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Thousands protest in Gujarat’s Palanpur for water reservoirs

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Thousands of farmers on Thursday gathered in Palanpur of the Banaskantha district in north Gujarat to demand the state explore the possibility of filling the water reservoirs — Karmavat Lake and Mukteshwar Dam with Narmada water to resolve water shortage of the area.

More than 20,000 farmers of 125 villages of the Vadgam and neighbouring Taluka joined the protest rally. “People of the area are facing severe water shortage for more than two decades as annual rainfall is less and underground water is depleting. The only solution is — these two reservoirs should be filled with Narmada water,” said M.M. Gadhvi, member of the farmers protest organising committee.

Giving details about the water reservoirs, farmer leaders said that Karmavat lake is spread over 98 hectares, Mukteshwar dam water capacity is around 30 million cubic meter. If water is drawn from Narmada canal, from Didrol village of Sidhpur Taluka, the pipeline can be first laid up to Mukteshwar dam and from the dam to Karmavat lake. At present the underground water level is at 800 feet.

“Their demand is genuine, the region has been facing water crisis for a long time. There is no permanent solution, as it is rain fed. Annual rainfall is very less due to which the water shortage has become acute,” said Shankar Chaudhary, BJP leader, chairman of the Banaskantha District Milk Producers Union (Banas dairy).

He added that in crisis, farmers have to purchase water tankers to feed domestic animals. If these water reservoirs are filled with Narmada water, it can recharge underground water, because of which groundwater level can increase.

He said Banas dairy too has launched a programme to dig lakes in the region with people’s participation. This will reduce dependency on Narmada waters, if there is good rain.

“Technical possibilities will be explored, such as how to lift water from the Narmada canal and take it up to the said reservoirs,” said Anand Patel, Banaskantha Collector.

A meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday, in which irrigation and water supplies engineers too were present. They were asked to work on technical possibilities. Soon the problem will be addressed, said Anand Patel.

Maharashtra

BMC elections announced but Mahayoti and Maha Vikas Aghadi clash over electoral pact

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been called but the political parties have not yet reached an electoral agreement. The Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti have started holding meetings regarding the electoral agreement, but despite this, no conclusion has been reached by all the parties, due to which the electoral agreement of the political parties in the BMC elections is still pending. The Uddhav Thackeray government fell in the Maharashtra Assembly in 2022 and now Uddhav Thackeray’s power has decreased and only 20 MLAs of Uddhav Thackeray have won, while Shinde Sena and BJP have maintained their power. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been announced and on January 15, the people will exercise their democratic right and the votes will be counted on the 16th and an announcement will be made on the same day. A round of meetings is underway between Shinde Sena and BJP regarding the electoral understanding and seat sharing, but so far they have not reached any conclusion. An understanding has not been reached between BJP and Shinde Sena regarding the Mahim, Parel, Dadar Byculla, and Kalabha areas because these areas contain a Marathi population along with Uttar Bharatiya. Both parties have claimed these areas. Due to organizational issues, Shinde Sena has claimed these areas and has said that due to organizational stability, these areas should be given to Shiv Sena. BJP voters have increased in the last election. BJP’s strength has increased here due to businessmen and Hindutva voters. Therefore, now the possibility of an electoral alliance at the local level is clear, while the alliance is still pending in Maha Vikas Aghadi because due to the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, Congress and NCP have not yet taken any decision on the electoral alliance. In such a situation, if there is no electoral alliance in Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti in BMC, then this contest will be more interesting because in this election, two Shiv Sena, two NCP and other parties will try their luck and the number of candidates entering the electoral fray will also increase.

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Maharashtra

Police attacked during group clash in Kandivali… Five arrested, police in action mode, case registered

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Mumbai: The police have claimed to have arrested five people for attacking the police in the Kandivali area, while two are still absconding. According to details, some people attacked the police in Ekta Nagar, Kandivali, and after this attack, the video went viral on social media, after which the police immediately registered a case and arrested five accused. According to details, at 8:45 pm last night, violence was going on between two groups in Laljipara Ekta Nagar. Bhim Kanojia, a member of one of the groups, complained to the bat marshal and the bat marshal here instructed Pappu Jha to go to the police station and asked him to sit in the van. During this, he started arguing and arguing with the complainant, in addition to abusing him. When police officer Kanbhare and police havaldar Khot reached to help the complainant, he also beat them up and interfered in official work, after which the police arrested Vicky Singh, Pappu Jha from the spot in this case, while Chandrakant Jha, Suman Jha and Guddu Jha were arrested later. So far, 5 people have been arrested in this case. The police have registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the complainant Sagar Saddam Babar, a 32-year-old policeman. The police have booked them under sections of BNS. A case has been registered under sections 121(1), 221, 189(3), 191(2), 190, 324, 352 of the IPC and the search for the absconding accused is underway, confirmed DCP Sandeep Jadhav. He said that CCTV footage is also being taken for further action in this matter and a police team has been mobilized to identify the accused. The incidents of attacks on the police have increased to an alarming extent, after which the issue of police safety has now arisen. While the police provide protection to the public, now the attack on the police by miscreants is alarming. Earlier, an attack was also carried out on the police in Malad, after which a case was registered and the accused were paraded.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Civic Body Elections to Be Held on January 15; Counting Scheduled for January 16

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Mumbai: (Kamar Ansari) The State Election Commission has announced that elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be conducted on January 15, with the counting of votes scheduled for January 16. The announcement brings clarity on the long-awaited civic polls in India’s financial capital.

The Election Commission announced the schedule for elections to 29 municipal corporations, stating that nomination papers for all municipal corporation polls will be accepted only in offline mode, and the voter list will be based on the July 25, 2025 electoral roll.

Election Schedule

Nomination Period: December 23 to December 30, 2025

Scrutiny of Applications: December 31, 2025

Withdrawal of Candidature: January 2, 2026

Final Candidate List & Symbol Allotment: January 3, 2026

Polling Date: January 15, 2026

Counting of Votes: January 16, 2026

The Mumbai civic elections form part of the broader Maharashtra local body election process, which includes polls for municipal corporations, municipal councils, and other local bodies across the state. The decision aims to complete the entire election process within the stipulated legal timeframe.

The BMC, India’s richest civic body, has been functioning without an elected house for several years and has remained under administrative control. The upcoming elections are expected to restore elected representation and accountability in the city’s civic governance.

Political parties have begun preparations for an intensive campaign, with key civic issues such as road conditions, water supply, solid waste management, flood control, housing redevelopment, and environmental protection expected to dominate the election discourse.

The State Election Commission is likely to issue a detailed election programme in the coming days, including nomination schedules, scrutiny dates, and campaigning guidelines. Security arrangements and election machinery are also being put in place to ensure a smooth and transparent polling process across Mumbai.

The announcement has generated significant political activity, with all major parties viewing the BMC elections as a crucial contest that will shape Mumbai’s administrative and political future.

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