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.
Maharashtra
Sashil Kodiyeri apologizes after tension over Marathi-Hindi controversy

Maharashtra: In the context of the Mumbai Marathi-Hindi controversy, Shishil Kodia has apologized for his controversial statement. He said that his tweet was misrepresented. I am not against Marathi. I have been living in Mumbai and Maharashtra for the last 30 years. I am a fan of Raj Thackeray. I constantly comment positively on Raj Thackeray’s tweets. I tweeted in my emotions and I made a mistake. This tense and tense atmosphere should end. We need a favorable environment to accept Marathi. So I request you to forgive me for this mistake for Marathi. Earlier, Shishil Kodia had made a controversial statement about Marathi and refused to speak Marathi, due to which MNS workers attacked and pelted stones at Shishil’s company WeWork. After which Shishil has now apologized to X
National
World-famous Mudiya Mela in Govardhan from tomorrow, cleanliness campaign launched

Govardhan (UP), July 5: As the world-famous Mudiya Mela will kick off in Uttar Pradesh’s Govardhan on Sunday, authorities have launched a cleanliness campaign.
Over 2 crore pilgrims are expected to reach Govardhan for the mela and perform Parikrama.
The cleanliness campaign, led by District Magistrate C.P. Singh, started on Saturday and focussed on cleanliness in key areas, including Parikrama Marg, Daanghati temple, and Giriraj ji.
DM Singh swept the land near the Govardhan temple, spreading the message of cleanliness.
As per the directions of the Uttar Pradesh government, efforts are being made to provide pilgrims with proper facilities and clean surroundings, he said.
The District Magistrate said people use polythene bags and indulge in littering as they don’t care about cleanliness, but now, as prior warnings have been given, strict action will be taken against violators.
The DM pointed out that maintaining cleanliness in the area was the responsibility of the temple management, but as it failed, “our team and locals of Govardhan are carrying out the cleanliness drive.”
Highlighting the importance of cleanliness, DM Singh said, “We aim to clean the entire Parikrama marg.”
He also shared that notices have been issued to those shops which have encroached on public land. The cleanliness campaign was made successful with the efforts of Govardhan SDM Neelam Srivastava, Govardhan Tehsil and Panchayat.
For the unversed, Mudiya Mela is observed in remembrance of Sanatan Goswami, the principal disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Legends have it that when Sanatan Goswami passed away, his disciples did parikrama of the Govardhan after tonsuring their heads. Since then, this tradition has been followed.
Notably, the 468-year-old tradition continues to draw a sea of devotees.
The devotees perform a 21-km-long Parikrama of Govardhan.
The belief with the yatra is that it bestows peace and prosperity on the devotees.
National
Maha: Oppn slams NCP MLA for political remarks while presiding in Assembly

Mumbai, July 5: The opposition parties in Maharashtra took a serious objection to the political remarks made by the Assembly’s Presiding Officer Chetan Tupe while conducting the business in the House.
They said that it was not acceptable, demanding that the dignity of the chair must be maintained.
The issue was raised by the Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and it was supported by Bhaskar Jadhav (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Nana Patole (Congress).
They also asked, “Do those who make political statements have the right to be the presiding officer?”
Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar took a serious note and expressed serious displeasure, saying that such incidents should not happen in future.
“Those sitting as presiding officers should maintain letter and spirit of the law. It is necessary for the presiding officers to work within the framework of the rules given by the Constitution.”
The Speaker assured that the chair of the Speaker will not be used for political purposes.
He also told the House that he will take a decision in this regard in his chamber.
Earlier, Wadettiwar criticised the presiding officer for his political remarks during the discussion over a motion on farmer suicides and the current state of agriculture amid the state government’s apathy.
He appealed to the Assembly Speaker to reprimand the presiding officer Chetan Tupe.
“While the discussion was on, the Agriculture Minister and the officials of that department were not present, but the work continued. But since some members were not present, does the presiding officer Chetan Tupe have the right to sit in the chair and present the government’s position? While the chair has a certain dignity, it is not right to make political speeches from there, such a thing has not happened in the past,” Wadettiwar said.
He also said: “The presiding officer in his statements targeted opposition party members for their absence while saying they speak about farmers but skip the proceedings. Tupe said he has been in the House for 13 hours and has not given out.”
He added that even though the presiding officer is conducting the business in the absence of a Speaker, he is treated as the Speaker and it is binding on him not to make any political statements.
“While it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the House functions properly, it is the responsibility of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to see whether the Ministers of the department are present in the House. In such a case, the custom and tradition should be followed from the highest position in the House,” Wadettiwar said.
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