The Asian Age
Sidda may quit today; DKS tipped to be Karnataka CM
The all-important breakfast meeting of Karnataka Congress leadership is scheduled for Thursday morning at the residence of chief minister Siddaramaiah. Insiders claim this is the first step towards the transition of power in the state, which will see...
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Talks under strain as US strikes Iran; Tehran to retaliate
Tehran, May 26: Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire Tuesday and warned it was ready to retaliate after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and minelaying boats threatened a deal to end the war. The Brent...
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Rubio set to attend Quad FMs’ meet in Delhi today
Before leaving for Agra and Jaipur on Monday morning, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump “is a big fan of India, a big fan of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi” and was further quoted in reports as saying: “I wouldn’t be here if...
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India & US reaffirm strategic ties; push trade, energy deals
Trade, defence and security, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, civil nuclear and counter-narcotics cooperation were some of the issues that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and US secretary of state Marco Rubio discussed during their...
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Rubio meets Modi, signals a renewed push to repair ties
India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, after US secretary of state Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties in crucial...
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India will host Quad FMs’ meet Tues: Oz, US, Japan to attend
India on Friday announced that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar will chair the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on May 26 in the national capital. US secretary of state Marco Rubio, Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and Japanese foreign...
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First coalition govt in TN in 74 yrs: 23 join Cabinet
Inducting 23 new ministers into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet on Wednesday, chief minister C. Joseph Vijay established the first coalition government in the state since 1952 by giving ministerial berths to two Congress members — S. Rajeshkumar and P....
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Rubio in India Sat; talks likely to focus on defence & trade
The US confirmed early on Wednesday that secretary of state Marco Rubio will undertake a four-day visit to India from May 23 to 26. Just hours before, the US embassy in New Delhi had stated that the visit would include “ministerial Quad meetings”...
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Petrol, diesel rates hiked by 90 paise/l; further raise likely
The state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday increased petrol and diesel prices by about 90 paise per litre. The second hike in less than a week comes after the petrol and diesel prices were hiked by `3 per litre last Friday, citing...
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Satheesan takes charge in Kerala: 14 new faces in UDF Cabinet of 21
Vadassery Damodaran Satheeshan, who brought an end to the LDF’s decade-long rule, was sworn in as the chief minister of Kerala in a grand ceremony at Central Stadium on Monday. Kerala governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar administered the oath as...
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Trade to chips: India inks 14 Netherlands pacts, lifts ties
THE PM thanked the Dutch govt for facilitating the return of historic 11th-century Chola plates that were taken to the Netherlands more than three centuries ago India and the Netherlands elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and agreed on...
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Tighter online censorship and political dictatorship
When the Government of India introduced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules in 2021, experts raised concerns about expanded executive influence that tantamounted to Constitutional overreach qua...
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Trump wraps up China visit after talks on Iran, trade
Beijing, May 15: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday hailed their talks as “historic” and “landmark”, as the American leader wrapped up his three-day visit on a high note, but no deals on any contentious issues...
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Cong picks Satheesan as next CM of Kerala; oath on Monday
Amidst pressure and resentment from the Kerala state unit and its allies in the state, the Congress high command on Thursday bowed down and appointed V.D. Satheesan as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Later, the Kerala chief...
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Cong to name new Kerala CM today after Delhi talks
Dramatic scenes played out in New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday as the Congress high command, after extensive discussions with various leaders over the last week, postponed the decision on the Kerala chief minister until Thursday. AICC...
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Himanta back as Assam CM; 4 ministers sworn in
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP’s strongman in the Northeast, took the oath as Assam chief minister on Tuesday for a second consecutive term after the BJP-led alliance won the elections with a record mandate. Besides Mr Sarma, four ministers — senior BJP...
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PM attacks ‘some forces’ in India backing ‘politics of appeasement’
Drawing parallels to the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that no power in the world can make India bow or succumb under pressure. Addressing a gathering at Somnath Amrut Mahotsav, marking 75 years since the...
