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Sun, 23 January 2022
Yet another BJP MLA quits party ahead of UP polls

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21:38   High-level enquiry ordered into derailment of goods train in Mathura
A high-level enquiry has been ordered to probe the derailment of a goods train in Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Sunday. 

Fifteen cement-laden wagons of the Ghaziabad-bound freight train had derailed on Friday night between Bhuteshwar and Vrindavan Road Station of the Mathura-Palwal section. 

"It would be a high-level enquiry and has been ordered by the headquarters,' North Central Railway spokesperson Shivam Sharma said. 

The enquiry would be led by principal chief safety officer MK Gupta, and it would also recommend the ways to avoid such incidents in future. 

Meanwhile, rail traffic on the Mathura-Palwal section has become normal in a little over 24 hours, Sharma said. -- PTI
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20:11   Yet another BJP MLA quits party ahead of UP polls
Ahead of the first-phase polling in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Agra's Fatehabad constituency, Jitendra Verma, resigned from the party and said that he has joined the Samajwadi Party.                  

Verma's name did not figure in the list of candidates released by the BJP for the first phase of elections. He was replaced by Chhotelal Verma.                  
In his two-line resignation letter sent to Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh, Verma wrote, "I am resigning from the primary membership of the BJP. Kindly accept it."                  

Speaking to PTI, he said, "There are many reasons why I left the BJP. Even 15 days after I was denied ticket, the party leadership did not talk to me. I have joined the Samajwadi Party and I will not contest this election."                  
He claimed that BJP workers and MLAs have no say in the party.                  
"If you are not able to provide fertiliser to a farmer, what are you an MLA for? Not only me, a number of MLAs will be leaving the BJP," he said. -- PTI
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20:03   76 doctors of GMCH in Nagpur test Covid positive in 10 days
Seventy-six doctors of the premier Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 10 days, a functionary of doctors' body MARD said on Sunday.           
These doctors showed mild symptoms, while 22 have recovered since and have rejoined work, said Dr Sajal Bansal, president of GMCH unit of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors.         

"Two doctors have been hospitalised and are in stable condition. Fifty-two are in home isolation," he added. -- PTI
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19:07   Netaji's statue will inspire democratic values and future generations: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose refused to bow before the British. 

He also said that soon, the hologram statue at India Gate will be replaced by a grand granite statue. 

"Netaji's statue will inspire democratic values and future generations,' said Modi. -- ANI
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18:58   Delhi's daily Covid cases drop to 9,197
Delhi continues to register a decline in its daily COVID-19 caseload, logging 9,197 new cases during the last 24 hours, said the state government on Sunday. 

As per the bulletin provided by the health department, the positivity rate for the day has declined to 13.32 per cent. 

A total of 69,022 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. 

During the last 24 hours, 13,510 patients recovered from the infection, taking the total recoveries in the national capital to 17,11,845. 

Meanwhile, 34 people lost their lives to the deadly virus during the last 24 hours. 

The death toll in Delhi due to the disease currently stands at 25,620. 

There are currently 54,246 active COVID-19 cases in Delhi, out of which 42,438 are currently in home isolation. There are currently 44,132 active containment zones in the national capital. -- ANI
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18:45   PM confers Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskars
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conferred the Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskars, for the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
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18:39   PM Modi unveils hologram statue of Netaji
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate on his 125th birth anniversary on Sunday. -- ANI
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18:20   Over 27k cops deployed for R-Day security, says Delhi police chief
Delhi police commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Sunday said over 27,000 police personnel have been deployed for Republic Day security duties in the national capital and anti-terror measures intensified. 

These personnel include deputy commissioners of police, assistant commissioners of police and inspectors, sub-inspectors. 

Armed Police Force personnel and commandos, officers and jawans of Central Armed Police Forces have also been deployed, he said. 

