Politics
Samajwadi Party throws a spanner even as its allies stay undecided
The Samajwadi Party (SP) has thrown a spanner in the Presidential elections by announcing that it will neither support a BJP candidate, nor a Congress nominee in the upcoming polls.
SP’s national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, “Our party president and quite a few senior leaders feel that SP should maintain equal distance from the BJP and the Congress in the Presidential elections.”
In political circles, SP’s decision is being seen as a clear message to the Congress to not to mess with its internal matters.
Sources said that Akhilesh Yadav had taken a strong exception to Acharya Pramod Krishnam’s recent meeting with senior SP MLA Mohammad Azam Khan in jail.
While the BJP seems to be in a comfortable position to see its nominee through in the polls, for the Congress, the Presidential elections will be a major opportunity to position itself as the main challenger to the saffron brigade in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
For this, the Congress would need the support of all the BJP rivals, and SP’s latest stance could leave the Congress strategists eyeing SP votes a bit concerned.
As the electoral college which elects the President comprises all members of both Houses of the Parliament and MLAs from all the states, SP will be a noticeable player. Presently, SP and its allies have 125 MLAs, 16 MLCs and 8 MPs (both Houses).
Interestingly, none of the SP allies have so far made any comment on SP’s decision on Presidential elections.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), according to sources, is �uncomfortable’ with SP’s posture.
“You need to take a stand in politics and cannot always queer the pitch. We do not understand what SP wants but we will take a decision at the appropriate time,” said a senior RLD leader.
The RLD has eight MLAs in the UP Assembly.
The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) is also a Samajwadi ally with six legislators and its President Om Prakash Rajbhar is also maintaining a studied silence on the issue.
Meanwhile, according to sources, a section of senior legislators in the SP is also against the decision announced by Akhilesh Yadav.
These legislators are apparently waiting for Shivpal Singh Yadav to decide his stand on the issue and may eventually go with him.
A senior SP MLA told IANS, “In politics, we cannot build castles in the air. We have to go either with the Congress or the BJP because we are not in a position to influence the outcome of the Presidential elections. Our leadership is not even negotiating with other non-BJP parties on the issue.”
The Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), meanwhile, have been reduced to the status of non-players in the Presidential polls from Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress has just two members in the state Assembly, while the BSP has one.
Mumbai Press Exclusive News
Mumbai General Elections 2026: Various teams formed for Municipal Corporation elections, teams headed by Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani are ready and active

Various flying squads have been constituted to conduct the Mumbai Municipal Corporation General Elections 2025-26 in a transparent and impartial manner and to ensure strict and effective implementation of the Model Code of Conduct. Appropriate and trained manpower has been provided for these teams. All the officers and employees of the flying teams shall discharge their duties honestly, timely and with full responsibility. Constant vigilance should be maintained to ensure that there is no violation of the election code of conduct during the election process and prompt action should be taken against any violation as per the rules, said Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani.
As per the schedule of Municipal General Elections 2025-26 announced by the State Election Commission, Maharashtra, voting will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. Accordingly, the Model Code of Conduct is being implemented in the entire municipal limits. For this, department-wise teams have been set up in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. This includes Code of Conduct Squad, Static Surveillance Team, Videography Surveillance Team and Flying Squad Team etc.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwani Joshi said that SST, FST and VST squads have been appointed in connection with the Municipal Corporation general elections. The final picture of the elections has become clear. Therefore, all the forces should be alert to prevent irregularities in the elections. The police and excise department staff should also work together with the returning officer. It is a big responsibility of all of us to conduct the elections peacefully and peacefully. Dr. Ashwani Joshi said that the Municipal Corporation administration is working in coordination with other agencies for this.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gagrani said that a code of conduct team is working in every administrative division under the supervision of the Divisional Assistant Commissioner. Citizens can lodge any information or complaint regarding violation of the Model Code of Conduct by directly contacting the Code of Conduct Cell in the concerned Division Office. A fixed surveillance team has been appointed at the check points where illegal transportation of items that may influence or entice voters, money, liquor and weapons may take place.
This team is deployed at a fixed place (check post). The main work of keeping an eye on illegal transportation of cash and liquor, transportation of weapons is being done by the fixed surveillance team. Similarly, flying squads have also been deployed to monitor activities that may influence or entice voters and keep an eye on illegal transportation of money and liquor or other suspicious activities. These teams are patrolling the ward and are acting like the fixed surveillance team. These teams conduct appropriate investigation, take legal action by making seizure if necessary. Further, if any violation of the code of conduct is noticed, it should be reported to the concerned Election Decision Officer and the concerned Police Station. In addition, a videography surveillance team is working at the level of each Election Decision Officer to provide information to the Election Decision Officer without any delay about important events, election campaign rounds, meetings as well as incidents of excessive expenditure and violations of the code of conduct taking place in the constituency.
Instructions have been given to record videos of incidents/rallies, campaign rounds, meetings or incidents violating the code of conduct taking place in the constituency during the code of conduct period and provide information about the same to the head of the code of conduct team and the concerned Election Decision Officer. The team leaders should personally supervise the above tasks, the officers/employees of the assigned team should coordinate with each other and complete the work within the stipulated time. If any negligence or negligence is found in the election work, disciplinary action will be taken as per the provisions of the rules.
Municipal Commissioner Gagrani said that the single window scheme has been implemented to ensure that candidates can obtain all types of permits from different departments easily and on time. Under this scheme, candidates will not need to visit the office of each department separately. The necessary permits of various departments of the Municipal Corporation including Fire Department, Licensing Department, Police Department, Traffic Police and Regional Transport Department are being made available at one place.
Maharashtra
Nirmal Nagar girl sexually abused by accused sentenced to 20 years in prison

