Regional

Chennai, April 18 (IANS) The DMK leadership has instructed its cadres to be extra cautious in four Lok Sabha constituencies where the BJP-led NDA is reported to enjoy an edge.

As per state police intelligence, the NDA has an advantage in the Dharmapuri, Theni, Tirunelveli, and Vellore Lok Sabha seats.

While in Dharmpuri and Theni, the NDA candidates are from PMK (Sowmiya Anbumani) and the AMMK (T.T.V. Dhinakaran), respectively, BJP legislature party leader Nainar Nagendran is in the fray from Tirunelveli in south Tamil Nadu, and New Justice Party leader A.C. Shanumgam is contesting on a BJP ticket from Vellore.

Sources in the DMK told IANS that the party President and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has directed party General Secretary and state Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan to be in touch with the lower-level functionaries of the party in these four constituencies.

Duraimurugan’s son, Kathir Anand, is contesting from the Vellore Lok Sabha seat.

The DMK leadership, according to information, also has its eye on the Coimbatore, Kanniyakumari, Virudhunagar, and Nilgiris seats, where the BJP candidates are state President K. Annamalai, former Union minister, Pon Radhakrishnan, filmstar-turned-politician Raadhika Sarathkumar and Union Minister L. Murugan, respectively.

With hours only remaining for the polls, the local workers of the DMK are visiting all the homes in the four constituencies where the state police intelligence has given an edge to the BJP and NDA, and in the latter four seats also, the DMK is not taking any chance and is meeting the voters one last time.

Talking to IANS, Duraimurugan said: "This is a routine for the DMK. We are a cadre party and know our strengths and weaknesses, and in some constituencies, we are taking some extra caution. However, we are expecting a sweep and win all the 39 seats of Tamil Nadu and one seat of Puducherry."

--IANS

aal/vd

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hardly win 12-15 Parliamentary seats in the southern states in the Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking at a rally while campaigning for Congress leader Adoor Prakash in Kerala's Attingal, Revanth Reddy said that the grand old party will win all 20 LS seats in Kerala, while it will bag at least 14 out of 17 LS seats in Telangana.

On the BJP expressing confidence of crossing 400 seats, Revanth Reddy said even BRS president and former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao while campaigning for last year's Assembly polls had claimed that he would win 100 seats but could bag only 39 seats.

Revanth Reddy said that "similarly, the BJP is trying to confuse people, but people are intelligent and they are going to teach a lesson to the party".

KCR has recently said that the Congress government in Telangana will not last more than a year "as nobody knows who will join the BJP and when".

"We don't know, the Chief Minister (Revanth Reddy) himself may jump to the BJP," he said.

KCR said while they want the Congress government to complete its five-year term, considering the recent developments, he doubts if it will last more than a year.

He also said that all surveys showed that the Congress would not get more than two Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

--IANS

spr/pgh

Chandigarh, April 18 (IANS) Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday expressed disapproval over BJP’s Ludhiana candidate Ravneet Bittu claiming the Congress never respected former chief minister Beant Singh, who was killed in a bomb blast in Chandigarh in 1995.

Warring questioned the use of Beant Singh’s image in the BJP’s election propaganda by Bittu, a rebel Congress MP.

The PPCC chief told the media here, “Beant Singh epitomized national leadership and commanded admiration nationwide. Revered as a symbol of peace, his sacrifices resonate across the nation. However, the use of his image for political gain by his grandson (Bittu), now aligned with the BJP, is regrettable and disrespects the sacrifices of Beant Singh.”

Warring added, “Bittu's defection to the BJP has already cast a shadow over Beant Singh’s legacy, and his actions continue to tarnish the distinguished memory of the former chief minister. Such actions are likely to dishearten the spirit of Beant Singh. The Congress has always kept Beant Singh in high regard, claims by Bittu about his statue being removed from Congress Bhavan Chandigarh are all false. We respect our leaders and martyrs, unlike Bittu who has disrespected his own grandfather.”

“It’s imperative to refrain from exploiting the legacy of his grandfather for political advantage, and Bittu should understand it. The people of Punjab recognize and reject such tactics. The valour of our martyrs demands reverence, and any attempt to undermine it will not find favour with the public,” he added.

--IANS

vg/bg

Solapur (Maharashtra), April 18 (IANS) A man attired as 'Yamraj', the Hindu God of Death, and riding the deity's preferred mount, a buffalo, reached the Collectorate on Thursday to submit his nomination as an Independent candidate for Maharashtra's Madha Lok Sabha constituency

Ram Gaikwad, garbed in a gold-and-black robe and dhoti, a gleaming golden headgear with two protruding curved white horns and toting a shining mace, announced that he would contest the LS polls from Madha to enter the Parliament with the aim of saving the country from the menace of corruption, poverty, unemployment and other ills.

He claimed that he was donning the role of 'Yamraj' to "finish" off corruption in the country, ensure Maratha quotas, prevent the misuse of central investigation agencies by the government against political rivals, the politics of hacking and breaking political parties, self-centred politics, etc.

Gathering plenty of interesting glances from passers-by, who stopped to see the unusual spectacle, the handle-bar moustache sporting candidate’s arrival was heralded from quite a distance as over a hundred of his supporters lustily cheered and raised slogans in his support.

As his buffalo, guided and controlled by a couple of aides, reached the Collectorate office, Gaikwad alighted with aplomb, cast a menacing glance around and then stomped inside to submit his nomination papers.

In case his nomination is accepted, then 'Yamraj' Gaikwad will lock horns-cum-mace with two powerful contenders – Bharatiya Janata Party’s sitting MP Ranjitsinh Naik-Nimbalkar and Nationalist Congress Party-SP's Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, who quit the BJP last week to join Sharad Pawar's party.

Though it was labelled as a ‘publicity gimmick’, Gaikwad’s arrival as ‘Yamraj’ not only made waves but managed to garner much attention though most decided to keep a safe distance from the God of Death.

--IANS

qn/vd

Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), April 18 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh will soon get its first-ever glass skywalk bridge, which will be set against the picturesque backdrop of Tulsi Waterfalls in the Markundi range of the Chitrakoot forest division.

Built from a fusion of glass and steel, this marvel of engineering takes the form of Lord Ram's revered bow and arrow, thereby symbolising strength and valour.

According to reports, this bridge promises to redefine the landscape of eco-tourism in the region. This ambitious project aims to elevate the allure of Chitrakoot.

Drawing inspiration from Bihar's renowned skywalk glass bridge in Rajgir, Uttar Pradesh's glass skywalk is poised to captivate visitors with its blend of aesthetic charm and structural brilliance.

The bridge, said sources, will be inaugurated after the Lok Sabha polls.

Complementing the breathtaking vistas of the waterfall, the surrounding area has been transformed into a verdant oasis known as 'Kodand Van', which will provide visitors with a tranquil retreat amidst nature's splendour.

Built by the esteemed Ghazipur-based Pawan Sut Construction Company, the bridge stands as a testament to collaborative effort and visionary planning.

Originally known as Shabri Waterfall, the cascading beauty that serves as the foundation for the glass skywalk was recently christened Tulsi Waterfalls by the state government.

Offering both aesthetic appeal and structural integrity, the bow-and-arrow-shaped bridge spans an impressive length of 25 m towards the abyss and boasts of a width of 35 m between its sturdy pillars. With a robust load capacity of 500 kg per square metre, the bridge ensures safety and comfort for visitors eager to embark on this thrilling adventure.

--IANS

amita/uk