The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis following the party’s victory in the high-stakes Nagpur Graduates’ Constituency election, where the Congress retained the seat.

The fiercely contested election concluded after a grueling counting process that spanned over 45 hours. Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari emerged victorious, defeating BJP’s Sudhakar Kohale by a margin of 3,271 votes. Wanjari secured 67,231 votes against Kohale’s 63,960.

The defeat is widely seen as a major setback for the BJP, particularly given that Nagpur is considered the political stronghold of both Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who had both campaigned vigorously for the BJP candidate.

Following initial trends, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had shared a post targeting the Congress party over Legislative Council election results across states. Echoing the sentiment, CM Fadnavis posted a taunt on social media, mocking Congress for allegedly failing to secure a single seat. However, once the final results from Nagpur turned the tide in favour of the Congress, Fadnavis promptly deleted the post.

Reacting to the development, the Maharashtra Congress took to ‘X’ to mock the Chief Minister. “By deleting the post, Fadnavis has once again lived up to the legacy of Savarkar. Acting as though he had struck a major blow before the final results were even out, Fadnavis posted prematurely. However, that very arrow rebounded and hit him in the chest! Ultimately, he was forced to delete the post,”remarked the Congress.

The party added a stern warning. “Fadnavis ji, scared already? This is just a trailer! In 2029, the people of Maharashtra will dismantle your political dominance in a way that will make you remember today’s post. All the best, Fadnavis ji! Get ready for the next jolt.”

The political row also drew a sharp counter-offensive from the Congress against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had questioned how many seats the Congress managed to win across 28 Legislative Council seats in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Karnataka—elections conducted via ballot papers.

Senior Congress leader and MP Pawan Khera challenged the Prime Minister directly. “If Narendra Modi firmly believes that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have no impact on election outcomes, he should stop playing with words and prove the BJP’s electoral strength through action by holding the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections using ballot papers,” Khera stated.

Additionally, the Congress party has reiterated its demands to stay the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program of electoral rolls, reinstate the 13 crore voters allegedly removed through irregular procedures, and take action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has claimed to have seized ‘hydro-ganja’ (a potent, hydroponically-grown variety of cannabis) during an operation in the Dongri area of ​​Mumbai. Two individuals involved in the trafficking of this substance have also been arrested. According to details, on October 28, during an operation in the Dongri area, ANC personnel spotted two individuals moving about, each carrying a blue plastic bag. Upon questioning them regarding the suspicious items, it was discovered that the first suspect was in possession of 1.823 kg of hydro-ganja, while the second suspect held 1.749 kg—amounting to a total seizure of 3.563 kg. The value of this haul in the international market is estimated to exceed 10 million rupees (one crore). This operation was carried out under the supervision of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner of Police Krishnakant Upadhyay, and DCP (ANC) Poornima Chougule-Shringi. A case has been registered against the accused under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. The ANC has initiated a stringent crackdown on drug traffickers, with ongoing raids and search operations.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde announced today (October 28, 2026) that officers and employees of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation will receive a bonus of 33,000 rupees for Diwali 2026. To ensure that the Municipal Corporation’s staff can celebrate the festival of Diwali with joy, Mayor Ritu Tawde has directed the administration to disburse an ex-gratia grant of 33,000 rupees, to be paid alongside their regular salary for the month of November. A meeting regarding the provision of this ex-gratia grant for Diwali 2026 was held today (October 28, 2026) at the Mayor’s Hall. Attendees included Deputy Mayor Sanjay Gadi, Leader of the Opposition Kishori Pednekar, Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar, Indian National Congress Group Leader Ashraf Azmi, AIMIM Group Leader Vijay Obale, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Group Leader Yashwant Kaledar. Also present were Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde, Education Committee Chairperson Rajeshri Sharwadkar, Joint Commissioner (Finance) Devidas Kshirsagar, Deputy Commissioner (General Administration) Kishor Gandhi, and office-bearers from the coordination committee representing the Municipal workers’ and employees’ unions. Mayor Ritu Tawde stated that a drought-like situation has emerged in the state due to low rainfall this year. Against this backdrop, the Government of Maharashtra has declared a drought—in accordance with established criteria—across 300 talukas in the state and has initiated various measures. Taking the overall situation in the state into account, the coordination committee—comprising municipal corporation group leaders, officials, the municipal administration, and employee unions—has unanimously decided to provide a ‘Diwali grant’ (ex-gratia payment). Officers and employees will receive this Diwali grant of 33,000 rupees, in addition to their regular salary.