Briefing the media about the Republic Day security arrangements, Asthana said a total of 27,723 Delhi Police personnel including 71 DCPs, 213 ACPs and 753 inspectors have been deployed in the capital for the Republic Day parade. 

They are being assisted by 65 companies of CAPFs. 

The police chief said over the last two months, the Delhi Police has intensified anti-terror measures in coordination with other security agencies. 

"Since the last two months, we have intensified our anti-terror measures. These measures have been taken on 26 parameters very intensively. It is also because Delhi has always been a target for terrorists or anti-social elements. This year too we have been very much alert," Asthana said. -- PTI
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17:56   Mapped: India's confirmed and active Covid cases
India logged 3,33,533 new coronavirus infections on Sunday. 

With this, the country's active cases have increased to 21,87,205.
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17:46   Vice President Naidu tests Covid positive
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has tested positive for COVID. 

This is for the second time that Naidu has been infected with the virus. 

"Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is in Hyderabad, tested COVID positive today (Sunday). He has decided to remain in self-isolation for a week. He has advised all those who came in contact with him to isolate themselves and get tested," the vice president secretariat tweeted. 

It seems unlikely that he will participate in Republic Day celebrations on Wednesday. -- PTI
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17:26   Punjab Cong chief Sidhu's advisor Mohammad Mustafa booked
An FIR has been lodged against the former Punjab director general of police Mohammad Mustafa, who is also the principal strategic adviser to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday allegedly for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion. 

The FIR has been registered in Malerkotla city police station, under Section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of the Representation of People's Act. 

A purported video of Mustafa, where he can be allegedly heard threatening of 'creating a situation that cannot be controlled if a particular community was allowed to hold their events near his events,' was shared by Chiranshu Rattan, spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party Punjab youth wing and is doing rounds on social media. 

According to the BJP leader, the video was from Malerkotla, where Mustafa, who is the husband of Punjab Minister Razia Sultana, had gone for election campaigning. Mustafa has faced political backlash for the video. 

Former Punjab CM and Punjab Lok Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh also bashed Mustafa for his alleged threats and said, "This man (Mustafa) should be behind bars. I listened to the video...He is trying to disturb Punjab peace." -- ANI
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17:01   BJP, allies to field Sikhs on 70 seats in Punjab
Eyeing to expand its base in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party will nominate Sikh candidates on more than half of the total seats it will contest in next month's assembly polls, its general secretary Tarun Chugh said on Saturday. 

Speaking on the BJP-led alliance, which comprises the Punjab Lok Congress and the SAD-Sanyukt, he said it is expected that most of its candidates for the February 20 polls to the 117-member assembly will be from the Sikh community, especially farmers and OBCs.

The BJP may also explore the option of announcing a chief ministerial face for the alliance, Chugh said. Sources said that the BJP is likely to contest on 65 out of the total 117 assembly seats in Punjab, while its allies the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress is expected to contest 38 seats and SAD-Sanyukt 14. 

The BJP is likely to field 33-35 Sikh candidates and the alliance as a whole may have more than 70 nominees from the community, they said. 

Talking about the BJP's prospects in the elections, Chugh, who hails from the state, said the party will "surprise many with its splendid performance in the polls". 

On the question of seat sharing with allies, Chugh did not divulge any details, but said, "The BJP will play the role of a senior partner in the alliance." 

"The BJP will field Sikh candidates on about half of the total seats it will contest and the alliance as a whole will have about 60 per cent Sikh candidates, mostly farmers and those from other backward class and schedule caste communities," he said. 

The BJP has already announced its first list of 34 candidates which includes 13 farmers and nine from the SC community. -- PTI
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15:55   BJP ally Apna Dal fields Muslim candidate from Suar assembly seat in UP
In a new political development ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Bharatiya Janata Party ally Apna Dal has fielded a Muslim candidate Haider Ali Khan from the Suar assembly seat. 

This is the first time since 2014 that the BJP ally has fielded a Muslim candidate. 

