The Free Press Journal
Delhi reading fall-out fine print
India on Saturday reacted cautiously to the US Supreme Court’s judgment which did away with tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said it was studying the implications. “We have noted the US Supreme Court...
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US top court strikes down Trump tariffs
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled President Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on nearly every country under a federal emergency powers law, delivering a blow to the president's signature economic policy, CBS...
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HANDS ACROSS AI UNIVERSE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stressed that Artificial Intelligence was a shared resource for the welfare of humanity and therefore its ethical use through creation of a trusted global data framework, transparent ‘glass box’ safety rules and...
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‘WHAT APPLIES TO HEINOUS CRIMES APPLIES EQUALLY TO SERIOUS ECONOMIC OFFENCES’
The Supreme Court of India has held that principles governing bail in heinous offences apply with equal force to serious economic offences, observing that such crimes directly undermine the economic well-being and quality of life of citizens. A bench...
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‘Relationship sans boundaries’
Prime minister Narendra Modi (75), who had a wide range of talks at Lok Bhavan here on Tuesday with French president Emmanul Macron (48), said strategic ties between the two nations has now been taken to “adbhoot” (astonishing) levels. He did not...
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AI: ‘India in lead role’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has played and will continue to play a very important role in global artificial intelligence (AI) transformation, citing the country’s vast population of 1.4 billion people, vibrant digital public...
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‘Political stability powers India’s trade deal success’
Calling productive spending a hallmark of his government, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said this year’s Budget deliberately avoids short-term populism and instead channels record capital outlays into infrastructure to drive jobs and sustainable...
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₹ 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund approved
In a twin policy push aimed at reshaping India’s urban landscape and strengthening its innovation economy, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) and a Rs 10,000 crore Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0. The...
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₹ 5K each for 1.31 cr TN women
Indian equities slid sharply on Friday as intensifying anxiety over artificial intelligence disrupted risk appetite and triggered heavy selling in technology and metal stocks. The Sensex fell more than 1,000 points and the Nifty dropped over 330 points...
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DAC CLEARS PURCHASE OF 114 RAFALE JETS
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared capital acquisition proposals worth about Rs 3.60 lakh crore, including a longpending plan to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a gove r n m e n t- to - gove r n m e n t framework with...
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‘BHARAT MATA SOLD’
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the interim trade deal with the United States, alleging that the government had surrendered India’s interests and “sold Bharat Mata”. Speaking...
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Seized tankers carried Iran oil
A 90-member team comprising officers of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Intelligence Bureau and other agencies is interrogating 55 persons belonging to different nationalities aboard three vessels for alleged smuggling of oil. ICG last week intercepted...
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SC wants SOP framed in 4 weeks
Riding on its emphatic victory in the recent municipal corporation elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena — has extended its dominance to Maharashtra’s rural heartland,...
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SC asks WB to pay DA from 2008-2019
The UPSC has significantly tightened the rules governing reappearance in the Civil Services Examination for candidates who are already serving in the civil services, effectively putting an end to the longstanding practice of multiple attempts to...
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24 HOURS LONG: MOTHER OF ALL TRAFFIC SNARLS
longed that commuters ruefully remarked it would have been cleared “in a jiffy” had there been any VIP movement involved. The unprecedented gridlock began around 5 pm on Tuesday after a BPCL tanker carrying highly inflammable propylene gas overturned...
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Modi compromised: Rahul
Piyush Goyal, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday charged that the trade deal announced by US President Trump and subsequently PM Narendra Modi late on Monday night was a “sell off ” and that the latter “compromised” India’s...
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Trump seals trade deal, lowers tariff
American President on Monday said the US and India had agreed to a bilateral trade deal that would lower reciprocal tariffs between the two countries. Announcing details of a phone conversation with PM Trump said Washington would reduce its...
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K Giriprakash
Highest-ever capex of 12.22 lakh crore in FY27, 4.4% of GDP Fiscal deficit pegged 4.3% of GDP No change in Income Tax rates New Income Tax Act, 2025, to be implemented from April 1 1.4 lakh crore to states as tax share Finance Minister Nirmala...
