BJP vs NOTA, World Cup-Winning Cricketers: Phase 4 Interesting Facts

Ninety-six Lok Sabha constituencies across 10 states and Union territories including all seats in Andhra Pradesh, where assembly elections are also being held concurrently, and Telangana will go to polls today. In the fourth phase, polling will be held in 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, 25 in Andhra Pradesh, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, four in Jharkhand, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, four in Odisha, eight in West Bengal and one in Jammu and Kashmir.

The fourth round will be witness to some interesting battles and the fate of several high-profile candidates will be decided in this phase - World Cup-winning cricketers Yusuf Pathan and Kirti Azad, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and AIMIM boss among others. The phase will also see a curious battle between the BJP and NOTA.

Here Are Some Interesting Facts About Phase 4:

1. High-Profile Candidates: The phase will see several high-profile candidates - former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra - who was expelled as an MP last December in the cash-for-query case, is contesting again from West Bengal's Krishnanagar. Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is contesting against BJP's Nirmal Kumar Saha and Trinamool's pick and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will contest from his family stronghold Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila, the sister of Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, is contesting from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, represented in the past by her father and former Chief Minister, late YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

2. Richest Candidate In Fray: Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is the richest candidate in this phase, with assets exceeding Rs 5,700 crore. He is closely followed by Konda Vishwehwar Reddy of the BJP from Telangana, with assets worth Rs 4,568 crore. Mr Pemmasani, in a conversation with NDTV, said that he feels that his status as the richest candidate should not count.

3. BJP vs NOTA: In Indore, the Congress has been appealing to voters to select the NOTA option on the polling day on May 13 after a last-minute withdrawal of nomination by the party candidate Akshay Kanti Bam on April 29, who later joined the BJP. The appeal has drawn sharp criticism by the BJP.

4. World Cup-Winning Cricketers To Test Poll Pitch: Former cricketer Kirti Azad, who was part of the Kapil Dev-led team that won the 1983 cricket World Cup, is contesting from Bardhaman-Durgapur. Yusuf Pathan, a member of the Indian Cricket team that won the World Cup in 2011 has been fielded from Behrampur seat in Murshidabad. Both of them have been fielded by by the Trinamool Congress.

5. Jammu and Kashmir: In the first parliamentary polls since the abrogation of Article 370, Srinagar Lok Sabha seat will see Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, a PDP candidate face off against former minister Aga Ruhullah Mehdi fielded by the National Conference as part of the INDIA bloc. Mohammad Ashraf Mir of the Apni Party is also in the fray.

6.  All Andhra, Telangana Seats To Go To Polls: All the 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh will go to Lok Sabha polls simultaneously. The state will also go to Assembly polls across 175 seats on the same day. Polling will be held in all 17 parliamentary seats of the Congress-ruled Telangana, too.

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Italian Tennis Star Secretly Quits Sport, Flees To US Amid Tax Dispute

Camila Giorgi, Italy's tennis star, who secretly quit the sport has fled the country with her family to avoid a dispute with tax authorities, New York Post reported. The 32-year-old Italian pro was listed on the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) retired players list on Tuesday.

According to investigations of the Florence Prosecutor's Office, the former Wimbledon star and her family have several ''gaps'' regarding tax returns, which have never been submitted.

The WTA has been unable to reach Ms Giorgi or her family, and was unaware of her retirement, according to Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper. Another top sports newspaper La Gazzetto dello Sport said Guardia di Finanza, the country's top police force for financial crime, is looking into her tax affairs. The outlet further reported that Ms Giorgi has left Italy for the United States since abruptly quitting tennis. She is said to have been joined by her father Sergio, mother Claudio and brothers Leandro and Amadeus.

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On Sunday morning, Ms Giorgi broke her silence in the wake of the claims against her.

''Please trust this Instagram for truthful information. To my dear fans, I am happy to formally announce my retirement from my tennis career. I am so grateful for your wonderful love and support for so many years. I cherish all the beautiful memories. There have been many inaccurate rumours about my plans, so I look forward to providing more information about exciting opportunities ahead. It is a joy to share my life with you and let's continue this journey together. With much love, Camila,'' she wrote on Instagram stories. 

She has previously come under fire after facing accusations that she used a fake Covid vaccination certificate to get into the Australian Open in 2022.

