New Delhi, Feb 13: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will finalise the name for the Chief Minister’s post in Delhi only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his US visit, sources said on Thursday, adding that the pick will be from the MLAs and there will be no deputy CM.

According to party insiders, BJP National President J.P. Nadda has stated that the Chief Minister will be selected from among the elected MLAs, and the Legislature Party meeting to decide the leader will take place only after the PM’s return.

Sources have indicated that one of the foremost priorities of the new BJP-led government will be the cleaning of the Yamuna River. Work on this front has already started, with the party keen on delivering on its promise of rejuvenating the heavily polluted river.

Additionally, the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, which provides financial protection for medical expenses to underprivileged citizens, will be implemented in Delhi — something the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had not done.

Nadda also hinted that some major policy decisions are expected to be taken in the first cabinet meeting which is likely to be held immediately after the swearing-in ceremony.

Sources have also said that there will be no Deputy Chief Minister in the new BJP government in Delhi.

The party has held a series of meetings after the declaration of results involving top leaders. Another round of meetings is likely to take place in two days.

The term of the current Delhi Assembly will conclude on February 26 and the new government must take charge by then.

In the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections, held on February 5, the BJP secured a landslide victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats. The AAP, which had ruled the national capital for the last 10 years, suffered a major setback, managing to win only 22 seats. The Congress drew a blank, the third time in a row.

The election results were announced on February 8.

Una, Feb 13: Ten children were injured after roof tiles from the lobby ceiling collapsed onto them during their morning prayer session in Una in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district.

The incident occurred at the primary school in Vashoj village, Una, on Thursday. Ten children sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious and were promptly transported to the Una Government Hospital via 108 emergency services for treatment.

Among the injured, students from Classes four and five suffered the most severe injuries, particularly to their heads. Four to five children were reported to be in critical condition and are currently receiving medical attention.

Preliminary reports suggest that the collapse may have been triggered by vibrations from loud music played at a nearby wedding ceremony.

More details were awaited as the probe was on.

However, this incident has raised concerns about the construction quality of the school building. Questions are being asked about the integrity of the structure and why such substandard materials may have been used. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse and to assess the structural safety of the school building to prevent future incidents.

In recent years, Gujarat has witnessed several incidents involving structural collapses in educational institutions, raising concerns about building safety standards. In July 2024, a classroom wall at Shree Narayan Vidhyalay near Gurukul crossroads in Vadodara collapsed, injuring a Class 7 student. The incident occurred during a break, which prevented a major catastrophe as most students were outside the classroom at the time. The injured student received primary treatment and was reported to be stable.

In another incident in September 2024, at least 23 labourers were injured when iron beams of an under-construction structure fell upon them at Chandrabala Modi Academy in Kondh village near Valia town, Bharuch district. The injured were rushed to a hospital in Ankleshwar for treatment.

Mumbai, Feb 13: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA, Abu Azmi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Minister Nitesh Rane over his demand for an investigation into madrasas across the state, accusing him of consistently trying to “defame Muslims.”

Rane had raised concerns about an illegal madrasa in Nandurbar’s Akkalkuwa taluka, where a Yemeni national was allegedly planning terror activities.

He urged the Maharashtra government to probe all madrasas in the state to ensure they were not promoting terrorism, specifically warning against links to extremist groups like the Taliban.

Reacting to Rane’s statements, Azmi told media, “I think Nitesh Rane should be given a position where his job is to shock and trouble Muslims, defame them, and abuse them. Every morning, he wakes up thinking of new ways to stay in the news.”

“I don’t think we need to respond to every statement made by Nitesh Rane. But I want to tell people that madrasas teach good values — they teach brotherhood, they teach love for the country. An individual can be wrong, but a madrasa cannot be wrong,” he said.

Azmi argued that the presence of illegal immigrants in a madrasa should not justify filing cases against all madrasas.

“For example, many Indians live illegally in America, the UK, or Saudi Arabia after their visas expire. They work for others, but cases are not filed against those who employ them. This is just his cheap politics,” he remarked.

Dismissing Rane’s allegations, Azmi suggested installing CCTV cameras in madrasas to prove that they focus on education rather than illegal activities. “People will then see that madrasas teach good things,” he added.

Earlier, Rane had told media, “I have written to our Chief Minister, requesting a thorough investigation into all madrasas in Maharashtra to determine whether they are genuinely focussed on education or involved in terrorist activities. There are concerns that they may be promoting groups like the Taliban. Are they trying to make students or trying to make (Osama) Bin Laden?”

“If such anti-national activities continue in Maharashtra’s madrasas, then all of them should be shut down,” he had asserted.

He also highlighted recent action taken by the Maharashtra government in Akkalkuwa taluka, where an illegal madrasa was being run.

“A Yemeni citizen was involved in planning terrorist activities there. The investigation is being conducted by our Maharashtra police,” he had stated.

Rane had previously courted controversy in January when he called for a ban on burqas during Board examinations, citing concerns about potential malpractices.

In a letter to School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Rane argued that allowing girl students to wear burqas inside examination halls could facilitate cheating and pose security risks.