Maharashtra
Congress to begin probe into MLAs’ cross-voting in Maharashtra MLC polls

Senior Congress leader Mohan Prakash will reach Mumbai on Saturday for a two-day probe into the alleged cross-voting by party legislators during the Maharashtra Legislative Council biennial elections held on June 20, officials said here on Friday.
He will also examine the chain of events concerning the vote of confidence by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in which 11 Congress MLAs were absent in the special cession of the Maharashtra Legislature held on July 3-4.
A former AICC General Secretary In-Charge of Maharashtra, Prakash is well-versed with the state Congress’s faction-ridden politics and is expected to submit his report to the party high command for necessary action and remedial measures next week.
For the 10 MLC seats, the Congress had fielded two candidates – Chandrakant Handore and Bhai Jagtap – with calculations in their favour given the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi strength then.
In the hotly-contested polls, the first candidate Handore was trounced while Jagtap emerged the surprise winner, proving to be a huge loss of face for the party.
A prominent Dalit leader and ex-minister, Handore is the Working President of state Congress, while Jagtap is the Mumbai Congress President.
The party has taken the embarrassing debacle of its first-choice candidate (Handore) – who secured less than the allotted votes – very seriously in the MLC polls, said party officials.
Prakash is slated to meet top leaders including state Congress President Nana Patole, Handore and Jagtap, other senior leaders and legislators, jointly or individually to get to the bottom of the cross-voting mystery.
An office-bearer said the party will find out who was responsible for Handore’s defeat considering the MVA’s numerical strength which could have ensured victory for both Handore and Jagtap easily.
Soon after the elections, ex-CM Prithviraj Chavan and ex-Minister Naseem Khan besides Handore had demanded a probe into the cross-voting fracas, while Patole met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal in Delhi.
Prakash will also discuss the chain of events leading to the collapse of the MVA, the “absenteeism” of the 11 Congress MLAs during CM Shinde’s vote of confidence on July 4, and whether they comprised the 7 suspected of cross-voting in the MLC polls.
The absentees included MLAs Jitesh Antapurkar who was busy with his (own) wedding and Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde was abroad, besides Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, Dheeraj Vilasrao Deshmukh, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Shirish Chaudhary, Madhavrao Javalgaonkar, Kunal Patil, Raju Awale, and Mohan Hambarde.
Maharashtra
IN PICS: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis At ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ Program On International Yoga Day 2025

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in the ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program on the occasion of International Yoga Day, June 21, 2025. The event was held in Pune and witnessed the participation of lakhs of Warkaris.
Dignitaries present at the event included Minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, Professor Sadanand More, and several other important leaders. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, CM Fadnavis shared pictures from the yoga session and expressed his thoughts on the confluence of yoga and the Warkari tradition through the ‘Bhakti Yoga’ program.
The ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program aimed to promote a balance between the body, mind, and soul. It concluded in Pune with a massive gathering addressed by Chief Minister Fadnavis, who highlighted the spiritual and healing powers of yoga.
The Chief Minister said that yoga is our tradition, culture and a key to a happy life, as well as a method of treatment. It has an extraordinary ability to rejuvenate the body and mind. With this in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed Yoga Day at the United Nations, with the view that the world should accept this ancient Indian knowledge. This is the only such proposal in the history of the United Nations which was supported and approved by all the countries present. Therefore, we have been celebrating World Yoga Day for the past 11 years.
He further said that yoga is a practice that anyone can do. These asanas are designed according to our body structure and have a therapeutic effect on all the external and internal organs of the body, from nails to hair. That is why yoga is being recognised as a ‘healing power’ at the global level.
Chief Minister Fadnavis, referring to the concept of ‘One Earth, One Health’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that the Warkari community upholds this concept through action. It is a matter of fortune for us to get the opportunity to do yoga with the Warkari after the Wari’s stay in Pune. Savitribai Phule Pune University is leading this program, which is a matter of pride.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that today, all the Dindyas are participating in yoga sadhana at their respective stations, and students from 700 colleges have also participated, which is a matter of great satisfaction.
The Chief Minister said that Pune has given a new ‘ring’ to the Wari. He wished that this tradition should continue and that we all remain committed to creating a ‘healthy and prosperous society’.
Maharashtra
Thane Sessions Court Convicts Hawker For Brutal Attack On Civic Officer During 2021 Encroachment Drive

Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a hawker for attempting to murder a senior civic officer and against her security personnel during an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 2021.
The accused, Amarjitsingh Shivshankar Yadav, alias Amarjit Yadav, was found guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — including Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 353 (assault on a public servant), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant), Section 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter public servant), and provisions under the Maharashtra Police Act.
About The Incident
The incident took place on August 30, 2021, at the Kasarvadavali junction during a routine anti-hawker and encroachment drive. Kalpita Pimple, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the TMC’s Majiwada-Manpada ward, was overseeing the operation when Yadav, a hawker at the site, suddenly launched a violent assault on her.
In the unprovoked attack, Pimple suffered severe injuries — including the loss of three fingers and a head injury. A security guard accompanying her also suffered injuries while trying to shield her from the assault.
After a detailed trial, the court held Yadav guilty on all counts, reaffirming the severity of the offence and the need to protect public servants carrying out their lawful duties.
The public prosecutor Shishir Hirey said, “There were two victims in the case, in which Pimple lost three fingers while her security personnel suffered injuries in while trying to prevent the attack.”
Maharashtra
Kharghar Residents Stage Peaceful Protest Demanding Liquor Ban In Locality

Navi Mumbai: In a show of unity and resolve, residents of Kharghar gathered today at Shah Arcade, Sector 6, to participate in a sit-in protest demanding a complete ban on liquor outlets in the area.
Organised under the banner of the Liquor-Free Kharghar movement, the protest began at 11:00 AM and witnessed the participation of local citizens, social activists, and community leaders who voiced their concern over the increasing number of liquor shops and their adverse impact on the peace and safety of the neighborhood.
Protesters emphasised that making Kharghar a liquor-free zone is essential to safeguarding the area’s future and ensuring a safe, healthy environment for families and youth.
“Every responsible citizen must stand united to protect Kharghar from the ill effects of alcohol. This movement is not just for today but for the generations to come,” said one of the organizers during the protest.
The peaceful demonstration reflected the community’s collective demand for the authorities to take immediate action and revoke licenses of existing liquor shops to maintain the area’s sanctity and security.
Organisers have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting similar initiatives until their demands are met.
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