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Ms Giorgi is currently number 116 in the WTA rankings after she earned a career-high singles ranking of world number 26 in 2018. The tennis star has over 739,000 followers on Instagram where she shares glamorous pictures of her. She also owns a fashion brand, Giomila. The tennis player previously told Bild that after her tennis career, she would like to pursue a career as a fashion designer or writer.

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Japan's High Standards Of Politeness, Customer Service Shine In Viral Video

In Japan, a video showing exceptional traffic management has captured the internet's attention. The clip, shared on a social media platform, depicts people effortlessly directing traffic. One man steps onto the road, halting the cars in a single lane, and others join to allow vehicles from another lane to pass. What's remarkable is their gesture of bowing to drivers, expressing gratitude for stopping their vehicles. This act of respect has resonated widely online.

The video quickly went viral, with many praising Japan's culture of discipline and respect. Comments poured in, with users admiring Japan's high standards of politeness and customer service. The video amassed an impressive 23.3 million views. Many social media users commented on the post.

The video was shared with a caption that read, "The level of customer service in Japan."

🇯🇵 Japan's respect and discipline might just be unmatched...pic.twitter.com/vB5SU8P9xK

— Mirthful Moments (@moment_mirthful) May 10, 2024

"This doesn't even begin to describe it. I went to Japan, and when I arrived in Kyoto, I wondered about what I thought was my hotel, but it wasn't. Mine was a few blocks away. To my surprise, a person from this hotel proceeded to carry my suitcase all the way to another hotel. This was while I was trying to tell him there was no need. Incredible levels of respect in Japan," commented a user.

"Japan is the best. The politeness and respect are enviable. I long to return to a polite society instead of this era of American crudeness and selfishness we're currently in," wrote another user.

This isn't the only instance highlighting Japan's discipline. Another video surfaced, showing people orderly walking in lanes and following rules on subway stairs.

Japan's reputation for cleanliness, recycling, and adherence to societal norms contributes to its image of respect and discipline. Such instances serve as reminders of the values deeply ingrained in Japanese culture.

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Regional Parties Could Form Government, Get NDA Or INDIA's Support: KCR

Making a stunning claim, Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao has said a group of regional parties could form a government and the NDA or INDIA alliances may end up having to support them, instead of the other way around. 

In an expansive interview with NDTV on Friday, Mr Rao, or KCR as he is popularly known, also spoke about how his party is far from finished and will get seats in the double digits out of the 17 constituencies in Telangana. He also answered questions about the BJP's prospects, the "failure" of the Congress government in the state, and the arrest of his daughter K Kavitha in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.

Addressing a rally for sitting MP and one of the candidates in the Lok Sabha polls, Nama Nageswara Rao, the BRS chief had said Mr Nageswara Rao could end up being a Union minister. 

When he was asked about this and whether he would support the NDA or the INDIA bloc, KCR said, "I will tell you a surprising thing which you may not believe. This time, something new is going to happen in the country. All the regional parties are very strong now. They will emerge as a force. It's not the regional parties supporting NDA or INDIA. It's nothing like that. Either of them will have to support the regional parties' group. It will be a reverse thing. You will see it."

Mr Rao's party had won nine out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana in 2019 and he was the chief minister of the state for nearly a decade since its formation in 2014. But, since the Congress' big victory in the Assembly elections last year - it won 64 of the state's 119 seats, securing a majority on its own - there has been talk of the BRS' star being on the wane, which has been reinforced by several leaders deserting the party.

To a poser on this, Mr Rao said the Congress has not fulfilled the promises it had made in the six months it has been in power and people are angry with the Revanth Reddy government. 

"The only promise they have delivered is free bus (tickets) for the woman. Even that has become a big joke. Women are fighting in the buses and auto drivers are (protesting) on the roads. That's the reason people are very angry. The farming community, which got a lot of confidence during my regime, is also very angry. And I think the reflection will be seen in the Lok Sabha elections," he said, adding that his party will get seats in the double digits, going up to 12.

On whether he thought people defeated his government because they were angry with him and believed the parties who said he was inaccessible, Mr Rao replied in the negative and said that people had got stable supply of power, drinking water and water for irrigation under his government and had been "tempted" by the Congress' promises. 

"They made very, very attractive promises. The (vote share) margin between the Congress and BRS was 1.8%. We won about one-third seats of the state Assembly, which is not a small thing. It was not a rout... It was a small thing where the people, out of temptation and because they believed that Congress may deliver more than KCR... we were defeated. Now everyone has realised the Congress has failed to deliver and has cheated them," he claimed. 

