Daily Bulletin: BJP to finalise candidates for Lok Sabha elections; Priyanka Gandhi to embark on 'Ganga Yatra' in UP; day's top stories

BJP to finalise list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls BJP president Amit Shah is slated to head a BJP Core Committee meeting on Sunday to finalise the party’s list of candidates for the Lok Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa and Rajasthan. The ruling party is likely to release its first list of candidates on Monday. So far, main rival Congress has already released four lists of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, which begins from 11 April. On Saturday, as well, BJP had deliberated on finalising the names of candidates for the Lok Sabha election, particularly for constituencies where polling will be held in the first phase. The names were discussed at the party’s central election committee attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah. [caption id=“attachment_5765591” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.[/caption] Sources said the discussion was held on seats in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttarakhand and the eight states in the North East. The Lok Sabha elections will begin on 11 April and continue for over a month till 19 May in seven phases, followed by counting of votes on 23 May. Priyanka Gandhi to start Ganga Yatra in Uttar Pradesh Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is expected to kickoff her campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj and Varanasi, taking the river route to establish “a direct contact” with people. The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, who was earlier scheduled to arrive in Lucknow on Friday, is now expected to launch her campaign on Monday, PTI reported. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar had said Priyanka would be arriving in the state on Friday but hours later, he had informed that the programme had been postponed. According to a letter submitted to the Election Commission, permission has been sought for the Congress leader’s visit from Prayagraj to Varanasi from 18 to 20 March. The letter also informs that Priyanka will use a motorboat, taking the river route to cover the distance of around 100 kilometres. It has also sought permission to hold programmes to welcome her. According to Congress leaders, the party will attempt to reach out to the people living in the riparian areas that are not easily accessible by road. Shah Faesal to launch political party today Former IAS officer Shah Faesal will launch his political outfit ‘Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement’ at a function in Rajbagh area of Srinagar on Sunday. He said the function will be held at Gindun Ground in Rajbagh. The 2010 batch UPSC topper resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in January this year to protest unabated killings in Kashmir and maginalisation of Muslims. Faesal had also hit out at the Centre, accusing it of subverting public institutions of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).  He said such moves had the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of the country and the same needed to be stopped. BMC calls for structural audit of 157 bridges in Mumbai The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed one of their consultants to carry out inspections and review the structural audit report of 157 bridges in Mumbai on a “most urgent” basis. The structural audit is required to be completed within one month and submit the same with a detailed investigation. Earlier on Saturday, BMC had filed its preliminary report in the CSMT bridge collapse case, outlining that diligent structural audit could have avoided the tragedy, which claimed six lives. The BMC had also ordered the suspension of an executive engineer and an assistant engineer along with placing one working and two retired engineers under departmental enquiry. Toll in New Zealand terror attack rises to 50 The toll from horrifying shootings at two mosques in New Zealand rose to 50, police said on Sunday, as Christchurch residents flocked to memorial sites and churches to lay flowers and mourn the victims. The additional death was discovered as bodies were being removed from the mosques in the southern city, police said, with forensic officers from across New Zealand flying into the city to assist with the identification process. The outpouring of grief and support came a day after the right-wing extremist charged over the horrifying attacks on New Zealand mosques flashed a white power gesture as he appeared in court. RBI reiterates stand on stressed assets recognition and resolution The Reserve Bank of India on Saturday maintained that there is no dilution in its stand with regard to 12 February circular on stressed assets recognition and resolution. “It is reiterated that the Reserve Bank maintains its stand on all aspects of the framework as has been consistently articulated in its communications, including the clarification given during the post-monetary policy press conference on 7 February, 2019,” the Central bank said in a statement. The statement comes amid reports that the RBI seems to be toeing the government line and considering relaxation of some of the aspects of the Revised Framework on Resolution of Stressed Assets issued on 12 February, 2018. As the matter is sub-judice and the Supreme Court has reserved its orders, the Reserve Bank will not comment on the specific details, it said. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das last month had said there would be no changes in the circular. Bengaluru FC to take on FC Goa in ISL final Bengaluru FC and FC Goa will take another shot at glory when they square off in the final of Indian Super League on Sunday. Both teams made it to the summit clash, to be played at the Mumbai Football Area, in a rather contrasting manner — Bengaluru had sealed their place in the final for the second successive year with a 3-0 win against NorthEast United FC in the second leg of the play-off, recovering from a 2-1 defeat in the first leg. Goa, despite a 1-0 loss to Mumbai City FC in the second leg semi-final, made it to the final on better aggregate, having won the first leg 5-1. I don’t think I’m successful, says Radhika Apte Radhika Apte, who became a known face in Bollywood after Sriram Raghavan’s 2014 film Badlapur, says she is still writing her success story. The 32-year-old actor had made her debut back in 2005 with Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao-starrer Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!, and over the years, she has featured in critically-acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Parched, Phobia, Padman, Lust Stories, and Aandhdhun. “I would love to work with the top stars, both women and men. What is success to me is different to other people. I don’t think I’m successful because I don’t think I’ve achieved what I want to achieve,” Radhika said.