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Free Press Journal
Aug 17, 2026, 04:08 PM
Maharashtra Medical Council Appoints Elected and Nominated Body After Four-Month Delay

Maharashtra Medical Council Appoints Elected and Nominated Body After Four-Month Delay

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) will finally get its elected and nominated body nearly four months after the April 26 elections. The state government, through a notification issued on August 14, appointed five nominated and notified nine elected members for a five-year term. New MMC body appointed The IMA-backed panel led by Dr Santosh Kadam won eight of the nine elected seats. Welcoming the notification, Kadam said, β€œNormally, within six weeks of the notification, a meeting is called to hand over the council to the newly elected members.” He added that the panel was happy the government had finalised the nominations and said the Free Press Journal report had helped fast-track the process. On July 12, the Free Press Journal reported that, more than two months after the election, the government was yet to nominate the five members required to complete the council. The delay kept the MMC under an administrator and affected decisions concerning doctors, patient complaints and registration of newly qualified doctors. Members of the council The 18-member council comprises nine elected members, five government-nominated members and four ex-officio members representing state health authorities, including the Director of Health Services and the Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER). The five nominated members are Dr Ajay Govind Keni, Dr Rahul Kulkarni, Dr Prashant Narayan Chaudhari, Dr Rajiv Yerdekar and Dr Chandrashekhar Gillurkar. The nine elected members are Dr Santosh Kadam, Dr Sanjay Kadam, Dr Nilesh Nikam, Dr Sanjay Deshpande, Dr Sunil Ingle, Dr Anilkumar Patil, Dr Mangesh Gulwade, Dr Ujwala Karad and Dr Anil Pachnekar. Also Watch: Delay in council formation The previous council was elected in December 2016 and completed its five-year tenure in 2021. Elections due in 2022 were repeatedly delayed after the government dissolved the council, leaving the regulator under an administrator. Even after the election results, the government took over three months to nominate the five members. To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
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Dainik Jagran
Aug 17, 2026, 02:03 PM
Supreme Court Refuses to Interfere with Election Commission's Decision on Base Year for SIR in Sikkim

Supreme Court Refuses to Interfere with Election Commission's Decision on Base Year for SIR in Sikkim

The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the decision of the Election Commission of India to make 2002 as the base year for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Sikkim. It also dismissed a petition by an NGO in this regard, saying that no political party has approached us so far to change the base year of the SIR from 2002 to 1993. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan on Monday dismissed a PIL filed by Sikkimese Moolnivasis Suraksha Sangh, an organisation, seeking a direction to the Election Commission to consider 1993 as the base year instead of 2002. The bench said, "The goalpost cannot be changed in the middle of this process. 2002 has been kept as the base year for the entire country. We will not interfere with the decision of the Election Commission." The bench said that for the ongoing SIR process, the Election Commission has kept 2002 as the base year for all the states uniformly as though the last year of the SIR petition was the same. Sikkim's NGO can be approached to create an appropriate demographic data.
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ABP Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 01:50 PM
CID Arrests Former Aide of Ex-JPSC Member Ajita Bhattacharya in Examination Rigging Case

CID Arrests Former Aide of Ex-JPSC Member Ajita Bhattacharya in Examination Rigging Case

Former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) member Ajita Bhattacharya's PA BN Ram has been arrested by the CID in the examination rigging case. He is accused of extorting 40 lakhs for managing interviews in JPSC. This is being considered a major action of the CID and the investigating agency has made 22nd arrest. Ajita Bhattacharya is the wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha strongman and party's central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. Ajita Bhattacharya was also questioned at length by the CID in the past. She was summoned for questioning. Ajita Bhattacharya has been a member of JPSC. She is the wife of JMM strongman and central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. Ajita resigned on 9 August. Amid the ongoing controversy over irregularities in the examinations and the CID investigation, she decided to resign from her post.
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Dainik Jagran
Aug 17, 2026, 01:50 PM
Trump Orders Reduction in US-South Korea Military Exercises Amid Tensions with North Korea

Trump Orders Reduction in US-South Korea Military Exercises Amid Tensions with North Korea

US President Donald Trump has dealt a major blow to South Korea, ordering the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. He said South Korea had refused to help denuclearize Iran. He said the joint drills could be viewed as hostile by a "non-threatening" and "respectful" North Korea. Trump said he had recently asked South Korea's president to join US efforts to denuclearize Iran. "And he said, no, thank you!" The drills, which begin this week, are not only costly, but also send a totally inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea. North Korea's behavior during his tenure has been non-threatening and respectful. However, it is too late to cancel them now, so I have directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially scale back the joint military exercises. "This is the latest step that the South Korean leader is taking with his allies, rather than the 18,000 troops that were on the side of the enemy," he said.
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Aug 17, 2026, 01:36 PM
BJP Unveils New Team: 51 New Faces, 14 Repeaters

BJP Unveils New Team: 51 New Faces, 14 Repeaters

The BJP has announced its new team. In a major change in the organization, most of the new people have been given the responsibility. The party has repeated 14 faces compared to the previous one. There are 51 new faces in the 65 members. There are 29 faces who have not been repeated. The party has made 13 new national vice presidents. Five of them have been repeated. Vasundhara Raje, Baijayant Panda, Rekha Verma, Lal Singh Arya (replaced) and Tariq Mansoor. National general secretaries have been made 8. The names of those who have been repeated include Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal. In addition to these, 16 people have been made national secretaries. 15 are new, and 1 has been repeated. Among those who have been repeated, the only name is Anil Antony. Three names have been announced for the organization post, all three of them have been repeated. Santosh BL, Shiv Saudan Singh and Tarun Singh have been made responsible for 5 offices. The names of 2 new people have been given.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 01:31 PM
Board of Peace Seeks Stability in Post-War Gaza Amid Israeli Rejection