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Sunetra Pawar is Deputy CM
Barely three days after her husband died in a plane crash, Sunetra Pawar, wife of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, was on Saturday sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the post in Maharashtra’s political...
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NCP set to pick Sunetra as leader
Friday was marked by visible confusion and hurried recalibration within the Nationalist Congress Party following the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar, throwing open urgent questions about leadership succession and the party’s immediate political course. By...
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On same page: Tharoor meets Rahul, Kharge
Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor, whose future in Congress has recently been the subject of speculation, met LOP Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday and said “we are all on the same page”. The nearly hour-long meeting held in Kharge’s...
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UNCERTAINTY LOOMS OVER NCP’S FUTURE
dier Learjet of the firm crashed in Mumbai airport in September 2023, but the probe report has not been made public. The 14-year-old firm is owned by Capt Vijay Singh and his son Capt Rohit Singh. It has a fleet of 17 aircraft. West Bengal CM Mamata...
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France okays social media ban for U-15s
India’s development plans, Modi said, as the world’s fastest-growing major economy looks to convert rising domestic demand into export strength. India figures among the world’s top five exporters of petroleum products, supplying more than 150...
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US and India share historic bond: Trump
The United States and India share a historic bond as the world's oldest and largest democracies, US President Donald Trump said on Monday as he greeted India on its 77th Republic Day celebrations. Trump's greetings came amid continuing strain in ties...
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India beat New Zealand by eight wickets in 3rd T20I to clinch series India messenger of peace amid global strife: Prez
Amid escalating geopolitical tensions across multiple continents, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said that India is spreading the message of peace, which she described as essential for securing the future of humanity. In her address to the nation...
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TRADE PACTS FUEL JOBS, SAYS PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s expanding trade and mobility agreements with multiple countries are opening up fresh employment and career opportunities for the country’s youth, both at home and abroad, as the government pushes...
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AMERICAN ARMADA BEARS DOWN ON IRAN
A day after announcing the creation of what he called a “Board of Peace,” said American military assets were being deployed toward Iran “just in case” he decided to act. The U.S. military has moved more forces into the region, including the aircraft...
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The Eagles’ ‘Greatest Hits’ soars highest
Take it easy… and go quadruple diamond. The Eagles’ 1976 album “Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” is the bestselling album of all time in the US. It has officially sold over 40 million units, according to new certification from the Recording Industry...
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Rupee plunges to record low
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on January 20 quashed the 2023 FIR registered by Tiruchi city police against BJP leader Amit Malviya for allegedly “distorting” remarks made by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sanatana...
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Soon, Rameshwaram Café here
It's official. Bengaluru's hugely iconic quick service restaurant (QSR) Rameshwaram Cafe will open its Mumbai outlet on February 9. A pooja will be performed on February 6 and the following three days there will be a soft launch during which Mumbaikars...
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‘SAVED 10 MILLION LIVES IN INDO-PAK CONFLICT’ Trump offers mediation over River Nile
US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that he stopped fighting between India and Pakistan, saying the move saved millions of lives and describing it as an “honour”. Addressing an event in Florida on Friday, Trump said the United States had...
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25% TRUMP TARIFF ON AI CHIPS
The United States has imposed a fresh round of tariffs on a narrow set of high-end artificial intelligence semiconductors, as President Donald Trump sharpens his push to reduce America’s dependence on foreign chip supplies while generating revenue from...
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Can Iran regime survive protests?
As the protests continue in Iran, the main question being asked in Delhi’s diplomatic circles is whether the Islamic regime will fall. As of now this doesn’t seem imminent. Experts say the protests have by and large been urban-led, and rural people,...
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‘Be alert, united to defeat forces trying to divide us’
PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the forces which had opposed the reconstruction of the Somnath temple after Independence are “still active among us”, and that India must remain alert, united and strong to defeat them. Referring to the repeated...
