PM Modi reacts to selfie will  Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni. This is what he said 

PM Modi reacts to selfie will  Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni. This is what he said 

The selfie posted by Italian Prime Minister from COP28 with PM Narendra Modi had instantly become viral on social media with users reacting to the 'chemistry' between the two heads of the state.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reacted to a viral selfie his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni took with him on the sidelines of the COP28 meet in Dubai, saying "meeting friends is always a delight".
Meloni had on Friday posted the selfie on X with the remarks, "Good friends at COP28" followed by hashtag 'Melodi', a mix of the two leaders' surnames.
The warm picture of the two leaders smilingly into the camera has gone viral since.

In the contest for 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh, BJP&rsquo;s core policy of Hindutava will face a litmus test ahead of the general elections which lay few months ahead. &nbsp;&nbsp;

BJP Vs Congress: Will Kamal Nath crush dominant 'Kamal' factor successfully or Shivraj return again? 

In the contest for 230 assembly seats, BJP’s core policy of Hindutava will face a litmus test ahead of the general elections which lay few months ahead.   

Here are the factors that may determine the success of the 2 parties--

In the contest for 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh, BJP&rsquo;s core policy of Hindutava will face a litmus test ahead of the general elections which lay few months ahead. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress were locked in a fierce election battle in the largely bipolar Madhya Pradesh and on December 3 it would be clear if the incumbent Shivraj Singh Chauhan will continue to remain the chief minister of this central Indian state. &nbsp;
The campaign that saw top brass of both the parties taking repeated potshots at each other essentially hinges on anti-incumbency, with Chauhan facing the daunting task of winning an election after remaining at the helm intermittently for 18 years.
In the contest for 230 assembly seats, BJP&rsquo;s core policy of Hindutava will face a litmus test ahead of the general elections which lay few months ahead. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Here are the factors that may determine the success of the 2 parties-- 1- Anti-incumbency Anti-incumbency is the ruling party's biggest concern as BJP has already completed 18 years in the government.&nbsp;
After winning three consecutive polls in 2003, 2008 and 2013, the BJP lost to the Congress in 2018 but a rebellion in the grand old party saw it sliding behind the majority mark, ensuring 15-month Kamal Nath government collapsed in 2020.&nbsp;
2-CM face&nbsp;
Chouhan has remained the face of BJP since 2005, but fielding of central ministers and senior BJP leaders like Narendra Singh Tomar, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Prahlad Patel is been seen as a sign of his waning grip in the state unit. &nbsp;
The Congress, however, has thrown its weight behind Kamal Nath, who in 2018 led the party to power as Congress fell just two short of the magic mark of 116.
3- Hindutava&nbsp;
Chouhan played temple-centric Hindutava card as he spent over Rs 3,000 crore on building, rebuilding or sprucing up temples, including the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, and museums attached to them. Nath countered his rival's strategy by organizing mega religious events in his home turf, Chhindwara, where tens of thousands of devotees participated.&nbsp;
4- The Scindia factor!&nbsp;
A CM aspirant in 2018, Jyotiraditya Scindia and his 22 loyalists pulled the rug from under Nath&rsquo;s feet two years later. But in 2023, the BJP too is facing rumblings in the organisation as many leaders who had sided with Scindia have returned to the Congress.&nbsp;
5- Women voters and welfare schemes Fondly known as 'mama', Chouhan, in a bid to woo the women voters, has announced a slew of schemes with 'Ladli Behna Yojana' being the highlight where financial aid has been hiked from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250 a month. As a counter, the Congress has announced to raise the dole to Rs. 1,500 each month. Following the BJP strategic of forming specific policy for the eve voters, the chief minister has also earmarked a whopping Rs 16,000 crore for schemes targeted at women from the financially weaker sections.&nbsp;
Apart from promising to restore 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs, the Congress has assured a caste-based census in MP and support for OBC quota within the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill. Priyanka Gandhi, on campaign in the temple state, has also assured other 'guarantees' like the waiver of farm loans, the revival of the old pension scheme and up to 100 units of free electricity&nbsp;
6- Corruption&nbsp;
Congress has launched a strident campaign against alleged corruption, rise in the crime against women, atrocities against Dalits and Tribals, rising inflation and unemployment among other issues.&nbsp;
While the opposition party claimed in Karnataka, BJP took &lsquo;40 per cent&rsquo; commission, in Madhya Pradesh Chauhan was targeted for ensuring a &lsquo;50 per cent&rsquo; cut. The Congress has listed more than 250 &lsquo;major scams&rsquo; during 18-year BJP rule. &nbsp;