Mumbai: The court has sentenced the accused to 20 years rigorous imprisonment in the case of sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl in Hussain Tekri Khar in Shivalik Compound under the limits of Nirmal Nagar police station in Mumbai. On December 18, 2022, the victim was playing outside her house when the accused Munawar Ghanu Malik, 52, sexually assaulted her and hid at his friend’s house. The police arrested him. After the sexual assault of the girl, the girl started crying loudly outside her house, after which she told her parents that an indecent act had been done to her. The victim’s mother filed a complaint at Nirmal Nagar police station and the police arrested Munawar. The police followed the matter thoroughly in the sessions court and the accused was convicted. On the advice of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and DCP Manish Kalwaniya, the police followed the case in the best possible manner and the accused was convicted.
National News
NMMC Election 2026: Navi Mumbai Police Impose Traffic Restrictions In Vashi From January 14–16 For Poll Process; Check Alternate Routes & Diversions

Navi Mumbai, Jan 07: Navi Mumbai police have imposed traffic restrictions in parts of Vashi from January 14 to January 16, between 6 am and 9 pm, in view of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) election process, including distribution of polling material, voting and counting.
The restrictions have been enforced as strong rooms for wards 16, 17 and 18 have been set up at the NMMC Swimming Pool Building in Sector 12, Vashi.
Polling material will be distributed from the strong room on January 14, voting will be held on January 15, and counting of votes will take place on January 16.
Three polling booths have also been established at the same premises, leading to a significant movement of election officials, vehicles carrying sensitive election material, candidates and their supporters.
As per the traffic notification, the movement of all types of vehicles from Kopar Khairane towards Vashi railway station will be prohibited on the stretch between Blue Diamond Junction and Bassien Catholic Bank Junction during the specified period.
Similarly, vehicular movement from Vashi railway station towards Kopar Khairane will be restricted on the road between Catholic Bank Junction and Perfect Ceramic–IDBI Bank Junction.
To minimise inconvenience, the traffic police have announced alternative routes. Vehicles travelling from Kopar Khairane to Vashi railway station have been advised to proceed via Kopri Signal and Palm Beach Road to reach their destinations.
Those heading from Vashi railway station towards Kopar Khairane have been directed to take a left turn at Gavdevi Temple, travel via the Juhugaon creek-side road within Sector 12, Vashi, and continue through IDBI Bank Junction.
The restrictions will not apply to police vehicles, fire brigade units, ambulances, government vehicles, vehicles requisitioned for election duty, and other essential service vehicles.
Issuing the order under the relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Navi Mumbai, Tirupati Kakade said the measures were necessary to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the election process.
“Considering the movement of election officials, sensitive polling material and candidates during the NMMC election process, traffic restrictions have been imposed in parts of Vashi to maintain security and avoid congestion,” DCP Kakade said.
The Navi Mumbai traffic police have appealed to commuters to cooperate and follow the revised traffic arrangements during the election period.
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