BJP MLA Anil Gote announces resignation from Assembly, party
Mumbai, Nov 13: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Anil Gote has announced his resignation as member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the BJP, alleging that "criminals" were being inducted into the party.
Gote, who represents the Dhule Assembly seat in Maharashtra, said on Monday that he will tender his resignation next week.
Last month, another BJP legislator had resigned as member of the state Assembly and from the party.
Gote has been opposing induction of some leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) into the BJP.
"I am going to tender my resignation to the Assembly Speaker on November 19, first day of the state legislature's winter session, and also quit the party," he said.
"Despite my opposition, senior party leaders have been inducting people with criminal background into the BJP ahead of Dhule Municipal Corporation election," Gote said.
If these people get elected, they will "ruin" Dhule city with their corrupt practices, he claimed.
He also said that he will contest the mayoral election in the Dhule civic body next month.
Gote had won the 2009 Assembly election as an Independent and joined the BJP ahead of the 2014 state polls.
He was arrested earlier in connection with the counterfeit stamp paper scam involving kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi, and is now out on bail.
Last month, BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, had resigned as member of the Assembly and from the party's primary membership.
He was an MLA from Katol constituency in Nagpur district.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