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Jobs scam: Charges against Lalu framed
A Delhi court on Friday framed charges against RJD chief and former railway minister in the alleged land-for-jobs corruption case being probed by CBI, setting the stage for a fullfledged trial in one of the most politically sensitive scandals linked...
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UP draft roll drops 2.89cr
The EC on Tuesday published the draft electoral rolls for Uttar Pradesh following an extensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, resulting in the removal of nearly 2.89 crore names from the previous list. Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa...
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Cuba, Greenland, Colombia
US President Donald Trump has once again asserted that the United States needs Greenland for its national security, doubling down on his longstated ambition to bring the vast Arctic island under American control. The remarks came barely a day after a...
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Not at war with Venezuela: US Deep concern: India calls for peace talks
A day after US strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday America is at war "against drug trafficking organisations", not Venezuela. He said the US military will maintain a “quarantine” around Venezuela to prevent the entry and exit of oil...
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US strikes, will ‘run’ Venezuela
The US carried out a largescale military strike on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and forcibly removing him from the country, according to US President Donald Trump. CNN reported that Madurao, 63, and his wife were dragged...
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SURVEY SIGNALS EVM TRUST, STIRS CONG-BJP FEUD
Amid allegations of “vote chori” levelled by the ruling Congress against the BJP in two constituencies of Karnataka, a government-backed survey has shown that a large majority of voters in the State continue to repose strong faith in Electronic Voting...
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OVER 40 DEAD IN SWISS RESORT BAR BLAZE
Dozens of people were killed and around 100 injured, most of them seriously, after a devastating fire tore through a packed bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-montana, authorities said on Thursday. Officials said...
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MSMES to power Maha growth
Maharashtra’s new Industries, Investment and Services (II&S) Policy 2025 sets an ambitious target of turning the state into India’s first trillion-dollar economy by 2030, backed by 70.5 lakh crore in investments and the creation of 50 lakh...
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Supreme Court pauses own ruling on Aravalli
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its recent judgment on the Aravalli Hills, saying that clarifications were necessary on the definitions approved last month and that a fresh, independent expert assessment was required before the directions could be...
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NEW EQUATIONS FOR BMC TEST
day, December 30, is the last date for filing nominations. The list includes the names of Abdul Rashid alias Kaptan Malik, brother of Nawab Malik; Bushra Malik, the daughter-in-law of Kaptan Malik; and Dr Saeeda Khan, his sister. Sana Malik, who...
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MGNREGA mantra is Congress battle cry
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a blistering attack on the Bjp-led NDA government, likening the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika...
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Delhi flags false Dhaka version
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday declared Bangladesh’s claims that there was Indian involvement in the ongoing clashes in the country were false. Speaking at a media briefing, Jaiswal said that New Delhi had already issued a number of...
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Navi Mumbai airport goes live
Christmas day marked a historic turning point in Indian aviation as the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) officially commenced commercial flight operations. After nearly three decades of planning and construction, the grand Lotus structure...
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Cousins unite
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Wednesday formally announced an alliance for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, triggering a major political churn in...
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India, NZ conclude FTA talks
India and New Zealand on Monday announced the conclusion of talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) that will provide duty-free access to a wide range of goods and include a foreign direct investment (FDI) commitment of USD 20 billion over 15...
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Mahayuti steamrolls in local body polls
Riding on the momentum of its Assembly election victory, the ruling Mahayuti on Sunday delivered a commanding performance in the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in Maharashtra, with BJP emerging as the single-largest party by a wide...
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PM Modi in pitch for double engine govt
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday mounted a sharp political offensive against the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during a packed day of official engagements and rallies across Assam and West Bengal, blending development messaging with...
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BANGLADESH ON THE BRINK
Bangladesh stood on a knifeedge on Friday as grief over the killing of a prominent youth leader spilled into nationwide unrest, exposing deep political fault lines, simmering antiIndia sentiment, anxieties over minority safety and growing fears for...
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India, Oman seal FTA
India and Oman on Thursday signed a free trade agreement that will grant duty-free access to a wide range of Indian labour-intensive sectors, including engineering goods and textiles. The pact is expected to provide a major boost to Indian exporters,...