'Sunflowers' In Politics

Many candidates from the BJP and the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls were with the BRS earlier, and Mr Rao had a quip reserved for them: "Only a handful of people went out of the party... In politics, it is common that whenever power shifts, there are a certain number of sunflowers in each party... they will turn towards the sun and leave the party."

The BJP had won 4 seats in Telangana in the 2019 general elections and the party has claimed that it will enter the double digits in the state this time. When he was asked to comment on this, Mr Rao said, "The BJP is running a Goebbels campaign. The BJP will get only one or none in Telangana in these Lok Sabha elections."

The former chief minister asserted that the BJP, which had won only 29 seats out of 130 (including Puducherry) in south India in 2019, would not win more than 10 this time, and that the NDA would be reduced to just 226 seats nationally. 

"The Prime Minister has lost his charisma. People have realised it. The value of the Rupee has gone down to its lowest level and there is a capital drain from India now. Farmers are angry, many others are angry," he claimed. 

K Kavitha Arrest

On the arrest of his daughter and BRS leader K Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy scam on March 15, Mr Rao said the BJP had done that because he had taken action against people who were trying to topple his government in Telangana.

Referring to a case filed against BJP National General Secretary BL Santhosh for allegedly poaching BRS MLAs, he said, "I was the first chief Minister in India who vehemently opposed Mr Modi and many of his policies... I sent my police forces to the central office of the BJP in Delhi to catch BL Santhosh. That angered the BJP. That's why they arrested Kavitha in a false case."

"Ultimately, we believe in the judiciary. Today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal got bail, I think my daughter will also get bail. The Delhi liquor policy scam is not a scam. Every state has a liquor policy... not a single rupee was recovered... they are playing a drama with my daughter and also Arvind Kejriwal," he asserted. 

Revanth Reddy In BJP?

Asked about his son and former minister KT Rama Rao's statement that Congress leader and Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy would switch to the BJP, KCR said this was evident in how he had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his big brother at an event in the state. 

"He had said we need your (PM Modi's) support going forward as well. What does it mean? He is accepting that Rahul Gandhi will not become Prime Minister. Revanth Reddy is in trouble, he is facing the (2015) vote-for-note case and I think that is coming to an end in June or July. Even people from the Congress are thinking he may jump to the BJP," he said.

Mr Rao denied allegations of involvement in the phone-tapping scandal that has rocked the state and said it was completely in the police's domain. He also called the allegations of corruption in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project "senseless" and termed it a "marvel".

On the PM saying that reservation to Muslims based on religion is not allowed under the Constitution, Mr Rao said, "Whether the Constitution allows it is an academic subject. But as far as I'm concerned, whether it is a Muslim or Hindu or whatever, people who did not get their share, people who are still poor, who deserve reservation, must get reservation. It's not a fair thing on the part of the Government of India... and the Prime Minister talking about it.. it looks very silly. It's not correct."

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Sanjiv Goenka Disables Instagram Comments After KL Rahul Outburst Episode

There has been a massive outrage among fans and experts following Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka's outburst on skipper KL Rahul following the team's heavy loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. LSG were completely outplayed by SRH as Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma produced brilliant batting performances to chase down the 166-run target in just 9.4 overs. After the match, Goenka was caught on camera having a heated conversation with KL Rahul and head coach Justin Langer. Fans and experts were not happy with the LSG owner's behaviour after the match and they took to social media to show their support for Rahul.

Meanwhile, Goenka has restricted his followers from commenting on his Instagram posts amid the growing controversy surrounding the incident.

Meanwhile, reports claimed that there can be some question marks over KL Rahul's captaincy.

"There is a five-day gap before the next game against DC. As of now, no decision has been taken but it is understood that if Rahul plans to just concentrate on his batting for the remaining two games, the management won't mind," an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Earlier, Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami had his say on the matter.

"Crores of people are watching you and learning from you. If these things happen in front of cameras, and you see such reactions on screen, it's shameful," Shami said on 'Cricbuzz Live'.

"Aapka ek dayra hona chahiye baat karne ka, yeh message bahut galat jaata hai. (You should have boundaries, there's a way to talk. This sends a very wrong message)."

Shami also said that the conversation should have taken place inside the dressing room.

"It's very important to note that players have respect, and you are a respectful person too, as an owner. It's not that you're talking suddenly," Shami said.

