In Uttarakhand, “Khanduri is zaroori (chief minister B.C. Khanduri is needed)” for the ruling BJP. Banking on Mr Khanduri’s clean image and hoping that recent announcements made by the BJP government in the hill state, which also includes a “strong” Lokayukta and better healthcare, primary school, transport facilities, other than jobs for youth, will help the party regain its credibility, which had been dented during Mr Khanduri’s predecessor Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank’s tenure.

The police in China shot dead two more protesters in Tibetan-inhabited areas as unrest spread, official media and an advocacy group said Wednesday, amid signs of a physical and virtual lockdown on the region.

Controversy dogs Amarmani Tripathi, former minister convicted in the Madhumita murder case, who is now in Hardwar jail.

Young Virat Kohli provided the only bright moment by cracking his maiden century but India were still faced with a herculean task

The five-day Jaipur Literature Festival closed on a sad, angry and distressing note on Tuesday when even the image of Salman Rushdie, the author of the Booker of Bookers Midnight’s Children, The Satanic Verses and other novels, was not allowed to appear on a video screen because of the fear of violence.

As a gesture of defiance, a panel discussion was held later with writer Javed Akhtar, Rahul Bose, journalist Tarun Tejpal, and two members of the Rajasthan Muslim Forum — Salim Engineer, national secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami, and Mohammed Hasan, an academic and activist.

Though the human right groups expressed shock over the cancelling of author Salman Rushdie’s video address at Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), the Muslim activists assembled at the venue expressing joy and satisfaction.

The ministry of home affairs is seriously worried about the NSCN(I-M)’s direct involvement in the election process of Manipur.

Former BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, after being virtually hounded out of the BJP, has now floated a new organisation called Rashtriya Adhikar Manch.

Former BJP MLC Ramashish Rai, who demanded a probe into the financial transaction behind the induction of Babu Singh Kushwaha into the BJP, joined the Congress on Tuesday.