THE HEADLINES::
- BJP leader Samrat Choudhary to take oath as new Chief Minister of Bihar at Lok Bhavan in Patna this morning.
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, Women Reservation Bill is balanced and fulfills aspirations of every state, community and region.
- Death toll rises to 14 in Chhattisgarh boiler explosion incident.
- 250 people including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals go missing after overcrowded trawler capsizes in Andaman Sea.
- Israel and Lebanon hold preliminary direct talks in Washington.
- And, in IPL Cricket, Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary will take oath as new Chief Minister of the state this morning. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Lok Bhavan in Patna at 11 AM. He will be the first BJP leader to assume the top post in the state.
Yesterday, Mr. Choudhary met Governor Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain at Lok Bhawan and staked his claim to form the government. He was unanimously elected as leader during NDA legislature party meeting.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Sri Guru Bairavaikya Mandira at Srikshetra Adichunchanagiri mutt in Mandya, Karnataka today. After arrival, the Prime Minister will visit Jwala Peetha, where Lord Shiva was believed to be in penance. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will offer prayers at Sri Kala Bhairava temple before inaugurating the new mandira built as a tribute to the spiritual lineage of the mutt in the ancient Kalabhairaveshwara temple complex.
“Elaborate arrangements are made for the visit of the Prime Minister to Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri, a sacred place built on a hill in Nagamangala taluk. Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira to be inaugurated by PM is built like Konark Sun temple with architectural designs from Hoysala, Cholas, Chalukyas and Gangas. The Prime Minister will be felicitated with Mysuru Peta created with Mysuru and Benaras silk and a string of pearls and small pendants. This design of peta was worn by the erstwhile King Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysuru. Sudhindra, Akashvani news, Bengaluru.”
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In Tamil Nadu, electioneering is on full swing. Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will hold a road show at Nagercoil today. Mr Modi will be joined by AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palanisamy and Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
DMK leader and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will also garner votes for his alliance at Salem District today. Actor Vijay is scheduled to campaign at Chennai but permission is awaited.
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In our series on constituency profiles, today we take a look at Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri constituency of Dharmapuri district. The district has four assembly constituencies namely Palacode, Pennagaram, Dharmapuri, Pappireddipatti and Harur. Dharmapuri has a total electorate of 2 lakh 57 thousand 939.
”Dharmapuri is known for mangoes and silk, rich deposits of granite and the popular Hogenakkal falls. It is the entry part of the Cauvery river into the State. Dr.Soumya Anbumani is contesting from this constituency. She is the President of Pasumai Thayagam , entirely involved with the protection of the environment. This is the first time she will be contesting the Assembly election. The incumbent is S.P.Venkateshwaran of the PMK led by Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss in the NDA alliance. The constituency has existed since 1952. Five times DMK and three times PMK ,Congress twice, AIADMK and DMDK once each from this constituency. Dr.V.Elangovan from the DMDK in Secular Progressive Alliance led by DMK is in the fray in Dharmapuri. Joy Akashvani Reporting from ChennAi”.
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Election campaigning has intensified in West Bengal ahead of the assembly elections. Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold several public meetings in the state today. He will attend rally at the Lebong ground in Darjeeling town (around noon), followed by a meeting at Rajganj of Jalpaiguri district. Later in the afternoon, Mr Shah will join a rally at the Falakata Mill road ground in Alipurduar. He is also scheduled to join a public meeting at the Kalibari RMC ground in Tufanganj in Coochbehar.
Earlier, Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed poll rallies in Raiganj and Malda yesterday, and criticized Trinamool Congress government for not fulfilling its promise of providing jobs to the state’s youth.
TMC President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also held rallies at Howrah, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts yesterday.
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has said, Women Reservation Bill to be brought by the government during the Special Parliamentary Session is balanced and fulfills the aspirations of every state, community and region. Talking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, the Minister said, he reached out to every political party and no party is opposing the legislation which is being brought in the Parliament session to be held from tomorrow till Saturday. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to all the political parties for coming together in the national interest.
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The death toll in boiler explosion incident in Singhanterai of Chhattisgarh has risen to 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of 2 lakh rupees from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of the kin of each deceased and 50 thousand rupees to the injured.
“The explosion occurred when a boiler tube exploded at a Vedanta Ltd. power plant in Singhanterai village of Sakti district yesterday. Sakti Superintendent of Police said, the powerful blast occurred at around 2:30 PM in a tube supplying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine causing severe burns to workers. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has also announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees each to the kin of each deceased worker and 50 thousand rupees to those injured. He also ordered the Commissioner of Bilaspur division to conduct an inquiry into the tragedy. The district administration has already ordered a separate magisterial probe into the accident. JIGYASA PANDEY, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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President Droupadi Murmu will be on a two day visit to Maharashtra from today.
“The President will attend the second convocation ceremony of AIIMS Nagpur this morning and later will be present at the valediction ceremony of the 78th batch of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Officer Trainees at the National Academy of Direct Taxes, Nagpur in the evening. During the AIIMS convocation ceremony degrees and gold medals will be conferred upon a total of 210 students. While NADT event marks the completion of the 16-month Induction Training Programme of 130 Officer Trainees of the 78th Batch of IRS. On 16th April, second day of her tour, President Murmu will attend the sixth convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya at Wardha. Dhananjay Wankhde, Akashvani News, Nagpur.”