Board of Peace Seeks Stability in Post-War Gaza Amid Israeli Rejection

The Board of Peace, which was established in February 2026 and is headed by the United States, is an international body to oversee post-war Gaza. The body is working towards transferring authority to a Palestinian technical government. Donald Trump has been appointed as chairman of the board for life. Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and other regional powers are actively mediating the negotiations. However, several Arab countries have recently criticized Israel's public rejection of the road map, warning that it could disrupt long-term regional stability.
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Aug 17, 2026, 01:06 PM
BJP Unveils New Team Under President Nitin Navin, Includes 8 Leaders From Uttar Pradesh

BJP Unveils New Team Under President Nitin Navin, Includes 8 Leaders From Uttar Pradesh

The new team of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Navin has been announced. 65 leaders have been included in the new team of BJP, out of which 8 leaders have been included from UP, including three women. There are many leaders from UP who were earlier included in the BJP national team but now their name is not in this list. There are 13 national vice-presidents in Nitin Navin's new team, including Rekha Verma and Tariq Mansoor from UP. There were 3 faces for this post in the previous team, in addition to these two, Laxmikant Vajpayee who has not got a chance this time. There are also 8 national general secretaries, two people from UP Smriti Irani and Harish Dwivedi, one face in the previous team Radha Mohan Das Agarwal who has not been included in the team this time. Apart from this, two people from UP have got a chance in the new team as national secretary, including BJP MP Bhola Singh and Surendra Yadav.
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Aug 17, 2026, 01:04 PM
BJP Unveils New Team of 65 Leaders, Including Returnees Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav

BJP Unveils New Team of 65 Leaders, Including Returnees Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav

BJP president Nitin Navin on Monday (August 17) announced a new team of 65 leaders. Interestingly, this team has seen the return of leaders like Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav to the organisation. There are 13 names that the BJP has repeated. ΰ€¬ΰ₯€.ΰ€ΰ€². Santhosh continues to hold the post of organisation general secretary. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Baijayant Jay Panda and Rekha Verma have been retained as vice-presidents. Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal are the only two national general secretaries that the BJP has retained in its new team. Anil Baluni, Saudan Singh, Tariq Mansoor, Shiv Prakash, Anil Antony, Tarun Chugh and Lal Singh Arya have been repeated. Social media convenor Amit Malviya, Abdullah Kutty, Laxmikant Bajpai and Radhamohan Das Agarwal have been dropped. The list includes 13 women. The BJP has taken special care of the electoral states. Four faces from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and two from the OBC list - Tariq Bhola, Harish Yadav and Smriti Irani - have been retained.
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Aug 17, 2026, 01:02 PM
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari Visits Bilauti Village to Meet Family of Bharat Tiwari, Demands Justice

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari Visits Bilauti Village to Meet Family of Bharat Tiwari, Demands Justice

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari visited Bilauti village in Bhojpur on Monday (August 17, 2026) and met the family members of Bharat Tiwari. Manoj Tiwari paid tribute by garlanding the picture of Bharat Tiwari. After this, he met Bharat's father, mother, brother and other family members. During this time, Bharat Tiwari's sister Ruby Devi demanded justice. Bharat Tiwari's sister tied a rakhi to BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and said that on the day justice was got, I will feel that my brother was found. After meeting the family members, Manoj Tiwari said that no one can compensate for the incident that happened with Bharat Tiwari and his family. He said that he has reached Bilauti to listen to the family and understand their demands. Whatever is the right demands of the family, he will be put in front of Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary. He further said that he has been in touch with the family since the incident. He has also met Bharat Tiwari's mother in Delhi. He said that it is a wrong notion that he did not meet the family at the time of their first meeting.
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Aug 17, 2026, 01:00 PM
Shiv Sena Questions Eknath Shinde's Alleged Plan to Join Congress

Shiv Sena Questions Eknath Shinde's Alleged Plan to Join Congress

Congress leader Hussain Dalwai claimed that Eknath Shinde wanted to join Congress. Now Uddhav Thackeray faction has reacted to this. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said that Eknath Shinde should tell when he was going to Congress and why he was going. He questioned why Eknath Shinde was not given by Shiv Sena that he was going to Congress. Anand Dubey further said, "Eknath Shinde ji was made MLA many times, his son was made MP. We think that Shinde is being discussed that he was going to Congress, so why he was going to go, how and when he was going to go, we do not know." Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey also said that Balasaheb Thackeray ji had always fought a battle against Congress in Maharashtra and the country, it is a natural process but when it comes to giving support, Pratibha Patil was also given support, we also gave support to Pranab Mukherjee.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:59 PM
Bikaner Municipal Corporation Mayoral Election Sees Surge of New Contenders

