Politics
Congress to take a call on Presidental poll after Udaipur ‘Chintan Shivir’
The Congress will take a call on the Presidential polls after the Chintan Shivir scheduled in Udaipur next week.
While the grand old party has no strength of its own to defeat the yet to be named NDA nominee, all eyes are on the joint opposition candidate, as and when it is announced. However, the ruling coalition is short of votes to get simple majority and the 1,17,000 approx. votes of non-NDA and non-UPA parties can play the game in the elections.
A Congress leader said on condition of anonymity, “We are more focused on the Chintan Shivir now, and there is no serious discussion on Presidential elections yet, though it may come up.”
Congress sources said that the party may go for a joint opposition candidate, which can test the opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
However, a Congress leader said that “the issue may come up in early June and Sonia Gandhi may call all the UPA partners to take a collective decision, but UPA will field a candidate for sure.”
Another Congress source said that the party can support a joint opposition candidate, but not a BJP nominee though it had supported A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2002 despite the fact that he was a BJP contender. But that was the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was best at reaching out to the opposition.
Kalam won the 2002 Presidential polls, defeating Left party candidate Lakshmi Sahgal. He was backed by the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party.
Many feel that it’s not possible to come up with a joint opposition candidate given that many regional parties are likely to go with the BJP, including the BJD and YSRCP, which have good number of MPs in the Parliament.
The BJD has 12 Lok Sabha and nine Rajya Sabha members, which have 8,496 and 6,372 vote strength, respectively, while the YSRCP has 22 MPs with a vote strength of 15,576 in the Lok Sabha and 4,248 votes in the Rajya Sabha, which is enough to bail out the ruling party.
The biggest vote share among the regional parties is with the DMK, Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP). And the SP had supported Kalam in 2002, who was an NDA candidate.
The electoral college, comprising 776 MPs from both the Houses and 4,120 MLAs of all the states and Union Territories, has 1,098,903 votes, and a majority is 549,452 votes. As far as the value of votes is concerned, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of votes, approximately 83,824, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal.
The BJP has a majority in the Parliament, but in terms of big states, which are key to the Presidential elections, its strength has reduced in Uttar Pradesh, while some other crucial states are ruled by the opposition parties, whose unity can pose a challenge for the saffron camp.
In fact, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has warned the BJP that the Presidential elections will not be a cake walk for the BJP, as it doesn’t have even half of the legislators of the country.
Business
Indian Railways throws open 3,584 jobs for young graduates

New Delhi, Oct 11: Indian Railways has announced 3,548 graduate-level vacancies for jobs under the Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC–Graduate), which provide opportunities for graduates to work across different functional areas of railway operations and administration, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
The recruitment through Centralised Employment Notification issued by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) covers four categories of posts, including Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor, Goods Train Manager, Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist, and Senior Clerk Cum Typist. These positions offer career opportunities across commercial services, train operations, accounts and administration, supporting the efficient functioning of railway services across the country, the statement said.
Of the total 3,548 vacancies, as many as 2,750 are for Goods Train Manager, followed by 371 for Senior Clerk Cum Typist, 300 for Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist, and 127 for Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor.
The posts offer initial basic pay under the Seventh Central Pay Commission. Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor carries an initial basic pay of Rs 35,400 per month at Pay Level 6, while the other three categories carry an initial basic pay of Rs 29,200 per month at Pay Level 5. Applicable allowances and service conditions will be governed by the relevant rules.
The online application process commenced on October 8, and eligible candidates can submit their applications until 11:59 p.m. on November 6. The last date for payment of the examination fee is November 8, while the application modification window is scheduled from November 9 to 18 November.
Candidates must possess a degree from a recognised university or its equivalent and fulfil the prescribed post-specific eligibility conditions. The notified age limit is 18-33 years as on January 1, 2027, with applicable age relaxations for eligible categories under the prescribed rules.
The selection process comprises a first-stage Computer-Based Test (CBT), a second-stage CBT, followed by document verification and medical examination, as applicable. The recruitment framework also provides applicable reservation and age-relaxation benefits, along with scribe assistance and compensatory time for eligible candidates with disabilities, in accordance with the prescribed provisions.
Another provision under CEN No. 06/2026 is the dispensation of the Computer-Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for the posts of Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist and Senior Clerk Cum Typist. Candidates are nevertheless expected to possess basic computer and typing proficiency, which will be assessed after joining, as specified in the notification, the statement said.
Candidates can access the detailed notification, vacancy distribution, eligibility criteria and recruitment updates through the official Railway Recruitment Boards website:https://rrb.indianrailways.gov.in
Crime
Elderly Pune resident duped of Rs 8 lakh by man posing as ECI official; 2nd such case in city