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Tighten belts, use less fuel, put nation first, urges PM
In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on the people to adopt a slew of measures to help India overcome the impact of the ongoing war in West Asia, including considering work from home, and avoid purchasing gold for a...
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BJP’s Adhikari is new Bengal CM
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in by West Bengal governor R.N. Ravi as the first BJP government’s chief minister in the state in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and several other Union ministers and CMs of all...
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Left supports Vijay, but TVK still lacks majority
Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam president C. Joseph Vijay's bid to form a government in Tamil Nadu after the TVK emerged as the singlelargest party in the justconcluded Assembly elections, winning 108 of the 234 seats, endured another setback on Friday when...
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Gov seeks proof of majority, Vijay’s oath impasse lingers
The impasse over the swearing-in of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay as the next Tamil Nadu chief minister continued on Thursday. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar made it clear that the TVK has not established the requisite...
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Shah in Kolkata today, set to decide on BJP govt’s first CM
Union home minister Amit Shah will reach West Bengal on Thursday in his first visit after the Trinamul Congress’ ouster from power in the state to select the chief minister of the first BJP government here ahead of its swearing-in ceremony at the...
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Vijay stakes claim to form govt, seeks 2 wks for floor test
President of the victorious Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) Vijay on Tuesday sought an invitation from Tamil Nadu governor Rajendra Arlekar to form the next government in the state. In his letter to the governor, Vijay assured that the TVK will prove its...
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‘Hindu wave’ sweeps BJP to historic Bengal victory; Mamata loses seat
On Monday, West Bengal has taken a sharp political turn. The BJP’s lotus ripped through the Trinamul Congress, dismantling its dominance with ruthless precision. The state, that was once considered as its impregnable bastion, has been torn open as...
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9 killed as major blaze engulfs East Delhi house
A pre-dawn fire gutted a four-storey residential building in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar on Sunday, killing nine people, including a toddler, from two families and leaving several others injured. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Prime Minister...
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Bengal on edge as violence fears rise before vote count
Ahead of the assembly poll results on Monday, the spectre of post-poll violence looms large in West Bengal with reports of clashes already trickling in from across the state. Even as the Election Commission has decided to retain 70,000 Central forces...
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Eye on China, Shah declares Buddhism’s origins in India
In a bid to counter China’s claim of being the land of Buddhism, India on Friday opened an exposition of sacred Piprahwa Relics of Gautam Buddha at Leh. Union home minister Amit Shah inaugurated the exposition of sacred holy relics of Tathagata Buddha...
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Trump to continue Iran blockade, oil rises to $126/barrel
Washington, April 30: President Donald Trump said a US naval blockade against Iran could last months, leading oil prices to spike to their highest level in more than four years, which held into Thursday. Mr Trump is expected to receive a briefing on...
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US extends ceasefire, Iran silent as ships fired, seized
Washington/Islamabad, April 22: US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely at the request of Pakistan to give Tehran’s leadership more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, even as Iranian forces fired on three...
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Campaigning hits fever pitch across TN & Bengal Ph-1
Campaigning hit fever pitch on Tuesday, the final day of canvassing for the first phase of elections in West Bengal and the single-phase polls in Tamil Nadu. While all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu will vote in one go, 152 constituencies across 16...
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Delhi, Seoul to double trade; ink 15 pacts, upgrade strategic ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held “friendly, fruitful and forward-looking” talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung here, with both sides agreeing to strengthen their special strategic partnership across key sectors, including in the...
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Imphal valley tense, amid 5-day shutdown call
Amid the ongoing attempt of the Manipur government to restore peace and harmony among the communities, the Meira Paibis, a collective group of Meitei women, and several other civil bodies have called for a five-day total shutdown of the Imphal valley...
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Opp. ‘crushed women’s dreams’: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to the country’s “nari shakti” a day after the women’s reservation amendment bill was defeated in Lok Sabha despite his government’s sincere efforts. Mr Modi accused the Opposition of carrying out...
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Women’s quota bill falls on floor of LS: First major defeat for Modi govt
In a setback to the NDA government, the muchtouted women’s reservation bill called the Constitution (One Hundred and ThirtyFirst Amendment) Bill 2026 got defeated by 54 votes in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Out of 529 MPs present, the government got the...