Bikaner Municipal Corporation Mayoral Election Sees Surge of New Contenders

The mayoral post of the Bikaner Municipal Corporation was the most talked about. This time, the mayoral post has been kept open for the general category. This has opened up avenues for many new contenders. Former corporators and politically active faces have also started preparing to enter the electoral fray again. Out of the total 270 wards in the district, 39 wards have been reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), 54 wards for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 177 wards for the general category. No ward has been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category this time. A total of 76 wards are reserved for women. In terms of the number of wards, there are 80 in Bikaner Municipal Corporation, 45 in Nokha, 40 in Sridungargarh, 35 in Lunkaransar, 25-25 in Deshnok and Napasar and 20 in Khajuwala. The lottery for the posts of civic chiefs has already been released. According to this, the mayoral post in Bikaner Municipal Corporation will be open for the general category.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:48 PM
BJP Names New Office Bearers, Heavy Rains Hit Uttar Pradesh

BJP Names New Office Bearers, Heavy Rains Hit Uttar Pradesh

BJP national president Nitin Navin has released the list of new national office bearers of the party. Eight leaders from Uttar Pradesh have been given place in this list. Rekha Verma and Prof. Tariq Mansoor have been made national vice-presidents. Former Union Minister Smriti Irani and Harish Dwivedi have been made national general secretaries. Advertisement The monsoon is showing strength in Uttar Pradesh. Heavy rains occurred in many parts of the state on Monday. There was moderate to heavy rain in eastern and western UP. Sonbhadra and Bareilly received more than 140 mm of water. There was also good rain in the districts adjacent to Delhi, including the capital Lucknow. Read the whole news. The feedback of the Kotedars in UP will now be monitored by E-POS. At its launch, CM Yogi said that earlier the word'Kotedar'used to irritate the people. Now there has been a change. Read the whole news The Uttar Pradesh government has transferred 18 IAS officers (assistant magistrates) to various districts.
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Aug 17, 2026, 12:48 PM
BJP Makes Major Reshuffle, Replaces Amit Malviya with Deepak Mhaske as Social Media Convenor

BJP Makes Major Reshuffle, Replaces Amit Malviya with Deepak Mhaske as Social Media Convenor

On 17 August 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a major reshuffle in its national team. Party president Nitin Nabin announced a new team of 65 members. The most prominent name is the disappearance of Amit Malviya. Malviya, the head of the BJP's IT cell since 2015, has been removed from this post. Malviya has been replaced by Deepak Mhaske of Chhattisgarh as the social media convenor. Amit Malviya has been one of the oldest and most powerful faces of the BJP's digital campaign. Amit Malviya has been in charge of the party's IT cell and social media department for about 11 years. He also served as the party's co-incharge in West Bengal, where the BJP won a historic victory. In the 2026 elections, when the BJP won 207 seats, Malviya was credited with leading the digital narrative. His removal is being considered a major change. The "three people" the user mentioned are probably the four new social-media convenors who have been appointed to the BJP's social media team. Anil Baluni is the first to be the new social media convenor.
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Aug 17, 2026, 12:43 PM
Trump Administration Discussed Using Nuclear Weapons Against Iran, Claims Former Congresswoman

Trump Administration Discussed Using Nuclear Weapons Against Iran, Claims Former Congresswoman

Former US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has made several claims about the ongoing tensions with Iran. She claims that Trump administration officials are discussing the possible use of nuclear weapons against Iran. She alleges that the issue has been raised in high-level strategy meetings during the ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Greene claims in the X Post that these discussions are real. The administration has been accused of having a low threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. She says that the assessment of US intelligence agencies does not show that Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons. She accuses the Trump administration of relying on Israeli warnings. Greene has not provided any evidence. Here, the White House has not responded. Tensions between Iran and the United States are still simmering. This tension has been going on since February 28. Pressure has been building on Tehran. Trump has said that he will soon announce concessions to Iran. Donald Trump has said that he will make concessions to the US before August 14.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 12:42 PM
BJP Expands National Executive Team, Introduces Changes Amid Recent Developments

BJP Expands National Executive Team, Introduces Changes Amid Recent Developments

When BJP national president Nitin Navin's team was expanded on Monday, it showed many changes. After the names of the new national executive were revealed, while it is being seen as a new message of change in the party, this list is also being said to be the effect of all the recent developments. While some old faces in Nitin Navin's team have once again been trusted by the party, leaders who have been in important roles in the organization for a long time have also been shown the way out. Some leaders have been promoted, some have been given a new role by removing the old responsibility. The party has also tried to bring together young and experienced leaders once again. A look at this entire team reveals some conclusions that need to be taken into account - Vasundhara Raje, Baijayant Panda, Tariq Mansoor Verma, Saroj Rekha Verma have been retained in the post of national vice president. Aruna D. Vajpayee, Laxmi Kanta Pandey and Lata Abdulla have been removed from the post of vice president.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:39 PM
Gold Prices Surge Amid Weak Dollar, Geopolitical Tensions

Gold Prices Surge Amid Weak Dollar, Geopolitical Tensions

The main reason for the surge in gold prices is the weak US dollar. Moderate inflation data of the past week is also one of the reasons. Soft employment and retail sales data are also putting pressure on the dollar. All these factors have increased the demand for precious metals. Praveen Singh, head of commodities at Mirae Asset Sharekhan, said that spot gold was trading 0.5% higher at US $4,398 per ounce. Weakness in the dollar and limited oil prices are expected to keep it positive. The geopolitical backdrop is also in the spotlight. US President Donald Trump is preparing to impose further economic sanctions on Iran. There are 2,200 sanctions already in place since 2018, including the continued blockade of Tehran's ports. The 60-day US-Iran ceasefire agreement is due to expire on Monday. However, this deadline is not fixed and its relevance is reduced after recent developments, said Praveen Trivedi, vice-president of commodity research at JAK Securities.
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Aug 17, 2026, 12:38 PM
Bihar Politics in Turmoil as RJD Leader Calls for Mass Protest Against Paper Leaks