The official Twitter handle confirmed that Haider Ali Khan will contest the assembly elections from the Suar assembly seat. 

On Sunday, first list of official candidates of Apna Dal for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections was released.NDA's Haider Ali Khan will contest against Samajwadi Party's Abdullah Azam. 

Abdullah Azam is the son of SP Lok Sabha MP Azam Khan. 

Also, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Mainpuri's Karhal constituency. 

He is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Azamgarh. -- ANI
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15:23   Govt drops 'Abide With Me' from Beating Retreat
The Centre decided to drop one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymns Abide With Me from this year's Beating Retreat ceremony as playing more Indian tunes would be appropriate in view of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, which celebrates the 75th year of India's Independence,  government sources said on Sunday.                 

"Abide With Me", written by Scottish Anglican poet and hymnologist Henry Francis Lyte in 1847, had been part of the Beating Retreat ceremony since 1950.            

The Indian Army announced on Saturday that it has been dropped from this year's ceremony.                 

The sources said that the Centre wanted to include maximum number of Indian tunes and consequently, it was decided that only Indian-origin tunes will be played at this year's ceremony on January 29.                 

The Centre had in 2020 also planned to drop Abide With Me from the ceremony but had later retained it after an uproar.                 

For this year's ceremony, the hymn has been replaced by the popular patriotic song Ae mere watan ke logon, which was written by Kavi Pradeep to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the 1962 Indo-China war. 

"Ae mere watan ke logo is an Indian tune and pays respect to all who laid their life for the safety and integrity of the nation, the sources noted.                 
The move to drop the hymn from this year's ceremony came days after the Centre's decision to merge the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at the India Gate with the eternal flame of the National War Memorial. 

The merger took place during a brief ceremony on Friday.                 

While some military officials defended the decision to merge the flame, several opposition parties, including the Congress accused the BJP-ruled Centre of "removing history".                 

Additionally, the Congress on Saturday attacked the government over the dropping of Abide With Me from this year's Beating Retreat ceremony, alleging that it was another attempt to erase his legacy.                 

Government sources said on Sunday that the iconic tune and lyrics for Ae mere watan ke logon has a far wider connect with the people of India. -- PTI
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu
14:40   Bose personified selfless devotion to cause of motherland: Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday paid tributes to Subhash Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary, saying he personified selfless devotion to the cause of the motherland. 

He also lauded the central government's decision to install a grand statue of Bose at India Gate. 

"We commemorate this day as Parakram Divas to honour Netaji's indomitable courage and selfless service to the nation. The nation is indebted to the iconic leader for his monumental role in the freedom struggle," the vice president secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu. 

The vice president also paid floral tributes to Bose in Hyderabad. 

"He personified selfless devotion to the cause of motherland. The entire nation fondly remembers and salutes the legendary leader on Parakram Divas today," he said. 

The statue is a fitting tribute and a mark of nation's indebtedness to the iconic freedom fighter, he said. 

"I also appreciate the decision to start Republic Day celebrations a day earlier this year in honour of the great nationalist," he said. -- PTI
Delhi health minister Satyender Kumar Jain
Delhi health minister Satyender Kumar Jain
14:00   ED will arrest Satyender Jain soon: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that sources have apprised that the Enforcement Directorate will arrest health minister Satyender Kumar Jain in the coming days. 

Speaking at a press conference, the chief minister said the Centre conducted raids twice on the health minister but nothing has been found against him. They are welcome this time too. 

"Our sources have apprised us that in the coming days, ED will arrest Satyendar Jain. Raids by the Centre have been done twice against him but in vain. They are welcome this time too," Kejriwal said. 

The chief minister hit out the Central government and said "they can send all agencies against Satyendra Jain, Manish Sisodia and Bhagwant Mann. We are not afraid." 

