Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday, just hours after being discharged from Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic. His daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule confirmed the development in a social media post, saying that the veteran politician was being admitted for further medical tests.

The 85-year-old leader had been discharged from Ruby Hall Clinic earlier on Wednesday after being admitted on November 2 following complaints of cough and pleuritic chest pain.

Confirming his admission to the Mumbai hospital, Supriya Sule said, “We are admitting Baba to Breach Candy Hospital for further tests. Thank you all for your concern and good wishes.”

Pawar’s latest hospitalisation came after he had undergone medical tests and observation during his stay at the Pune facility. Sule had earlier said that his health parameters were stable.

Why was Sharad Pawar admitted to hospital?

Sharad Pawar was initially admitted to Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic on November 2 after experiencing complaints of cough and pleuritic pain, a form of chest pain that generally becomes worse while breathing, coughing or sneezing.

Dr Purvez K Grant, chief cardiologist, chairman and managing trustee of Ruby Hall Clinic, had said that Pawar was admitted for a general health check-up and medical observation following complaints of pleuritic pain.

During his hospital stay, Supriya Sule had informed that Pawar was undergoing medical tests and that his health parameters remained stable.

He was subsequently discharged from the Pune hospital on Wednesday. However, hours later, his family decided to admit him to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital for further medical examinations.

PM Modi calls Sharad Pawar, advises complete rest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Sharad Pawar over the phone on Wednesday morning to enquire about his health.

According to Pawar’s aide Vitthal Maniyar, the Prime Minister spoke to the NCP (SP) chief and advised him to take complete rest.

Maniyar said Modi told Pawar that his daughter Supriya Sule and others were ready to take care of the country, and that the veteran politician should focus on his health.

Pawar thanked the Prime Minister for enquiring about his well-being, the aide said.

Maniyar also said that Pawar told Modi that he was resting and had no worries about the country, as others were there to take care of things.

The latest hospital admission was confirmed by Supriya Sule, who said her father was being taken to Breach Candy Hospital for further tests.

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is set to enter the Rajya Sabha unopposed from Madhya Pradesh after the nomination papers of two independent candidates were rejected during scrutiny on Tuesday.

The two candidates whose nominations were rejected were Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, the latter being backed by the Congress. Their rejection leaves Puri as the only candidate in the contest for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat.

According to an official, the result will be announced on November 5, which is also the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

The Returning Officer, Umesh Sharma, examined the nomination papers on the last day of scrutiny and rejected the two independent candidates’ applications.

Objections raised against Hardeep Puri’s nomination

The nomination papers submitted by Puri also faced objections from the two independent candidates and Congress leader Hemant Katare.

They questioned the validity and completeness of Puri’s affidavit filed in Form 26, raising concerns over whether the mandatory details had been properly furnished.

However, after examining the objections, Returning Officer Umesh Sharma concluded that Puri had not violated any requirements under the Representation of the People Act.

Sharma stated in his order that no defect had been found in Puri’s nomination papers that could justify their rejection.

Following the decision, Katare and Congress MLA Atif Aqeel announced that they would approach the court against the order.

Calling the decision an attack on Indian democracy, the Congress leaders said in a statement that Puri’s nomination should have been rejected despite what they described as significant errors.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Union Minister L Murugan, which left a Rajya Sabha seat vacant in Madhya Pradesh.

With the nomination papers of both independent candidates rejected and Puri’s nomination cleared, the Union minister is set to be elected unopposed.

The final announcement is expected on November 5, the last day for withdrawal of nominations.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that eligible families covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will receive one free LPG cylinder each on Diwali and Holi.

The announcement came as the Chief Minister participated in a programme organised for distributing LPG refill subsidies to more than 1.89 crore beneficiaries across the state.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for providing subsidies on LPG cylinder refills to eligible families under the scheme.

Addressing the gathering, Adityanath explained the cost of a domestic LPG cylinder and the subsidy provided by the Centre.

“The price of one domestic gas cylinder is Rs 983.45, and out of this, the Government of India provides a subsidy of Rs 335. You have to spend Rs 648.55 from your own pocket,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the state government had decided to provide one cylinder to poor families covered under the Ujjwala scheme on Diwali and Holi.

“With the money you save, you can buy Diwali sweets and lamps,” he said.

Yogi Adityanath targets previous Congress government

During his address, Adityanath also compared the availability of LPG connections under the present government with the situation during the Congress government’s tenure.

He said people previously faced several difficulties in obtaining a single gas connection, while the present government had provided free gas connections to poor families.

The Chief Minister described the initiative as an example of good governance.

Yogi Adityanath on Ayodhya’s Deepotsav

Earlier on Tuesday, Adityanath described Ayodhya’s Deepotsav, scheduled for November 7, as a symbol of social unity.

In a post on X, he said the festival brought together people from different sections of society through shared faith and cultural participation.

He also referred to the Deepotsav tradition initiated by the state government in 2017, saying it had transformed Ayodhya’s cultural heritage into a celebration involving people from different walks of life.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Ayodhya to review preparations for the event.