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Congress, Samajwadi Party To Have Joint Candidate Under INDIA Bloc In Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections

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In a significant political move, the Congress party will not field its candidates in the upcoming assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh. Instead, the joint candidate of the INDIA alliance will contest under the Samajwadi Party (SP) symbol.

This decision was announced by SP President Akhilesh Yadav on social media late ‘Wednesday night, signalling a united front between the two parties in the state, Sources within the SP revealed that a crucial phone conversation took place between SP President Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on ‘Wednesday night.

Initially, the SP had allocated the Ghaziabad and Khair seats to Congress for the by-elections, but the latter remained firm on its demand to contest five seats. On Tuesday, Akhilesh Yadav had agreed to grant an additional seat, Phulpur, to Congress. However, following the conversation between Rahul and Akhilesh, the Congress decided not to field its candidates under its own symbol.

The move mirrors the political strategy adopted during the Haryana assembly elections, where the SP refrained from fielding its candidates due to a lack of agreement over seat-sharing with the Congress. The breakthrough in Uttar Pradesh is attributed to the direct communication between the top leaders of both parties, leading to a decision that aligns with the INDIA alliance’s broader goal of political unity. In his late-night social media post, Akhilesh Yadav emphasized the spirit of collaboration, stating, “It is not about seats but about victory.”

He announced that, under this strategy, the INDIA alliance’s joint candidates would contest all nine by-election seats using the Samajwadi Party’s ‘cycle’ symbol. He further emphasized the alliance’s united stance, saying, “Congress and Samajwadi Party are standing united, shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. The INDIA alliance is poised to write a new chapter of triumph in these by-elections.”

Akhilesh highlighted the enhanced strength of the SP with the support of Congress, from its top leadership down to grassroots workers. “With this unprecedented cooperation and support, every worker of the ‘India Alliance’ across all nine assembly seats is energized and resolute in their mission to win,” he added.

The SP President also underscored the significance of the upcoming by-elections, describing them as a fight to protect the country’s constitution, harmony, and the honour of the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpashankyak). He made a fervent appeal to voters, saying, “Not even a single vote should be squandered, not even a single vote should be divided.”

Akhilesh expressed confidence that this unity within the INDIA alliance, driven by a commitment to national interest, would pave the way for a new era of political success.

Crime

BSF apprehends minor with 11 gold biscuits along India-Bangladesh border

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Kolkata, Oct 23: The Border Security Force (BSF) has apprehended a minor boy with 11 gold biscuits along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in the North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal.

The incident has brought to light how smugglers are now using minors as couriers to evade arrest.

“Troops of the 143 Bn BSF, South Bengal Frontier, deployed at the Bithari Border Outpost, had received intelligence inputs of an attempt to smuggle gold in their area of jurisdiction. During checks, they came across an Indian minor carrying a briefcase. During a search, a black packet with the 11 gold biscuits were found in his possession,” a senior BSF official said.

According to an official, the weight of the seized gold is 1,286.17 grams. It is valued at around Rs 1.64 crore.

During questioning, the boy said that he is a resident of Daharkanda village in the Swarupnagar police station area of North 24-Parganas. He also said that he had been sent by his mother to deliver the packet to a designated point.

The boy has been handed over to concerned authorities, along with the gold, for further legal processing. A search has been launched for the boy’s mother and others involved in the racket.

“This recovery once again underscores the alertness, professionalism, and commitment of BSF troops in curbing cross-border smuggling along the India–Bangladesh border, despite attempts by criminal networks to exploit minors for such illegal activities,” the official said.

While stating that the BSF personnel are fully capable of preventing all kinds of illegal activities along the border, he urged the border population to report any information regarding gold smuggling or other crimes to ensure peace in the area.

“They can call the Seema Sathi Helpline Number 14419 or send a WhatsApp text or voice message to 9903472227. Those providing credible information would be suitably rewarded and their identities kept confidential,” he said.

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National News

ECI wraps up two-day conference of CEOs; focusses on poll preparedness in Assam, TN, Kerala, Puducherry, Bengal

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New Delhi, Oct 23: The Election Commission of India’s (ECI’s) two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) at the India International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi concluded on Thursday, the poll panel said, adding, that it also interacted one-on-one with the CEOs of poll-bound States/UT of Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal.

The conference was presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in the presence of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

The primary focus of the session was to assess the readiness of all State and Union Territory CEO offices for the crucial SIR exercise that ensures accuracy and inclusiveness in India’s voter lists.

This conference follows up on a similar preparedness review held on September 10 this year, where all States and UTs presented detailed data on electors, qualifying dates, and the current status of electoral rolls as per the last completed revision.

According to the poll panel, CEOs of the States/UTs from across the country attended this crucial Conference.

“The Commission directed the CEOs to finalise their preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in their respective States/UTs,” the poll panel said in its press note.

Notably, after the presentations by senior officers of the Commission on the SIR process, queries raised by the CEOs were also clarified.

“The Commission assessed the progress made on the directions previously issued to the CEOs to map the current electors with the voters as per the last SIR in the State/UT,” it said.

The poll panel also interacted one-to-one with the CEOs of poll-bound States/UT of Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal.

Earlier, the ECI also reviewed the status of appointment and training of field-level officials including District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant EROs (AEROs), Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and Booth Level Agents (BLAs).

The conference aimed to standardise processes, strengthen coordination across states, and ensure that every eligible citizen is duly enrolled ahead of the next election cycle.

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Crime

Navi Mumbai: Four Booked for Assault and Sexual Harassment Of 18-Year-Old Girl In Sanpada

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Navi Mumbai, October 23: Four persons have been booked for allegedly sexually harassing and assaulting an 18-year-old girl after forcibly entering her residence in Sanpada, police said on Thursday.

According to officials from the Sanpada Police Station, the incident took place on the night of October 20 when one of the accused, who had earlier claimed to be in love with the victim, arrived at her home along with three associates.

The group allegedly barged into the house, confronted the girl, and touched her inappropriately. When the victim resisted and asked them to leave, one of the men reportedly attacked her with an iron rod, causing injuries.

During the altercation, the victim’s brother tried to intervene but was also physically assaulted by the accused. The group fled the scene soon after the incident, police said.

Following a complaint, a case was registered against four persons, two of whom are yet to be identified. They have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment, assault, and house trespass, officials confirmed.

As of Thursday, no arrests have been made in the case. The police have launched a manhunt to trace the accused, and further investigation is underway.

Authorities said the statements of the victim and witnesses have been recorded, and medical examination reports are awaited.

“The accused will be arrested soon. We are verifying their backgrounds and gathering evidence,” an officer from Sanpada Police Station said.

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