MONDAY CHINA’S CHANG’E-6 SPACECRAFT LANDS ON MOON’S LESS EXPLORED FAR SIDE 03 Chang’e-6 lunar probe launched on May 3 successfully landed on the far side of the Moon on Sunday, the Chinese state media reported JUNE, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard SOUTH AFRICA TALKS FOR GOVT FORMATION BEGINS PAGE 9 Actor Raveena Tandon, driver assaulted over ‘carelessness’ S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ Mumbai ACTOR Raveena Tandon was allegedly attacked by a mob that accused her driver of rash driving and injuring a pedestrian. In a video that has gone viral, the actor could be seen arguing with a crowd of people near her residence in Bandra on Sunday . As per the police, Raveena’s car had just entered her residence compound when a crowd gathered outside demanding that the driver come out and speak to them over claims that the vehicle hit a woman. Fearing that the mob may attack her driver and watchman, Raveena got out of the vehicle and tried to speak to the crowd. She was allegedly pushed and hit. In the viral video, Raveena is heard saying ‘please don’t hit me’. In the same video, a man and woman claimed that they were assaulted by the actor and her staff. The man in the video said the incident happened when he was walking with his mother, sister, and niece near Raveena’s house. As per the police, the CCTV footage of the said incident showed the actor’s car did not hit the woman in question. The police said the mob was trying to enter the actor’s residence. Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roshan said no case has been registered as the police have not received any written complaint from either side. He said Tandon was returning home and her car was reversing. “A woman who walked past got angry at her driver and told him to drive carefully The car did not touch . the woman, but a verbal spat ensued. Raveena got out and joined the argument. We don’t have written complaints from either party, so there is no case,” Roshan said. BLAZING SUMMER HEAT TURNS CITY A FURNACE With mercury soaring to unparalleled levels, IMD has marked this May as the hottest in 11 years. Heatwave has claimed two lives so far this year. The summer looks dire with constrained water supply and frequent fires | P4 EQUIPPED TO COLLECT AND RETURN SAMPLES A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS NEW DELHI J8.00 The Chang’e-6 mission is tasked with collecting and returning samples from the Moon’s far side, the first endeavour of its kind. Its landing site is at an impact crater known as the Apollo Basin, which is relatively flatter than other areas on the far side and is, therefore, conducive to landing. The probe is scheduled to complete sampling within two days PAGES 12 Govt formation talks in Itanagar to begin on Tuesday, says Chief Minister Pema Khandu BJP keeps power SKM landslide in in Arunachal with Sikkim leaves thumping victory Oppn with just 1 P R A S A N TA M A Z U M D A R @ Guwahati PARTY POSITIONS THE BJP on Sunday retained power in Arunachal Pradesh by winning 46 of the state’s 60 seats. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), which is a BJP ally, bagged five seats to emerge as the second largest party The Nationalist Congress . Party won three seats, People’s Party of Arunachal two, Congress one while one seat went to an independent candidate. Earlier, 10 BJP candidates, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein, had won unopposed. The other prominent winners include ministers Mama Natung, Kamlung Mossang, former Union minister Ninong Ering (all from BJP), Kumar Waii (Congress) and Thangwang Wangham (NPP). Ering, who had won the last election on a Congress ticket, joined the BJP a few months ago. Former chief minister Gegong Apang (Arunachal Democratic Front), former minister Taba Tedir, MLAs Nyamar Karbak, Lombo Tayeng, Kaling Moyong, Kumsi Sidisow (all from BJP) were among the prominent losers. In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the P R A S A N TA M A Z U M D A R @ Guwahati Arunachal Pradesh THE Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on Sunday swept the polls, winning 31 of Sikkim’s 32 seats in the state. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which is the state’s principal opposition party won , the only other seat. The winner here, Tenzing Norbu, was with the SKM earlier. He had joined the SDF after being denied a ticket by the ruling party . The BJP, Congress and the newly-floated Citizen Action Party drew a blank. In 2019, the SKM had won 17 seats as against the SDF’s 15. The SKM is a BJP ally and a constituent of the NDA but they had separately contested the polls. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) contested from Rhenock and Soreng-Chakung seats and won both. Pawan Kumar Chamling, who had served as chief minister for 25 years, contested from two seats — Namcheybung and PoklokKamrang. He lost both. “The victory is a testament to your belief in the SKM. We will give our best in the next five years,” Tamang told a crowd. Ahead of polls, former ace footballer Bhaichung Bhutia had merged his Hamro Sikkim Party with the SDF. Some SKM National People's Party: 5 BJP: 46 Indian National Congress: 1 Independent: 3 ANC will not consider any demand from possible coalition partners that President Cyril Ramaphosa should step down, a top official said on Sunday TOTAL 60 Nationalist Congress Party: 3 People’s Party of Arunachal: 2 STRENGTH OF PARTIES IN OUTGOING ASSEMBLY Arunachal (60 seats) BJP + allies: 59 | Congress: 1 BJP workers for their hard work. Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed gratitude to the people. “It is a historic day for the people of the state and the BJP We had won 41 seats in . 2019 and 46 this time. In politics, there will be anti-incumbency but when the BJP is in power, there will be pro-incumbency,” he said. He added that the win was a reflection of Modi’s development initiatives. Talking about government formation, he said, “All winning candidates will reach Itanagar on June 4 and the party leaders will also come from Delhi. Once the formalities are over, we will stake our claim.” PARTY POSITIONS Sikkim Krantikari Morcha: 31 Sikkim TOTAL Sikkim Democratic Front: 32 1 SIT hunts for Prajwal’s mother in kidnap case STRENGTH OF PARTIES IN OUTGOING ASSEMBLY SKM: 19 | BJP: 12 | SDF: 1 leaders had also deserted the party for the SDF. These developments gave rise to a perception that the SKM will face a stiff challenge in the polls. The results belied that perception. The trend in Sikkim is people give a party at least two terms in power. It started with Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s Sikkim Sangram Parishad in 1985. It continued with the SDF and now with the SKM. The SDF always tried to corner the SKM with charges of corruption but they boomeranged in the wake of last year’s glacial lake outburst. The SKM managed to convince the voters that substandard work in the hydropower project carried out by the previous SDF govern ment had caused the disaster. MORE REPORTS ON PG 8 E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bengaluru THE Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducted extensive searches across the state, including Bengaluru and Ramanagara, to locate Bhavani Revanna, wife of Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna and mother of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, in connection with a kidnap case. The SIT had issued notice to Bhavani asking her to be present at home on June 1, to question her in connection with the kidnap case registered at KR Nagar police station of Mysuru district. When the SIT team reached Bhavani’s residence Chennambika Nilaya at Holenarasipura in Hassan district, she was not present. The team also visited KR Nagar, Saligrama, her native village, and Hunsur looking for her. The team visited Saligrama as Bhavani had gone there after the demise of her brother and KR Nagar as there were reports that she had visited her relatives. But SIT officials had to return empty-handed. Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that a search is on to arrest Bhavani, who has been evading authorities. “She is hiding somewhere and will be arrested soon,” he added. Bhavani’s lawyers said she has communicated that she will appear for investigation soon. Exit polls ring anti-incumbency Bail over, Kejriwal returns to Tihar warning bells in Andhra, Odisha with pomp, show and entourage EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada/ Bhubaneswar IF exit poll verdicts are anything to go by anti-incumbency , is hemorrhaging the ruling parties in Andhra Pradesh and O d i s h a i n t h e a s s e m bly elections. In Andhra, the ruling YSR Congress appears to be on a slippery slope. Most pollsters predict the wresting of power by the TDP-led alliance, which includes the BJP and actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party . India Today-Axis My India’s exit poll projected the TDPBJP-JSP win with 98-120 seats as against the YSRC’s 55-77 seats. It also predicted that the TDP would emerge as the single largest party in the state with 78 to 96 seats. Andhra Pradesh has a total of 175 Assembly constituencies and the halfway mark is 88. People’s Pulse’s prediction gave the YSRC 45-60 seats and the TDP alliance 111-135. On the other hand, Hyderabad-based AARAA’s exit poll EXIT POLL PROJECTIONS ANDHRA PRADESH POLLSTER India Today-My Axis India People’s Pulse Chanakya.com Aaraa TDP+ 98-120 111-135 55-65 71-81 YSRC 55-77 45-60 110-120 94-104 CONG 0-2 0 0 0 ODISHA India Today-My Axis India BJP 62-80 BJD 62-80 Cong 5-8 People’s Pulse BJP 58 (+/-14) BJD 81 (+/-12) Cong 8 (+/-2) predicted that the YSRC would retain power with 94-104 seats. Likewise, Partha Das’ Chanakya.com projected that the YSRC was comfortable at 110120 and the TDP alliance at 5565 seats. As for Odisha, the exit poll by India Today-Axis My India released on Sunday suggested both the BJD and the BJP would get seats in the range of 62-80. The poll predicted 42% vote share for both the parties. It could mean a hung assembly and indicates either party is ca- EXPRESS READ Amul milk price hiked by `2 from from today Porsche crash: Parents in custody till June 5 Man’s decaying body found inside house The price of Amul milk across all variants has been hiked by `2 per litre with effect from Monday in view of the increase in the overall cost of operation and production of milk, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation said. The last time Amul milk prices were revised was in February 2023. With the fresh hike, the revised milk prices for