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Punjab: Who is Ashok Kumar Mittal? Here’s what you need to know about AAP’s pick for Rajya Sabha

Days after a landslide victory in recently concluded assembly elections in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has nominated its 5 nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.

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Ashok Kumar Mittal

Days after a landslide victory in recently concluded Assembly elections in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has nominated its five nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.

Ashok Kumar Mittal, the Chancellor of Lovely Professional University, was one among the AAP’s five Rajya Sabha nominees. He is described by the party as a renowned academician and social activist. A part of the Lovely Group founded by late Baldev Raj Mittal, the University was established in 2001 as the “largest private university” and is an example of coming up the hard way.

The Group began with a sweetshop in Jalandhar Cantonment in 1961 and by the 1980s, had become a must-visit sweets destination in all of Jalandhar. It branched into a two-wheeler dealership of Bajaj Auto in 1991 and then started a Maruti Suzuki car dealership in 1996. Slowly and steadily, the Group built up its goodwill and corpus. The result of which is the Lovely Professional University.

AAP has picked former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, AAP Delhi MLA and Punjab campaign head Raghav Chadha, Indian Institute of Technology Professor Sandeep Pathak, apart from Mittal and industrialist Sanjeev Arora as its representatives due to be elected to the Rajya Sabha, which seems a foregone conclusion given that the party holds 92 seats in the 117-member House.

The choices of Chadha, Pathak and Mittal has thrown open a can of allegations against AAP for not choosing people within Punjab and instead relying on its Delhi goodwill and awarding loyalists from the capital and experts from other fields. Twitter is awash with allegations that the party gave Rajya Sabha seats to billionaires in Delhi and has now made room for Mittal who runs the Lovely Professional University, another billionaire.

Several heavyweights from Punjab bit the dust in the recent Assembly elections. AAP hasn’t rewarded the people, a few of them highly qualified, who came up with such Herculean feats. Among the defeated were outgoing Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, former CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal, and former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have reiterated to their MLAs that the party will not tolerate corruption.

There are 13 Rajya Sabha seats to which elections will be held on March 31 and today is the last day of filling nomination for the Punjab Rajya Sabha elections. The Punjab MLAs will vote for 5 MPs, 3 will be elected from Kerala, 2 from Assam, and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Tripura.

AAP picks Harbhajan Singh, Raghav Chadha, and others as its Rajya Sabha candidates from Punjab, check full list

Petrol Diesel price today: Increase in diesel price by Rs 25 for THESE customers, check state-wise fuel rates here

In other India news, the Aam Aadmi Party which swept the Congress in Punjab by winning the 92 seats of 117-assembly seats, has spiked five of its Rajay Sabha nominees for the upcoming assembly polls which will be held on March 31.

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Instagram influencer and RJ Simran Singh found dead in Gurugram

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Simran Singh, popular Instagram influencer and radio jockey, found dead in Gurugram apartment

Simran Singh, a well-known freelance radio jockey and social media influencer from Jammu and Kashmir, was found dead in her apartment in Gurugram’s Sector 47. Authorities suspect suicide as the cause of death.

The 25-year-old, known by her fans as RJ Simran, had a significant following on Instagram, amassing nearly seven lakh followers. Her last post, shared on December 13, featured a reel captioned, “Just a girl with endless giggles and her gown, taking over the beach.”

Simran, often referred to as “Jammu Ki Dhadkan” (Heartbeat of Jammu), was a beloved personality in her hometown and beyond. Her vibrant presence and engaging content had endeared her to fans across the country.

According to police reports, Simran’s friend, who was staying with her, alerted authorities. Following standard procedures, her body has been handed over to her family.

The news of her untimely death has left her fans and followers in shock. Many have taken to social media to express their grief and pay tribute to the young influencer.

Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances leading to her death.

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2 killed as masked men open fire outside gym in Haryana’s Yamunanagar

The police officials said that the motive for the killings is still unclear. The deceased, both in their mid-30s, have not been identified publicly yet.

