Kolkata: Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday began their first practice session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season at the Jadavpur University second campus ground in Salt Lake here.

Newly-appointed captain Dinesh Karthik became the toast of the nation after his freak cameo of 28 not out from just eight balls, guiding India to a last-ball victory over Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy T20 tri-series final in Colombo on Sunday.

KKR, no doubt will be bolstered by his presence, and he is expected to join the squad later this month along with coach and South African legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

There was no net session on Monday afternoon as the men in purple decided to start their pre-season training with light warm-up sessions.

A total of 11 players including Vice-captain Robin Uthappa sweated it out.

KKR will begin their campaign at home against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 8.

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BENGALURU: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Monday alleged Electronic Voting Machine manipulations led to the defeat of Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in just concluded assembly polls in Maharashtra.

While speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said the BJP does selective manipulations to convince people that there were no wrongdoings. He also wanted to go back to the paper ballots system.

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra won a landslide victory in the assembly elections, shattering the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream to wrest power. The BJP won the highest ever 132 seats for the party, while the Shiv Sena led by Shinde bagged 57 seats and NCP won 41 seats to take the Mahayuti total to 230 seats. Congress as part of MVA won just 16 seats.

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"We analysed the Maharashtra poll outcome deeply. We felt that in many places EVMs were manipulated," Parameshwara said. He also said an obvious question would be why not it happened in Jharkhand and elsewhere. The manipulations are done selectively so that no one can question it, he blamed.

According to him, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a leading partner. Had the Congress been the leading partner, things would have changed. He backed the ballot papers saying that the same was discussed in Maharashtra Congress as well.

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