Pune, Oct 11: An unknown person posing as an official of the Election Commission of India (ECI) defrauded a 78-year-old Pune resident of Rs 8 lakh, officials said on Sunday.
The victim, Jitendra Kumar Ahuja, is a resident of Pune’s Ghorpadi. He was cheated of Rs 8,00,015.34. A case was registered at the Mundhwa police station on October 10.
According to the police, the accused gained Ahuja’s trust by posing as an ECI official. He told Ahuja that his documents did not match. He then sent Ahuja a link and asked him to fill in his information.
It is alleged that the accused gained access to Ahuja’s mobile phone through the link and defrauded him of over Rs 8 lakh. This incident occurred between October 1 and 3.
The police have registered a case against the unidentified accused under sections 319(2), 318(4), 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
This is the second such case that came to light on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, the police said that a person posing as an official of the Election Commission of India (ECI) cheated an 80-year-old man of Rs five lakh online under the guise of updating his voter card in Pune.
A case regarding this incident has been registered at the Lakshminagar Police Station in Pune.
According to the police, the complainant, Kanjasheri Vaidyanathan Venkatesan (80), is a retired employee of an automotive manufacturing company, residing in the Yerwada area of Pune. The accused called him, claiming to be from the ECI’s office, and stated that he needed to update his voter card.
Subsequently, the accused instructed him to download an APK file. After the file was downloaded, the accused gained access to the victim’s mobile screen, compromised his banking passwords, and fraudulently siphoned off Rs. 5 lakh.
A case has been registered at the Lakshminagar Police Station under Sections 308, 318(4), and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as Sections 66(D) and 66(C) of the IT Act.
The full name and address of the accused have not yet been ascertained.
Investigations into both cases are currently underway, and further details are awaited, officials said.
Maharashtra
Tushar Gandhi calls public protest a ‘no-confidence motion’ against govt, vows nationwide agitation

Mumbai, Oct 11: Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi on Sunday criticised the government after being released from detention, contending that the ongoing protests reflect the masses’ “no-confidence motion” against the government, and that he would continue his agitation until CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigns and PM Narendra Modi’s entire cabinet steps down.
Speaking to media, Tushar Gandhi said that first he was taken to D.N. Nagar police station.
Subsequently, he was told that because he was a senior citizen, he would have to be medically examined. He was then taken to Borivali station. He was informed at 6 p.m. on Saturday that he would be released, but his phone was not returned to him. He said the constable accompanying him had his phone, but it was still not handed back. Four officers subsequently took him home in the same vehicle, he added.
Despite his detention and the apprehension of other organisers, people of Mumbai continued to arrive at the August Kranti Maidan, Gandhi said, adding that the public was participating in the movement voluntarily.
He described the protests as a “no-confidence motion” by the people against the government.
Gandhi vowed to organise similar protests across India every week until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the current government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped down. He alleged that the government had resorted to electoral manipulation and said the country and its citizens had never weakened in their defence of democracy.
He also said the movement was being fought for the independence of the police.
Referring to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, Gandhi said: “I would tell Sonam Wangchuk not to make statements but to take to the streets. Our movement will continue until our demands are met.”
Gandhi said the events at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday and the protests in Mumbai demonstrated that ordinary citizens were voluntarily coming out to oppose the government.
He reiterated that the public movement would continue despite the detention of its organisers.
In line with the protests planned for Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, a protest was also planned at Mumbai’s historic August Kranti Maidan to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday.
However, even before the protest could begin, the police implemented strict security measures at August Kranti Maidan and the surrounding areas. Barricades were placed at various locations, and the access roads to the August Kranti Maidan were closed. The police even took into custody all those who came to join the movement.
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