Tihar warders, assistant superintendents, matrons among 50 terminated for biometric mismatch

All these employees were on probation period for two years, the official said, adding that they have to respond within one month on the notice.

The Tihar Jail administration has served termination notice to its 50 employees after a verification drive found a mismatch in their biometric identification records, officials said on Saturday.
According to the Tihar Jail administration, among these 50 terminated employees, 39 are warders, 9 are assistant superintendent and 2 are matron.
The notice was served as per the direction of the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSB), which conducted the exams and recruited about 450 applicants to these three posts, officials said.
Of these 450 employees, the biometric identification did not match for 50 of them, due to which the notice of termination has been served to them, they added.
"It is suspected that somebody else had taken their exams," an official said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;All these employees were on probation period for two years, the official said, adding that they have to respond within one month on the notice.
&nbsp;

New Zealand: three Khalistani supporters sentenced for attempted murder of Sikh radio host

Sukhpreet Singh was found guilty of being an accessory, Sarvjeet Sidhu pleaded guilty to attempted murder. Third accused has been given one of the longest possible prison sentences for the crime, as per reports.

In a case of religious fanaticism, three Indian-origin men in New Zealand have been sentenced for the attempted murder of a popular Auckland-based Sikh radio host who was vocal against the ideology of Khalistan.
The attack occurred on December 23, 2020, when Harnek Singh was ambushed by a group of religious extremists in his driveway. He suffered over 40 stab wounds and required more than 350 stitches and multiple surgeries to recover, the Australia Today website reported.
Sukhpreet Singh, 44-year-old, was found guilty of being an accessory, and Sarvjeet Sidhu, 27-year-old, pleaded guilty to attempted murder.
The third man, a 48-year-old Auckland resident, has been given one of the longest possible prison sentences for the crime, the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported.
During a hearing on November 28, a judge noted that community protection and a strong message of deterrence were both necessary for the highly unusual case, it reported.
The third defendant, who continues to have interim name suppression, was not present when the attack occurred. The court was told that he harboured a years-long resentment against Harnek as he was vocal against Khalistan, Australia Today reported.
He planned the &ldquo;hit&rdquo; and used his charismatic influence over others to recruit henchmen to do his bidding, the judge said.
&ldquo;It bears all the hallmarks of religious fanaticism,&rdquo; Woolford said of the motivation for the attack. &ldquo;Violence of this kind is committed to what is perceived as the furtherance of the greater good..." &ldquo;Sentencing in this context requires a different approach. The emphasis must be placed on protecting the community from further violence and it is essential to send a strong message of deterrence to others.&rdquo; A sentence of 13-and-a-half years was imposed, with a minimum period of imprisonment of nine years before he can begin applying for parole, the Herald reported.
The maximum sentence for attempted murder is 14 years. The only reason the defendant did not receive the full maximum sentence was that he deserved a six-month credit for the time he spent on electronically monitored bail while awaiting his lengthy trial in September and October, the judge said.
Harnek did not attend the hearing but wrote a victim impact statement that was read aloud by prosecutors.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/south-korea-launches-first-spy-satellite-days-after-north-korea-does-the-same-1701487010264">Also watch: South Korea launches first spy satellite days after North Korea does the same</a> &nbsp;
&ldquo;My family faces fear each day when the sun goes down,&rdquo; he said.
Addressing the defendants directly, he said: &ldquo;You came to kill me. ...You tried to silence me. You wanted to send a chilling message to all those who express their disagreement with your unorthodox religious views. But you failed. ...I will continue to express my opinions and beliefs as I always have."