The Aam Aadmi Party chief further noted, "With elections nearing, Central agencies are also becoming active. The Bharatiya Janata Party can send all agencies. Not only, Satyendra Jain but they can also send them to me, Manish Sisodia, Bhagwant Mann. We will welcome them with a smile." 

"We will not cry like Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on ED raids. He is frustrated because he had done wrong... We have not done anything wrong so we are not afraid," he added. -- ANI
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13:45   Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe given Netaji Award 2022
Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by Netaji Research Bureau on Sunday. 

Consul General of Japan in Kolkata Nakamura Yutaka received the honour on behalf of Abe at a function at the Elgin Road residence of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary. 

Japanese ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki addressed the programme virtually from New Delhi. 

Sugata Bose, the grand-nephew of the legendary freedom fighter and Director of Netaji Research Bureau, described Abe as a great admirer of Netaji. -- PTI
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13:21   PLA found missing boy from Arunachal: Defence PRO
Days after their help was sought by the Indian Army to locate a 17-year-old boy from Arunachal Pradesh, a defence ministry PRO from Tezpur on Sunday said the Chinese army has communicated to India that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh. 

"The Chinese army has communicated to us that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh and the due procedure is being followed," said PRO defence, Tezpur Lt Col Harshvardhan Pandey. 

Earlier, the Indian Army sought assistance from China's People Liberation Army to locate and return a young boy who hails from Arunachal Pradesh and has been reportedly captured by the Chinese army, informed defence ministry's Tezpur Public Relation Officer. 

"17-year-old youth Miram Tarom of Zido, Arunachal Pradesh was reportedly captured by Chinese PLA across the Line of Actual Control. Indian Army immediately contacted PLA through a hotline, assistance from PLA has been sought to locate and return him as per protocol," PRO tweeted on Thursday. -- ANI
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13:10   Mulayam, Jaya Bachchan among SP's star campaigners for UP polls
The Samajwadi Party on Sunday released a list of 30 star campaigners for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly election. 

Senior party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son and party president Akhilesh Yadav, daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, party secretary general Ram Gopal Yadav, and MLA Swami Prasad Maurya are among the star campaigners. 

Earlier, it was informed that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from Mainpuri's Karhal constituency. 

He is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Azamgarh. -- ANI
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12:49   PM to unveil digital statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a digital statue of Netaji Subas Chandra Bose on the occasion of Netaji's 125th birth anniversary in New Delhi on Sunday. 

The grand statue of will be unveiled at India Gate at 6.05 pm.  

The prime minister will also present Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandan awards to the recipients for the year 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. 

Later Modi will address the people at 6.25 pm.

Home minister Amit Shan will deliver welcome speech and Union minister for culture G Kishan Reddy will deliver vote of thanks on the occasion.

HERE are details of the programme.
 -- Agencies
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11:52   Col Vijay Rawat not to contest Uttarakhand polls
Gen Bipin Rawat's younger brother Col (retd) Vijay Rawat, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Sunday said he is not contesting the upcoming assembly polls in Uttarakhand.                  

Col Rawat said he was asked by party leaders to contest but he said no to them.                 

Asked what if they insist on fielding him, he said 99 per cent chances are that he would politely refuse.                 

"I am not contesting the polls. I am interested only in serving the people of Uttarakhand," Col Rawat said in an interview to PTI.                 

Joining the BJP less than a month ahead of the state assembly polls had given rise to speculation in the media that he might be given a ticket by the party.                 

"My purpose behind joining the BJP was serving people and not holding an office or a post. During my 34 years in the Army I was transferred to different places. I didn't get a chance to serve people of my own state. Now that I am retired I can do that," he said.                 

"I don't want to be tied up to a post. I want to serve people freely," he said.                 
Col Rawat, who lives in Jaipur after his retirement five years ago, said Uttarakhand's tourism potential can be utilised for generating employment for locals at their homes and stop migration from the hills.                 

