BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar on Tuesday defeated AAP's Kuldeep Kumar to win the post of mayor in the Chandigarh mayoral polls.

The polls, being held following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, assumes significance with opposition INDIA bloc members Congress and AAP joining hands to contest the elections.

As part of the alliance, the AAP is contested for the mayor's post while the Congress has fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is being questioned by ED sleuths here in connection with the agency's money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam, officials said.

 Amidst suspense about his whereabouts, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has reached his official residence in Ranchi, a source in the CMO said on Tuesday.

Speaking to news channels here, George said that the ''general sentiments'' of his party workers are in favor of joining the BJP, and that a decision in this regard will be made before the Lok Sabha polls.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha on Tuesday claimed that the BJP's top leadership is "afraid" of opposition parties, and it is targeting them by "misusing" central investigation agencies.

Prohibitory orders were imposed Tuesday in key areas of Ranchi in the wake of the political situation arising out of the Enforcement Directorate's search at the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, officials said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday arrived at the ED office here for questioning in connection with the agency's money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam, officials said.

A Kerala court on Tuesday sentenced to death 15 persons associated with the now-banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the murder of BJP OBC wing leader Ranjith Sreenivasan in this district in December 2021.