Delhi excise policy case: ED files supplementary chargesheet against AAP's Sanjay Singh

Delhi excise policy case: ED files supplementary chargesheet against AAP's Sanjay Singh

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a supplementary chargesheet against AAP MP Sanjay Singh in connection with a money laundering probe related to the Delhi excise policy case.
Singh is currently lodged in Tihar jail after ED arrested him on October 4, alleging that he is a key conspirator in the Delhi excise policy.
The anti-money laundering probe agency has accused him of receiving Rs. 2 crore bribe through his aides from accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora.&nbsp;

42 people booked under unlawful religious conversation law in Uttar Pradesh

Based on a complaint, an FIR was registered against 42 people under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act on 30th November 2023. Nine of the accused were later arrested.

The Uttar Pradesh Police has booked 42 people and arrested nine of them for allegedly luring the poor and tribal people to convert to Christianity through fraudulent means in Sonbhadra district, an officer said on Friday.
A large quantity of religious books, propaganda materials and laptops were recovered from the arrested accused. Additional Superintendent of Police Kalu Singh said Narsingh, a resident of Malhiya Tola in the Chopan police station area of the district, lodged a complaint that some people were luring tribal people and the poor to convert to Christianity using fraudulent means.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against 42 people under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act on Thursday.
Thereafter, nine of the accused were arrested.
The arrested accused included Jaiprabhu of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Ajay Kumar of Robertsganj in Uttar Pradesh and Chekka Emmanuel of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.
The remaining arrested accused were identified as Rajendra Kol, Chhotu alias Ranjan, Parmanand, Sohan, Prem Nath Prajapati and Ram Pratap.

First visuals: Uttarkashi tunnel collapse caught on camera

Editorji cannot verify the authenticity of the video clip.&nbsp;

An unverified video of Uttarkashi tunnel collapse purportedly captured by one of the trapped workers on the day of the collapse is circulating on social media.
The footage shows debris falling, obstructing the tunnel.
One of the workers urging his team mates to move towards a safer area can also be heard.&nbsp;
41 men trapped in a collapsed tunnel for 17 days were rescued on November 28.

Rainfall and wind activity in parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh has increased as Cyclone Michaung approaches. 

Cyclone Michaung: IMD issues Orange alert for coastal Tamil Nadu, parts of Andhra Pradesh

Rainfall and wind activity in parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh has increased as Cyclone Michaung approaches.&nbsp;

The intensity of rainfall and winds on the northern Tamil Nadu coast and the southern Andhra Pradesh coast is increasing due to cyclone 'Michaung' which has been brewing in the Bay of Bengal.
The Met department has issued an 'Orange' alert for Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh as it is expected to make landfall in and around Tamil Nadu on December 4.
The territorial administration has declared holiday for all schools in Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam regions on December 4 in view of cyclone Michaung.
&nbsp;

Delhi 'Very Poor' AQI forces 18 flights diversions

The visibility in several parts of Delhi on Saturday was relatively low, as the air quality in several areas of the national capital was recorded in the 'very poor' category. Multiple areas of the city were also covered with a layer of smog.

As many as 18 flights at the Delhi airport were diverted due to bad weather on Saturday morning, according to an official.
The official said the flights were diverted to Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Amritsar.
In a post on microblogging platform X at around 0810 hrs, the Delhi airport said low visibility procedures were in progress at the airport.
The visibility in several parts of Delhi on Saturday was relatively low, as the air quality in several areas of the national capital was recorded in the 'very poor' category. Multiple areas of the city were also covered with a layer of smog.

While attending the COP28 climate summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that India host its 2028 edition.

PM Modi proposes India's name to host COP33 climate summit

While attending the COP28 climate summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that India host its 2028 edition.