"With a growing tendency among people living in urban areas to take a break and spend a holiday in the unpolluted atmosphere of the hills, homestay facilities  introduced by the state government have a huge employment generation potential," he said. -- PTI
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11:31   India's Covid vaccination coverage crosses 161.92 cr
India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 161.92 crore till Sunday under the nationwide vaccination drive, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare. 

As many as 1,61,92,84,270 doses have been administered to the beneficiaries till Sunday 7 am, said the ministry in a tweet. -- ANI
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11:06   Omicron surge: New Zealand PM cancels her wedding
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday informed that she has canceled her wedding amid a new wave of Omicron cases in the country.

"My wedding won't be going ahead but I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic," Ardern said during a regular COVID-19 news conference today, CNN reported.

She said that health authorities have reported nine Omicron cases in Motueka in a single-family household, CNN reported adding that the family travelled to Auckland to attend a wedding, a funeral, an amusement park, and a tourist attraction last weekend, prompting the country to move to the highest 'red light' setting.

When asked how she felt about her decision to cancel the wedding that was due to be held this summer, Ardern replied, "Such is life."

Last month, New Zealand said it was pushing back its phased border reopening until the end of February over concerns about the Omicron variant, according to CNN.

Chris Hipkins, the nation's minister for COVID-19 response, said: "Waiting till the end of February will increase New Zealand's overall protection and slow Omicron's eventual spread. There's no doubt this is disappointing and will upset many holiday plans, but it's important to set these changes out clearly today so they can have time to consider those plans."

Hipkins also said New Zealand's Cabinet has agreed to other precautionary measures, including reducing the interval between a second Covid-19 vaccine dose and a booster shot from six months to four months, and increasing the required length of stay for returning travelers from seven to 10 days in managed isolation and quarantine, as per CNN.  -- ANI
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10:13   India sees 3.33 lakh Covid cases in 24 hrs, 525 die
India logged 3,33,533 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,92,37,264, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Sunday.

The active cases have increased to 21,87,205, while the death toll has climbed to 4,89,409 with 525 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 5.57 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.18 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 73,840 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 161.92 crore.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.   -- PTI
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09:22   Huge cache of arms, ammunition found in Karbi Anglong
A huge cache of arms and ammunition, suspected to be of militant outfit KDLF, was recovered from a forest area in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, police said on Sunday.

The arms and ammunition were found buried in the forest behind a botanical garden near the Diphu-Lumding Road, they said.

The police acted on a tip-off that arms and ammunition were hidden there by Karbi Democratic Liberation Front (KDLF) self-styled chairman Jackson Ronghang, who was killed in a gunfight with security forces in December last year, said Diphu police station officer in charge J S Khobung.

Police have been searching the area for the arms and it were finally discovered on Saturday afternoon, he said.

No arrests have been made so far in connection with the recoveries, he added.

Among those recovered are a .22 rifle, a .303 rifle, a hand-made pistol, several grenades and detonators, magazines and explosives of different kinds.  -- PTI
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08:57   Panel formed as Channi, Sidhu tussle over seats
Amid the power tussle between Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, the meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee for the selection of candidates for Punjab assembly polls remained inconclusive on Saturday.

According to sources, Congress has formed a sub-committee comprising party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, senior leader Ambika Soni and chairman of the screening committee of Punjab Ajay Makan to discuss the candidates for the remaining 31 seats for the upcoming Punjab assembly polls.

Sources said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi chaired the CEC meeting via video conferencing.

During the meeting, a consensus could not be made on the names of the candidates as Sidhu and Channi had differences of opinion.

Following this, the sub-committee was formed.

Out of the 117 seats of the Punjab Assembly, Congress has declared candidates for 86 seats so far.

The candidates for the remaining 31 seats are yet to be finalised by the party.

Congress is considering not to repeat a large number of sitting MLAs but the problem before the party is the difference in choices of Sidhu and Channi.

Punjab will go to the polls on February 20.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10.   -- ANI

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