Balu Dhanorkar, Cong's lone Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra, passes away
New Delhi/Mumbai (PTI): The Congress' lone Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra, Suresh alias Balu Dhanorkar, died early Tuesday at a private hospital in neighbouring Gurgaon where he was admitted following complications after a surgery to remove kidney stones, a party leader said. He was 47.
Dhanorkar is survived by wife Pratibha, an MLA, and two sons.
"Balubhau breathed his last early Tuesday morning while undergoing treatment at a private hospital," Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said.
Dhanorkar's 80-year-old father Narayan Dhanorkar passed away in Nagpur on Saturday evening after a prolonged illness. The MP could not attend his father's last rites on Sunday.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas B V and other leaders condoled Dhanorkar's death.
"The news of the sudden demise of Balubhau Dhanorkar, Lok Sabha member from Chandrapur is very sad. He kept striving for the development of his region and Maharashtra," Murmu said on Twitter.
"Saddened by the passing away of Lok Sabha MP from Chandrapur, Balubhau Narayanrao Dhanorkar Ji. He will be remembered for his contribution to public service and empowering the poor. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," Modi said.
Dhanorkar underwent a surgery for kidney stones at a Nagpur hospital on May 26 and was airlifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Sunday after he developed complications.
"He was admitted to a Nagpur-based hospital last week for the treatment of kidney stones. He was later shifted to New Delhi but he could not survive," Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said.
Dhanorkar's mortal remains will be kept at his hometown in Warora in Chandrapur district Tuesday afternoon for people to pay their last respects.
The last rites will be held in Warora on Wednesday morning.
Dhanorkar began his political career in the Shiv Sena led by Balasaheb Thackeray and rose through the party ranks to become a Member of the Legislative Assembly in 2014.
He quit the Shiv Sena to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as a Congress candidate against BJP strongman and four-term Parliamentarian Hansraj Ahir. Dhanorkar defeated Ahir, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, by a margin of 44,763 votes and wrested the Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat for the Congress.
He was the only Lok Sabha member of the Congress from Maharashtra.
Dhanorkar's wife Pratibha is a Member of Legislative Assembly from Warora-Bhadrawati assembly seat in Maharashtra.
Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said he was deeply saddened by the sudden demise of his colleague in the Lok Sabha.
"The untimely demise of Dhanorkar has left a great void in the political circles in Maharashtra," he said.
"Saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of Shri Suresh Narayan Dhanorkar, Congress MP (Lok Sabha) from Chandrapur Maharashtra. He was a grassroots leader. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and followers," Kharge said.
"I am saddened by the demise of Suresh Dhanorkar. He dedicated his life to fulfill the aspirations of the common people and carry their hopes and expectations to the Lok Sabha," Lok Sabha Speaker om Birla said.
Rahul Gandhi said Dhanorkar's demise has caused an irreparable loss to the Congress family. "He will remain alive in our memories forever." Gandhi said.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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