Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will take over as NCP national president on Feb 26: Praful Patel
Gondia (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar will take over as the national president of the NCP on February 26, senior party leader Praful Patel said on Wednesday.
The announcement marks the leadership transition in the Nationalist Congress Party following the death of Sunetra's husband and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28.
"After Ajitdada, we are in the process of filling the vacuum in our party. We are a separate party, and we are in the process of doing what's right for our party. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will take over as the national president of NCP on February 26", Patel told reporters.
Replying to a question about the merger of the two factions of the NCP, Patel emphasised that it's not the right time to speak about the issue.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when a chartered plane, a Learjet 45, crashed while landing near Baramati in Pune district.
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
