Sharad Pawar not to fight Lok Sabha polls

Vartha Bharati | 11-03-2019 | 16:26:00 IST

Pune: NCP chief Sharad Pawar Monday said he has decided not to contest the next month's Lok Sabha election from the Madha constituency in Maharashtra.

The Madha seat is held by his party leader Vijaysingh Mohite Patil. Pawar's announcement at a press conference came after recent speculation that he may contest from there.

"There was a lot of insistence (from within NCP) that I contest from Madha. However, my candidature hasn't been declared yet," Pawar said.

The NCP chief also indicated that Parth, son of his nephew and senior party leader Ajit Pawar, may be fielded from Maval LS constituency in Pune district.

"Many people are asking (me) to field Parth from Maval," the former Union minister said.

Asked if the fear of possible defeat made him rethink of contesting from Madha, Pawar said, "I have successfully faced 14 elections. Do you think a 15th will deter me?"

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.

1,000 buses checked in Andhra, over 200 penalised for violations: Transport minister

28-03-2026 ¦ 28-03-2026 IST

M Ramprasad Reddy | Facebook/@Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy

Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister M Ramprasad Reddy on Saturday said over 1,000 buses have been checked across the state and 236 penalised for lacking proper documents.

Reddy's remarks come in the wake of four ghastly bus accidents claiming 45 lives, of these 33 charred to death, and injuring several others within six months.

"We are taking intense action to avoid road accidents. Across the state, we checked 1,036 buses. Cases have been registered, and penalties were slapped against 236 buses without proper documents," he said in an official press release.

According to the minister, authorities have undertaken checks at 16 points, including toll plazas and check-posts, across the state.

The transport minister promised regular checking drives and stringent action against violations.

Reddy asserted that the government gives 'primacy to passenger safety' and called on everybody to adhere to the law.