NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was admitted to a private hospital in Pune on Monday after experiencing cough and difficulty in breathing. The 85-year-old leader was brought from his residence in Baramati to the medical facility in the afternoon.

Doctors conducted a CT scan after his arrival, which revealed a chest infection. According to the hospital’s chief cardiologist and managing trustee, Pawar is currently undergoing medical evaluation, and doctors are considering keeping him under observation for at least a day.

A team of specialists is monitoring his condition, and further treatment decisions will be taken based on the test results and clinical assessment.

Sharad Pawar was accompanied to the hospital by his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule and her husband, Sadanand Sule. After reaching the hospital, Pawar stepped out of the vehicle on his own before being taken inside in a wheelchair.

Party sources said Pawar, an oral cancer survivor, has been suffering from a throat infection along with persistent cough and chest congestion.

Several schools across Delhi received bomb threat emails on Monday morning, prompting immediate security action by authorities. According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), the first distress call was received at around 8:33 am, following which fire tenders and bomb disposal teams were rushed to the affected locations.

At least nine schools across different parts of the city reported receiving similar threat messages. Security checks were carried out as a precautionary measure, and students and staff were kept under close supervision.

The schools that received the bomb threats include Loreto Convent School in Delhi Cantonment, Cambridge School in Srinivaspuri, Venkateshwar School in Rohini, CM School in Rohini, Bal Bharati School in Rohini, Cambridge School in New Friends Colony, The Indian School in Sadiq Nagar, and DTA School in the INA area.

Threatening emails contain provocative messages

The emails reportedly carried disturbing and provocative content, claiming that “Delhi will become Khalistan” and referring to “Punjab as Khalistan” while invoking the memory of Afzal Guru. The messages also alleged that a blast would take place inside Parliament on February 13 at 1:11 pm.

Authorities treated the threats seriously and initiated standard operating procedures to ensure safety. More schools were reported to be receiving similar emails as the day progressed.

Further details are awaited as investigations continue.

BJP corporator Ritu Tawde is set to take over as the next Mumbai mayor, marking a significant political shift in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This will be the first time in 25 years that the mayor’s post will not be held by the Shiv Sena.

Tawde, who represents Ghatkopar, has previously served as chairperson of the BMC’s education committee. Her name was announced by BJP leader Amit Satam on Saturday.

Shiv Sena to hold deputy mayor’s post

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shankar Ghadi will be the Deputy Mayor of Mumbai. Elected from Ward No. 5 in the January 15 civic elections, Ghadi will serve a 15-month term. The Shiv Sena has decided to rotate the deputy mayor’s post among four of its corporators.

Ghadi was among the leaders who joined Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction in 2022, a move that led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

The Shiv Sena announced Ghadi’s candidature through party leader Rahul Shewale.

BJP-led alliance crosses majority mark

In the 227-member civic body, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while the Shiv Sena secured 29 seats. Together, the ruling alliance has 118 corporators, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 114 and ensuring control over the mayoral post.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), which governed the BMC continuously since 1997, won 65 seats. Its allies, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), secured six and one seats, respectively.

The Congress won 24 seats, AIMIM eight, the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) three, and the Samajwadi Party two seats.

Civic polls held after nine-year gap

The high-stakes BMC elections were conducted after a nine-year gap. The civic body had been under a state-appointed administrator since March 7, 2022, following the end of the previous term.

The BMC remains the country’s richest civic body, with its budget for the 2025–26 financial year pegged at Rs 74,450 crore.