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Babulal Marandi’s Coronavirus toll in The economy is de Grandhomme, Guptill JVM(P) to merge with China crosses 1,000, as not in trouble, says and Nicholls help NZ BJP on February 17 WHO sees ‘grave threat’ Nirmala Sitharaman whitewash India page 12 page 14 page 16 page 19

Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Malappuram . Mumbai . Tirupati . lucknow . cuttack . patna NEARBY AAP sweeps Delhi with 62 seats, BJP trounced ■ AAP gets 53.6%, marginally ■ BJP wins 8 seats, 5 more than ■ Congress candidates likely All AAP Ministers sans below its 54.2% share in 2015 2015, with 38.5 % vote share to lose deposits in 63 seats

Jaideep Deo Bhanj CM and his deputy CBI gives clean chit to Jatin Anand Rakesh Asthana NEW DELHI NEW DELHI Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam see rise in vote share The CBI on Tuesday filed a Aadmi Party (AAP) were vot­ chargesheet in a case of alleged bribery against its ed back to power with a mas­ Speaker, too, emerged victorious former second­in­command sive mandate in the Delhi As­ sembly election as the party STAFF REPORTER Rakesh Asthana and others, New Delhi giving a clean chit to him and won 62 seats in the 70­mem­ another official. “The ber House. All sitting Ministers in Delhi’s investigation has not The party dropped just Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) go­ revealed any role of public five seats and less than a per­ vernment as well as the servants,” said a CBI official. centage point in vote share Speaker of the Legislative As­ NEWS Ī PAGE 12 from its stellar 2015 showing. sembly retained their seats DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Despite a hard­fought and in the Assembly election. Supreme Court to hear bitter campaign that saw big And all of them, except the Omar sister’s plea today guns, including Prime Minis­ Chief Minister and the Depu­ NEW DELHI ter Narendra Modi and Un­ ty Chief Minister, also re­ A petition filed by Sara ion Home Minister Amit corded a rise in their vote Abdullah Pilot, the sister of Shah address rallies, the BJP share compared with the Ram Niwas Goel former J&K Chief Minister managed to win only eight previous election. Omar Abdullah, will be heard seats, up five from its 2015 Some Ministers, including aged to hold on and won by a by a three­judge Bench of the tally. The Congress, yet Manish Sisodia, Kailash Geh­ margin of 3,207 votes. Supreme Court, led by Justice again, failed to open its ac­ lot, Satyendra Jain, and Similarly, Speaker Goel N.V. Ramana, on February 12. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel trailed in the first 11 rounds She has approached the court count — the party’s candi­ emerged victorious in tight of counting in the Shahdra against the government’s dates looked set to forfeit move to charge him under their deposits on 63 of the 66 contests — all of them win­ constituency before the the Public Safety Act. seats contested. ning with a margin of less trend reversed and he man­ Speaking after the victory, than 10,000 votes. Others, aged to win by a margin of NEWS Ī PAGE 12 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Chief Minister Arvind Kejri­ including Arvind Kejriwal, 5,294 votes. Kafeel Khan released wal said, “The people of Del­ ‘A referendum Nitish gets a Politics of Lack of local Gopal Rai, Rajendra Pal Gau­ Health Minister Satyendra from Mathura jail on bail hi have given birth to a new tam and Imran Hussain, won Jain more than doubled his GHAZIABAD kind of politics — the politics on BJP politics’ reason to smile hatred rejected narrative their seats with comfortable margin of victory, retaining Kafeel Khan, the paediatrician of work. This is a vote for margins of more than at least the Shakur Basti constituen­ 20,000 votes. Chief Minister cy with a margin of 7,592 who was arrested on January those who build schools, Congratulating Arvind The Delhi Assembly election Aam Aadmi Party legislator The BJP’s sixth consecutive Kejriwal, who won by mar­ votes over the BJP’s candi­ 29 from Mumbai for making who provide electricity and Kejriwal for his resounding results could provide a and Leader of the loss in an Assembly poll — gin of 21,697 votes, saw a date S.C. Vats. an inflammatory speech at healthcare. This augurs well victory, Opposition parties reason for Bihar Chief Opposition in the Punjab although the party managed Aligarh Muslim Unversity drop of 3.04 percentage Transport Minister Geh­ for the country.” said the BJP’s defeat showed Minister Nitish Kumar to Assembly Harpal Cheema to form a government in against the CAA, was