Odisha’s outgoing CM Naveen Patnaik says it was unfortunate that aide Pandian received ‘criticism’ despite his commendable work as IAS officer and now BJD leader.
The Bhartiya Janata Party secured 78 seats in the 147-seat assembly. The BJD secured 51 seats way behind the majority mark of 74 and the Indian National Congress secured 14 seats.
The BJD was leading in 48 seats as of 4 pm, while the BJP was leading in 80. Since its inception in 1997, BJD has never lost assembly elections in the state.
Patra’s accidental remark drew sharp criticism from Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, who called it an “insult” to the Lord. Patra clarified that it was a “slip of tongue”.
Patnaik is contesting Assembly elections from both Kantabanji and Hinjili seats. Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases.
The baseless claim of Arunachal Pradesh as 'Southern Tibet' cropped up once again when an Indian national was harassed by Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Airport.
Once acquired by IAF, the medium transport aircraft (MTA) will replace both AN-32s and IL-76s, it is learnt. The idea behind the revamp is to meet modern operational needs.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
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