Bihar Politics in Turmoil as RJD Leader Calls for Mass Protest Against Paper Leaks

Bihar politics is once again in political turmoil. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav made a big statement on Monday (August 17, 2026) about the march to be held on August 19. He called it an "open march." He appealed to students, youth and the unemployed to join in large numbers. Tejashwi Yadav alleged that frequent incidents of paper leaks are being reported in Bihar and the state is gradually becoming a center of paper leaks. He said that many examinations, including 10th, 12th, constable recruitment, have been messed up and the future of the youth is being played with. Tejashwi Yadav said that the march on August 19 is not the program of any one person or party, but a platform to raise the voice of the youth. He appealed to the students, youth and unemployed to join this movement and raise their voice against the government. He said that whenever there is a restoration in Bihar, questions are raised on its fairness.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:38 PM
Reservation Lottery Held in Dungarpur for Municipal Council Elections

Reservation Lottery Held in Dungarpur for Municipal Council Elections

The process of reservation lottery was held in the EDP auditorium of the Zilla Parishad regarding the civic elections. Reservation of 40 wards of Dungarpur Municipal Council was decided first. Before the process started, Collector Deshaldan and ADM Prakashchandra Raigar gave information about the process related to the reservation lottery. Ward numbers 6, 7 and 8 were reserved for the SC category in the advertisement lottery. After this, the lottery of women's reservation was taken out in these wards. Ward numbers 3, 11, 23, 25 and 28 were reserved for the ST category. There was also a lottery of women's reservation in these wards. Eight wards were reserved for the OBC category and after this, the lottery of women's reservation was also taken out in the general wards. After the advertisement lottery process, BJP's former vice-president Sudarshan Jain, former councilor Manohar Patel and former district president Prabhu Pandya raised questions on the reservation. Sagwara MLA Shankar Decha and BJP district president Ashok Patel also supported the process. Sudarshan Jain alleged that the question of reservation in some of the SC and ST wards should not be taken up on the basis of the serious population.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:37 PM
BJP Appoints New National Office Bearers, Includes Eight Leaders from Uttar Pradesh

BJP Appoints New National Office Bearers, Includes Eight Leaders from Uttar Pradesh

BJP national president Nitin Navin has released the list of new national office bearers of the party. Eight leaders from Uttar Pradesh have been included in this list. Rekha Verma and Prof. Tariq Mansoor have been made national vice-presidents. Smriti Irani and Harish Dwivedi, former union ministers, have been made national general secretaries. Dr. Bhola Singh and Sangeeta Yadav have been made national ministers.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 12:29 PM
BJP Appoints Farmer Leader Bansi Lal Gurjar as President of Kisan Morcha

BJP Appoints Farmer Leader Bansi Lal Gurjar as President of Kisan Morcha

On Monday (August 17), the long-stalled team of BJP national president Nitin Navin was finally announced. Six leaders from Madhya Pradesh found a place in Team Nitin Navin. One of them is Bansi Lal Gurjar, who has been made the president of the BJP Kisan Morcha. As a political message, the appointment of Bansi Lal Gurjar does not seem to be just an organizational appointment. But what is the reason that Bansi Lal Gurjar has now become a prominent face of BJP's farmer politics from a small town like Mandsaur in MP, read this report. Bansi Lal Gurjar's biggest strength is his old profile as a farmer leader. He has been the state president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union and has also been associated with the Mandsaur Agricultural Produce Market for a long time. Since the 2017 Mandsaur farmer's movement, he has been identified as the farmer's face of Malwa-Nimar. That is, the BJP did not give the command of the Kisan Morcha to a new face, but chose a leader whose political identity is associated with the farmer's organization.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 12:28 PM
Delimitation Debate Ignites North-South Confrontation in Indian Politics

Delimitation Debate Ignites North-South Confrontation in Indian Politics

The ongoing debate on delimitation has led to an intense political confrontation between north and south India. Opposition parties have warned that increasing Lok Sabha seats on the basis of population could reduce the political influence of southern states like Tamil Nadu. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has dismissed these concerns, arguing that the south will not be harmed and will instead have a substantial increase in its representation. The India Today Tamil Nadu Round Table held in Chennai featured a heated debate between leaders of the BJP, Congress, DMK, and MDMK over the proposed delimitation process. In it, the opposition warned, "We are being punished for doing a good job," while the BJP insisted, "We will not let the south suffer, nor is it going to." The BJP accused the opposition parties of "creating an atmosphere of fear." The immediate backdrop to this debate was the parties'attempt to bring in the monsoon session of Parliament, along with an opposition resolution to retain the 543 seats and retain the number of the Tamil Nadu government.
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Indian Express
Aug 17, 2026, 12:24 PM
BJP Leader Nitin Nabin Conducts Major Organisational Rejig, Appoints Smriti Irani as National General Secretary

BJP Leader Nitin Nabin Conducts Major Organisational Rejig, Appoints Smriti Irani as National General Secretary