released points in vote share. lot, who won from the Najaf­ that politics of polarisation smile, say political analysts. on Tuesday said the party’s Haryana — points to a very from Mathura jail on Tuesday garh constituency, was the Ministers post wins didn’t pay dividends. West The BJP­led NDA’s crushing victory in Delhi was a clear real problem for the party. after being granted bail by an Scare for Sisodia biggest gainer in terms of The AAP secured 53.57 % of Bengal CM Mamata defeat at the hands of the message that politics of The State­level narrative of Aligarh court. Deputy Chief Minister Siso­ vote share, improving on his the vote share, while the BJP Banerjee, in a tweet, said, AAP would now embolden hatred is not accepted by the party has not been as NORTH Ī PAGE 2 got 38.5% and the Congress dia, who encountered the previous victory by 15.6 per­ DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD “Leaders playing on faith the Janata Dal (United) chief people as they have voted appealing as that of PM largest drop in vote share of centage points. 4.3%. Though three of the through hate speech and to drive a harder bargain for for development. AAP, he Modi at the national level, so HC seeks Centre’s reply AAP’s incumbent Ministers — 4.31 percentage points from In Seemapuri, Minister of on Jamia violence plea divisive politics should take seats with the BJP, in the said, would replicate the much so that even Mr. Manish Sisodia, Kailash Gah­ 2015, won after a neck­and­ Tourism Rajendra Pal Gau­ NEW DELHI a cue, as only those who upcoming Assembly Delhi model in Punjab in Modi’s campaign did not lot and Satyendar Jain — neck battle with the BJP’s Ra­ tam won by the largest vote The Delhi High Court on deliver on their promises election in the State, they the 2022 Assembly election . manage to lift the party’s were trailing after the first vinder Singh Negi in the Pat­ margin among all ministers Tuesday sought the Centre’s are rewarded.” Ī page 13 say. Ī page 13 Ī page 2 fortunes. Ī page 13 parganj constituency. Mr. Si­ — at 56,108 and a 2.78 per­ response on a petition few rounds of counting, they CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC sodia, who had won by a centage point increase in seeking a court­monitored went on to retain their seats. probe by a committee into Raghav Chadha, Atishi who left the party and fought wari, while accepting res­ BJP’s vote share has regis­ come bipolar instead of margin of 28,791 votes in vote share. In Balimaran, Mi­ the police crackdown at Marlena and Dilip Pandey on a BJP ticket, was defeated. ponsibility for the dismal tered an increase, which is triangular,” he said. 2015, looked to be losing the nister of Food and Civil Sup­ Jamia Millia Islamia on from the AAP, who lost in the Anil Bajpai, also a former performance, argued that the result of the hard work seat as Mr. Negi maintained a plies Imran Hussain won by CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 December 15 last year. 2019 Lok Sabha election, AAP legislator, however, re­ the party had been able to in­ put in by its workers... these Ī lead in the first 10 rounds of a margin of 36,172. Minister WINNING FORMULA Ī EDITORIAL counting. However, once he of Labour Gopal Rai won the CITY Ī PAGE 3 strode into the Assembly. tained his Gandhi Nagar crease its vote share. “I con­ results also seem to herald DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD On the other hand, former seat. gratulate Arvind Kejriwal... the dawn of a new political ELECTORAL DICHOTOMY overtook his rival in round 11 Babarpur seat by a margin of OPPORTUNITIES Ī PAGE 15 AAP Minister Kapil Mishra, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Ti­ In comparison to 2015, the era in the city, which has be­ Ī DATA POINT in the afternoon, he man­ 33,062. U.S. President Trump confirms Thakur, 11 others get life Gargi College students boycott classes Staff Reporter legedly harassed and sexual­ student, said, “A general bo­ term in shelter home case New Delhi ly assaulted on campus dur­ dy meeting [of students and India visit on February 24, 25 Students of Gargi College ing a college festival. teachers] was held to consti­ 6 others sentenced up to 7 years in jail staged a strike and boycotted Several students and tute a committee which wou­ He and wife Melania will travel to Ahmedabad and Delhi classes for the second con­ teachers from different de­ ld investigate the events that Special Correspondent been released. secutive day on Tuesday in partments held a meeting to happened during the fest.” NEW DELHI Sriram Lakshman Office of the Press Secretary The court had