India COVID-19 LIVE News Updates: Active COVID-19 cases in country dip to 1,475

10:52 (IST)

India COVID-19 LIVE Updates

Active COVID-19 cases in country dip to 1,475

According to Union Health Ministry data published on Monday, India has recorded 44 new coronavirus infections, while the number of current cases has decreased to 1,475.

The death toll was 5,31,908, according to figures updated at 8 a.m.

The total value of the Covid case was 4.49 crore (4,49,94,325).

According to the health ministry's website, the national COVID-19 recovery rate is 98.81 percent.

The number of persons who have recovered from the sickness has risen to 4,44,60,942, with a case fatality rate of 1.18 percent. 

According to the ministry's website, the country has received 220.66 crore doses of Covid vaccine as part of the statewide immunisation push.

10:21 (IST)

BSE Sensex LIVE Updates

Sensex breaches 65,000 mark for first time ever

Benchmark equity indexes resumed their climb on Monday, with the BSE Sensex breaking above the 65,000 barrier for the first time, fueled by optimistic global market trends and foreign capital inflows.

The 30-share BSE Sensex rallied for the fourth day in a row, rising 449.46 points to an all-time high of 65,168.02 in early trade. The NSE Nifty rose 128.95 points to a new all-time high of 19,318.

The top gainers on the Sensex were HDFC, HDFC Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finserv, and ICICI Bank.

Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong were all trading in the green in Asian markets.

On Friday, the US markets finished considerably higher.

10:06 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

BJP notorious for undermining democracy, states Congress spokesperson

According to Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput, the BJP is renowned for subverting democracy and disrespecting the will of the people.

Rajput believes that the people of Maharashtra would react appropriately to the BJP's activities after the NCP's Ajit Pawar joined the state cabinet alongside other party MLAs.

09:48 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar to address public meeting in Karad today

Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), will speak at a public meeting in Karad, Maharashtra's Satara district.

According to the NCP, the party supremo would pay a visit to the Preeti-Sangam monument of his political mentor and Maharashtra's first chief minister, Yashwantrao Chavan, at 10 a.m. today. In a tweet, the party urged Sharad Pawar's followers to attend the tribute.

09:22 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

‘BJP called NCP a corrupt party, now welcoming its leaders’: Supriya Sule as Ajit Pawar joins Maharashtra Govt

Hours after Ajit Pawar and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) officials joined the Maharashtra administration of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, NCP working president and MP Supriya Sule slammed the BJP, claiming it welcomed her party's leaders while labelling her party corrupt.

"BJP is 24x7 in election mood...BJP, which called the NCP a corrupt party, are now welcoming our leaders. How? I don't want to comment on who will be the candidates of BJP. I will concentrate on my work rather than peeking inside others' life...I am always with NCP and truth, I face these types of challenges every day. This one (Ajit Pawar's revolt) is a new challenge for me, " said Supriya Sule while addressing a press conference.

09:15 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

NCP appoints Jitendra Awhad as Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly

After Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde Maharashtra cabinet, the Nationalist Congress Party chose Jitendra Satish Awhad as chief whip.

NCP state President Jayant Patil appointed Awhad as the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) new Leader of Opposition and Chief Whip in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

This came just hours after Ajit Pawar resigned and joined the Maharashtra government with some other NCP leaders. On Sunday evening, Awhad, the party's National General Secretary, arrived at the Maharashtra Speaker's office and handed over his appointment letter to the Assembly Speaker.

09:04 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar joined hands with BJP to replace Maharashtra CM Shinde, claims Saamana

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged on Monday that NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who was sworn in as Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, will soon replace Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Ajit Pawar shocked his uncle Sharad Pawar, who formed the NCP 24 years ago, by leading a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister.       

In addition, eight NCP politicians were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde-BJP administration.

According to an editorial in the Shiv Sena (UBT) newspaper 'Saamana,' the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has not only "muddied" Maharashtra politics, but also national politics.

"Ajit Pawar has made a record of taking oath as deputy chief minister. This time the 'deal' is strong," it said.

08:57 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar's Maha switch: How NCP neta has given the state 2 deputy CMs

Maharashtra politics is in disarray. Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was sworn in as the state's deputy chief minister on Sunday. He joined the state administration led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with eight other MPs from his party. The 63-year-old former Opposition leader will share the office with Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP.