Asserting that the world does not have much time to correct the mistakes of the last century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a &lsquo;Green Credit Initiative&rsquo; focused on creating carbon sinks through people's participation and also proposed to host the UN climate conference in 2028, or COP33, in India.
Addressing the high-level segment for heads of state and governments during the UN climate conference (COP28), Modi called for a pro-planet proactive and positive initiative and said the Green Credits Initiative goes beyond the commercial mindset associated with carbon credits.
"It focuses on creating carbon sinks through people's participation and I invite all of you to join this initiative," he said, stressing that the world does not have much time to correct the mistakes of the last century.
This initiative is similar to the Green Credit Programme, notified domestically in October. It is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to reward voluntary environmental actions in different sectors by individuals, communities and the private sector.
Asserting that India has presented a great example to the world of striking balance between development and environment conservation, the Prime Minister said, India is among the only few countries in the world on track to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions or the national action plans to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the guardrail to avoid worsening of the impact of the changing climate.
Modi was the only leader to join COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber on the stage along with the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Steill at the opening plenary.
"Over the past century, a small section of humanity has indiscriminately exploited nature. However, the entire humanity is paying the price for this, especially people living in the Global South," he said.
"Thinking only about our own interests will only lead the world into darkness," the prime minister added.
Modi&rsquo;s statement came in the context that the poor and developing nations bear the brunt of extreme climate events such as floods, droughts, heat/cold waves as a result of changing climate due to historic carbon emissions by the richer countries that have led to increased global warming.
The Prime Minister called for maintaining a balance between mitigation and adaptation and said that energy transition across the world must be &ldquo;just and inclusive.&rdquo; He also called rich countries to transfer technologies to help developing nations combat climate change.
Modi has been championing the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE movement), which he had announced at the Glasgow COP in 2021), urging countries to adopt planet-friendly living practices and move away from deeply consumerist behaviour.
Citing a study by the International Energy Agency, Modi said, &ldquo;This approach (LiFE) can reduce carbon emissions by 2 billion tonnes.&rdquo; He called on the countries to work together and be decisive against the climate crisis.
"We shall cooperate with each other and shall support each other. We need to give all developing countries our fair share in the global carbon budget," Modi said.
If India's proposal to host COP33 is accepted, it would be the next big global conference in the country after the G20 Summit earlier this year.
India hosted COP8 in New Delhi in 2002 where countries adopted the Delhi Ministerial Declaration which called for efforts by developed countries to transfer technology and minimise the impact of climate change on developing countries.
Climate science defines carbon budget as the amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted for a given level of global warming (1.5 degrees Celsius in this case).
Developed countries have already consumed more than 80 per cent of the global carbon budget, leaving developing and poor countries with very little carbon space for the future. Modi highlighted that India is home to 17 per cent of the world's population, but its share of global carbon emissions is less than 4 per cent.
"India is one of the very few economies in the world that is on track to achieve its NDC targets," he said.
India achieved its emissions intensity-related targets 11 years ahead of the committed time frame and non-fossil fuel targets nine years ahead of schedule.
"And India did not just stop there, we remain ambitious," he said.
The country aims to reduce emissions intensity of gross domestic product by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels and achieve 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
It has also committed to become a net zero economy by 2070.
As part of its G20 Presidency this year, India drew consensus from the world&rsquo;s major economies for a Green Development Pact seeking to balance development and the environment.
The Pact shifted the conversations from the billions to the trillions needed for the energy transition. It noted that developing countries will need USD 5.8-5.9 trillion in the pre-2030 period, particularly to implement their NDCs.&nbsp;

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#AllegedKhalistanimurderplot

More drones have been spotted over the Kaluchak-Ratnuchak military stations near Jammu city.Although the Army has not given an official confirmation, according to an Indian Express report, sources said that the drone was spotted thrice during the early hours of Tuesday and the area was immediately cordoned off.The Army on Monday said that the forces were on high alert and a search operation was in progress.The troops had earlier thwarted suspected attacks from two separate drone activities over the military area.The alarming drone sightings come after 2&nbsp;IED blasts on the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu on Sunday. 

