Daily Bulletin: Xi, Modi to hold informal summit in Mamallapuram today; Congress to release Haryana manifesto; day's top stories

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi to hold informal summit in Tamil Nadu's Mamallapuram today

Chinese president Xi Jinping is going to land in Chennai around 2 pm on Friday for his two-day India visit (11 and 12 October). He will hold an informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Slated to be the second such event, the informal summit will be held in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. The first informal summit between Modi and Xi was held last year at the Chinese city of Wuhan, which enabled the two countries to normalise the relations on all fronts after the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doka La plateau in 2017.

File images of Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping. PTI

During the summit the two countries will exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the ministry said. No agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) or joint communique will be signed during Jinping's visit to India.

Ahead of the two-day summit, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong told PTI that a "new set of consensus" including "guiding principles" on giving a new direction to the bilateral ties are expected from engagement.

Officials said Xi will arrive at the Chennai airport around 2 PM and then head off to a luxury hotel. At 5 PM, Modi will take Xi to three iconic monuments of Mamallapuram —Arjuna's Penance, Panch Rathas and the Shore temple. Then the two leaders will witness a cultural programme at the temple complex.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be accompanied by China's Foreign Minister and Politburo members, on his visit to India, they said. Modi will hold one-to-one and delegation-level talks with the Chinese president. Meeting between them has no specific agenda, said sources while adding that the focus of the meeting will be on improving people-to-people contact and on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the India-China border.

Maharashtra Assembly polls: Amit Shah, Uddhav Thackeray to address rallies in Amravati today

Electioneering for the eight Assembly seats in Maharashtra's Amravati will gain momentum from Friday when BJP president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will address separate rallies in the district located in Vidarbha region.

Shah will address a public gathering in Melghat constituency, a tribal belt where the BJP has fielded Ramesh Mavaskar, a fresh fresh, in place of sitting MLA Prabhudas Bhilavekar.

Mavaskar is pitted against NCP's Kewalram Kale.

Thackeray will address a public meeting at the Dussehra Maidan in Amravati city to campaign for Shiv Sena candidates Preeti Band (Badnera Assembly seat), Rajesh Wankhade (Teosa) and Sunita Fiske (Achalpur).

In Badnera, Preeti Band, the widow of former Sena MLA Sanjay Band, is pitted against two-term Independent MLA Ravi Rana, who has the backing of the opposition Congress and NCP.

Congress expected to release manifesto for upcoming Haryana elections today

Among the top poll promises for the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress is planning to waive off the debts of farmers in the state.

The party is likely to release its manifesto on 11 October at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Chandigarh.

"Eight major declarations will be announced in the manifesto, in which waiving of debt of farmers in Haryana, will be in the top rundown. The debt will be waived off within 24 hours," sources told ANI.

The manifesto is also likely to contain promises of pension for senior citizens and free rides for women in the buses run by the state government, among others.

"Elders will get a pension up to Rs 5100 and women will be given free rides 365 days on Harayana roadways," sources said.

Congress wants to play the farm waiver card in Haryana again after it proved fruitful for them in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh elections.

Aircel maxis case: ED appeals against anticipatory bail granted to ex-FM P Chidambaram in Delhi HC; hearing today 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Thursday approached the Delhi High Court seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case. The plea is likely to be heard on Friday.

The ED has challenged the 5 September order of the special court granting relief to 74-year-old Chidambaram and his son.

Chidambaram is lodged in jail after being arrested by the CBI on 21 August in the INX Media corruption case.

The trial court had also granted anticipatory bail to the father-son duo in the Aircel Maxis case filed by CBI.

Before Chidambaram and his son were made accused in the Aircel Maxis case, a special court had on 2 February 2017, discharged DMK leader and former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the cases filed by the CBI and the ED.

Later, both the agencies had filed a supplementary charge sheet naming the Chidambaram in the scam.

Mayank Agarwal’s 108 guides India to 273/3 on Day 1

Indian batsmen made merry once again after Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first in the second Test against South Africa at Pune. Mayank Agarwal followed up his double-century at Vizag with a knock of 108, with Cheteshwar Pujara (58) and skipper Kohli (63) also among the runs. Kagiso Rabada (3/48) was the only South African bowler among the wickets on the opening day. Both teams made one change each to their teams — India bringing Umesh Yadav in place of Hanuma Vihari, with the Proteas handing Anrich Nortje his Test debut in place of Dane Piedt.

Mary Kom assures herself of record eighth World Championships medal
Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom assured herself of an unprecedented eighth medal in the Women’s World Boxing Championships. The third-seeded pugilist, fighting in the 51kg category, defeated Colombian opponent Valencia Victoria, getting a unanimous 5-0 verdict to make it to the semi-finals. Aside from the Manipuri boxing legend, Manju Rani (48 kg), Jamuna Boro (54 kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (69 kg) were the other Indians to make it to the medal rounds, taking India’s confirmed medal count to four in the competition.