THURSDAY 25 JANUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Generally cloudy sky with light rain very likely to occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 21 °C and 14 °C respectively. RAINFALL: Trace RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 90 % TEMPERATURE Max: 22.8°C (-3) SUN RISES 06:18 hrs MOON RISES 16:1 hrs Mamata: No alliance with Cong in Bengal Had no discussions with Congress on seat-sharing, says TMC chief Min. 52 % Min: 16.3°C (+2) SUN SETS 17:19 hrs MOON SETS 05:16 hrs Full Moon on 25 January THUMBNAILS A view of the snow-capped Pir Panjal Range, on Wednesday. ANI President to address nation on eve of 75th Republic Day: President Droupadi Murmu will address the nation on Thursday, on the eve of the 75th Republic Day. The address will be broadcast from 7 pm on the entire national network of Akashvani and telecast over all the channels of Doordarshan in Hindi followed by the English version. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 24 JANUARY rinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made it clear that her party will not have any electoral alliance with the Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and will field candidates in all the seats in West Bengal. Miss Banerjee’s declaration came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is on his party’s Bharat Jodo NyayYatra said that seatsharing talks were ongoing with the Trinamul Congress and there would be an alliance in Bengal. Miss Banerjee who is a key leader of the INDIA bloc, said: “I have always said let Congress fight in 300 seats while the regional parties will field their candidates where they are strong.We will not tolerate any kind of interference.” She said: "They did not even bother to inform me that they (the T Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra) will be coming to West Bengal as a matter of courtesy even though I am a part of the INDIA bloc. So there is no relation with me as far as Bengal is concerned." “I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we will alone will defeat BJP ." Miss Banerjee said. Miss Banerjee while addressing the MLAS from Murshidabad some days ago had said that the Tri- namul Congress would field candidates in Murshidabad, the home-ground of Congress MP and PCC president Adhir Chowdhury.“Put Adhir Chowdhury out of your mind and work together and it is not a problem at all to defeat him,” Miss Banerjee had said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had won two seats, namely Behrampur in Murshidabad and Malda. But over the years there has been massive erosion of the Congress’s vote bank in both Malda and Murshidabad. Political observers also say that Miss Banerjee’s move will put the BJP in a tight spot. The BJP depended heavily on votes from CPI-M supporters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. With the CPI-M having an alliance with Congress and the party getting some oxygen following the Brigade meeting of DYFI, the transfer of such votes to BJP will be minimal, the observers said. On the other hand, they said, staunch supporters of Congress do not accept the alliance as they feel that the CPI-M had killed hundreds of its supporters in 34 years of Left rule in the state, and they will either abstain from voting or vote for the Trinamul Congress. In both cases the TMC will benefit. The BJP's organisation in Bengal is weak and in the Panchayat election the party was routed. Against this backdrop, the decision of Miss Banerjee will put Trinamul Congress two steps ahead of its opponents in ther ensuing Lok Sabha elections. Congress says TMC pillar of INDIA alliance STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE GUWAHATI, 24 JANUARY A devotee who came from Siwan district of Bihar with his Kamdhenu cow to offer prayers at the Ram Mandir on Wednesday.  ANI The Congress on Wednesday asserted that the Trinamul Congress is the "pillar of INDIA alliance", moments after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's declaration that her party would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state independently. Addressing a Press conference in Lower Assam, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said: “The Trinamul Congress (TMC) is a pillar of the INDIA alliance. We cannot imagine the alliance without Mamata ji. Tomorrow, our (Bharat Jodo Nyay) Yatra is entering West Bengal. Discussions regarding seat sharing are going on, and the result will come soon which will make everyone satisfied.”Referring to claims that the Congress did not extend an invitation to the Trinamul Congress to join the Yatra in Bengal, the Congress spokesperson said: “The Congress presi- dent had spoken, Rahul Gandhi had spoken, the AICC in-charge had spoken... Kharge said in public meetings that all the INDIA parties are being invited, and he has spoken to all of them. I do not know in what context she has said that, but I saw that she has also said that defeating the BJP was her priority.” 74 dead after Russian military aircraft downed French President Macron arrives today; PM to join him in Jaipur India goes for big coal gasification MOSCOW, 24 JANUARY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 JANUARY Russia’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday accused Ukrainian forces of shooting down a military transport plane, killing all 74 people aboard, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war being swapped. Ukrainian officials did not immediately confirm or deny Russia’s claims about the crash in Russia’s Belgorod border region, although they said they were looking into them. Details of who was aboard or what brought the plane down could not be immediately obtained. In addition to the 65 POWs, the Il-76 transport carried a crew of six and three other passengers, the Russian military said. AP (Details on Page 9) French President Emmanuel Macron, who is the chief guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations, will arrive in Jaipur in Rajasthan tomorrow. Later, he will be received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the two leaders will tour the pink city together. Mr Macron will "tour Amber Fort and interact with artisans, stakeholders in IndoFrench cultural projects, as well as students. Thereafter, he will be received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two leaders will visit a few landmarks of the Pink City