Ex Union Minister Smriti Irani made a comeback to the Bharatiya Janata Party β€˜s top leadership Monday morning – returning as a National General Secretary in party chief Nitin Nabin’s organisational rejig. The shake-up will also see Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal become the party’s National Treasurer. Smriti Irani returns to the upper ranks of the BJP's leadership structure for the first time since June 2024, when she was dropped from the union cabinet. This was after Irani lost her Lok Sabha seat - Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, a seat she wrestle away from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 election - to the Congress' Kishori Lal Sharma. Ex- National General Secretary Ram Madhav was named as one of 13 national vice presidents, six of whom are women; this includes ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The number of women in the new leadership team - 12 overall - has been seen as part of the BJP's outreach to women voters before key elections next year in UP, Punjab, and Gujarat. Equally significantly, Amit Malviya has been dropped as the party's IT Cell chief after a 11-year-stint in the job. He will be replaced by Deepak Mhaskey from Chhattisgarh. Anil Baluni, however, remains the Media-in-Charge. Another key inclusion is Sandeep Pathak - who joined Raghav Chadha in jumping from the AAP to the BJP in April. Pathak has been made one of 16 national secretaries, alongside two leaders from Kerala - K Surendran and Anil Antony, who is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Union Defence Minister AK Antony. BJP Odisha leader Sambit Patra has been appointed as the coordinator for the northeast, and other big names tapped to become part of Nabin's leadership team are ex-Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and the party's Rajasthan unit chief Satish Poonia. BL Santosh will continue as the party's National General Secretary (Organisation). In addition, ex-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, the BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit chief D Purandeswari, Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi from Gujarat, ex-junior Union Health Minister Bharti Pravin Pawar, and ex-Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal are also on the list. In a post on X, Nabin congratulated the new office-bearers and said: "With a blend of experience and energy, this team will give new momentum to the organisation under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am confident that every member, with the spirit of a dedicated karyakarta, will further strengthen the organisation to take forward the resolve of a 'Viksit Bharat' and the commitment to nation-building to new heights. PM Modi tweeted: "Congratulations to the newly appointed office bearers... and those who have been given various responsibilities. This newly appointed team brings together organisational experience, energy, and grassroots connect. I am confident they will give their best in strengthening our party and focusing on public service. My best wishes to them." The leadership rejig comes ahead of a long-expected reshuffle of the Union Cabinet. It also comes seven months after Nabin replaced JP Nadda as the party boss. At 46, Nabin is the youngest politician to become national president of the BJP, a move that has been seen as part of continuing attempts to connect with younger voter. This revamp has been seen as Nabin's efforts to create a leadership mix of younger faces and women while keeping experienced political hands on board. Also, Nabin's 'new' BJP comes as the party is roiled by students' protests that began with pushback over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's 'cockroaches' remark and spiralled into a movement against the NEET exam paper leak controversy.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:21 PM
BJP Forms New Team with Increased Women's Leadership Roles

BJP Forms New Team with Increased Women's Leadership Roles

The new team has 13 national vice-presidents, including six women. Former Union minister Smriti Irani has been given the key responsibility of national general secretary. The number of women office-bearers has increased compared to the previous team. There was no woman national general secretary in the previous team. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, former Andhra Pradesh BJP president D. Purandeswari, former Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar have been made national vice-presidents in the new team of BJP. Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi, Rekha Verma and Dr. Madhuchandra Kar have also been made national vice-presidents. Vasundhara Raje and Rekha Verma have been retained as general secretaries in the new BJP national team. This is one of the most prominent organizational responsibilities given to women in the new team. There was no woman national general secretary in the previous team of the party. Smriti Irani's appointment is being seen as an increasing role of women leadership in the organization.
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Aug 17, 2026, 12:20 PM
BJP Announces New Team Under Nitin Navin; Jan Suraj Raises Questions

BJP Announces New Team Under Nitin Navin; Jan Suraj Raises Questions

The new team of BJP National President Nitin Navin has been announced. If someone has been discharged from the party, then someone has got a big responsibility. This list also has the name of three leaders from Bihar, Ritiraj Sinha, Shivesh Kumar Ram and Siddharth Shambhu. After the release of this list, Prashant Kishor's party Jan Suraj has raised questions. Jan Suraj's national spokesperson Kumar Saurabh Singh posted a post from his ex-handle on Monday (August 17, 2026) evening and said, "Bihar lacks leadership ability or is the team of BJP National President Nitin Navin missing in Bihar." Bihar lacks leadership ability or is the team of BJP National President Nitin Nabin missing in Bihar. National Vice President in the list of BJP National General Secretary from "Bihar "?
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Aug 17, 2026, 12:19 PM
Fadnavis Clears Air on Rumors of Joining Central Politics

Fadnavis Clears Air on Rumors of Joining Central Politics

There has been speculation for some time now about Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's move to central politics. After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he cleared the air about rumours of him being made a minister at the Centre. He dismissed speculations of him moving to national politics. Fadnavis said that the people of Maharashtra and the central leadership have entrusted him with the responsibility of the state, which he will continue to perform. He said, "Whether I live in Delhi or Mumbai, people keep speculating. I think many people have nothing to do, so they enjoy discussing about me. Let them have fun." He said that the people of Maharashtra and PM Modi have entrusted him with the responsibility of the state and he will continue to serve the state. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday (August 17) and held detailed discussions on various important subjects. After the meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a successful leader of the country and India's new development projects are getting global recognition."
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ABP Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 12:19 PM
Japan's Defense Chief Visits India Amid Tensions with Russia Over Kuril Islands and BRICS Summit