Air Force Drone attack: New drones spotted over military area near Jammu city

More drones have been spotted over the Kaluchak-Ratnuchak military stations near Jammu city.
Although the Army has not given an official confirmation, according to an Indian Express report, sources said that the drone was spotted thrice during the early hours of Tuesday and the area was immediately cordoned off.
The Army on Monday said that the forces were on high alert and a search operation was in progress.
The troops had earlier thwarted suspected attacks from two separate drone activities over the military area.
The alarming drone sightings come after 2&nbsp;IED blasts on the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu on Sunday.

Sources say that drone was spotted thrice during the early hours of Tuesday and the area was immediately cordoned off.

More drones have been spotted over the Kaluchak-Ratnuchak military stations near Jammu city. Although the Army has not given an official confirmation, according to an Indian Express report quoting sources, the drone was spotted thrice during the early hours of Tuesday and the area was immediately cordoned off. The Army on Monday said that the forces were on high alert and a search operation was in progress. The troops had earlier thwarted suspected attacks from two separate drone activities over the military area. The alarming drone sightings come after 2&nbsp;IED blasts on the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu on Sunday.

While the battle is largely bipolar, the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is in the mix and is set to make the election for 119 seats interesting

 Telangana Election 2023: will Congress and BJP spoil KCR's attempt at returning for third time 

While the battle is largely bipolar, the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is in the mix and is set to make the election for 119 seats interesting

Exit poll predictions have laid the fight bare in the southern state of Telangana with a resurgent Congress predicted to take the regional and ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi head-on. While the battle is largely bipolar, the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is in the mix and is set to make the election for 119 seats interesting. If any of the two main parties fall short of the majority 60-seat mark, the saffron party and the political outfit based in Hyderabad could play the kingmaker. The following factors are likely affect the result.
1-Anti incumbency Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is aiming for a hat-trick of electoral victories after winning the polls in 2014&mdash; in united Andhra Pradesh&mdash; and in Telangana in 2018.&nbsp;
Initially thought to be a one-sided fight, the Congress which had witnessed waning of its foot-hood in the state, has sprung a surprise and by the end of campaign is being seen as a serious contender. In 2014, despite splitting Andhra Pradesh in to two states, the grand old party saw its fortunes fade in the 2018 assembly elections. In 2014, the BRS (then Telangana Rashtriya Samiti), had swept the election, riding on the agitation for the state hood led by Rao.
2- Bipolar contest but scope for BJP? The BJP may have unleashed its top leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the campaign but on the ground the fight remains bipolar.
While BRS is keen on extending its winning run, the Congress has put up a spirited fight to win the polls in the newest state of India. Any of the two main contestants falling short of majority means that BJP and AIMIM could come into play.&nbsp;
The ruling party won 88 seats in 2018 elections and is confident of victory this year. BRS named 115 out of 119 incumbent candidates in August to give a head-start to their campaigning. 3-Muslim Votes&nbsp;
Telangana's Muslim population holds the key for at least 45 of 119 assembly constituencies. The minority group has the potential to sway the election results either in favour of Congress or the BRS or bring it down to a neck to neck fight between the two.&nbsp;
While the Congress has been making an all-out effort to lure Muslims, but with Assad-ud-din Owaisi&rsquo;s AIMIM backing BRS, the possibility of Muslim vote getting divided remains.
The BJP has announced that it would remove the 4% reservation being given to Muslims, thus setting clear focus on the division of Hindu voters between the BRS, the Congress and the saffron group. &nbsp;
4-Corruption &amp; &lsquo;BJP-BRS BHAI BHAI&rsquo; The Congress has kept a focused attack to create a narrative that BRS and the BJP were hand in glove when it came to what it called rampant corruption. Political analysts feel that with KCR meeting Modi and the Congress narrative to claim bonhomie between the BRS and the BJP may hurt Rao&rsquo;s poll prospects.
The ruling party has faced accusations that it overlooked the TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission) paper leak and rampant unemployment. With central agencies probing chief minister Rao&rsquo;s daughter, K Kavitha, in the allegedly Delhi excise scam case, the narrative of being a corrupt party has stuck. The Congress has claimed that Enforcement Directorate went soft on her as the two parties have reached a compromise.&nbsp;
5-Resurgent Congress The resounding victory of the Congress in the Karnataka Assembly polls has changed the political narrative for the grand old party in neighbouring Telangana.&nbsp;
Though it managed only 19 seats in the last elections, the Congress has become a clear challenger to the BRS this time round.
After successfully wooing the Karnataka voters with their 5 guarantees, Congress has promised 6 guarantees to Telangana. (GFX - Rythu Bharosa, Cheyutha, Yuva Vikasam, Gruha Jyoti, Mahalaxmi Guarantee, Indiramma Indlu) The promises on the lines of 'guarantees' being fulfilled in neighbouring Karnataka appear to prove advantageous.&nbsp;
6-Kamareddy &amp; Gajwel segment&nbsp;
KCR, who represents Gajwel in the assembly, is fighting the elections from two segments &ndash; Gajwel and Kamareddy&mdash; in 2023. &nbsp;Both constituencies are witnessing exciting contests. While Congress has fielded its state president Revanth Reddy to take on the chief minister in Kamareddy, BJP has fielded Katipally Venkata Ramana Reddy. The Congress has claimed that CM fighting from two seats is an admission of defeat before the fight began. &nbsp;