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India, Austria ink 6 pacts, reach 9 deals to push ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held "productive and wideranging" talks with Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker in the national capital to take "innovation-centric and futureready" bilateral ties "into a new era". Following the...
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Opp, govt head for duel over women’s quota, delimitation
The government and Opposition are headed for a showdown in the Lok Sabha with the tabling of the Women’s Reservation Amendments Bill on Thursday. During the three-day special Parliament Session amidst ongoing Assembly polls, while the government will...
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Modi, Trump hold 40-minute talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the situation in West Asia, including the importance of “open and secure” navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, during a phone call on Tuesday. The talks come as the US Navy has...
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Iran targets Gulf ports as US starts Hormuz blockade
Cairo, April 13: The US military began a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, as US President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Iran in a move that risks driving oil prices even higher and reigniting the war. Iran...
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TMC backing plot to cut off Siliguri Corridor link: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Trinamul Congress of supporting the “tukdetukde” gang, which threatened to cut off the strategically important Siliguri corridor that connects West Bengal with Sikkim to snap the country’s link with...
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Efforts for Mideast peace takes shape in Islamabad
Islamabad, April 11: A US delegation led by vice-president J.D. Vance held historic face-to-face talks with top Iranian negotiators in Pakistan on Saturday to reach a peace agreement to end the war in West Asia that has paralysed global energy markets...
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Vance warns Iran ‘not to play’ US as peace teeters
US vice-president J.D. Vance on Friday warned Iran not to “play” the US as he headed to Pakistan for negotiations aimed at ending their war. However, before the peace talks in Islamabad could start, “mediator” Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif...
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Iran ceasefire wobbles over Lebanon, Hormuz disputes
Dubai, April 9: A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war staggered Thursday under the weight of Israel’s bombardment of Beirut, Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainty over whether talks expected on Saturday can find common...
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US, Iran agree on 2-week ceasefire; relief for world
Tehran, April 8: The US and Iran both claimed victory Wednesday after the two countries and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire that halted more than a month of war, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit the Islamic...
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3 killed in Manipur firing as 2 children die in bomb blast
Fresh violence rocked Manipur on Tuesday after a likely rocket attack in the Bishnupur district, killing two minor siblings. Later at least three civilians were killed and several others injured in firing after a mob stormed a CRPF camp in the district...
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Entire Iran could be taken out in just 1 night: Trump
Washington/ Tehran, April 6: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that all of Iran could be “taken out” on Tuesday at the expiry of a deadline he issued for the Islamic republic to reopen the key Strait of Hormuz waterway. “The entire country...
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PM claims ‘maha jungle raj’ in WB, slams Malda gherao
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Trinamul Congress government in West Bengal of “sponsoring" the gherao and attack on seven judicial officers by a violent mob in Malda last week. Addressing a rally in the Cooch Behar district, Mr Modi...
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Sign a deal or face ‘Hell’: Trump gives Iran 48 hrs
Washington, April 4: President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Tehran had 48 hours left to cut a deal or face “all Hell”, as US and Iranian forces scrambled to find a downed American airman. Mr Trump’s latest threat came after a strike near an...
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Russia offers extra crude oil, LNG supplies to India
As India and Russia agreed to further enhance the overall bilateral ties, Russian first deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has communicated to the Indian leadership that Russia is ready to increase oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to...
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Shah ‘invades’ Didi’s fiefdom, eyes 170 seats in Bengal polls
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday, in his first rally in Bhowanipore — a stronghold of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee — called on the BJP to defeat the Trinamul Congress chief on her home turf and set a target of winning 170 of the...
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PM predicts BJP hat-trick in Assam, targets Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a frontal attack against the Congress, accusing the Opposition party of being the patron of infiltrators. Bating for a third term for the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls, Mr Modi asserted that if...
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‘Get your own oil’: Trump raps allies amid Hormuz chokehold
Dubai, March 31: President Donald Trump expressed frustration Tuesday with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the US war effort, telling them to “go get your own oil” as the conflict with Iran and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz...