The Sunday political happenings involving Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar have resulted in Maharashtra having two deputy chief ministers for the first time.

Ajit Pawar was sworn in for the seventh time as deputy chief minister, while eight of his colleagues were appointed as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet.

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08:46 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Shinde takes 'hit wicket' jibe at Sharad Pawar's 'googly' 

In a surprise and dramatic political move, NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday, changing political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections next year and having ramifications for national politics.

On a day of tumultuous political happenings in Maharashtra, state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde used the cricket term "hit wicket" in apparent reaction to NCP leader Sharad Pawar's earlier usage of the "googly" comparison to criticise BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The action by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, who was joined by eight other NCP MLAs in joining the Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet, comes amid efforts by opposition parties to establish unity in order to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sharad Pawar has been a prominent figure in opposition unity attempts.

Shinde slammed NCP chairman Sharad Pawar, saying that although some were talking about "googly," everyone saw who was clean bowled and that "it's a hit wicket."

08:15 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

NCP files disqualification petition against 9 MLAs including Ajit Pawar

Following the surprise and dramatic political move by NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight other party leaders to join the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra on Sunday, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil announced on Sunday that his party has filed a disqualification petition against the leaders, including Ajit Pawar.

Patil told reporters late Sunday that the disqualification petition had been handed to Speaker Rahul Narvekar.

“We have filed a disqualification petition with the speaker of the Assembly, and we will send hard copies as soon as possible. This disqualification petition was filed against nine leaders,” said NCP leader Jayant Patil.

Read More

07:53 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar doesn't have support of majority of MLAs: NCP

According to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Ajit Pawar, who has joined the Eknath Shinde-led administration as Deputy Chief Minister alongside certain leaders, does not have the backing of 36 MLAs as indicated.

Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson for the NCP, also stated that the party's working president Supriya Sule and state unit leader Jayant Patil are calling all 53 MLAs, and that the situation will be clearer by Monday.

The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, and Ajit Pawar needs the support of at least 36 lawmakers to avoid the restrictions of anti-defection legislation.

"Ajit Pawar doesn't have the support of 36 MLAs as being claimed," claimed Crasto.

Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy CM in the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday afternoon, while eight other MLAs of NCP were sworn in as ministers.

In the evening, sources cited a letter submitted to Raj Bhavan to claim that Ajit Pawar enjoys the support of more than 40 MLAs and over six of nine MLCs of his party.

07:50 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Developments in NCP won't impact Oppn unity: Supriya Sule on Ajit Pawar's rebellion

On Sunday, hours after NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde administration, Supriya Sule, the party's working president and his cousin, claimed the events in the party will not affect the Opposition's unity.

Sule told a late-night news conference in Mumbai that her father, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) head Sharad Pawar, will increase in stature.

"Our credibility will only rise after this," she predicted.

Ajit Pawar was appointed deputy chief minister by the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition in Maharashtra on Sunday, while eight other party heavyweights were appointed ministers.

07:29 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Failed double engine now has third wheel: Aaditya's dig at NCP leaders joining Shinde govt

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed the Eknath Shinde-BJP administration in Maharashtra on Sunday, saying the "failed double engine government" now had a "third wheel" with NCP politician Ajit Pawar joining the cabinet.

He stated that the present political battle is between selfishness and principle.

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, pulled off a shocking mutiny in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), causing a vertical split, and joined forces with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP coalition. Eight more party leaders were appointed ministers.

In a tweet, Thackeray said the original "gaddars" (traitors), a reference to 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, "were dreaming desperately of a cabinet berth, sat there today watching nine others take oath, but none could be ministers again".

07:28 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar's supporters celebrate his induction into Maharashtra cabinet

On Sunday, supporters of NCP leader Ajit Pawar celebrated his appointment as deputy chief minister in Maharashtra by setting off fireworks in his hometown of Baramati, Pune district.

"We are with Ajitdada. We will accept whatever decision he takes," said Raviraj Taware, a staunch supporter of the Baramati MLA.

He asserted that the majority of youngsters and social workers in Baramati support Ajit Pawar.

"Ajit Pawar means development politics. He empowered the common party workers while developing Baramati," said Yogesh Jagtap, a director at Malegaon Sugar Cooperative Mill and former president of NCP's youth wing of Pune district.

Baramati is a Pawar pocket borough.

Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar's cousin, is a Member of Parliament from Baramati.