Japan's Defense Chief Visits India Amid Tensions with Russia Over Kuril Islands and BRICS Summit

In the midst of fresh tensions with Russia following Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands and the BRICS summit in Delhi next month, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is visiting India soon. Shinjiro himself has announced this and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has confirmed it. Shinjiro wished Rajnath Singh on India's 80th Independence Day (August 15) and said, "I am coming to India soon." To this, Rajnath Singh wrote on his X-account, "I welcome you to deepen the defense partnership between India and Japan." Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro's visit to India is considered important in this sense, because Tokyo's relations with Russia have deteriorated significantly in the last 15-20 days. Behind it is Japan's White Paper, which feared a situation like the war in Ukraine in the Pacific Ocean. Considering the threat to Russia-Ukraine, the White Paper said that "I am coming to India soon."
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ABP Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 12:13 PM
BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya Congratulates New Office Bearers

BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya Congratulates New Office Bearers

Amit Malviya was not given a place in the new team of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Navin. In his place, Deepak Mhaske of Chhattisgarh has been given the responsibility of the national coordinator of the BJP IT cell. Amit Malviya's reaction came after he did not get a place in the new national team of the party. He congratulated all the new office bearers of the BJP, including Deepak Mhaske. He said that the announcement of the new team of the BJP has come at a crucial time when the party is preparing to reach new heights and take its message, organization to every corner of the country. Amit Malviya was made the head of the BJP IT cell in the year 2015. Recalling his work, he said, "I have had the privilege of working with all of these people. I am sure that under his leadership, the digital communication of the BJP will achieve new heights and will continue to shape the public discourse of India with full confidence, creativity and clarity." He said, "I want to congratulate Deepak Mhaske, who has replaced Shivanand Mhaske as the co-coordinator of the BJP social media department."
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:07 PM
Udaipur Municipal Corporation Elections: Ward Reservation Lottery Completed

Udaipur Municipal Corporation Elections: Ward Reservation Lottery Completed

The lottery process for ward reservation in Udaipur for the municipal corporation elections 2026 was completed on Monday. The process started at 11 am in the Zila Parishad auditorium and was completed in about an hour. After the lottery, the reservation of all 80 wards of the municipal corporation has been fixed. Along with this, the picture of the candidates preparing to contest the elections has also become clear to a great extent. The lottery process was conducted in the presence of District Collector Gaurav Agarwal, ADM Deependra Singh Rathore and Jitendra Ojha. Out of the 80 wards of the municipal corporation, 32 wards have been kept open, while 16 wards have been reserved for general women. Wards have also been reserved for OBC, SC and ST categories. This time the mayor's seat in Udaipur Municipal Corporation has been kept unreserved (open). This means that any person with full eligibility can contest for the post of mayor. After the mayor's post is unreserved, there is a possibility of political activity in both BJP and Congress.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 12:06 PM
BJP's New Team for 2027: A Shift Towards Youth, OBCs, and Women

BJP's New Team for 2027: A Shift Towards Youth, OBCs, and Women

The faces of Uttar Pradesh in Nitin Navin's new team have written the script of 2027. OBC, Gen-Z i.e. Youth and Women - on which CM Yogi has also increased his focus, the same is visible from UP in Nitin Navin's team. Youth, OBC and Women - this is going to be the mantra of the 2027 assembly elections and this mantra has appeared from Uttar Pradesh in Nitin Navin's team. A total of eight big faces in important positions are from Uttar Pradesh, which has brought caste balance and regional balance. After Nitin Navin's new team is announced, now the first test of this team is going to be in the Uttar Pradesh elections. Elections are going to be held in Uttar Pradesh in a few months, which is reflected in this new national team of BJP. Three women and three OBCs have got a place in Nitin Navin's team. The motive is very clear and the focus is on OBC women and youth. The way in which OBCs have got priority in the BJP's national team and women have been given priority.
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Amar Ujala
Aug 17, 2026, 12:02 PM
CBI Files Chargesheet in Twisha Sharma Case; BJP Leader Gets Key Responsibilities

CBI Files Chargesheet in Twisha Sharma Case; BJP Leader Gets Key Responsibilities

Also Read - Twisha Sharma Case: CBI Files Chargesheet, 636-page chargesheet says Twisha Sharma was murdered or committed suicide. Former state BJP president and Khajuraho MP Vishnu Dutt Sharma has been given the important responsibility of convening all cells. During his long tenure as state president, he worked to strengthen the organization up to the booth level. Under his leadership, the BJP performed consistently well in the urban body, panchayat, assembly, and Lok Sabha elections. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. Political discussions were also intensified about his role after his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read - Nitin Naveen's new team: Six leaders from Madhya Pradesh found, Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh also included in the team Senior leader from Bhind Lal Singh Arya has been made the national vice president. He has been a part of the national executive in the past.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 12:01 PM
Fadnavis Clarifies Rumors, Stays Committed to Serving Maharashtra

Fadnavis Clarifies Rumors, Stays Committed to Serving Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given a clear answer to the speculation about his visit to Delhi and being made a minister at the Center. He said that the one who has to speculate, who has to fly the kite and who has to spread the rumour, he should continue doing this work. I have been elected by the people of Maharashtra and our leader Narendra Modi has given me the responsibility of Maharashtra. I will continue to perform this responsibility. Devendra Fadnavis made it clear that he is in Mumbai, is in Maharashtra and will remain in Maharashtra. After his statement, the discussions about being made a minister at the Center seem to be on hold. Fadnavis said that he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today. During this, the ongoing infrastructure projects in Maharashtra were reviewed and discussed in detail with the central government. He said that many big projects related to Maharashtra including rural development, Mumbai Metro, railway, airport, port and road construction were discussed. He also assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of every possible help.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 11:56 AM
BJP Announces New Team Under Nitin Navin with Key Position Changes

