NATIONAL 
EXPRESS

The Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address public meetings in Bradhaman-Durgapur, Krishnanagar and Bolpur in West Bengal today. He is also scheduled to address a public meeting at Singhbhum in Jharkhand this evening.   Senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah will address public meetings today at Chikkodi in Karnataka, Ratnagiri and Sangli in Maharashtra and in North Goa. BJP president J P Nadda will address a public meeting at Dahod in Gujarat today. He is scheduled to interact with voters in Ahmedabad and hold a road show and interact with party workers in Kutch. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi will hold a roadshow today at Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will address public meetings Rajkot and Ahmedabad today. He will also interact with media in Rajkot.

The US Federal Reserve has kept the key interest rate unchanged at 5.25 to 5.50 percent for the sixth straight time, in line with market estimates. After a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, US apex bank last night decided unanimously to keep the benchmark lending rate unchanged, citing a lack of further progress towards its two percent inflation target. For months, the US central bank has held its benchmark lending rate at a high level to cool demand and rein in price increases. But inflation has accelerated, throwing cold water on hopes of an early rate reduction. The US Fed said, it does not expect to lower rates until it has greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably towards its target. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told a press conference that it is likely that gaining such greater confidence will take longer than previously expected.

In Maharashtra, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hit out at the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the MVA government for indulging in scams during the COVID pandemic. Addressing a public rally in Mumbai yesterday, Devendra Fadnavis claimed that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was facilitating vaccine production in the country, the MVA government were indulged in scams like irregularities in supply of ‘khichadi’ (meal for labourers and homeless people) and procurement of body bags during COVID pandemic. BJP Lok Sabha candidates Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam and Mihir Kotecha were present at the rally. Polling on the six Lok Sabha seats of Mumbai will take place in the fifth phase on 20th May.

Campaigning for the third and fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh is at its peak. Star campaigners of major political parties are leaving no stone unturned in garnering support for their respective candidates. Voting will be held on 17 seats in these two phases in Madhya Pradesh. BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda will address a public meeting in Sironj of Sagar Lok Sabha constituency today. At the same time, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will address a meeting in Morena today. Congress MP in-charge Jitendra Singh, State Congress President Jitu Patwari and former Union Minister Arun Yadav will also campaign in Morena and Gwalior. Meanwhile, to increase the voting percentage in the third and fourth phases in Madhya Pradesh, Chale Booth Ki Ore campaign has been started yesterday. Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan participated in this campaign in Bilkisganj and Kankarkheda villages of Sehore district. He said that one must vote to strengthen democracy.

President Droupadi Murmu reached Ayodhya on a day’s visit today to perform Darshan-Poojan to Ram Lalla at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Governor of State Anandiben Patel welcomed President Murmu at the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. From the airport, the President reached Hanumangarhi to offer prayers to Lord Hanuman. The President also participated in the Saryu Aarti with full rituals this evening. This is President Draupadi Murmu’s first visit to the newly-built temple, the consecration ceremony for which was held on the 22ns of January. Given the President’s programme, there were tight security arrangements in the entire Ayodhya including Hanumangarhi, Railway Station, Ram Path and Naya Ghat.

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor today assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command. He was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on the 06th of December 1986. A Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader, he has more than 34 hundred hours of flying experience. In recognition of his meritorious service, the Air Marshal was awarded with Vayu Sena Medal in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.

Congress today alleged that in the last ten years, the wage rate in the country has not been increased. While quoting Labour Bureau data, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh told media in New Delhi that the real wage rate has declined in the second term of the Modi government. He said that during the tenure of the Manmohan Singh government between 2004 to 2014, the real wage rate of farm labourers increased by 6.8 per cent every year.

Kolkata: Actor Rupali Ganguly, known for her roles in the series 'Anupama' and 'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai'. joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today ahead of the third-phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The event took place at the party's headquarters in Kolkata and was attended by several senior BJP leaders, including national general secretary Vinod Tawde. The actor said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his work had attracted her towards the party. "Seeing the 'Mahayagya' of development (development push) around me (under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi), I felt that I should also be a part of it," Ms Ganguly told the media. "I wish to follow in the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji and serve fellow citizens in whichever role I am entrusted with. I intend to work under the guidance of Amit Shah-ji and make all of my leaders and cadres proud of me," she added. Welcoming her into the party, Mr Tawde used the opportunity to attack the Opposition over Samajwadi Party leader Maria Alam's appeal for 'love jihad'. Ms Alam, while seeking votes for the INDIA bloc's candidate from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat, called for a "vote jehad," saying it was necessary in the current situation for the minority community to dislodge the BJP from power. Responding to the SP leader's remarks, Mr Tawde said, "The Opposition, which has been spreading lies, has now started a 'vote jihad' campaign. This shows they are rattled." He added, "On the one hand they are giving OBC reservation to Muslims, on the other they are talking about 'vote jihad' during elections."

BJP Candidate from the North-East Delhi Lok Sabha Constituency Manoj Tiwari today filed his nomination papers. Before filing his nomination, Mr Tiwari held a road show in the National Capital which was joined by senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh, and others. Talking to the media, Mr Singh claimed that BJP will win all seven Lok Sabha seats in the National Capital. Mr Tiwari is contesting against Congress candidate Kanhaiya Kumar from the North-East Delhi Constituency. BJP East Delhi Candidate Harsh Malhotra also filed his nomination papers this afternoon. AAP has pitted its MLA Kuldeep Kumar against Mr Malhotra from this seat. Meanwhile, several other candidates of BJP, AAP, and Congress are campaigning in different parts of Delhi to garner the support of voters. All seven seats of Delhi will go to poll during the sixth phase on the 25th of this month.

Oil marketing companies have slashed the prices of commercial LPG gas cylinders by 19 rupees per unit with immediate effect. As per the Indian Oil website, the retail sales price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder after the price revision will be 1745.50 in Delhi, 1,859 rupees in Kolkata, Rs 1,698.5 rupees in Mumbai, and 1,911 rupees in Chennai. The prices of non-subsidised, domestic-use LPG were however left unchanged at existing levels.

Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur met the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Myanmar, Than Swe in Naypyidaw yesterday. The Indian Embassy in Myanmar said in a social media post that both the leaders held a wide-ranging discussion on various aspects of the multifaceted relations between two nations. Mr. Thakur also presented a copy of his credentials to Myanmar’s Deputy PM. The Embassy further said, the Indian envoy also met the Permanent Secretary, Daw Marlar Than Htike, Director General of Protocol Department, U. Wunna Han and DG Political, U. Than Htwe, during the visit.

The Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader  Narendra Modi is scheduled to address six election rallies across Gujarat today and tomorrow. The Prime Minister will address public gatherings at Vav in Banaskantha district and Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha districts of North Gujarat this afternoon. Tomorrow, he will address rallies in Anand, Surendranagar, Junagadh, and Jamnagar. Gujarat will go for polls in a single phase on the 7th of May.