earlier held protest against the February constitute a fact­finding com­ DETAILS ON Ī PAGE 3 Washington said. A special court here on Thakur guilty under the Pro­ 6 incident when they were al­ mittee. Ashna, a final­year U.S. President Donald Confirming the visit, the Tuesday sentenced Brajesh tection of Children from Sex­ Trump will visit India on Fe­ Ministry of External Affairs Thakur and 11 others, includ­ ual Offences (POCSO) Act. bruary 24 and 25, as per an in statement on Tuesday ing three women, to life im­ The charges included ag­ official announcement from said, “During the visit, Presi­ prisonment for the sexual gravated penetrative sexual the White House on Monday. dent Trump and the First La­ and physical assault of girl assault, gang­rape, rape and Mr. Trump and First Lady dy will attend official en­ inmates of a shelter home in other relevant provisions Melania Trump will visit gagements in New Delhi and Muzaffarpur, Bihar. under the Indian Penal Code New Delhi and Ahmedabad. Donald Trump Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and Additional sessions judge and the Juvenile Justice Act. The White House said Ah­ interact with a wide cross Saurabh Kulshreshtha also Vijay Kumar Tiwari, Gud­ medabad was chosen for the Delhi and Ahmedabad, section of Indian society.” imposed a fine of ₹32 lakh on du Patel, Ramanuj Thakur visit as Gujarat was home to which is in Prime Minister Prime Minister Modi and Thakur. and Kishan Kumar were also Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State of Gujarat Mr. Trump had spoken over Six others were sen­ convicted of aggravated pe­ Modi and played an “impor­ and played such an impor­ the weekend, the White tenced up to seven years in netrative sexual assault, tant role” in Mahatma Gand­ tant role in Mahatma Gand­ House said. jail. Rosy Rani, who was sen­ rape, gang­rape and other hi’s life. hi’s life and leadership of the tenced to six months’ impri­ related offences. “The President and The Indian independence move­ CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 12 sonment, has already served CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 First Lady will travel to New ment,” a statement from the TRUMP SHOW Ī PAGE 12 the term. Therefore, she has Ī Government can seek fresh execution dates, says SC Solicitor General calls for separate Victim’s kin executions of Nirbhaya case convicts move court Legal Correspondent the incident a symptom of A Delhi court on Tuesday NEW DELHI people losing faith in the sought the response of the The Supreme Court on Tues­ process of law. four death­row convicts in day allowed the Union go­ “This case [Nirbhaya] is of the Nirbhaya gang­rape and vernment to approach the 2012 and I am still struggling murder case after a petition trial court for issuance of a to execute the death sen­ was filed by the victim’s fresh date for the execution tence. They [convicts] are parents and the Delhi of the death sentence of the acting in tandem to misuse government seeking Nirbhaya gang rape convicts. the law by filing one petition issuance of fresh death Appearing before a three­ after the other… People will Steel will: The parents of the Nirbhaya rape case victim warrant. PTI judge Bench led by Justice R. stop having faith in the judi­ outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi in December. * PTI CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Banumathi, Solicitor General cial system. Seven years have Tushar Mehta said the Nirb­ gone by and the convicts are hausted remedies. The er of the four convicts move Mr. Mehta stressed that haya convicts were trying still playing the judicial sys­ fourth, Pawan Gupta, is yet court in a bid to further pro­ the Supreme court should in­ the patience of the nation. tem… It is in situations like to file a mercy petition. long the process. stead focus on the govern­ Mr. Mehta made a chilling this that people celebrate en­ As indicated, within a few ment’s appeal to allow the reference to how policemen counter killings,” Mr. Mehta Fresh plea hours of the hearing, Vinay four convicts to be separate­ who gunned down the four submitted. Mr. Mehta said a plea to fix a moved the Supreme Court ly executed. The court issued gang rape and murder ac­ The Solicitor General said new date for the executions challenging the rejection of notice to the four convicts on cused in Hyderabad were convicts Mukesh, Vinay and in the trial court would im­ his mercy petition by the this point and scheduled a cheered by people, calling Akshay have seemingly ex­ mediately see one or the oth­ President. hearing for February 13. CM M ND-NDE YK