BJP Announces New Team Under Nitin Navin with Key Position Changes

The new team of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Navin has been announced. Changes have been seen in this new team. Amit Malviya, who was holding the responsibility of national convenor of BJP IT cell, has been removed from the post. Deepak Mhaske of Chhattisgarh has been given the responsibility of social media coordinator. Deepak Mhaske has been active in organizational and media activities in Chhattisgarh BJP. He has also taken the responsibility of national spokesperson of BJP. Recently he was made the chairman of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation (CGMSC). Now it is being seen as a big achievement for the political organization of Chhattisgarh by getting the responsibility at the national level. Anil Baluni has been made the media coordinator in media and social media wing. Ashish Usha Agarwal, Pradeep Bhandari and Siddharth Yadav have got the responsibility of media co-convenor. Deepak Mhaske has been made the social media coordinator. Preeti Gandhi, Shivanand Dwivedi, Alok Bhatt and Arun Yadav have been removed from social media co-convenor of BJP IT cell. Amit Malviya has been congratulated on his new appointment.
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ABP Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 11:55 AM
BJP Announces National Team Led by President Nitin Naveen

BJP Announces National Team Led by President Nitin Naveen

The national team of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been announced, the new team of BJP President Nitin Naveen has a total of 65 leaders, including 13 vice presidents, 8 national general secretaries and 16 national ministers. There are 13 women in the new list of the BJP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also congratulated Nitin Naveen on his new team. CM Yogi posted on X.
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Aug 17, 2026, 11:55 AM
BJP Appoints Deepak Mhaske as Social Media Convenor in Chhattisgarh

BJP Appoints Deepak Mhaske as Social Media Convenor in Chhattisgarh

An important and new appointment has been made in the politics of Chhattisgarh and in the organizational structure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Deepak Mhaske, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSC), has now been assigned the important responsibility of Social Media Convenor of the BJP. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai has expressed happiness over this important appointment. Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him. After this new responsibility, the party's digital outreach and social media campaigns are expected to gain momentum. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai posted on the social media platform'X'( formerly Twitter) and congratulated Deepak Mhaske for his new role. The Chief Minister wrote in his message, "Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Deepak Mhaske, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited, on being appointed as Social Media Convenor of the BJP." The Chief Minister further said in his post that Mhaske's organizational ability, activism and effective use of modern technology will greatly benefit the party in the state.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 11:54 AM
BJP Announces New Team with Four Gujarat Leaders Taking Key Roles

BJP Announces New Team with Four Gujarat Leaders Taking Key Roles

The BJP has announced a new team in a major reshuffle in the national organization. In the new team of party president Nitin Navin, four leaders from Gujarat have got important responsibilities. Dr. Hemang Joshi has been made the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi has been made the national vice-president, while Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel and Rohan Gupta have been made the national secretaries. BJP MP from Vadodara Dr. Hemang Joshi has got a big responsibility at the national level. 35-year-old Joshi reached Parliament by winning the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 at the age of 33. Before this, he was active as a youth worker in the Vadodara city BJP and has also been the vice-president of the school board of the municipal corporation. Hemang Joshi was given the command of the Gujarat BJP Yuva Morcha in December 2025. In addition to his political interest, Hemang is a graduate in physiotherapy and a post-graduate in human resource management. Along with this, he has done PhD on leadership in the faculty of social work. Senior leader of the Gujarat BJP Narendrabhai Surendrabhai has also been made the vice-president of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly since 2017. Surendrab
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Aug 17, 2026, 11:41 AM
BJP Announces National Team with 8 Leaders from Uttar Pradesh Ahead of 2027 Assembly Elections

BJP Announces National Team with 8 Leaders from Uttar Pradesh Ahead of 2027 Assembly Elections

The national team of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been announced. In this new announcement, 8 leaders have been given a chance from Uttar Pradesh. Through these new appointments, the BJP has tried to write the script for the proposed assembly elections in UP in 2027 and create a political labyrinth for the Samajwadi Party. The BJP has appointed 2 vice-presidents, 2 national general secretaries, 2 national ministers and 2 morcha presidents from UP. Through this, the BJP has also tried to bring the Muslim vote along with it. Among the vice-presidents, the BJP has also tried to bring former Dhaurahra MP Rekha Verma and Professor Tariq Mansoor, former MPs Smriti Irani and Harish Dwivedi among the national ministers, MP Bhola Singh, MP Sangeet Yadav and as the president of the morchas, Amar Pal Maurya has been made the president of the OBC morcha and Kunwar Basit Ali has been made the president of the minority morcha. First of all, through these, the BJP will try to reach out to the Brahmin voters in the state.
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Aaj Tak
Aug 17, 2026, 11:40 AM
BJP Announces New Central Team Under Nitin Navin, Focuses on Women and Youth

