New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5.20 pm: NATION DEL41 PM-SANDESHKHALI **** PM Modi speaks to BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra, lauds her as 'Shakti Swaroopa' New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called up the BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidate from Basirhat, Rekha Patra, who had highlighted the plight of women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, and lauded her as "Shakti Swaroopa", party leaders said. **** DEL23 ELECTIONS-BJP-LIST **** BJP names three more Lok Sabha candidates, drops Union minister New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday named three more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, dropping all its sitting MPs, including union minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, from these seats won by it in 2019. **** DEL35 DL-KEJRIWAL-LD DIRECTIONS **** From ED custody, Delhi CM directs there should be no shortage of free medicines at Mohalla Clinics New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued directions from ED custody to address shortage of medicines and diagnostic tests at mohalla clinics and hospitals in the national capital, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Tuesday. **** DEL34 LD KANGANA **** Every woman deserves dignity: Kangana as row over Cong leaders derogatory comments escalates Chandigarh/New Delhi: Every woman, irrespective of her background and profession, deserves dignity, actor Kangana Ranaut said on Tuesday as Congress leaders' comments on Mandi from where she is contesting the Lok Sabha elections snowballed into a massive political row. **** DEL33 ELECTIONS-BJP-PM-OPPOSITION **** Sensing defeat in LS polls, opposition indulging in divisive politics: BJP New Delhi: The BJP slammed INDIA opposition bloc leaders on Tuesday for their latest remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused them of indulging in "divisive politics" to vitiate the country's atmosphere sensing their imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. **** DEL29 RAHUL-UNEMPLOYMENT **** Rahul accuses BJP of 'misleading' people on its promise of 2 crore jobs every year New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP of "misleading" people on its promise of providing two crore jobs every year and said the youth across the country are asking if it lied to them. **** DEL31 UP-2NDLD MUKHTAR **** Mukhtar Ansari hospitalised, condition 'stable'; brother alleges he was poisoned in jail Lucknow: Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was admitted to the ICU at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district early Tuesday with a complaint of abdominal pain. **** DEL20 ELECTIONS-PB-LD BJP **** BJP to go solo in Lok Sabha polls in Punjab, no alliance with SAD Chandigarh: The BJP on Tuesday announced that it will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own in Punjab, indicating an end to the negotiations for the revival of its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). **** DEL32 ASSEMBLY-HP-BJP-LD CANDIDATES **** BJP fields 6 Congress rebels in Himachal Assembly bypolls Shimla: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday named six former Congress MLAs, disqualified from the House, as its candidates for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly bypolls. **** CAL12 ELECTIONS-WB-MAMATA-CAMPAIGN **** Mamata to start campaigning for Lok Sabha polls on Mar 31 with rally in Krishnanagar Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress, will kick-start campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls on March 31, a party leader said on Tuesday. **** DEL19 CONG-CHINA-ARUNACHAL **** Hope Modi govt comes out with strongest rebuttal to Chinese on their Arunachal claims: Kharge New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India, the Congress asserted on Tuesday and called on the Modi government to come out with the "strongest rebuttal" to the Chinese on their "pathetic claims" on the state. **** MDS6 ELECTIONS-KA-CONG-BJP-CHARGES **** Congress-BJP in Karnataka trade charges over 'slap those chanting Modi-Modi' remark Bengaluru: The BJP and Congress on Tuesday traded charges over Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi’s remark that students and youths chanting ‘Modi Modi’ should be slapped. **** LEGAL LGD10 DL-HC-KEJRIWAL **** Delhi HC to hear tomorrow Kejriwal's challenge to arrest in excise policy case New Delhi: The Delhi High Court will on Wednesday hear a petition by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. **** LGD8 DL-COURT-2NDLD KAVITHA **** Excise policy 'scam': BRS leader K Kavitha remanded in judicial custody till April 9 New Delhi: A court here on Tuesday sent BRS leader K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 9 on a plea made by the Enforcement Directorate that the "highly influential" arrestee, if released, was likely to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. **** BUSINESS DEL21 BIZ-CONG-FM-APY **** Atal Pension Yojana design best; guarantees minimum 8 pc return, says Sitharaman; rebuts Cong charges New Delhi: In a strong rebuttal to Congress charges, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is designed based on the best practice choice architecture and guarantees a minimum of 8 per cent return. **** FOREIGN FGN53 PAK-ATTACK-LD CHINESE **** 5 Chinese among 6 killed in suicide attack in northwest Pakistan Islamabad: At least five Chinese nationals were among the six persons killed on Tuesday when an explosive-packed vehicle rammed into their bus in Pakistan's troubled northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, officials said.By Sajjad Hussain **** FGN42 PHILIPPINES-2NDLD JAISHANKAR **** India supports Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty: EAM Jaishankar Manila: India firmly supports the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty and wants to explore new areas of cooperation, including in defence and security, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday, amid Manila's maritime dispute with China in the South China Sea. **** PTI NB NB NB
