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Even as the Aam Aadmi Party sees itself the main contender to the ruling BJP in Gujarat, where the Assembly polls are due later this year, some political experts and the Congress feel the AAP will split the opposition votes, benefitting the BJP. The Congress also claimed that the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP was the “B-team” of the BJP in Gujarat. Elections to the 182-member in Gujarat, which has been ruled by the BJP for over two decades, are due in December this year.

The main opposition Congress has so far not been able to emerge an an alternative to the BJP. Kejriwal, the AAP’s national convener and Delhi chief minister, visited Gujarat four times in the last three months, since his party won the Punjab Assembly polls, while the Congress leadership is not really visible as Rahul Gandhi visited Gujarat just once in the last two months.

The prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh on Friday released the audio clips containing her alleged conversation with Shaj Kiran. Swapna Suresh had alleged that Shaj acted as a mediator to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and had even threatened her to withdraw her statement given under Section 164 before the magistrate.

Swapna in her press meet also put fresh allegations on CPM leaders and said CM Pinarayi Vijayan and the party's state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan have offshore investments in the US which they are doing through the Believer's church.

The one-and-half hour long audio clip, according to Swapna is unaltered. In the press conference, Swapna said that she is a good friend of Shaj but circumstances forced her to release the audio clip. She claimed that Shaj Kiran was introduced to her by M Sivasankar.

The Karnataka government on Friday reinstated Covid norms back in the state. People are now required to wear masks compulsorily in public places. This comes even as the state reported 525 new cases on June 10.

Waiters and shopkeepers are also required to wear masks.

Karnataka reported 525 new Covid cases on June 10. Out of this, 494 were reported in Bangalore alone. This puts the total number of active cases in the state at 3,177 with 3,061 in Bangalore.

The positivity rate in the state is 2.31 per cent.

With President Ram Nath Kovind’s term ending July 24, the Election Commission of India Thursday announced that polling to elect the country’s 15th President will be held July 18 and the votes will be counted July 21. The ruling BJP-led NDA and the Opposition are yet to reveal their choice of candidates.

That the nominee of the NDA, which has around 48 per cent votes in the electoral college, will win the Presidential race, with the help of some friendly parties like the BJD of Odisha and YSRCP of Andhra Pradesh, is a foregone conclusion. But the Opposition is trying to ensure a contest like last time.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee and NCP chief Sharad Pawar as part of efforts to find a consensus candidate. She has already spoken to other leaders like Sitaram Yechury of the CPM. It is learnt that Gandhi told the leaders that Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, would be the point person on behalf of her party for the election.

Hundreds of protesters on Friday blocked roads and railway tracks in different parts of Howrah district in West Bengal over controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad.

The West Bengal government on Friday announced that the internet services in Howrah will remain suspended till 6 am, 13 June.`

Clashes erupted in Howrah on Friday after a particular community protested against the comments made by now suspended leader Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.

Hundreds of protesters on Friday blocked roads and railway tracks in different parts of Howrah district in West Bengal over controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad, police said.