WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR KHARGE WRITES TO PRESIDENT ON MANIPUR CRISIS DOGE FOR INDIA P8 SENSEX 77,578.38p239.38 ‘SHOULD DELHI REMAIN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL?’ P13 NIFTY 23,518.50p64.70 ` vs $ 84.43 ‘DON'T WRITE OFF CHAMPIONS’ P7 GOLD 78,190.00 P16 SILVER 1,01,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 73.00q0.30 Stage set for another NDA-INDIA face-off Modi, Starmer resolve to resume negotiations on India-UK FTA soon ‘Putin to visit India, dates being finalised’ RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Voting slated in 38 Jharkhand, 288 Maharashtra constituencies today STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Max. 91% SANTU DAS Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India and the dates for his trip are being finalised, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. Addressing via video conferencing an event in New Delhi, Mr Peskov said: “We hope soon, very soon. We are looking forward to it. We will figure out the dates of President Putin to India.” This will be the first visit of Mr Putin to India since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict around three years ago. Mr Peskov said that Mr Putin welcomed the IndiaChina talks on border deescalation, but clarified that Russia has not played a role in this. Mr Putin also welcomed India's mediatory role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis, he said. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Mr Putin signed a decree approving the country's updated nuclear doctrine, just days after US President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with longerrange US-made missiles. The revised doctrine declares that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. n AGENCIES (Details on Page 10) WEATHER Thunderstorms. Storms could contain frequent lightning. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 30°C and 27°C respectively. Min. 84% TEMPERATURE Max: 30.4˚C SUN RISES 05:29 hrs MOON RISES 06:32 hrs NEW DELHI, 19 NOVEMBER In Jharkhand, a total of 528 candidates are in the fray in the 2nd phase whose fates would be decided by 1.23 crore voters. NEW DELHI, 19 NOVEMBER Min: 27.8˚C SUN SETS 17:21 hrs MOON SETS 18:08 hrs New Moon on 01 December THUMBNAILS Migratory birds seen at the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, in Morigaon on Monday. n ANI Political row erupts over cash distribution charge against BJP's Vinod Tawde cash: A huge political row erupted on Tuesday when the Congress accused BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde of arriving with Rs 5 crore cash to distribute to their candidate Rajan Naik. The incident occurred in Mumbai's Virar East as Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) members, led by their leader Hitendra Thakur, confronted Tawde. (Page 5) T he stage is set for another round of the electoral battle between the BJP-led NDA and Opposition's INDIA bloc in the second and final phase of voting in 38 Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand, and single phase polling in 288 seats in Maharashtra, on Wednesday. The voting is scheduled to commence at 7 a.m. in 14,218 polling stations across the 38 Assembly seats in Jharkhand, and in 1,00,186 polling stations in 288 constituencies in Maharashtra, amid tight security. In Jharkhand, a total of 528 candidates are in the fray whose fates would be decided by 1.23 crore voters. Out of these, the total number of women candidates are 55. The prestige of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren are at stake in the final phase of voting in the mineral-rich state. Prominent among the candidates include former Jharkhand chief minister and state BJP chief Babulal Marandi, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president Sudesh Mahto. Jharkhand is seeing a direct contest between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)Congress led alliance and the BJP-led NDA in the Assembly polls. It may be mentioned that in the first phase held on 13 November in 43 Assembly seats, the voter turnout was 66.65 per cent. In the 2019 Assembly polls, the JMM won 30 seats, Congress 16 and BJP 25 constituencies. In Maharashtra, the fates of 4,136 candidates would be decided by 9.70 crore voters. Of these, there are 363 women candidates. Notably, the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP-led Mahayuti Mahayuti alliance are contesting the elections together against the Congress, Shiv SenaUddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) and NCPSharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) alliance, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Key candidates who are in the fray include Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, former state minister and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and NCP leader Nawab Malik. In his first meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of addressing the issue of economic offenders from India in the UK as the two leaders underlined the importance of resuming the Free Trade Agreement negotiations between their two nations at an early date. They expressed confidence in the ability of the negotiating teams, to address the remaining issues to mutual satisfaction, leading to a balanced, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking pact. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Ministry of External Affairs said Mr Modi congratulated Sir Keir on his assuming office. PM Starmer also extended warm wishes to Mr Modi on his historic third term in office. Expressing satisfaction at the progress in the bilateral relationship, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with a focus on economy, trade, new and emerging technologies, research and innovation, green finance, and peopleto-people contacts. They exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including on international and regional issues of significance. Recognising the ample opportunities for further engagement between the two sides in the light of growing bilateral economic and business relations and with a view to better serve the consular requirements of the Indian community in the UK, PM Modi announced the establishment of two new Consulates General of India in the UK in Belfast and Manchester. PM Starmer welcomed the announcement. NEW DELHI, 19 NOVEMBER
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