Dy CM Eknath Shinde dismissed rumors of a cold war with CM Devendra Fadnavis, asserting their ‘cool’ relationship. Shinde emphasized no internal strife in Mahayuti and denied creating any parallel systems. He remarked that the Sena split resulted from Uddhav Thackeray becoming CM. CM Fadnavis supported Shinde’s medical aid cell initiative for aiding needy patients.

: In a significant development, Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India by the President of India. Kumar, a 1988-batch retired IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, assumed office on February 19, 2025, succeeding Rajiv Kumar. As Chief Election Commissioner, Kumar will head the Election Commission of India, responsible for conducting free and fair elections in the country. This appointment is crucial, as Kumar will oversee upcoming elections and play a vital role in shaping India’s democratic process. n18oc_indiaNews18 Mobile App – https://onelink.to/desc-youtube

The Panchayat ministry, which has already formed an advisory committee on the issue, will submit a report this month and take appropriate action as recommended by the government, News18 has learnt