"If you have to do that, there are many different ways. You could've done the same thing in the dressing room or the hotel. It wasn't necessary to do it on the field. Aise reaction de ke koi lal quile pe jhanda toh gaad nahi diya aapne (you didn't hoist a flag on Red Fort by doing what you did)."

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Did Not Permit Research By Chinese Vessel In Our Waters: Maldives Minister

Emphasising that "peace and security" of the Indian Ocean is important for countries in the neighbourhood including India, Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer on Thursday said that his government has "not permitted the Chinese vessel" for research purposes in the Maldivian waters.

The statement by the Maldivian Foreign Minister came in the wake of the Chinese marine research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 returning to Maldivian waters, marking its second visit to the archipelago nation within two months.

"The peace and security of the Indian Ocean is important for both India and Maldives and Sri Lanka and the rest of the countries that we have in the neighbourhood. So, we will continue to work together as I said earlier," he said.

Elaborating on the port call for Chinese vessels, he said, "Our government issued personal rotation and friendly portable permits, and diplomatic clearances came from the Chinese side, which is very common in Maldives."

"So that's how it has happened we as a peaceful country, welcome those vessels which come for peaceful purposes. But they didn't come for research in the Maldivian waters, we have not permitted the Chinese vessel for research in the Maldivian waters," Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer said while maintaining that research vessels are not welcome in the Maldivian waters.

On April 27, Chinese marine research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 returned to Maldivian waters, marking its second visit to the archipelago nation within two months after Pro-China Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's ruling People's National Congress (PNC) won the Parliamentary elections, as reported by Adhadhu news on Friday.

It is pertinent to note that Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon last month told the Maldivian Parliament that the Chinese vessel would not conduct any research despite sailing inside and near Maldivian waters. 

"There was no permission given to conduct any research in the Maldives territory. After docking in Male' and buying food, they did a crew change. People who came on an airplane went board the boat and those on the boat left via the airplane. That was the permission that was given," Adhadhu quoted Mr Maumoon as saying on March 25.

Relations between India and the Maldives have been strained since President Muizzu took office in November, shifting the government's focus towards China.

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Akbarpur To Go? Yogi Adityanath Hints At Another Round Of Name Change In UP

In line with his allegiance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Panch Pran' (five pledges), which include removing vestiges of slavery from the face of India and respecting heritage among others, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has dropped a hint about changing the name of Akbarpur.

"Uttering the name of the city leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Rest assured, all these things will change. We must eradicate all remnants of colonialism from our nation and honour our heritage," the chief minister said, according to an official release.

Beyond Akbarpur, changing the names of numerous districts within the state has been considered, including Aligarh, Azamgarh, Shahjahanpur, Ghaziabad, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, and Moradabad.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, after assuming office in 2017, has embarked on a mission to eradicate symbols of historical subjugation.

This endeavour has seen numerous roads, parks, intersections, and buildings in the state christened in the honour of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In Lucknow alone, one can traverse Atal Bihari Vajpayee Road, navigate through Atal Chauraha, access the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Conference Centre, cross Atal Setu, and arrive at Atal Bihari Kalyan Mandap.

Additionally, the iconic Mughalsarai railway station, the fourth busiest junction in the country, underwent a name change to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction.

Just before the 2019 Kumbh Mela, the state government rechristened Allahabad to Prayagraj, a move rooted in reclaiming the city's historical identity.

Saints contend that the original name of this historic locale was Prayagraj, which the Mughals altered to 'Allahabad'.

Concurrently, Faizabad was renamed Ayodhya, and the Jhansi railway station was also renamed after Rani Lakshmi Bai.

Recently, the municipal bodies of Aligarh passed a resolution demanding the city's renaming to Harigarh, while Firozabad was proposed to be renamed Chandra Nagar.

A similar proposal was also made in Mainpuri, where a demand was made to change the district's name to Mayapuri.

Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi has demanded that the name of her home district, Sambhal, be changed to Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar. Former BJP MLA Devmani Dwivedi demanded that the Sultanpur district name be changed to Kushbhawanpur. This city was founded by Kush, son of Lord Rama. BJP MLA from Deoband assembly seat of Saharanpur, Brajesh Singh, has also demanded that Deoband be changed to Devvrind.

Deoband is known for the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom, but it is claimed that the place has been referred to as Devvrind in ancient Hindu scriptures.

Similarly, Alka Rai, former BJP MLA from the Mohammadabad seat of Ghazipur, has demanded that the name of Ghazipur be changed to Gadhipuri.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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