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Over 21 dead in UP fog mishaps
Dense fog continued to disrupt road traffic across Uttar Pradesh, leading to a series of accidents that killed at least 21 people and injured many others. Accidents were reported from Mathura, Unnao and Basti as visibility dropped to near zero on...
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6 weapons used in the shootings?
Australian authorities say the terror attack that unfolded at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was allegedly carried out by a father and son who used legally owned firearms to open fire on a crowd celebrating Hanukkah. Police believe six guns were used in the...
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Wave of terror strikes Bondi Beach, 11 killed
Two gunmen shot dead at least 11 people on Sunday during a Jewish holiday celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australian authorities said, declaring it a terrorist attack. One gunman was fatally shot by police and the second arrested. The suspect was...
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HYPE, HOPE & HAVOC
What was meant to be a oncein-a-lifetime football carnival in Kolkata collapsed into a spectacle of disorder on Saturday, as Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated appearance at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan descended into chaos, vandalism and a...
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NCSC issues notice to school over exclusion
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to St Joseph’s Convent Girls High School in Pune’s Khadki after a woman alleged that the school refused to take her daughter back to class even after she recovered from a serious...
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Leopards, dogs dominate Legislative Assembly debate
The winter session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly began on Monday, and for three days, discussions were dominated by debates over the leopard menace in Pune, Ahilyanagar and other districts, along with the statewide stray dog problem....
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PCMC plans BIO-CNG, 27MW project
With the Punawale garbage depot plan cancelled and no alternative yet secured for the Moshi Garbage Depot, PimpriChinchwad continues to face a mounting waste-disposal crisis. The Pimpri-chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Monday announced two...
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Indian origin nurse sentenced for Queensland slaying
Rajwinder Singh, a former nurse who fled Australia and hid in India for years, has been found guilty of the brutal murder of 24-yearold Toyah Cordingley, a case that shocked Queensland and triggered a long and complex international...
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25 KILLED IN GOA NIGHTCLUB BLAZE
A jampacked nightclub in north Goa turned into a death trap after midnight on Sunday as a massive fire tore through it, claiming 25 lives and leaving six injured while raising serious questions about `illegal' operations and flouting of safety...
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Goal! FIFA gifts its 1st, gold plated peace prize to…trump
President Donald Trump was awarded the new FIFA peace prize on Friday at the 2026 World Cup draw, giving the spectacle to set matchups for the quadrennial soccer tournament even more of a Trumpian flair. Trump, who had openly campaigned for the Nobel...
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Modi, Putin eye $100bn bilateral trade by 2030
Economic cooperation was the highlight of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India for the annual India-russia summit meeting. Putin, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday night for the annual summit leaders meeting between India and Russia,...
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Maha legally validates digital land records
In a sweeping policy shift set to overhaul land record access across Maharashtra, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday announced that digitally signed 7/12 extracts, 8-A records and Property Cards (Ferfar) will now enjoy full legal...
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Centre retreats on Sanchar Saathi
Facing sustained Opposition pressure and allegations that it was paving the way for statesponsored snooping, the Centre on Wednesday rolled back its order mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi safety app on all new mobile phones. The...
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Not compulsory: Scindia
A political storm intensified on Tuesday over the Centre’s move to mandate pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all new mobile handsets, even as multiple Opposition parties termed the directive unconstitutional, intrusive and a step toward...
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SEC FACES BACKLASH
The State Election Commission’s (SEC) abrupt decision to postpone elections to 24 municipal councils, several nagar panchayats and 154 ward seats until December 20 has drawn sharp criticism and triggered a political storm across Maharashtra. The...
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EC extends SIR deadline
The Election Commission on Sunday extended by one week the entire schedule of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in nine states and three Union Territories amid allegations by opposition parties that "tight timelines" were...
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K’taka Cong drama put off
It was a high drama of a sorts when Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar went for a breakfast meeting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's residence on Saturday morning. Other than the two of them only the Chief Minister's political advisor Ponnanna was...
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