In 2018, Congress, who rode the strong anti-incumbency wave to throw the BJP out, which had ruled the state for 15 years look to retain the state on the back of pro-farmer, pro-tribal and pro-poor schemes.

Chhattisgarh election 2023: Bhupesh Baghel's good governance test, will he pass or fail? 

From his popularity to his support for OBCs, tap to know why Bhupesh Baghel could possibly return to power in Chhattisgarh 



In 2018, Congress, who rode the strong anti-incumbency wave to throw the BJP out, which had ruled the state for 15 years look to retain the state on the back of pro-farmer, pro-tribal and pro-poor schemes.

Chhattisgarh will witness a 2-cornered contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress for the 90-seat assembly.
In 2018, Congress rode the strong anti-incumbency wave to throw BJP out who had ruled the state for 15 years.
The grand old party currently holds 71 seats in the state assembly and is aiming to better its tally by winning 75 seats in the upcoming elections on the back of pro-farmer, pro-tribal and pro-poor schemes. Here are the factors that might decide who wins the state&nbsp;
- Baghel's popularity&nbsp;
While BJP has been banking on the Modi factor in state elections, chief minister Baghel's popularity in Chhattisgarh might give Congress an extra edge. &nbsp;
Baghel, who has developed his image as the son of the soil, has a significant hold over Other Backward Classes and rural voters. This might hurt the BJP as it tries to make a comeback after facing defeat in the last election. - Hindutva&nbsp;
BJP stuck to their Hindutva narrative in Chattisgarh too as they highlighted the incidents of communal violence under the present Congress regime and alleged religious conversions in tribal-dominated areas.&nbsp;
Baghel, on the other hand, successfully countered BJP's long-used political rhetoric of cows and Lord Ram with the Godhan Nyay Yojana and Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit projects - OBC reservation&nbsp;
OBCs make up 52% of the state's population and have been demanding a 27% quota.&nbsp;
The issue became a matter of concern for the ruling Congress when the Chhattisgarh High Court last year set aside a 2011 order that raised the overall quota in the state to 58% since it breached the 50% reservation ceiling limit. Baghel's government challenged the High Court decision in the Supreme Court and enacted amendments under which the STs were given 32%, OBCs 27%, &amp; SCs 13%.&nbsp;
While the 2 bills are awaiting the governor's assent, the Supreme Court had directed the government in May to continue to implement 58% reservation. - BJP lacking leadership in the state In the last 5 years where Congress has strengthened its organisational set-up, the BJP have struggled to put their house in order. Since the 2018 assembly polls, the party has&nbsp;
changed its state chief thrice and also changed its leader of opposition in 2022. The saffron party has also virtually sidelined Raman Singh, whose last tenure as CM between 2013 and 2018 was rocked by alleged civil supplies scam and chit fund scam.&nbsp;
- Corruption&nbsp;
Congress government is facing allegations of corruption in coal transportation, liquor sale, District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund utilisation and Public Service Commission recruitment in the state.&nbsp;
The Enforcement Directorate is also investigating a money laundering case related to an illegal online gaming/betting app. Several Bollywood celebrities were summoned by ED in connection with the Mahadev betting scam case that has marred the reputation of Baghel's government.&nbsp;
Top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda accused Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of turning Chhattisgarh into an &lsquo;ATM&rsquo; for the Congress. - Welfare&nbsp;
Three flagship pro-farmer schemes have helped the Congress consolidate its position in the rural and semi-urban areas. They have promised welfare schemes worth Rs 47000 crores for the farmers. Meanwhile, the BJP has announced schemes amounting to Rs 38,000 for the welfare of the state&rsquo;s farmers.&nbsp;

