Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife received Covid vaccine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Thursday, officials informed IANS.

Sources said that Singh and his wife had registered through the Co-WIN portal.

The 88-year-old former Prime Minister on Thursday joined many political leaders who have received the jabs against Covid-19 which is currently rolling out to population prioritised as per age and medical conditions.

Singh was the 13th PM of India who assumed the office for two full terms under the government run by United Progressive Alliance from 2004 till 2014.

The phase three of Covid vaccination covering 27 crore above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities began from March 1. The drive took-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi receiving the vaccine at the AIIMS.

Since then, political leaders and celebrities have started taking the vaccination.

The previous two phases were started with the vaccination of around three crore of healthcare and frontline workers in India.

Vaccines are being provided free of charge at the government health facilities and on a payment basis in the private health facilities. All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 for service charges fixed by the central government.

As per the latest update, 1,66,16,048 (Thursday noon figure) doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16.

Bollywood stars Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon met Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu before commencing the shoot for their new horror comedy “Bhediya”, along with the films unit.

Also present were Bamang Felix, Minister of Home and Interstate Affairs, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and Commissioner to HCM Sonam Chombay.

The Amar Kaushik directorial also features Abhishek Banerjee and Deepak Dobriyal. “Bhediya” is scripted by National Award-winner Niren Bhatt.

Jio Studios & Dinesh Vijan present, “Bhediya”, which is slated to release in cinemas on April 14, 2022.

Initial discussion to shortlist names of the party candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls started at BJP chief J.P. Nadda’ residence on Thursday.

Senior leaders from the state, party in-charge and co-in-charge for West Bengal were attending the meeting. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reached Nadda’s residence.

BJP national vice president Mukul Roy, national general secretary and state in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, co-in-charge Arvind Menon, state unit president Dilip Ghosh, and former close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former minister Suvendu Adhikari were present in the meeting.

BJP sources said that on wednesday core committee of the West Bengal party unit shortlisted the names of the probable candidates recommended by district units.

“In the meeting going at Nadda’s residence, list of probable names will further shorten before being submitted in the BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC) which will select the candidates for the West Bengal polls,” he said.

The BJP’s CEC meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.

Sources said that in the party CEC meeting the first list of the BJP candidates for 60 Assembly constituencies will be finalised. Polling in these seats will be held in the first two phases on March 27 and April 1.