BJP Announces New Central Team Under Nitin Navin, Focuses on Women and Youth

The new central team of BJP national president Nitin Navin has finally been announced on Monday. Through this new executive, former Union minister Smriti Irani and senior strategist Ram Madhav have officially returned to the BJP organization. In the new national team of BJP, 13 national vice-presidents, 8 national general secretaries and 16 national ministers (secretaries) have been made. In addition to this, the presidents of all the fronts have also been announced. Special priority has been given to women and young faces in this team of Nitin Navin. Through this new team, BJP has drawn the political roadmap for the future. Also, important responsibilities have been given to the youth for the purpose of creating new leadership in the organization. BJP has focused on the upcoming election states from Uttar Pradesh to Punjab and Uttarakhand. In this reshuffle, Arun Kumar has been discharged from the organization, while leaders who joined BJP from other parties have also been given a place in this political executive team. Nitin Ram Irani, the president of BJP, has announced the five major efforts in the organization by Nitin Madhav.
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ABP Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 11:36 AM
BJP Announces New Team with Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raje in Key Roles

BJP Announces New Team with Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raje in Key Roles

BJP president Nitin Naveen has announced the new team. Smriti Irani has been made national general secretary and Vasundhara Raje vice-president. In the list of 65 leaders, the party has made 13 vice-presidents, 8 national general secretaries and 16 national ministers. Among them, 13 are women. A total of 8 leaders from UP have joined the team. Assembly elections are due next year. The BJP has removed Amit Malviya. In his place, social media coordinator Deepak Mhaske has been made. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Tirath Singh Rawat, Ram Madhav, Baijayant Jay Panda, D. Purandeswari, Rekha Verma, Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi, Bharati Pravin Pawar, Manpreet Singh Badal, Lal Singh Arya, Prof. M. Nagaraj, Prof. Tariq Mansoor and Dr. Madhuchandra Kar have been made vice-presidents. BL Santhosh has been made national general secretary (organisation). Shiv Prakash and Saudan Singh have been made national co-general secretaries (organisation). Vinod Tawde, Jagdish Kumar Deb, Smriti Irani, Smriti Patidar Patidar, Kavita Surendra Yadav, Surendra Yadav, Surendra Yadav,
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The Moscow Times
Aug 17, 2026, 11:35 AM
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Defends Acceptance of Dissident AIADMK MLAs' Resignations in Madras High Court

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Defends Acceptance of Dissident AIADMK MLAs' Resignations in Madras High Court

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar has informed the Madras High Court that the resignations of dissident AIADMK MLAs were accepted and notified only after he was satisfied about their β€œgenuineness and voluntariness” through a β€œlimited inquiry”. Prabhakar filed an affidavit before a bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan on Monday. The bench is hearing petitions filed by AIADMK Whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy challenging the acceptance of the resignations while disqualification proceedings were pending. Senior counsel KK Venugopal, appearing for the Speaker, said the affidavit was filed after the petitioner’s counsel raised the issue of the Speaker’s non-appearance. Prabhakar said, β€œI was satisfied that the resignations were genuine since upon questioning, they categorically stated their resignation letters were in their own handwriting.” He said the conduct and demeanour of the MLAs did not suggest that they were being coerced or forced to resign. The Speaker said he had conducted a β€œlimited inquiry” into the genuineness and voluntariness of the resignations and found that the MLAs appeared to be speaking the truth and were not under pressure from those present when they submitted the resignations. β€œIn these circumstances, there was no further inquiry necessary in my view. Therefore, after being duly satisfied with the voluntary and genuine nature of the resignations, I had decided to accept them,” he added.
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Aug 17, 2026, 11:32 AM
BJP Announces New National Team, Preps for 2027 Elections

BJP Announces New National Team, Preps for 2027 Elections

BJP president Nitin Naveen announced its new national team on 17 August 2026. Smriti Irani was made general secretary and Vasundhara Raje national vice-president. B. L. Santosh became general secretary of the organization. The new team has 13 vice-presidents and 8 general secretaries. The formation of the team was pending since Naveen became president 7 months ago. The party prepared its national team in view of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly elections. The BJP is the world's largest political party. Its biggest strength is its organizational structure, which works like a disciplined chain from the national president to the village booth level. The highest unit of the BJP organization is the Margdarshak Mandal. It is the highest body giving ideological and strategic direction to the party. Then the highest decision-making body. It is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Major decisions related to the party's policies, electoral strategies and organization are taken in this board. The national president of the BJP is the biggest officer in the party according to the constitution. Apart from the national election, there are about 5,700 members in the national executive team. The national president of the BJP, which includes about 11,700 national vice-presidents.
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DD Newsβœ“
Aug 17, 2026, 11:30 AM
Indian PM Announces Ex-Gratia Assistance Following Stampede in Bihar

Indian PM Announces Ex-Gratia Assistance Following Stampede in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of β‚Ή2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each person who died in the stampede in Bihar’s Lakhisarai, while those injured will receive β‚Ή50,000 each. In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office shared: β€œPM @narendramodi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the unfortunate incident in Lakhisarai, Bihar. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.” The stampede occurred at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai on Monday morning as thousands of devotees gathered to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek to Lord Shiva on the third Monday of the holy Sawan month. At least seven devotees have been confirmed dead, while more than a dozen others were injured and shifted to hospitals for treatment. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and said that the local administration was actively assisting those affected. In a post on PMO India on X, the Prime Minister wrote: β€œPained by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Lakhisarai, Bihar. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those affected.” Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has also announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the incident. β€œIn this hour of grief, the state government stands with the bereaved families with full empathy and commitment,” Choudhary said in a post on X. -(with inputs from agencies)
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