Will the trend of 'revolving door' that has dominated Rajasthan's governance, since 1993, would prevail again and see BJP returning to power in 2023 or will Congress finally break the jinx?

BJP Vs Congress: will Ashok Gehlot turn tide or Rajasthan remain a swinging state? 

Electoral tradition dictates that it would likely be the BJP which will win the polls, but both parties are in the throes of factional feuds making this contest keenly watched. 

Tap to know the key factors that may affect the results - 

Will the trend of 'revolving door' that has dominated Rajasthan's governance, since 1993, would prevail again and see BJP returning to power in 2023 or will Congress finally break the jinx?

Rajasthan, since 1993, has seen the incumbent government failing to hold on to power for a second term. The political musical chair has seen BJP&rsquo;s Vasundhara Raje and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot take turns as chief ministers since 1998.
Electoral tradition dictates that it would likely be the BJP which will win the polls, but both parties are in the throes of factional feuds making this contest keenly watched. The key factors, therefore, are.
- Is it the BJP's turn?&nbsp;
Congress leader Sachin Pilot acknowledged that overcoming the 3-decade-' old &lsquo;revolving door&rsquo; trend will be his party's biggest challenge in the elections. And rightly so, out of the state's 200 seats, as per The Quint, 123 are swing constituencies, meaning seats where the voter trends show no loyalties; these account for 61.5%. &nbsp;
Apart from the Congress and BJP, there are independents and smaller political parties which have a part to play. While 63 seats out of those 123 sway between BJP and Congress, in the other 58, independents and other parties have registered victories in the last 30 years.&nbsp;
- BJP have an edge with &lsquo;double engine ki sarkar&rsquo;?
While the &lsquo;double engine&rsquo; narrative failed in Karnataka, BJP continued to tell the Rajasthan voters about the benefits of the same party rule at the Centre and in the state, promising more development.&nbsp;
By being a BJP-ruled state, collaborations with the Centre would, as per the party, result in more effective governance in Rajasthan where Ashok Gehlot's government has often lamented about not getting the due support from the Centre in the past 5 years.&nbsp;
- Welfare schemes
For chief minister Gehlot, his series of welfare schemes could help him counter the expected anti-incumbency. Through his inflation-relief camps where the eligible beneficiaries can register for the schemes, his government has tried to communicate that these initiatives would counter the situation created by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
-Who will be the next CM?
For Congress, it would be a leadership tussle between Pilot and Gehlot. BJP on the other hand, like in other states is trying to capitalise on Prime Minister Modi's name with no out-and-out CM face in sight. The visible sidelining of the last BJP CM Raje is a noticeable factor for the saffron party to counter. In local and national media coverage, the names of Raje, Satish Poonia and CP Joshi as the contestants for the CM post have been doing rounds.
-Corruption, law &amp; order BJP has been targeting the Congress government over law and order and has promised to &lsquo;expose&rsquo; the infamous &lsquo;red diary&rsquo; which allegedly carries details of the Gehlot government's financial irregularities.&nbsp;
Congress' Pilot too, earlier this year, had accused the government run by his political nemesis of &lsquo;failing&rsquo; to act on corruption that the BJP dispensation had been accused of.
-Strongholds
While the swing constituencies are expected to throw interesting results, the BJP has a clear sway over the remaining seats which could be crucial in determining the winner. &nbsp;
The percentage, as per The Quint, might be small but it is in BJP's favour. 33 out of the 200 seats are strongholds, and BJP dominates on 28 seats. Since 2008, Congress has had a hat-trick in only 5 constituencies. &nbsp;

