FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS VOL. XXXX NO. 252 | INDORE | SUNDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2024 | PAGES 18 r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; `4 r RNI No. 38281/83 QUALITY AT VALUE www.freepressjournal.in - ‘ASHWIN CAN COME ANYTIME AND BOWL STRAIGHTAWAY’ SPORTS WORLD UKRAINE ORDERS WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM AVDIIVKA INDIRA’S THIRD SON SET TO SHUN PANJA FOR KAMAL NATH DID not rule out the possibility; he said media would be informed CLOSE AIDE Sajjan Singh Verma hints at shift as Nath leaves for New Delhi OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL Former chief minister Kamal Nath, called the third son of Indira Gandhi, is all set to join the BJP along with his son Nakul Nath. If that happens, it will have far-reaching consequences on the political landscape of Madhya Pradesh. Nath left Chhindwara for Delhi on Saturday When . the media persons in Delhi wanted to know from him whether he was going to join the BJP Nath curtly , said if that happened he would at first let them know about it. He is not excited about whether he is on this side or that side, Nath further said. He, however, did not rule out the possibilities of his switching over to the BJP . According to sources, a large number of legislators and Congress leaders in MP may leave the party along with Nath. During an informal chat with media persons, a former minister and a close aide of Nath, Sajjan Singh Verma, hinted at Nath switching over to the BJP . first You read it here Nakul, supporters change profile Amid speculations about his joining the BJP, Nakul Nath and his supporters have changed their profile. Nakul has removed the word Congress from his social media account. Several supporters of Nath have also removed the logo of the Congress from their social media accounts. Beyond imagination, says Patwari Published on Jan 20 Verma further indicated that if Nath switched over to the BJP, he would follow suit. Sources further said Nath held talks with the BJP’s top leadership and he might join the ruling party along with Nakul Nath and a few other leaders. Nath’s anger against the party leadership came to light after he was suddenly removed from the post of MPCC president. His annoyance deepened after he was denied a ticket to the Rajya Sabha. Apart from that, Nath runs a business empire, and his nephew is involved in AugustaWestland scam. There are allegations against Nath about his involvement in antiSikh riots in 1984. Nath lost his importance in the Congress after the assembly election. CONTD. ON P6 MPCC president Jitu Patwari has, however, refuted the claims of the media that Kamal Nath is joining the BJP. Patwari said he had been in constant touch with Nath who is called the third son of Indira Gandhi. He further said when Jyotiraditya Scindia had defected to the BJP, all Congress men stood solidly behind Nath. One cannot even dream that Nath will quit the Congress, Patwari said. Nath cannot leave Cong: Digvijaya Former CM Digvijaya Singh said those who were either scared or became weak were joining the BJP. In an informal discussion with media in Jabalpur, Singh said nobody should expect Kamal Nath to join the BJP. The man who stood behind the Nehru family and fought cannot leave the family of Sonia Gandhi, Singh said. WEATHER EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE 29.70c. 16.20c Sunrise : 06.57 Sunset : 06.24 Pregnant woman gang-raped, set ablaze in Morena MORENA: A 34-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly raped by three men and set on fire in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, and is battling for her life in a hospital, police said on Saturday . The victim, who sustained 80 per cent burns, is undergoing treatment in Gwalior, an official said. The incident occurred in Chand Ka Pura village, around 3 km from Ambah town, on Friday, he said. The victim went to the village to work out a compromise with a woman who had accused her husband of rape, inspector Alok Parihar of Ambah police station told PTI. The victim was, however, allegedly raped by three men who were present in the woman's house. Later, the trio and the accused woman poured fuel on her and set her ablaze, the official said. CONTD. ON P6 ELECTRIFYING ACTION CINEMA Pak CEC, CJ rigged polls says senior babu, quits ISLAMABAD A senior Pakistani bureaucrat has stirred a hornet's nest by alleging widespread rigging aided by the judiciary and top election body in last week's poll against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party . As Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha resigned from his post, taking the "responsibility for all this wrongdoing," Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa termed his allegations as "baseless". The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) strongly rejected it and Khan's rival party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) called it a case of "political allegiance" dictating the bureaucrat's claims. Khan, however, claimed that the "incriminating" confession served as "a stark revelation of the countrywide systematic More than eight days after voting took place for the general elections, there is still no clarity on which party would form the govt at Centre manipulation of election results where PTI's significant leads were deceitfully tampered into losses." Independent candidates a majority of them backed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 93 of the 265 National Assembly seats and the party, which has been alleging rigging right from the polling day, has embarked on a nationwide protest against "stealing of its mandate." PTI's two main rivals, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) formed a post-poll alliance earlier this week. CONTD. ON P6 Jnanpith for Gulzar, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya NEW DELHI: Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been named the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award, the Jnanpith selection committee announced on Saturday . Sampooran Singh Kalra, popularly known as Gulzar, 89, is celebrated for his works in Hindi cinema and is con- sidered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era. Rambhadracharya, 74, the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, educator and writer of more than 240 books and texts, including four epics. In a statement, the Jnanpith selection committee said, "It has been decided to give the award (for 2023) to eminent writers from two languages: Sanskrit litterateur Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and well known Urdu litterateur Shri Gulzar." CONTD. ON P6 ATS files challan against 4 Naxals OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) has submitted challan in special court, Jabalpur against four naxalites arrested in August,2023. Those arrested include Ashok Reddy alias Baldev resident of Golconda Telangana and his wife Ramati alias Kumari Potai resident of Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh were arrested from Jabalpur. Similarly, Dhansingh Pungati and Cherkuram Tulavi were also arrested. The charge sheet accused them of being members of a banned organisation, hiding identity, destroying evidence, preparing and using forged documents and recovery of cartridges and pistol. The ATS had acted following a tip-off on August 21, that senior naxal leaders were present near Jabalpur and they swung into action and initially arrested Baldev and his wife Kumari Potai. A case was registered in ATS/STF Bhopal police station under Section 419 of IPC and 20 Un-lawful activity (P) Act, 1967 and 25/27 Arms Act. ATS also recovered a pistol, more than Rs 3 lakh in cash and literature of the banned organization CPI (Maoist) from them. CONTD. ON P6