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2 killed as masked men open fire outside gym in Haryana’s Yamunanagar

In a tragic incident, two men were killed, and another was injured when unidentified armed miscreants opened indiscriminate fire on them in Haryana’s Yamunanagar on Thursday.

The incident was captured on CCTV and surfaced on social media, showing three victims exiting a gym and approaching their vehicle when 4-5 masked assailants arrived on motorcycles and fired multiple rounds at them. The attack occurred in Yamunanagar’s Lakha Singh Khedi.

Reportedly, while two of the men succumbed to their injuries, the third remains in critical condition and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. The assailants fled the scene after the attack, and an investigation has been initiated.

The police officials said that the motive for the killings is still unclear. The deceased, both in their mid-30s, have not been identified publicly yet.

Previously, on late Sunday night, three people, including a woman, were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the parking lot of a hotel in Haryana’s Panchkula, police said.

Reportedly, the victims were identified as Vicky and Vipin, both residents of Delhi, and Nia from Hisar. The police confirmed that the trio was killed by unknown attackers in the hotel’s parking area.

In another separate incident on December 8, a businessman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly killing his friend in Fatehabad on Saturday evening, police reported. The accused were identified as Palvinder alias Pampa, fatally shot Manoj Bansal, a 45-year-old originally from Jharkhand, at his shop. Manoj Bansal had been living with his family in Fatehabad for several years.

As per a complaint filed by the deceased’s nephew, Sandeep Kumar, another friend, Nishant Singla, informed him about the incident. Sandeep Kumar said that in the CCTV footage, it is clear that Palvinder took out his pistol and fired at his maternal uncle while sitting next to him on the bed. He said that three other people sitting there were shocked as Palvinder opened fire at his maternal uncle, adding that they had no enmity with him.

Furthermore, Fatehabad SHO Prahlad Rai confirmed that the accused had been arrested, and a murder case was registered. He added that they will determine the motive behind the killing during interrogation.

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Hard work alone not enough, a time-bound and solid strategy necessary to strengthen Congress: Kharge at Belagavi meet

He invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that “Truth survives even when it does not have public support,” reaffirming the Congress’s commitment to truth alongside the overwhelming support of the people.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday asserted the importance of not just hard work, but also a well-defined and timely strategy required to strengthen the grand old party, saying there is a need to give a chance to new power and to bring forth local and new leadership.

He outlined his vision for the upcoming year, declaring 2025 as the year for organisational empowerment, with plans to fill all vacant positions within the party and fully implement the Udaipur Declaration.

Kharge stressed that the organisation must be equipped with the skills necessary for electoral success, from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to local booths.

He highlighted the need to include individuals who are ideologically committed and ready to defend the Constitution, as well as those who share the Congress Party’s vision of India. “These individuals must be integrated into the party’s activities and mainstream efforts.”

Addressing the party’s supporters at the meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee in Belagavi to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s presidency, Kharge noted the ongoing discussions from the previous Working Committee meeting on strengthening the organisation.

The Congress chief referred to the collective decision to actively combat the atmosphere of disappointment following electoral setbacks in Haryana and Maharashtra.

With determination and creativity, the Congress has managed to push the government back and rejuvenate the Opposition’s energy during the last parliamentary session.

Kharge acknowledged the power of ideas and the legacy of the Gandhi-Nehru lineage as vital to the party’s identity and future.

As the Congress reconvenes in Belgaum for the ‘Nav Satyagraha,’ Kharge expressed a resolve to challenge misleading narratives propagated by those in power, stating that “those who have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution have been the ones spreading falsehoods”.

He invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that “Truth survives even when it does not have public support,” reaffirming the Congress’s commitment to truth alongside the overwhelming support of the people.

Kharge urged unity against the Opposition’s lies and called for a confident and bold approach to overcoming the challenges ahead, expressing optimism that the Congress will ultimately succeed in this endeavor.

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