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine whether or not a woman can be booked in a rape case

Can women be charged with rape? Supreme Court to examine matter

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine whether or not a woman can be booked in a rape case

Women are usually the victims of rape but can a woman be booked in a rape case? The Supreme Court has agreed to examine this question after a woman petitioned it for anticipatory bail in a rape case also involving her son.
The apex court has asked the Punjab government to respond to the plea filed by a 61-year-old woman who has been implicated in the case filed by her daughter-in-law.
While agreeing to examine the issue, a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Sanjay Karol granted the woman protection from arrest and directed her to cooperate with the investigation.
"Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. In the meantime, the petitioner is protected from arrest. But she is expected to cooperate with the investigation of the crime," the bench said.
At the outset, advocate Rishi Malhotra, who appeared for the woman, argued that all other penal sections in the FIR are bailable barring the charge under Section 376(2)(n) IPC (repeated rape). Conviction under the section entails imprisonment of not less than 10 years and may extend to sentence for life.
Referring to an apex court judgement, Malhotra submitted a woman cannot be charged with rape.
According to the case, the complainant was initially in a long-distance relationship with the US-based elder son of the woman, a widow, but they had never met in person.
The FIR states that the complainant started living with the widow after entering into wedlock with her son at a virtual marriage ceremony.
Later, the younger son of the widow visited them from Portugal. The widow has claimed that after the arrival of her younger son the complainant and her family pressured her to end the informal marriage with her elder son. When the younger son was about to leave for Portugal, the complainant insisted that he take her along but he left alone.
As tension mounted between the two families, a compromise was arrived at and the widow gave the complainant Rs 11 lakh for ending the marriage with her elder son.
The complainant then approached the local police and lodged an FIR against the widow and her younger son, accusing them of rape and other charges.&nbsp;

Amid concerns about the death sentence given to 8 Indians in Qatar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the kingdom's ruler

Indians on death row: PM Modi meets Qatar ruler, discusses 'well-being of the Indian community'

Amid concerns about the death sentence given to 8 Indians in Qatar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the kingdom's ruler

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai on Friday, as they discussed bilateral partnership and the well-being of the Indian community in the oil-rich country.
The meeting is significant as eight former Indian Navy personnel were on October 26 given death sentences by a court in Qatar and the Indian government has reportedly filed an appeal against the sentence.
"On the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai yesterday, had the opportunity to meet HH Sheikh @TamimBinHamad, the Amir of Qatar.
"We had a good conversation on the potential of bilateral partnership and the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar," Modi posted on X on Saturday.
The Indian nationals, who worked with private company Al Dahra, were arrested in August last year reportedly in an alleged case of espionage. Neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against the Indian nationals public.
India had described the ruling by the court in Qatar as "deeply" shocking and had vowed to explore all legal options in the case. Prime Minister Modi had a hectic schedule on Friday as he addressed four sessions at the UN climate change conference, met various world leaders and also held some bilateral meetings.

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