Kamal Nath's close aide, various other MP Congress functionaries join BJP
Bhopal (PTI): Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, a close associate of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and some other functionaries of the opposition Congress joined the ruling BJP on Monday.
The Bahujan Samaj Party's state in-charge also joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Syed Zafar, a former Congress spokesperson, joined the BJP in Bhopal in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the party's state head VD Sharma.
Zafar, a native of Chhindwara, was considered a close associate of Congress veteran and former chief minister Kamal Nath.
As per his profile on X, he was currently holding the post of MP Congress general secretary.
However, state Congress media department chairman K K Mishra said Zafar was not holding any post in the party at present.
Earlier this month, there were speculations that Nath might switch over to the BJP, but he refuted such reports as "creation of media."
Besides Zafar, MP Congress general secretary Maneesha Dubey, some other party leaders and BSP's state in-charge Ramsakha Verma also joined the BJP after being influenced by the welfare schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and policies of the BJP, a spokesperson of the ruling party said.
Earlier this month, former Union minister Suresh Pachouri, former MP from Dhar Lok Sabha seat Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi and several other Congress leaders joined the BJP.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