variants such as 500 ml Amul buffalo milk, 500 ml Amul Gold milk, and 500 ml Amul Shakti milk stand at `36, `33, and `30. A Pune court on Sunday remanded parents of a 17-yearold boy allegedly involved in the Porsche car accident in police custody till June 5 in a case pertaining to destruction of evidence. The duo is being probed for their alleged role in tampering with the blood sample of the minor following the accident on May 19 in Maharashtra’s Pune city, which claimed the lives of two IT professionals. The minor’s mother was arrested on June 1. The decomposed body of a 42-year-old man was found inside a house in Chattarpur, police said on Sunday. Police received a call at around 9 pm on Saturday, stating that Ratan, a tenant in the house, was not attending phone calls and his room was locked. “Ratan was working with an MNC. We broke open the door and found his body on bed in a decomposed state,” said a police officer. The deceased, native of Maharashtra, had heart issues, he said. P3 pable of a simple majority . While the projections will be a big jump for BJP, the ruling party BJD may be in for a rude shock. The Congress may bag 5-8 seats. As for vote share, it predicted 42% for both the BJP and the BJD with 10% accretion for the BJP and 3% slide for the BJD. The grand old party’s vote share was projected as 12%, a 4% drop. Similarly, Jan Ki Baat predicted the BJP’s tally as 58, BJD 81 and Congress 8. A S H I S H S R I V A S TA V A @ New Delhi ARVIND Kejriwal walked back to Tihar jail on Sunday as his interim bail for poll campaign ended. The AAP convener surrendered at the jail after the court postponed its decision on his plea for interim bail on medical grounds until June 5. The Supreme Court granted him bail on May 10. Before surrendering, Kejriwal visited Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi accompanied by his wife Sunita, ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Kailash Gahlot and other AAP leaders. Earlier in the day he offered prayers at Ha, numan temple in Connaught Place. “Mahatma Gandhi is an inspiration for all of us… June 4 is Tuesday and Lord Hanuman will destroy the dictators in our nation,” he told reporters. “I want to tell the people of Delhi — your son is returning to jail today This is not because . I am involved in any corruption, but because I have raised my voice against dictatorship. CM Arvind Kejriwal with his wife and party leaders leave after visiting Rajghat ahead of his surrender before Tihar jail authorities on Sunday | PARVEEN NEGI During (Lok Sabha election) campaigning, the PM accepted that they don’t have any proof against me. They have raided more than 500 places but have not recovered a single penny,” he told party workers. He also rejected the exit poll results predicting a huge victory to the BJP-led NDA and PM Modi coming to office for the third consecutive term. “All of you take care of your- selves. If you are happy, then your Kejriwal will also be happy in jail,” he posted on ‘X’. Ruling out his resignation, Kejriwal told the AAP’s Political Affairs Committee meeting that party workers should maintain unity during his absence, sources said. He also said that he would convey his messages to party workers, people of Delhi through his wife, sources added. HC warns of ‘barren desert’ amid record high temp P R A B H AT S H U K L A @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court has expressed grave concern over the city’s environmental future, noting a recent recorded temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius. The HC has warned that continued deforestation could eventually turn Delhi into a barren desert. The IMD has clarified that a maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius recorded at Mungeshpur on May 29 was due to a sensor error. The HC observation was made during proceedings on the establishment of a departmental committee for forest preservation in Delhi, chaired by former judge Justice Najmi Waziri as requested by the high court on April 4. A single-judge bench of Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stated in a May 31 order, “Judicial notice is taken of the fact that as recent as on 30.05.2024, the official temperature recorded in Delhi was 52.9 degrees Celsius. It is not far to see the day when this city may be only a barren desert, in case the present generation continues an apathetic view on the deforestation.” During the May 31 hearing, the court reviewed a report from Justice Waziri, highlighting the need for infrastructure for the committee. The chief conservator of forests informed the court that these requirements had been approved by the minister of the general administration department and would be presented to the cabinet and the L-G for final approval. Amicus curiae advocate Gautam Narayan emphasised the urgency of providing the necessary resources without delays, noting “the infrastructure and other facilities required for efficient administration and discharge of the responsibilities upon the learned chairperson have to be complied with at the earliest and not entangle them with red-tapism.” Justice Gedela directed that approval should not be delayed beyond June 15 and infrastructure development should be completed within 15 days thereafter.
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