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Census from April 1; data to stay confidential: Govt
The Registrar-General of India and Census Commissioner, Mr Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, on Monday advised citizens to give accurate information to the Census enumerators, asserting that the individual data will remain confidential and cannot be used as...
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Saudi, Egypt, Turkey FMs in Islamabad for talks on Mideast war
Islamabad, March 29: Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan held consultations on the West Asia conflict in Islamabad on Sunday to find a way to de-escalate the ongoing war that has unsettled the region and caused severe global...
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Modi urges unity amid global crisis to attain ‘Viksit Bharat’
Urging citizens to work with dedication and unity to tackle global challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the government prioritises securing India's interests and safeguarding "families and farmers". Addressing a gathering at...
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Govt clears `2.38L-cr S-400, arms, drones deals
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, gave a preliminary nod to the procurement of weapons and military hardware worth around `2.38-lakh crores. The procurement proposals include the acquisition...
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Hospitals, schools in Bastar barracks
The Chhattisgarh government has prepared a blueprint for post-Maoism Bastar. Besides launching a massive operation to remove improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the entire forest and forested villages in the tribal belt, the government, according...
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Iran rejects 15-pt US peace plan & floats counterterms
Dubai, March 25: Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including an assault that sparked a huge fire at Kuwait International Airport. Iran’s...
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Modi, Trump discuss war in Mideast, access to Hormuz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening discussed the ongoing conflict in West Asia. During the conversation, Mr Modi stressed the need for de-escalation, the restoration of peace in the region and...
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Sensex plunges by 1,800pts; Dalal St may recover today
The Indian markets are set for a sharp recovery on Tuesday, with GIFT Nifty surging nearly 800 points from 22,492 to 23,292, indicating a strong gap-up opening. The trigger came from US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a five-day pause on...
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No election duty for BJP’s Muslim netas in WB polls
◗ PROMINENT Muslim faces of the party at the national level remain conspicuously absent from Bengal, even as local leadership intensifies rhetoric targeting the community Despite West Bengal being home to one of the largest Muslim populations in India...
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UP govt rejig in Apr, BJP eyes pre-poll caste reset
With an eye on the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for next year and panchayat polls to be held in May-June, the Yogi Adityanath-led government will likely go in for a minor Cabinet reshuffle in April to fine-tune the caste combination. While...
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My mission to unite Hindu samaj: Sarma
Preparations for the April 9 elections in Assam gathered steam on Friday with chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma filing his nomination papers for the Jalukbari constituency and the Congress, after days of negotiation, agreed to leave 11 seats in the...
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Iran strikes Gulf oil, gas sites after Israeli attack
Dubai, March 19: Iran intensified its attacks on oil and natural gas facilities around the Gulf on Thursday, raising the stakes in a war that is sending shock waves through the global economy. The strikes, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on a key...
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3 kids among 9 killed in Delhi fire
Nine members of a family, including three children and a 70-year-old woman, were killed in a devastating fire that tore through a four-storey residentialcum-commercial building in Delhi’s Palam area on Wednesday morning, raising serious questions about...
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Israel kills 2 top Iran officials in blow to Tehran leadership
Dubai, March 17: Iran’s top security official and the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij militia were both killed in overnight strikes in a blow to the country’s leadership, Israel’s defence minister said Tuesday, while Tehran defiantly fired new...
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EC shifts Mamata’s 5 top officers, put off poll duty
The Election Commission has shunted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s favourite five bureaucrats at the top level of her government in an unprecedented revamp since Sunday midnight, hours after announcing two-phase Assembly polls in the...
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2-phase Bengal polls from April 23; 1 day in other states; results May 4
The Election Commission on Sunday announced the Assembly election schedule for four states and one Union territory. The polling will be held in single phase in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on April 9, in Tamil Nadu on April 23 and in two phases in West...
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TMC opposing SIR to shield infiltrators, votebank: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress of opposing the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters’ list in the election-bound state for its appeasement politics. Alleging that unchecked illegal...
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