Elections Underway In Jharkhand, Key Floor Test In Maharashtra Today & Other Top Stories

Jharkhand Elections: First Phase Polling For 13 Assembly Seats Begins

The first of the five-phase polling began in 13 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand on Saturday. The voting commenced at 7 am and will end at 3 pm, Election Commission officials said. A total of 37,83,055 electorate, including 18,01,356 women and five third-gender voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase across six districts. Read here…

Maharashtra: Coalition Leaders To Meet Shortly, Key Floor Test At 2 PM Today

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government will face a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly today at 2 pm. Governor BS Koshyari has asked Thackeray to prove the majority by December 3. NCP MLA Dilip Walse Patil will be the pro-tem or temporary Speaker for the special session of the Maharashtra Assembly which will be convened today. Together, the three parties have 154 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly, nine more than the majority mark. Read here…

Not Interested In Joining Any Coalition In Goa, Says Congress

A day after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut predicted that after Maharashtra, there could ‘be a miracle’ in Goa, the state Congress ruled out joining any front to topple the BJP government in the state. Congress’s Goa unit president Girish Chodankar said his party will prefer to be in opposition rather than trying to poach ruling party MLAs. “I would be happy to see the BJP government fall down in Goa. But there is no such possibility as BJP has support of 30 MLAs (in 40-member Assembly). I would rather prefer to sit in opposition than toppling government,” Chodankar said. Read here…

Maharashtra: 7 Killed, 15 Injured As Van Falls Off Bridge

At least seven people were killed and 15 other injured after a van fell off a bridge in north Maharashtra's Dhule tehsil, police said on Saturday. According to reports, the accident took place near Vinchur village on the Dhule-Solapur Road shortly after midnight, an official said. Read here…

'Shaheen In La La Land, Yasir Shah Probably Yawning' - Wasim Akram Blasts Pakistan Players

Pakistan were woeful on the opening day of the Pink Ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne slammed centuries and Pakistan were not helped by sloppy fielding and poor bowling. Azhar Ali, the skipper, had a torrid day and it continued Pakistan's problems Down Under where they have not won a single match either in the Twenty20 Internationals or in the Test in Brisbane. The attitude of the Pakistan players was blasted by Wasim Akram, the former pacer who has taken over 400 wickets in his Test playing career. Read here…