Maharashtra CM contest: Fadnavis rises as leading candidate as Eknath Shinde ‘withdraws’—is a new BJP figure on the horizon?
Maharashtra CM contest: With Eknath Shinde suggesting a retreat, attention now turns to Devendra Fadnavis as a viable aspirant. As the BJP maneuvers through coalition intricacies, the direction of Maharashtra's leadership is precarious amid ongoing discussions and political strategizing.
Maharashtra CM contest: The political scene in Maharashtra has been obscure since the decisive triumph of the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition in the state’s latest Assembly elections. With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming a firm majority with 132 seats out of a total of 288, the inquiry into who will take up the position of Maharashtra Chief Minister has emerged as a central point of political discourse.
As the coalition partners—BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—navigate through sensitive negotiations, the attention is directed toward the upcoming chief ministerial contender.
But who will assume control of Maharashtra?
While Eknath Shinde has indicated his readiness to back any candidate determined by the Mahayuti leadership, his role within the upcoming government remains ambiguous.
There has been no announcement on whether the caretaker CM of Maharashtra will stay on as Chief Minister, take another role, or step back entirely.
Concurrently, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat pointed out ongoing attempts to marginalize Eknath Shinde, a claim that complicates the political narrative further. "We have already conveyed that we are not an obstacle to the choice of the CM," a senior Shiv Sena source informed The Hindu, reiterating the party’s support for the BJP’s resolution while showing uncertainty regarding Shinde’s prospects.
Cyclone Fengal update: Rescue operations by Army, NDRF ongoing in Puducherry, train services back in Chennai
Cyclone Fengal finished making landfall early Sunday at approximately 2 am, crossing the Tamil Nadu coastline between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, according to the IMD. Following landfall, Cyclone Fengal was projected to head west-southwest; however, it remained stationary for six hours close to Puducherry. After a temporary pause, flight services at Chennai airport resumed around 4 am on Sunday. Nonetheless, passengers reported issues with delayed and cancelled flights even after operations recommenced.
In addition, a rescue operation spearheaded by the Indian Army and NDRF initiated at 6:15 am, successfully evacuating over 100 people within the initial two hours.
Has Cyclone Fengal passed Chennai?
The Cyclonic Storm Fengal made its way across the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry shores late Saturday night, with expectations to travel west-southwest. Yet, thus far, the cyclone has remained stationary for six hours in the vicinity of Puducherry.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated it would subsequently weaken into a deep depression within the coming hours.
What is the velocity of Cyclone Fengal?
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speeds reached between 70-80 kilometers per hour, peaking at 90 km/h in the coastal regions of northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh.
Cyclone Fengal expected to diminish into deep depression
The IMD's forecast suggested a gradual westward movement, with an anticipated reduction in intensity into a deep depression over northern coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry within the next six hours.
On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin assessed the state's readiness, given that heavy rainfall is anticipated over the next 48 hours due to Cyclone Fengal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also declared a red alert across numerous regions in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry. The forecast indicates shifting weather patterns, including elevated tides and substantial rainfall.
Ananda Das, head of the IMD's Cyclonic division, stated that a red alert was issued due to the expectation of significant to exceptionally heavy rainfall affecting many areas in Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and interior Karnataka.
“Primarily coastal districts, particularly at the crossing point between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram near Puducherry, will face greater consequences. Wind and rainfall are forecasted. Today, wind velocities reached between 50-60 km/h, with gusts up to 70 km/h. From 1 pm to 2 pm, extremely heavy rain is predicted. Several locations will experience scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall,” remarked Dr. S Balachandran, the director of the regional meteorological center in Chennai.
All schools and colleges in Puducherry and multiple districts of Tamil Nadu, including Kanchipuram, remained closed on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Puducherry fisheries department has released an advisory for fishermen, cautioning them against venturing into the sea as Cyclone Fengal approaches. The advisory also instructed fishermen to relocate their vessels and gear to elevated areas to avoid potential damage.
Israel disregards ceasefire arrangement? Air strike targets Hezbollah location in southern Lebanon, according to military
The Israeli defense forces announced, “…hostile actions were detected at a site utilized by Hezbollah for storing mid-range missiles in southern Lebanon.”
On Thursday, the Israeli defense forces communicated that their air force had targeted a location employed by the Iran-aligned militant organization Hezbollah for the storage of mid-range missiles in southern Lebanon. This incident marks the initial offensive following the commencement of a ceasefire agreement between the organization and Israel that went into effect on Wednesday morning.
“A short time ago, hostile actions were recognized at a site used by Hezbollah for the storage of mid-range missiles in southern Lebanon. An [Israeli Air Force] aircraft neutralized the threat. The [Israeli army] continues its presence in southern Lebanon and is engaged in enforcing breaches of the ceasefire agreement,” the military stated in a communication as reported by the news agency AFP. Israel and the Hezbollah fighters based in Lebanon initiated a ceasefire on Wednesday, representing a significant move toward concluding almost 14 months of conflict, while the region remained apprehensive about the durability of the truce, as indicated by the news agency Associated Press.
Israel is said to have indicated that it would strike if Hezbollah violated the pact. An Israeli military spokesperson, through an Arabic-language X post within the initial thirty minutes of the ceasefire, cautioned evacuated inhabitants of southern Lebanon not to return to their homes just yet, mentioning that the military was still stationed in that area.
The ceasefire stipulates a preliminary two-month cessation of hostilities, mandating Hezbollah to conclude its military presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli forces are expected to revert to their own side of the border.
A considerable number of additional Lebanese soldiers along with UN peacekeeping forces would be deployed in the southern region, and an international committee led by the United States would oversee adherence to the agreement.
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Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem proudly proclaims 'divine victory' over Israel following ceasefire agreement
A ceasefire agreement mediated by the United States and France between Hezbollah and Israel was activated on Wednesday. According to the terms of the truce, the hostilities along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier are set to cease, with both warring parties expected to withdraw. The Lebanese Army will oversee the enforcement of this agreement.
In his first speech after the ceasefire took effect on Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem described it as a divine victory for the militant organization over Israel, claiming it eclipses their previous encounter in 2006, which was the last time the two opposing forces engaged in combat.
He asserted that Hezbollah had "endorsed the arrangement, with our resistance robust on the battlefield, and we remain proud of our right to protect (ourselves)." Furthermore, Qassem remarked, “To those who were wagering that Hezbollah would be diminished, we express our regrets; their expectations have proven incorrect.”
What are the terms of the agreement?
The US and France facilitated ceasefire agreement stipulates that both parties have pledged to halt the hostilities along the Israeli-Lebanese border, which have resulted in numerous fatalities since the conflict began in Gaza last year. As part of the pact, Hezbollah is to withdraw from regions south of the Litani River, approximately 30 km (20 miles) north of the Israeli border.
Additionally, the Lebanese Army is tasked with helping to ensure the durability of the ceasefire. Troops will be positioned in the southern regions of the nation. In the meantime, the Lebanese Army has urged residents to postpone their return to homes in the south until Israeli forces, which have engaged in military operations in southern Lebanon, withdraw. The truce between Hezbollah and Israel provides a 60-day timeframe for the Israeli military to pull out from Lebanese territory.
Complications arise following Israeli airstrike
Nonetheless, efforts have been complicated by their ongoing presence, as the military imposed restrictions on individuals attempting to return to villages close to Lebanon’s border with Israel and has fired upon residents in those areas recently, classifying such movements as violations of the ceasefire.
Both the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah have accused Israel of violating the ceasefire in these circumstances, including an airstrike conducted above the Litani River on Thursday.
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