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Suspended Congress leader Nilesh Kumbhani has reappeared after 20 days, following the rejection of his nomination form which led to the BJP winning the Surat Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat unopposed. Kumbhani accused the Congress of betraying him first in 2017 when his ticket for the Kamrej Assembly seat was cancelled at the last moment. He claimed that the party is being controlled by five leaders in Surat who hinder the work of others. Kumbhani's nomination form was rejected on April 21, leading to the BJP candidate being elected unopposed. The Congress' substitute candidate also had their form rejected, resulting in the party's absence from the race. Kumbhani's suspension by the Congress was due to his alleged involvement in the rejection of the nomination form. The Lok Sabha election results for Gujarat are scheduled to be announced on June 4. 
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Amritsar Lok Sabha candidate, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a former diplomat, has pledged to bring a US consulate to Amritsar, following in the footsteps of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's promise for Bengaluru. Sandhu, who filed his nomination papers on Friday with the support of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, emphasized the growing India-US relations and the need for more consulates due to the increasing business and community ties between the two nations. Sandhu, who played a key role in opening the Indian Consulate in Seattle during his tenure as Ambassador to the US, expressed optimism about the possibility of establishing a US consulate in Amritsar. The move comes in response to the long-standing demand for a US consulate in Bengaluru, with plans for new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad previously announced by the US. The Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, where Sandhu is contesting, are set to take place on June 1.
Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, has hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after being challenged to name all districts and their headquarters without notes. Patnaik accused Modi of forgetting promises to Odisha, including ignoring Odia language and culture for the Bharat Ratna. He criticized the PM for not increasing royalties for coal, failing to double minimum support prices for farmers, and neglecting infrastructure projects like the coastal highway. Patnaik also reminded Modi of unfulfilled pledges made to the people of Odisha, questioning the BJP's ability to win the state. The PM, who claimed a strong emotional connection to Odisha, issued the challenge during a rally in Kandhamal, asserting his commitment to serving the country. The BJD chief confidently declared that his party would secure a sixth term in office, dismissing the possibility of a BJP victory in the upcoming elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly criticized the Congress party during a rally in Odisha's Bargarh, condemning remarks made by senior leader Nana Patole regarding the "purification" of the Ram Mandir. PM Modi described the comments as an insult to President Droupadi Murmu and the tribal community, highlighting the BJP's efforts to empower marginalized groups. He urged voters to punish Congress by ensuring their candidates lose deposits in upcoming elections, accusing the party of attempting to undermine the rights of SC/ST and OBC communities. PM Modi also took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of disrespecting the Constitution. He confidently predicted that Congress would suffer significant losses in the upcoming elections, losing both seats and their status as the principal opposition party in Parliament.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's petition seeking interim bail in a money laundering case has been disposed of by the Supreme Court. Soren, who was arrested in January, had challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate and sought interim bail to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court observed that the petition became infructuous as the Jharkhand High Court had already delivered its judgment on May 3, which Soren has challenged. His special leave petition is set to be heard on May 13, with the bench advising his counsel to raise all contentions during that hearing. The central probe agency has accused Soren of generating proceeds of crime through manipulation of official records in a land scam case.
After 15 years of research on blue whale sound, scientists have completed a comprehensive sonic survey in the Antarctic using passive acoustic devices called sonobuoys. Led by marine mammal acoustician Brian Miller, the study sheds light on the distribution and behavior of Antarctic blue whales, which were once hunted to near extinction during industrial whaling. The analysis revealed three distinct calls made by these elusive creatures, providing valuable insights into their populations and behavior. By combining acoustic data with other methods such as drone footage and AI algorithms, researchers can monitor whale movements and assess the potential impacts of climate change on blue whale populations and their main food source, krill. This groundbreaking study, published in _Frontiers in Marine Science_, lays the groundwork for future research using passive acoustic monitoring to address knowledge gaps about Antarctic blue whales and their habitat.
Just days before the 4th phase of voting in West Bengal, Swastika Maheshwari, the wife of Trinamool Congress candidate Mukut Mani Adhikari, has joined the BJP in Ranaghat. Maheshwari, who is currently contesting a divorce suit against her husband, made the switch at a BJP rally in the presence of Mithun Chakraborty. She accused Adhikari of cruelty and warned voters that they would be cheated like her if they support him. Adhikari's nomination has been controversial, as he was elected as a BJP legislator in 2021 before joining Trinamool Congress. Despite the lack of response from Adhikari, this development has added further drama to an already tumultuous election season in West Bengal.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has responded to an invitation for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The invitation was extended by former judges Madan Lokur and AP Shah, along with senior journalist N Ram. Gandhi expressed his willingness to participate in the debate and called for the PM to agree as well. The letter proposing the debate highlighted the importance of hearing directly from political leaders to help citizens make informed decisions. Gandhi's response emphasized the need to address unsubstantiated allegations and provide voters with a platform to understand the vision of each party. The potential debate draws parallels to the longstanding tradition of presidential debates in the United States, providing voters with an opportunity to assess candidates and their positions on key issues.
In Mumbai's Ghatkopar, officials were seen inspecting BJP's poll publicity material, which included Modi masks, caps, and a rectangular item mistaken for a "gold biscuit". It was later clarified to be a plastic perfume bottle intended for party workers. BJP's District Vice President denied allegations of distributing gold, attributing it to opposition defamation. He explained that frustration led him to jokingly refer to the bottle as a gold biscuit during a police station visit. The leader emphasized that the video was shared by his daughter and threatened to file a police complaint if the allegations persist. Amid the election atmosphere, he reiterated the party's commitment to building a developed India and vowed to take legal action against those tarnishing their image.
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are currently dazzling the skies, potentially visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California in the US. Concerns over possible disruptions to Earth's communications networks have arisen due to the highly charged particles of plasma that accompany these solar storms. Dr Ravi AV Kumar from the Institute for Plasma Research Centre explained that solar flares occur when the sun reaches the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, with the current cycle expected to peak in 2025. The rarity of this solar storm, not seen since October 2003, has sparked interest in the scientific community, with NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center noting increased sunspot activity in Solar Cycle 25. This surge in solar activity has the potential to impact satellite communication and other daily activities, highlighting the importance of understanding and monitoring solar phenomena.
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