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The advance registration for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra will commence from today via online and offline modes across 554 designated bank branches in the country. We have a report:
“The registration and issuance of yatra permits will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to a fixed daily quota for each route at every designated branch. The registration facility will be available at 554 branches of J&K Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, and Yes Bank across the country. Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) will be issued to every registered pilgrim and service provider. Registered pilgrims will receive group accident insurance with the sum assured enhanced to Rs. 10 lakh per person. Pilgrims aged between 13 and 70 years will be eligible for registration, while women with more than six weeks of pregnancy will not be permitted to undertake the pilgrimage. Pilgrims will be required to submit a valid Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC), issued on or after April 8, 2026, by an authorised doctor or medical institution. N. Gulshan Raina, Akashvani News, Jammu.”
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Around 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are feared missing after a trawler carrying them capsized in the Andaman Sea while reportedly attempting to reach Malaysia.
“The vessel reportedly departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh and sank amid rough seas, strong winds and overcrowded conditions. The incident is believed to have occurred on April 9, though details remain unclear. So far, only nine survivors have been rescued. According to the Bangladesh Coast Guard, they were spotted drifting at sea by a passing vessel and later brought to safety. Authorities said several of the rescued individuals are suspected of being involved in human trafficking. The UN agencies expressed deep concern over the tragedy, describing it as a stark reminder of the growing risks faced by Rohingya refugees undertaking dangerous sea journeys. They noted that prolonged displacement, deteriorating conditions in refugee camps, and limited access to education and livelihoods are pushing many to seek opportunities abroad through unsafe routes. Navalsang Parmar, Akashwani News, Dhaka.”
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US President Donald Trump has said negotiations between Washington and Tehran may restart in Pakistan within the next two days.
Meanwhile, Israel and Lebanon held preliminary direct talks in Washington yesterday, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
”Diplomatic efforts across West Asia are gathering pace, with the United States pushing parallel negotiations on two key fronts. Washington says talks with Iran could resume within days, as both sides attempt to extend a fragile ceasefire and prevent further escalation around the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Israel and Lebanon have opened their first direct talks in decades in Washington, focusing on border tensions and security arrangements in southern Lebanon. The United States is mediating both tracks, in a coordinated attempt to stabilise multiple flashpoints across West Asia. While no immediate breakthroughs are expected, the simultaneous diplomatic engagement with Iran and between Israel and Lebanon signals a renewed push to prevent the broader conflict from expanding further across the region. This is Vinod Kumar, Akashvani News from Dubai.”
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In IPL Cricket, Chennai Super Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai last night. Batting first, Chennai Super Kings posted 192 for 5 in their stipulated 20 overs, In reply, Kolkata Knight Riders struggled early and finished at 160 for 7. For CSK, Noor Ahmad bagged three wickets and was adjudged player of the match.
In today’s fixture, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Lucknow Super Giants at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The match will begin at 7:30 PM.
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Himachal Day is being observed today. The state-level celebration will be held at the district headquarters of Kinnaur in Reckong Peo, while district-level functions are also being organized across the state.
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In Punjab, 6 devotees have reportedly died when the ill fated bus they were traveling in met with an accident, in Fatehgarh Sahib district, late last night. They were returning after paying obeisance at Sri Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of Baisakhi. More details awaited.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- Bills circulated for women’s quota and 850 House seats is covered prominently by the dailies. “Government moves fast-track women’s quota, delimitation reforms in special session” reports The Statesman.
- “Bill seeks 850-seat Lok Sabha for women quota by’ 2029” leads The Tribune.
- The Pioneer in its editorial piece ” Jaaiye aap kahaan jaayenge…” writes that with Asha Bhosle’s passing, an era of Indian music draws to a close. She leaves behind a voice that will echo through generations. Asha Bhosle, the playback singer with a gifted voice, is no more. Yet her voice would always be there to evoke nostalgia of yesteryears when the music was largely instrument-driven and auto-tune wasn’t heard of. Though her singing career spans eight decades but she adjusted and adapted to changing times beautifully and sang for several generations.
- “Nitish steps down, Samrat to take oath as 1st BJP Bihar Chief Minister,” states Hindustan Times.
- “Prime Minister opens 12,000 crore rupees Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor,” says Business Line.
- And finally, “Taylor Swift tops 2026 American Music Awards nominations again” reports The Indian Express. The paper writes that “Taylor Swift leads this year’s American Music Awards with eight nominations, including artist of the year.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- BJP leader Samrat Choudhary to take oath as new Chief Minister of Bihar at Lok Bhavan in Patna this morning.
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, Women Reservation Bill is balanced and fulfills aspirations of every state, community and region.
- Death toll rises to 14 in Chhattisgarh boiler explosion incident.
- 250 people including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals go missing after overcrowded trawler capsizes in Andaman Sea.
- Israel and Lebanon hold preliminary direct talks in Washington.
- And, in IPL Cricket, Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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