Mumbai (PTI): Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday said he will campaign for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the upcoming Maharashtra polls and claimed the ruling BJP would be "wiped out" in the state elections.

Malik, who had played a crucial role in the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was speaking to reporters after meeting Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely to be held in November.

The ruling Mahayuti in the state comprises the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP and the Ajit Pawar-headed NCP.

The opposition MVA includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

Asked about his views on the upcoming Maharashtra polls, Malik said, "The BJP will not just receive a major blow, but the party will be wiped out in the state elections. Uddhav Thackeray will play the most important role in this election. You need not worry."

"I have extended my full support to the MVA. I will also campaign for it," said Malik, the last governor of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Malik, a vocal critic of the current administration, on Saturday said the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra will significantly influence the political landscape of the country and asserted the state poll results would serve as "the last nail in the BJP's coffin".

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Bengaluru (PTI): The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has collected over Rs 19 lakh as a penalty from 10,069 passengers who were penalised for travelling without tickets and occupying seats exclusively reserved for ladies in the last three months, officials said on Thursday.

The checking staff of BMTC have intensified checking of buses operated in and around Bengaluru City to detect ticketless travelling by passengers, they said.

According to BMTC, during the months of August, September and October, the checking staff checked 57,219 trips and penalised 8,891 ticketless passengers by collecting Rs 17,96,030 as penalty and 5,268 cases were booked against conductors for their dereliction of duty.

During the same period, they have also penalised 1,178 male passengers for occupying seats exclusively reserved for lady passengers and imposed fines by collecting Rs 1,17,800 in accordance with the KMV (Karnataka Motor Vehicle) Rules of the MV Act of 1988.

"In total, during the months of August, September and October, 10,069 passengers were penalised and Rs 19,13,830 was collected," the BTMC officials stated.