together," according to an official statement. The two leaders will visit various places of cultural and historical sig- Modi will launch development projects in Bulandshahr worth over ` 19,100 crore nificance in the city, including Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Albert Hall Museum. Following their tour, the two leaders will then hold indepth bilateral talks. Later on 26 January, President Macron will attend the Republic Day parade as the Chief Guest. Prior to his reaching Jaipur to welcome the French leader, Mr Modi will visit Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, where he will dedication to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,100 crore. The projects pertain to important sectors like rail, road, oil and gas and urban development and housing. During the programme in Bulandshahr, the prime minister will dedicate to the nation the 173-Km long double-line electrified section between New Khurja and New Rewari on the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) by flagging off goods trains from the two stations, via video conferencing. This new DFC section is important as it establishes crucial connectivity between theWestern and Eastern DFCs. The PM will also dedicate to the nation the fourth line connecting the MathuraPalwal section and Chipiyana Buzurg-Dadri section. The PM will dedicate multiple road development projects to the nation, and also inaugurate Indian Oil's 255 km TundlaGawaria Pipeline. UNSC does not reflect today’s realities: UNGA prez STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 JANUARY The president of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, on Wednesday acknowledged that the current “outdated structure” of the Security Council fails to reflect the current geopolitical realities and wished India succeed in its quest to become a permanent member of the Council. Addressing a press conference, Mr Francis, who is on a five-day visit to India, said: “The Security Council of the UN as it currently exists harks back to a period in world history that no longer exists. Since then, the world has changed radically.” HIGH ON JOSH United Nations General Assembly President Dennis Francis speaks during a press conference, in New Delhi on Wednesday.  ANI Highlighting the council's inability to make crucial decisions for international peace and security, he said the fact of the matter is that the Council has, in recent years, been progressively unable to take the decisions necessary in order to assist and support the strengthening of international peace and security largely for geopolitical reasons. The geopolitics, the global dynamics of the geopolitics, get imported into the Council, and that results invariably in the use of the veto by one or the other party, he added. On India's inclusion in the UNSC, he said: “India is a mature, highly respected member of the United Nations. It is a leader in many ways. And I'm sure that that fact is not lost on the members of the General Assembly. So, I wish the government and the people of India every success in their quest to assume membership of the council on a permanent basis. Whether that occurs or not will be a matter for the members to determine.” Mr Francis also lauded India's outreach to Africa, particularly in regard to its facilitating the membership of the African Union in the G20. This demonstrates India's leadership in the international arena. “But more than that demonstrates its long-standing commitment to assist and facilitate development in the third world, in the global South,” he added. On terrorism, he said it's a global phenomenon today, adding India has been a victim of the menace. NEW DELHI, 24 JANUARY The Union Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a major decision on coal gasification projects to reduce imports of natural gas and LPG used for domestic consumption. Briefing newspersons, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said India has one of the largest reserves of coal. As per latest reviews last week, other than current exploration, India has 361 billion tonnes proven reserves of coal. “Even if we mine even half of it, it is sufficient for the country’s requirements for 125 years,” he said. At present, 80 per cent of the present mined coal is used for electricity production. India is at present importing 12 mmtpa of natural gas for fertilisers and 28 mmtpa of LPG for domestic consumption. Therefore, the Government has decided to encourage coal gasification projects. The first project will start in six months including tenders and production will start by 2028-29. The projects will not only reduce pollution in the country but hundreds of products will come out of the processes, including synthetic gases. The Minister said India “can’t stop coal mining because the resource is mainly located in the most backward areas of the country.” Besides, India is to become atmanirbhar in products like explosives. India faced its shortage recently, he said. (Details on Page 8) CMYK Disaster management jawans take part in the final dress rehearsal for the upcoming Republic Day celebration, in Kolkata on Wednesday.  SNS No truck with Congress in Punjab: Bhagwant Mann AGENCIES CHANDIGARH, 24 JANUARY Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would go alone in the next Lok Sabha elections and would contest on all 13 seats in the state with no alliance with the Congress. Predicting a clean sweep, Mann said, “It’s going to be 13-0 in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. AAP is poised to secure victory in all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and would emerge as the hero in the country.” He was categorically clear in saying that there would be no alliance with the Congress in the state. On being asked about the party’s alliance with the Congress for the Chandigarh mayoral poll, Mann, without mincing words, told the media here, “The party would also contest alone on the lone seat Chandigarh.” Both AAP and the Congress are a coalition of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc. Mann said nearly 40 aspirants of AAP have been shortlisted in preliminary meetings for the 13 Lok Sabha seats. “We will conduct a survey again to know the winnability (of the candidate) on each seat. On some seats there are threefour candidates shortlisted and on a seat like Jalandhar, where we have a sitting MP, there is a lone candidate,” he added.