Ranchi, Oct 24 – Parts of Jharkhand are expected to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Thursday night due to the impact of cyclonic storm ‘Dana,’ according to an official from the Meteorological Department.

An ‘orange’ alert has been issued for the Kolhan region, which includes the districts of West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan, and East Singhbhum, indicating possible rainfall ranging from 115 mm to 204 mm within 24 hours on Friday, the official stated.

In addition to heavy rainfall, the region could experience thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 60 kmph, according to Abhishek Anand, head of the Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone ‘Dana’ is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday, with wind speeds likely to reach up to 120 kmph. As of 2:30 am Wednesday, the cyclone was located 280 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal, the IMD bulletin said.

Six teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa, with two additional teams on standby in Ranchi, to address any emergencies that may arise, an official added.

Other areas in central Jharkhand, such as Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla, and Ramgarh, are also expected to receive heavy rainfall on Friday, according to Anand.

“Light to moderate rainfall is likely in many parts of the state on Thursday, with the Kolhan division expected to be hit hardest by the cyclonic system,” he said.

The inclement weather may also impact political activities in the run-up to the Jharkhand Assembly elections, scheduled for two phases—November 13 and November 20—with the vote counting on November 23. The nomination process for the first phase is set to conclude on October 25, while nominations for the second phase will be accepted until October 29.

NEW DELHI, Oct 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on its Raising Day, honoring the force for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding India’s border with China.

In a post on X, Modi wrote, “Raising Day greetings to ITBP Himveers and their families. This force stands tall as a symbol of valour and dedication, protecting us in some of the most challenging terrains and harsh climatic conditions.”

The prime minister also praised the ITBP’s role in disaster response, highlighting the pride the force instills in the nation through its rescue operations during natural calamities.

The ITBP, established in the wake of the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, has a strength of around 90,000 personnel. The force is primarily tasked with guarding the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China while also playing a crucial role in internal security and disaster management efforts.

In a separate post, Modi welcomed the government’s decision to confer classical language status on Pali, expressing gratitude to scholars and monks who participated in a discussion on Pali hosted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in Colombo. “Glad that the Indian Government’s decision of conferring Classical Language status on Pali has ignited joy among those who believe in the thoughts of Bhagwan Buddha,” Modi said.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Oct 24 – As the Shiv Sena (UBT) prepares for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, its three MLAs in the Marathwada region are actively campaigning to raise awareness about their new symbol, the ‘mashaal’ (flaming torch), while also addressing pressing farmers’ issues.

In the previous 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena secured 12 seats in Marathwada. Following the party split in June 2022, three MLAs—Udaysingh Rajput (Kannad), Kailas Patil (Dharashiv-Kalamb), and Dr. Rahul Patil (Parbhani)—aligned with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and are now contesting in the upcoming polls.

The split occurred when a faction of MLAs led by Eknath Shinde revolted against Thackeray, who was then serving as chief minister. Subsequently, the Thackeray-led faction was allotted the ‘mashaal’ symbol, while Shinde’s group retained the original ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.

In an interview with PTI, Rajput emphasized the importance of Thackeray’s positive image among the electorate, largely due to his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are now aggressively working to spread awareness about our symbol ‘mashaal’ in Kannad,” he stated, adding that he would also highlight farmers’ grievances throughout his campaign. He noted that his political opponents are struggling to find a candidate to run against him.

Dr. Rahul Patil remarked on the absence of the ruling BJP’s support, asserting, “This government is corrupt, and we are working diligently to inform the public about these issues.” He pointed out that soybean purchasing remains a critical concern in his constituency, where the crop is cultivated on approximately 2.80 lakh hectares, yet there are only eight purchase centers. “If this continues, it will take a decade to purchase all the soybean produced in my constituency,” he cautioned, insisting that farmers’ issues could lead to the downfall of the ruling parties.

Kailas Patil also criticized the previous alliance with the BJP, stating, “They were with our undivided party only on paper, and their leaders actively worked against us.” He highlighted the significance of raising awareness about their symbol among constituents, particularly as the BJP is no longer associated with them, even nominally.

Patil echoed concerns regarding the insufficient number of soybean purchase centers, lamenting that crop prices are being driven down at private centers. As the election campaign intensifies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) aims to leverage both their new symbol and farmers’ issues to regain voter support in the region.

Kolkata/Bhubaneswar, Oct 23 – A deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Dana’ on Wednesday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm is projected to move northwest, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, and cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25, with wind speeds reaching up to 120 kmph.

At 5:30 am, the cyclone was located 560 km southeast of Paradip and 630 km south-southeast of Sagar Island. The IMD advised fishermen to avoid the sea from October 23 to 25, warning of wind speeds increasing from 60 kmph on October 23 to between 100-120 kmph by October 24 night through the morning of October 25.

More than 150 express and passenger trains under the South Eastern Railway (SER) jurisdiction have been cancelled from October 23 to 25 due to the approaching storm, with additional cancellations possible if the situation worsens. The SER zone, headquartered in Kolkata, covers parts of West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is on high alert, mobilizing vessels and aircraft to respond to emergencies. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has already deployed 13 teams across southern Bengal to handle potential crises.

The IMD predicts the cyclone will bring very heavy rainfall to South Bengal on October 24 and 25. Coastal districts like South 24 Parganas, Paschim and Purba Medinipur, and Jhargram are expected to experience extremely heavy downpours. Additionally, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Purulia, and Bankura may see heavy to very heavy rainfall during this period.

Ranchi, Oct 23 — The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday released its first list of 35 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections, with Chief Minister Hemant Soren contesting from Barhait and his wife, Kalpana Soren, standing from Gandey.

The elections will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results to be announced on November 23.

Hemant Soren, who currently represents the Barhait (ST) constituency in Sahibganj district, will seek re-election. He previously won the seat in 2019, defeating BJP’s Simon Malto by over 25,000 votes. Kalpana Soren, who won the Gandey bypoll in 2021, will also be contesting from the same seat.

In the JMM’s first candidate list, several key names were announced. Basant Soren, the chief minister’s brother, will contest from Dumka. He previously defeated former BJP minister Lois Marandi in the 2019 elections. Other prominent candidates include Assembly Speaker Rabindranath Mahto, who will contest from Nala, and Minister Mithilesh Thakur, who is running from Garhwa.

Among other candidates, Sonu Sudivya will stand for Giridih, Bebi Devi for Dumri, Dipak Birua for Chaibasa, and Stephen Marandi for Maheshpur. Former BJP MLA Kedar Hazara, who recently joined the JMM, will contest from Jamua.

The INDIA bloc partners, comprising the JMM, Congress, and RJD, have decided to contest the polls together. The JMM and Congress will vie for 70 of the 81 seats, while the remaining 11 will be contested by the RJD and Left parties. The RJD has already announced candidates for six seats.

On the opposition side, the BJP will contest 68 seats, the AJSU Party 10, JD(U) 2, and the LJP (Ram Vilas) will contest 1.

The filing of nominations for the first phase of the elections, covering 43 constituencies, began last week and will continue until October 25. A total of 2.60 crore voters, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities, third-gender individuals, and senior citizens over 85 years old, are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.