Abhishek Singhvi files nomination as Cong candidate for RS bypoll from Telangana
Hyderabad (PTI): Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday filed his nomination as the party candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll from Telangana.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, his ministerial colleagues, AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana Deepa Das Munsi accompanied Singhvi when he submitted his nomination to the officials in the state legislative assembly.
The ruling Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Telangana on Sunday night endorsed the candidature of Singhvi for the Rajya Sabha bypoll.
Addressing reporters after a meeting of the CLP here on Sunday, Chief Minister and state Congress president Revanth Reddy said Singhvi was introduced to Congress MLAs, MPs and MLCs at the meeting.
Referring to the disputes with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh following its bifurcation in 2014, Revanth Reddy said Singhvi's election would help in highlighting Telangana's concerns and problems not only in Parliament but also in courts.
Singhvi said it is an honour for him to have been nominated as the party candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Telangana.
Singhvi met Congress leader K Keshava Rao here. Rao's resignation from the Upper House after quitting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to join the Congress necessitated the bypoll.
"It is my honour to have been nominated from Telangana," Singhvi said.
Rao had expressed confidence that the by-election would be unanimous in view of the majority of the ruling Congress in Telangana and said Singhvi would be introduced to the party MLAs.
The strength of Congress in the 119-member Telangana Legislative Assembly is 65. About 10 MLAs of the BRS have joined the ruling Congress since the assembly elections last year. The BRS has sought their disqualification.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
