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Maharashtra

MVA, BJP pray for ‘political miracles’, 225 MLAs vote in MLC polls

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Voting for the biennial elections to 10 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Council continued with both the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi and Opposition Bharatiya Janta Party praying for a ‘political miracle’ for the one crucial seat on which there’s a main contest among 11 candidates, here on Monday.

Emerging from their five-star weekend retreats, the legislators of MVA allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress and BJP were driven in buses to the Maharashtra Legislature at Nariman Point with senior leaders keeping a close watch on their respective flocks.

Polling started on a brisk note with over 225 MLAs across party lines casting their votes under the eagle eyes of their respective polling agents by 1 p.m.

A total of 11 candidates are vying for the 10 MLC seats vide the electoral college comprising 288 MLAs, though effectively 285 shall vote in the elections on Monday (June 20).

The MLC elections are witnessing a thriller contest with the prime contest between Congress’ Bhai Jagtap and BJP’s Prasad Lad, both vying for the crucial 10th seat.

Jagtap, 66, is a trade unionist heading the Bharatiya Kamgar Karmachari Mahasangh (BKKM) and President of Mumbai Congress, while Lad, 51, is an ex-MLC and ex-chairman of Mumbai Buildings Repair and Reconstruction Board.

Of the 288-member strong lower house, one Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke died recently, while two NCP MLAs Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik – currently in jail – were denied permission by Bombay High Court to vote for the MLC polls and have now moved the Supreme Court.

The quota for winning – depending on the actual votes cast – would be 26 or 27 per candidate, and the votes of 29 MLAs of smaller parties or independents are expected to be the clinching factor.

The MVA has fielded Sachin Ahir and Amasha Padvi (Shiv Sena), Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse (Nationalist Congress Party), Chandrakant Handore and Bhai Jagtap (Congress).

The BJP has nominated Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bhartiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad.

With a strength of 106, the BJP can comfortably bag four of the five seats it is contesting and the battle will be for Lad’s candidature vis-A-vis Jagtap.

The Sena with 55 legislators and NCP with 51 MLAs can easily win their two seats respectively, while the Congress with 44 legislators would require around a dozen votes from the independents, smaller parties or its allies.

Both MVA and BJP are desperately wooing the independents and smaller parties though the Samajwadi Party, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi have kept their strategies close to their chest.

Maharashtra

Thane: At Least 2 Killed, Six Injured After Massive Blast At Factory In Shahad

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Thane: At least 2 workers were killed and six others were seriously injured in an explosion at Century Rayon factory at Shahad in Thane district on Saturday afternoon. The injured have been rushed to local hospitals.

The police administration and fire brigade personnel have reached the spot and an investigation to ascertain the cause of the blast is underway. 

According to Thane Municipal Corporation officials, the blast took place while filling a gas container.

“A tanker of nitrogen gas was brought to the company which was supposed to be filled with CS2 (Carbon disulfide), and the blast took place during the checking of the tanker,” the police said.

Injured in critical condition

Officials said that those injured in the incident have been rushed to different hospitals and admitted there. “Condition of some of them was said to be critical, and they had to be shifted to ICU,” they added.

Locals in the vicinity reported that the explosion was so fierce that four to five houses in the surrounding areas were shaken. 

Interestingly, a barricade has been installed at the company’s gate and the media has been prevented from entering. 

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Maharashtra

Navi Mumbai: PMC Sees 148 Dengue Cases In One And A Half Months Amid Recent Spike

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Navi Mumbai: There is a continuous increase in the number of dengue and malaria patients in the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) area and according to the information received by the health department in the last one and a half months, 148 dengue and 79 malaria patients have been found.

Details On Cases Detected

In August, the highest number of dengue cases was 126 and malaria cases were 42. Similarly, in September, 22 cases of dengue and 37 cases of malaria were found in 18 days. Sources in the health department informed that these patients are mostly found in the suburbs of Kharghar and Kalamboli.

In a survey conducted by the Municipal Health Department, New Panvel is finding the highest number of dengue patients. After New Panvel, dengue and malaria cases have increased in the suburbs of Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli.

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Maharashtra

Ganeshotsav 2023: Home Minister Amit Shah Likely To Visit Mumbai On Saturday To Seek Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati’s Blessings

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Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal on Saturday. Shah is also likely to visit the home of city BJP chief Ashish Shelar at Bandra for Ganesh Aarti tomorrow. He will also visit the homes of CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis for seeking Ganesha’s darshan. Special police bandobast has been ordered throughout the city.

According to reports, at 3:30 PM on Saturday, Amit Shah will embark on his visit by paying his respects at the revered Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal. Amit Shah will be there for approximately 25 minutes. Given the significance of the event and its high-profile guest, the Central Security Agency and the Mumbai Police have jointly coordinated a robust security arrangement to ensure a safe environment.

This isn’t the first time that Amit Shah and his family will seek blessings at the feet of the Lalbaugcha Raja. The tradition continues this year, emphasizing the deep-rooted reverence for Lord Ganpati. After taking blessings at the Lalbaugcha Raja, Amit Shah’s tour includes a visit to the homes of BJP leaders for further darshan of Ganpati Bappa.

Detailed Schedule for the Day

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