The Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Manoj Sonkar won the Chandigarh mayoral elections today, defeating the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Kuldeep Kumar. The BJP was pitted against an alliance between the Congress and AAP, in the first contest between the newly formed Opposition coalition and the NDA, following Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s sensational switchover to the latter.

The BJP won 16 seats in the 35-member Chandigarh municipal corporation while eight votes were declared invalid.

The AAP-Congress alliance strategically nominated candidates for various positions. Mr Kumar, representing the AAP, contested for the mayoral post, while the Congress fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

The senior deputy mayor post saw Kuljeet Sandhu of the BJP facing off against Congress’s Gurpreet Singh Gabi, while the deputy mayor position was contested between BJP’s Rajinder Sharma and Congress’s Nirmala Devi.

The results of these contests are awaited. 
 

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in jail, state media and a spokesman for his party said, in a controversial case related to a leaked document.

The sentence, handed down following a trial held inside the jail where Khan has been detained for much of the time since his arrest in August, comes as the country heads to the polls on February 8.

“Former prime minister Imran Khan and PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) vice-president (Shah Mahmood) Qureshi have been sentenced to 10 years each inside prison in the cypher case,” a spokesman for the party told AFP.

The case centres around how the pair handled a so-called “cypher” sent by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States that alleged Washington was complicit in a plot to turf Khan from office in 2022.

Millions of people will vote in polls in less than two weeks, in a campaign marred by allegations of pre-vote rigging and Khan’s party heavily suppressed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The 69th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2024 with Gujarat Tourism, hosted at GIFT City Gandhinagar, was a dazzling spectacle that showcased the glitz and glamour of Hindi cinema. Renowned for its stylish red carpet moments, the recent awards ceremony was no exception, as celebrities graced the event in their most fashionable ensembles. 

Alia Bhatt turned heads in a stunning white corseted saree, radiating elegance and poise. Kareena Kapoor Khan opted for a bold statement in a vibrant red saree, while Karisma Kapoor sparkled in a colourful shimmering saree, adding a touch of glamour to the evening. The men were equally impressive, with Ranbir Kapoor exuding charm in a classic suit, and Varun Dhawan looking dapper as he made his way down the red carpet. 

The awards night not only celebrated the achievements of the industry’s talented individuals but also served as a showcase for the latest trends and fashion-forward choices in Bollywood. Take a look: