TUESDAY 05 DECEMBER 2023 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ISRAEL ORDERS MASS EVACUATIONS CHOUHAN LEADS IN RACE TO BE CM IN MADHYA PRADESH P5 SENSEX 68,865.121,383.93 WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 26 °C and 21 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY P9 NIFTY 20,686.80418.90 BAVUMA, RABADA RESTED FOR WHITE-BALL SERIES AGAINST INDIA ‘GST COLLECTION SHOWING UPWARD TREND ON ANNUAL BASIS’ ` vs $ 83.378 PAISE P8 GOLD 65,290.00 P12 SILVER 80,500 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 78.260.62 Cong's defeat unlikely to impact INDIA alliance: CM Max. 89 % Min. 50 % Proper seat sharing among INDIA alliance will ensure BJP’s defeat in 2024, says Mamata Max: 26 °C SUN RISES 05:54 hrs MOON RISES 13:25 hrs Min: 19 °C SUN SETS 16:53 hrs MOON SETS 00:38 hrs STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 4 DECEMBER TEMPERATURE f seat sharing among the India alliance is done properly, then the BJP will not come to power in 2024, said Trinamul Congress chairperson and chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “The BJP has not come on the basis of the people’s verdict. It was the fault of Congress. The Congress received 39 per cent of the vote, the BJP received 42 per cent, and the India Alliance received 12 per cent. Had the seat sharing been done, the BJP would have been defeated,” she said. “The BJP had fought the election battle with the help of the central agencies. They let loose the agencies to scare the opposition. After winning Assembly polls, central forces, I am told, have been sent to the north 24 parganas to conduct raids. This is typical of the BJP’s game,” continued Miss Banerjee. “The BJP should not I New Moon on 13 December THUMBNAILS A bird perches on a pink water lily flower in a pond, in Morigaon on Monday.  ANI Raghav Chadha’s suspension from Rajya Sabha revoked: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha’s suspension from Rajya Sabha was revoked on Monday, on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament. Chadha’s suspension was restored after a motion moved by BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao in the Upper House. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the presence of other dignitaries addresses the inauguration of a museum at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, in Kolkata on Monday.  SNS feel complacent. It is not the people’s verdict,” she added. Coming down heavily on the BJP and criticising their distribution of laddoos (sweetmeats) in a few areas, she said, "The BJP has scared all the media who are neutral. In the morning, they tell Jaishankar meets US Dy NSA amid allegations of plot to kill ‘Khalistan’ supporter Pannun STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 DECEMBER External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Principal Deputy National Security Adviser of the United States Jon Finer and discussed various bilateral and global issues. "Good to meet Principal Deputy NSA of the US Jon Finer this afternoon. Useful exchange of views on the global situation. Discussed taking our bilateral cooperation forward," Jaishankar wrote on 'X'. The meeting is considered significant in the backdrop of a case filed in a US court by American prosecutors against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a plot to kill 'Khalistan' the owners of television channels what to show and what not to show. Similarly, the owners of print media are instructed what to publish and what not to publish. The owners are helpless; if they disobey, the agencies will be sent to their houses, and they will be Two IAF pilots killed after trainer aircraft crashes in Hyd STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 DECEMBER supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannun leader on American soil. This issue is learnt to have figured in the meeting though there was no official confirmation. Last Wednesday, US federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun. The US prosecutors informed a Manhattan court that authorities in the Czech Republic arrested and detained Gupta. A day later, India described as a “matter of concern” the US linking an Indian official to the man charged with conspiring to kill Pannun and asserted that follow-up action would be taken based on findings of an inquiry panel investigating the allegations. Two Indian Air Force pilots were killed after a Pilatus PC 7 Mk II trainer aircraft crashed in Telangana's Hyderabad, the IAF said . The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident. The dead soldiers included a trainer and a cadet. Both succumbed to the injuries after the aircraft met with an accident and caught fire. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the accident happened. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the IAF soldiers. ZPM sweeps Mizoram assembly elections under Lalduhoma ABHIJIT DEB AIZAWL, 4 DECEMBER The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), a regional force in Mizoram, will take charge of the new government likely to be led by IPS officer-turnedpolitician Lalduhoma, superseding the Mizo National Front (MNF), which had governed the hilly state for three terms since its statehood in 1987. Securing a decisive victory, the ZPM captured 27 seats, while the incumbent MNF managed to secure only 10 seats. The BJP, contesting from 23 seats, improved its standing by securing two seats in this predominantly Christian state. Meanwhile, the Congress, which had long held sway in the state, secured only a solitary seat. The outgoing chief minister, Zoramthanga, faced a dual setback losing both the state leadership and his own seat as he was defeated by a ZPM candidate, Lalthansanga, in Aizawl East, with a margin of 2,101 votes. The defeat marked a shift from the 2018 assembly elections when the MNF had won 26 seats, the Congress five, the BJP secured one, and the ZPM eight seats. The ZPM's chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma emerged victorious in Serchhip defeating the MNF candidate with ease by a margin of 2,982 votes. The election results, initially scheduled to be announced alongside four other states, were postponed by a day by the Election Commission in deference to the special significance of Sunday for the Christian-majority state. Notably, the ZPM was formed by a coalition of six regional parties in 2018, marking its electoral debut in the previous Mizoram Legislative Assembly elections. Positioning itself as a viable political alternative, the ZPM advo- cated for reinstating liquor ban and contested 36 out of 40 seats, securing victory in 8 and garnering support from independent candidates. After the elections, ZPM Chief Lalduohma, affirmed that his party would not seek post-poll alliances with national parties and intended to form the government independently. In contrast, the MNF, led by the outgoing chief minister, centered its campaign on the refugee issue and the displacement of Kuki people from Manipur, making emotional appeals for greater unity in the Mizo community. However, these issues failed to resonate with the majority of voters, as the election results indicated. Meanwhile, the BJP made substantial gains by securing two seats in the state, attributing its success to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President JP Nadda. Mizoram State BJP President Vanlalhmuaka expressed optimism about the party's performance, highlighting their increased presence from securing only one seat in 2018 to contesting in 23 seats in this election. Who is Lalduhoma? At 74 years of age, Lalduhoma, is set to spearhead this transition. He himself won from the Serchipp seat and has announced that he would meet the governor to stake claim to form a new government. Lalduhoma's journey is noteworthy. Starting as an IPS officer, he served in Goa before overseeing the security of late prime minister Indira Gandhi in the national capital. Transitioning to politics, he made history by entering the Lok Sabha in 1984 under the ZPM. Encountering challenges, notably being the first MP disqualified under the anti-defection law, Lalduhoma persisted, establishing a significant presence in Mizoram. Despite his disqualification from the Legislative Assembly in 2020 due to antidefection law violations, he triumphed in the subsequent byelection for the Serchhip seat. Now, Lalduhoma and his Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) appear set to take the reins of power in the state. Lalduhoma has affirmed that the party would form the government independently, without forming post-poll alliances with national parties. CMYK maligned socially. With this, the BJP is ruling the country.” Miss Banerjee did not elaborate as to how the future meetings of the India Alliance will be conducted and what its strategy should be. "We will do what is required," she commented. It may be recalled that Miss Banerjee had requested the leaders of the India alliance prepare a strategy as time was short. "We will have to work hard to do what is required,” she maintained. Miss Banerjee pointed out that "it would be wrong to criticise Congress and hold the party responsible for the defeat. Had the Congress done the seat-sharing, it would not have to face such a situation. The policy of going alone is wrong. Had seat sharing been there, the BJP would have been defeated in all the seats.” Brushing aside the rumour that she was joining the meeting of the India Alliance, she said, "I do not know about any such meeting. I have not been invited. Abhishek has already left for north Bengal today to attend a family function. Though I do not participate in any party functions, I will leave for North Bengal on 6 December and return to the city on 11 December. I have prior appointments." Shun the idea of negativity: PM appeals to Opposition STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 DECEMBER Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to the Opposition parties not to vent their frustration over the defeat in the Assembly polls inside Parliament and move forward with positivity so that the people may change their perspective towards them, opening a new door for them. ''If I talk about the results of the elections, this is a golden opportunity for the people sitting in the Opposition. Even if they are the Opposition, I am giving them good advice to come forward with positive thoughts. Shun the idea of negativity that has been there for the last nine years. If we take ten steps, you should take twelve steps while making decisions,'' he said while talking to the media ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament. Mr Modi said he has been seeking the cooperation of the Opposition in the House. He said the country now does not want to wait long for its goal of development.