IMD warns of colder winter in central India, northwest, and peninsular regions
New Delhi (PTI): Normal to below-normal temperatures are expected in central India and the adjoining northwest and peninsular regions during the three-month winter season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
The western Himalayan region, the foothills of the Himalayas, the northeastern states, and parts of eastern and western India may experience above-normal maximum temperatures, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in an online press conference.
The IMD is expecting four to five "extra" days of cold wave conditions in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and some parts of Maharashtra.
Mohapatra said these areas normally experience four to six days of cold wave conditions during the December to February period.
"During the upcoming winter season (December 2025 to February 2026), normal to below-normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of central India and adjoining peninsular and northwest India. Above-normal minimum temperatures are likely over the remaining parts of the country," he said.
During the season, maximum temperatures are expected to be normal to below normal across most parts of the country, he added.
The season's first spell of cold to severe cold wave conditions started early and was observed only in isolated pockets over west, central and adjoining east India, mainly northeast Rajasthan, south Haryana, north Madhya Pradesh, south Uttar Pradesh and north Chhattisgarh, between November 8 and 18, and over north interior Maharashtra on November 15 and 20.
Another cold wave spell is expected in parts of northwest and central India from December 3 to 5, the IMD chief said.
"We are expecting weak La Niña conditions to continue during the December to February period," he added.
La Niña refers to the large-scale cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, coupled with changes in tropical atmospheric circulation such as winds, pressure and rainfall.
It is generally associated with intense and prolonged rains in the monsoon season in India and colder-than-usual winters, particularly in northern regions.
Most parts of the country, except for parts of southeast peninsular India, the northeastern states and areas in the extreme northwest, recorded normal to below-normal temperatures in November.
A total of four western disturbances, rain-bearing weather systems originating in the Mediterranean region, impacted temperatures over north India, though almost all were mostly dry.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
