Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut took a jibe at Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday over the stampede at Bandra station here, saying he was too busy with the bullet train project while passengers in Mumbai were being ignored.

According to officials, nine individuals sustained injuries, two of whom are in critical condition, following a stampede while attempting to board a Gorakhpur-bound train at Bandra Terminus in Mumbai on Sunday morning.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said peace can be established in West Bengal only when cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh stops.

Shah claimed that illegal immigration from the neighbouring country will be stopped if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal in 2026.

Addressing the inauguration of a new passenger terminal building and cargo gate at Petrapole land port along the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal, he slammed the Trinamool government over the issue of corruption and exhorted the people of the state to bring in political change in 2026.

“In establishing peace in the region, land ports play an important role. When there is no scope for the legal movement of people across the border, illegal modes of movement arise, which impacts the peace of the country. I urge the people of Bengal to bring in change in 2026, and we will stop infiltration, and peace will come,” he said.

“There can be peace in Bengal only when infiltration stops. Land ports play an important role in improving connectivity and relations between the two countries. They also enhance trade relations between the two nations,” he added.

Shah emphasised the positive outlook for the future, stating that the good days are not far away, and with the Assembly elections in 2026, the region will see favorable developments. He also questioned the allocation of funds for NREGA, comparing the amounts allocated during the UPA and NDA tenures, and raised concerns about whether the funds reach the intended beneficiaries or end up elsewhere.

Furthermore, Shah expressed assurance that the Land Port Authority will continue to develop and become a vibrant hub for the entire region, extending advance Diwali wishes to the citizens in the vicinity.

Highlighting the significance of the Petrapole Land Port, Shah underscored its role as the largest and busiest land port in South Asia. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the growth of trade handled by the port, indicating a 64% increase from 2016-17 to 2023-24, reaching Rs 30,500 crore.

“70% of the trade between India and Bangladesh via land route is handled by this Petrapole Land Port Authority,” he said.

The Union Home Minister commended the role of the Land Port Authority in advancing the vision of strong infrastructure in border areas proposed by PM Modi, serving as a comprehensive one-stop solution for immigration, customs, and border security.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party will not fight the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra but the AAP convener will campaign for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, said party leader Sanjay Singh on Saturday.

The MVA coalition consists of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar’s NCP-SP, and the Congress.

“In the Maharashtra elections, the party’s National Convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, will campaign for the MVA candidates. Aam Aadmi Party will not contest elections in Maharashtra,” Singh said in a post on X.

According to reports, the AAP was contacted about Kejriwal campaigning in the state by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP-SP. Voting in 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will take place on November 20.

Kejriwal is also set to campaign for Hemant Soren’s ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand Assembly polls. Kejriwal will campaign on the seats, where his appeal would translate into votes for INDIA Bloc, especially on urban seats

In Jharkhand, the BJP will be contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). On the other hand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Congress are contesting the election together.

Voting in Jharkhand will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, while the counting of votes in both states will take place on November 23.

AAP and the MVA constituents are part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which was formed before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to take on the BJP.

AAP entered into an alliance with the Congress, the largest constituent of the INDIA bloc, in Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls. However, it contested on its own in Punjab.

AAP also contested the recent Assembly elections in Haryana independently and failed to open its account.

The Congress is also a constituent of the MVA in Maharashtra and a part of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.