35 seconds of taking off. While 241 people on board the Dreamliner lost their lives, 19 people were killed on the ground. One passenger on the plane had a miraculous escape.
The preliminary report released by the AAIB on July 12 stated that both engines of the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches moved from the ‘RUN’ to the ‘CUTOFF’ position. However, the cockpit voice recorder has revealed that one of the pilots told the other that he did not turn off the fuel control switches. The fuel switches were then returned back to the RUN position just before the plane crashed.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu earlier said that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s report on the Air India crash was based on preliminary findings, and urged against reaching any conclusions until the final report is released.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Criminal arrested with a pistol and cartridges from Kala Chowki

Mumbai: During an operation within the limits of Kala Chowki police station in Mumbai, the police have claimed to have arrested a 32-year-old criminal named Arif Mohammad Aslam Sheikh. The police have also recovered a pistol and 6 live cartridges from his possession. Mohammad Aslam Sheikh has 8 cases of assault registered against him, along with one case registered in Bandra and Sahar police stations. The accused had also been expelled from the city twice. This operation was carried out on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Sharma and DCP Anurag Jain.
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