‘No intention of joining politics in future’: Rajinikanth dissolves his party

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday that INDIA bloc will win 295+ seats in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the results of which will be announced on June 4. Kharge's estimate came about an hour before the exit polls results for general elections are expected to be released. 

“INDIA bloc will win at least 295 seats. This is not based on our survey. This is what people have told us," Kharge said after the meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at his residence on Saturday. 

Kharge also said that leaders of INDIA bloc have sought time from Election Commission of India on Sunday to discuss steps to be taken during counting of votes. 

The meeting, held as the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is about to end, discussed the future course of action after the results of the Lok Sabha Elections are announced on June 4.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav SP, his party colleague, Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Jharkhand Chief Minister, Champai Soren, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Sitaram Yechury of CPIM and Dipankar Bhattacharya of CPI(ML). These other than Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also present in the meeting.

Top opposition leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are not attending the meeting. The DMK is represented by its TR Baalu in the meeting.

The meeting is underway amid voting taking place to decide the fate of 904 candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, across 57 seats in seven states and one Union Territory in the last and final phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Soon after the polling of last phase is over, the results of Exit Polls for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be released. In a U turn, the Congress said that leaders of INDIA bloc parties will now take part in exit poll debates this evening. The, a day after Congress said on that its leaders will not participate in debates related to Lok Sabha elections exit polls on June 4.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – an amalgamation of about 28 opposition parties – was formed with its first meeting in June 2023 to put up a collective fight against BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The BJP-led NDA, seeking a record third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set a target of winning 400 seats this election.

The West Bengal police suspect that Anwarul Azim Anar, the slain Bangladesh Member of Parliament, could have been lured into a New Town flat in Kolkata by a woman and then murdered by contract killers.

Apart from the honey-trap angle, the police are also probing a US citizen's role in the murder. Per the police, the person was the politician's close friend and had allegedly paid ₹5 crore for the killing. The person, who owns a flat in the West Bengal capital, is currently in the United States.

Anwarul Azim Anar was last seen alive entering a rented flat in Kolkata.

The police are now looking into the role of Shilasti Rahman, a woman who the investigators believe was acquainted with one of his killers and 'honey-trapped' the Bangladesh MP, delivering him to his end.

"The investigation indicates the MP fell into a 'honey trap'. It seems he was lured by the woman. We suspect he was murdered soon after he went to the flat," a Kolkata cop relayed info from Dhaka.

CCTV footage from the apartment had showed Mr Anar entering the flat with a woman. Shilasti Rahman has been detained by Dhaka police.

"It seems, Anar was lured into the New Town flat by the woman. We suspect he was murdered soon after he went to the flat," a senior officer said.

The CID has found CCTV footage which showed Anar entering the flat with a man and a woman. The duo came in and out of the flat later, but the MP never emerged again.

"In the CCTV footage, the politician was seen entering the flat with the two persons. The duo was later seen coming out and re-entering the flat the next day but the MP was not seen again," the officer told agency.

The duo later came out of the flat with a massive suitcase.

The police found blood stains inside the flat. Several plastic bags were also used to dump the body parts.
The police suspect that the MP was first strangulated. Later, his body was chopped into several pieces. The flesh was segregated from the bones and mixed with turmeric powder to delay decomposition.

"We suspect that after killing Anar, the murderers mutilated the body, segregated the flesh from the bones and mixed those with turmeric powder to delay decomposition," the officer added.

The body parts were placed in the trolley bag and later scattered at different locations. Some parts were also kept in a fridge.

To mislead his family members and friends, the killers sent out messages to his contacts, asking them to not contact him as he was travelling to Delhi.

Meanwhile, a Mumbai-based butcher, who skinned and cut the body of the MP, was arrested by the CID.

“One Jihad Hawaldar, 24 has been arrested. Hailing from Khulna in Bangladesh, Hawaldar was illegally staying in Mumbai. He was directly involved in the crime. Investigation is going on,” an IPS officer said.

Raichur, May 21: In a tragic incident in Koravinahala village of Karnataka's Raichur district, a four-year-old girl fell victim to a stray dog attack and succumbed to injuries on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as Lavanya, daughter of Keralinga.

Fifteen days ago, seven children were attacked by a stray dog while they were playing. Lavanya was bitten on the back of her neck and other parts of her body.

Lavanya was discharged from the hospital two days ago and was under treatment at her residence. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries. The other children who were attacked by the dog are still under treatment.

Keralinga, Lavanya's father, stated that his daughter was attacked right in front of their residence.

He urged the authorities to take action to ensure that other children in the village do not meet the same fate as his daughter.

The villagers said that to date, the authorities have not visited the village to enquire about the affected children. The dog was killed by the villagers on the same day of the attack.

Kariyappa, the Panchayat Development Officer of Samagakunta village, said that he got information about the incident on Tuesday and will visit the village.
He said that a rescue team would be sent to look out for stray dogs that were attacking people.

"We received information that the dog was not local and had strayed from a different region. While traveling to another place, it attacked the children," he said.

The villagers have expressed their outrage alleging negligence by the authorities.