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Gujarat: NCP to field Jayant Patel ‘Boskey’ in Umreth Assembly bypoll

Anand, March 16 (IANS) The Nationalist Congress Party has proposed the name of senior leader Jayant Patel “Boskey” as its candidate for the upcoming by-election to the Umreth Assembly constituency in Gujarat, party leaders confirmed on Monday.

Speaking to IANS, State NCP President Nikul Singh Tomar said the state leadership had recommended Patel’s name for the seat and forwarded it to the party’s central leadership for consideration.

“Jayant Patel Boskey’s name has been proposed as the candidate for the Umreth Assembly seat. We, from the state leadership, have sent the name,” Tomar added.

He said the final decision would be taken by the party’s Parliamentary board and was expected within the next few days.

“The final decision lies with the party’s Parliamentary board. The party board is expected to take a decision within two to three days,” he added.

Tomar described Patel as an experienced politician and said the NCP intended to contest the election under his guidance.

“He’s a two-time MLA. He has fought as a candidate in Assembly elections five times. He is a very seasoned leader and we are also going to fight under his guidance,” he said.

Tomar added that the NCP leadership was simultaneously working on preparations for upcoming local elections in the state.

“Along with this, the possible candidates for upcoming local body elections are likely to be finalised,” he said.

Confirming that the name had been recommended by the state NCP unit, Brijmohan Shrivastav, the party’s national general secretary and its representative to the Election Commission, said the proposal would be examined by the party’s central bodies before a final announcement.

“The state leadership has decided a name. The final decision will be taken by the parliamentary board and election committee. As of now, the name is just proposed, not final,” he told IANS.

Shrivastav also clarified the NCP’s position on alliances.

“Talking about the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), we have an alliance with them nationally, that is for the Lok Sabha, and in Maharashtra. In any other state’s Assembly elections or local body elections, we don’t have an alliance,” he said.

The by-election to the Umreth Assembly seat was announced by the Election Commission on March 15 after the seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Govind Parmar.

Patel and Parmar have faced each other in electoral contests in the Umreth Assembly constituency.

In the 2012 Assembly election, Patel, then contesting on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket, defeated Parmar of the BJP by a narrow margin to win the seat.

In the 2017 election, Parmar won the Umreth seat, defeating Patel, who finished third behind both Parmar and the Congress candidate.

Polling for the Assembly constituency is scheduled to take place on April 23 as part of by-elections being held in several states across the country.

The counting of votes will be held on May 4.

Located in Anand district, the Umreth constituency has seen contests between multiple parties over the decades and remains politically significant in central Gujarat.

–IANS

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Ayodhya on high alert for historic Nov 25 ‘Dhwajarohan’ as PM Modi leads ceremony

Maharajganj (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 21 (IANS) In the wake of the recent blasts in Delhi, security has been significantly tightened from Ayodhya to the India-Nepal border ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the holy city in Uttar Pradesh on November 25.

The Prime Minister will hoist a sacred religious flag atop the Ram Temple, marking a major milestone in the temple’s construction. Thousands of dignitaries, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, are expected to attend the grand ceremony, which will span nearly four hours.

PM Modi will hoist the flag at the temple’s 190-foot shikhara, an act symbolising the completion of the monumental structure. Following the ceremony, he is scheduled to address more than 7,000 guests within the temple premises. Given the scale of the event and recent security concerns, authorities are on high alert to ensure no anti-national or terrorist elements disrupt the proceedings.

Maharajganj Superintendent of Police Somendra Meena confirmed that security along the India-Nepal border has been intensified since the Delhi blasts. Village security committees have been mobilised, and existing footpath pickets have been further strengthened. Joint patrols by local police and SSB personnel are being conducted to prevent illegal intrusions or suspicious movements across the border.

All CCTV cameras in the region have been activated, with additional cameras installed in sensitive zones vulnerable to unauthorised entry. The LIU (local intelligence unit) is maintaining constant surveillance, and officers are carrying out continuous patrols. According to the Superintendent of Police, residents of slum areas and temporary settlements near the border are being verified, and their identification documents are undergoing strict checks.

Temple officials have stated that this year’s celebrations will be particularly grand. Subsidiary temples dedicated to Lord Mahadev, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, Suryadev, Maa Bhagwati, Maa Annapurna, and Sheshavatar will be adorned with elaborate decorations alongside the main temple.

The rituals will be conducted by 108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi, and South India, under the guidance of renowned Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri. The ceremony will include the hoisting of a saffron flag featuring the symbol of the Sun, representing eternal energy, divine radiance, virtue, and enlightenment — qualities associated with Lord Ram.

–IANS

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Attending to wife, Bikaji founder Shiv Ratan Agarwal passes away in Chennai

Jaipur, April 23 (IANS) Shiv Ratan Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Bikaji Foods International, passed away on Thursday in Chennai after suffering a heart attack at the age of 74.

He had travelled to the city with his family for his wife’s medical treatment.

According to sources, Agarwal’s wife had recently undergone a heart bypass surgery and had been advised rest.

The family was staying at a hotel in Chennai during her recovery.

At around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Agarwal reportedly began feeling unwell.

As his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Agarwal founded the Bikaji brand in Bikaner, transforming a modest venture into one of India’s leading packaged snack companies.

The company traces its roots to ‘Shivdeep Foods Products’, named after his son Deepak Agarwal, which later evolved into the Bikaji brand.

Following a division in the family business associated with Haldiram’s, Agarwal chose to chart his own path.

He moved to Bikaner and started a bhujia manufacturing business under Shivdeep Foods Products, laying the foundation for what would become a major player in India’s snack industry.

In 1993, the company was rebranded as ‘Bikaji’ — a name inspired by Rao Bika, the founder of Bikaner — giving the brand a distinct regional identity with global appeal.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his condolences on Agarwal’s demise.

In his social media post on X, Gehlot said, “The news of the sudden passing of the country’s renowned industrialist and Chief Managing Director of Bikaji, Shiv Ratan Agarwal, is deeply saddening. The demise of Shiv Ratan Agarwal, who brought fame to Bikaner’s Bhujia both within the country and abroad through the Bikaji brand, is an irreparable loss. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and to bestow upon the bereaved family the strength to bear this grief. Om Shanti.”

–IANS

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