HIGHLIGHTS

DEL71 BJP-CONG-RAM TEMPLE They have lost their mind as Ravana did in Treta Yug BJP after Cong leaders decline Ram temple invite New Delhi The BJP on Wednesday slammed the Congress after party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya and said they have lost their mind as Ravana did in Treta Yug.

Following are the top stories at 9.15 pm: NATION BOM37 MH-SENA-3RD LD DISQUALIFICATION **** Speaker says Shinde-led group real Shiv Sena; will approach SC, says Uddhav Thackeray Mumbai: In a relief to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday held that the Shiv Sena faction led by him was the ''real political party'' when rival groups emerged in June 2022. DEL95 LDALL CONG-TEMPLE **** Kharge, Sonia, Adhir decline Ram temple invite; accuse BJP, RSS of making it 'political project' for electoral gain New Delhi: Top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday ''respectfully declined'' the invitation to attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, with the party accusing the BJP of making it into a ''political project'' for electoral gains and asserting that religion is a ''personal matter''. **** BOM14 SUMMIT-LD PM **** World looks at India as global growth engine, trusted friend and pillar of stability: PM Modi Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India has emerged as a new ray of hope amid many uncertainties being faced globally, and the world looks at it as an important pillar of stability, a trusted friend and an engine of growth in the global economy. **** DEL52 CONG-INDIA-SEAT SHARING **** Kharge in touch with leaders of all INDIA bloc parties, says Cong as seat-sharing talks gain momentum New Delhi: After initiating seat-sharing talks with various opposition parties, the Congress on Wednesday said its president Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with leaders of all INDIA bloc constituents to ensure closer coordination in the opposition alliance. **** DEL71 BJP-CONG-RAM TEMPLE **** They have lost their mind as Ravana did in Treta Yug: BJP after Cong leaders decline Ram temple invite New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday slammed the Congress after party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya and said they have lost their mind as Ravana did in Treta Yug. **** DEL61 NIA-LD ARREST **** Kerala professor's palm chopping case: NIA arrests main accused absconding for 13 years New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested the main accused in the Kerala professor palm-chopping case of 2010, officials said. **** DEL85 INDIA-MALDIVES-KOVIND **** Former president Kovind slams remarks by Maldivian ministers against PM Modi New Delhi: Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday criticised the remarks by three Maldivian deputy ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hoped that this ''aberration will remain only an aberration'' and better sense will prevail in the future. **** DEL76 AYODHYA-LD GIFTS **** 2100-kg bell, 108-ft-long incense stick: Gifts for Ayodhya temple from across country, abroad New Delhi: A 108-foot-long incense stick, a 2,100-kg bell, a giant lamp weighing 1,100 kg, gold footwear, a 10-foot-high lock and key, and a clock that simultaneously denotes time in eight countries are among the special gifts sent for the Ram temple in Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony on January 22. By Gunjan Sharma **** CAL31 AS-HIMANTA-BANGLADESHIS **** 8,000 hectares of Assam forest land cleared from suspected Bangladeshis: Himanta Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the government has cleared 8,000 hectares of forest land, encroached by suspected Bangladeshi people. **** CAL29 AS-LD NADDA **** Cong not even eligible as opposition party: Nadda Guwahati: BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday criticised the Congress, saying they are ''not eligible'' of becoming the country's opposition party due to their response to the recent Maldives controversy. **** LEGAL LGD22 SC-ARTICLE 370-LD REVIEW **** Pleas in SC seek review of verdict upholding scrapping of Article 370 New Delhi: Several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking review of its December 11 verdict upholding the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. **** LGD20 SC-AMU-MINORITY STATUS **** Non-minority candidates looking after some administration will not dilute minority character: SC New Delhi: The mere fact that some part of administration of an educational institution is also looked after by non-minority officials does not ''dilute'' its minority character, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday while hearing the hugely disputed minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). **** FOREIGN FGN33 PAK-SC-2NDLD MUSHARRAF **** Pakistan's top court upholds late military ruler Pervez Musharraf's death sentence in treason case Islamabad: In a landmark judgment, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence of now-deceased former military ruler Pervez Musharraf given to him by a special court in a high treason case. By Sajjad Hussain **** FGN47 UK-RAJNATH-CEOS **** India-UK to cooperate, co-create, co-innovate: Rajnath Singh London: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India envisions an enriching defence partnership with the UK focussed on co-creation as he co-chaired a UK-India Defence Industry CEOs Roundtable with his British counterpart Grant Shapps here. By Aditi Khanna **** BUSINESS DEL89 BIZ-LD RUPEE **** Rupee jumps 10 paise against US dollar Mumbai: Rising for the sixth straight session, the rupee jumped 10 paise to 83.03 against the US dollar on Wednesday, tracking a firm trend in equity markets and easing crude prices. ****