Modi Criticizes Himachal Gov's Handling of Funds, Election Talks Heat Up

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Himachal Pradesh Congress government of mismanaging central funds for monsoon disaster victims. Criticisms were exchanged as the election season heated up, with Congress hitting back at BJP's remarks on the INDIA bloc. The stakes in Lok Sabha polls remain high.

Following are the top stories at 5.30 pm: NATION: ELN32 ELECTIONS-HP-PM-LD SIRMAUR **** HP's 'talabaaz sarkar' shut recruitment commission, Cong also plans to put lock on Ram temple: Modi Shimla/Nahan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh a ''talabaaz sarkar'' for shutting down the staff selection commission and said the party also intends to put a ''tala'', or lock, on Ayodhya's Ram temple. **** ELN53 ELECTIONS-CONG-JAIRAM **** INDIA bloc getting 'clear' mandate in LS polls, will name PM in less than 3 days: Jairam Ramesh Chandigarh: The Congress on Friday hit back at the BJP over its ''five PMs in five years'' remark against the INDIA bloc, saying the alliance which is set to get a ''clear and decisive'' mandate in the Lok Sabha polls will have one person as prime minister for five years. **** ELN56 ELECTIONS-EC-PHASE 6 **** LS polls: Over 11 crore voters to decide fate of 889 candidates in penultimate phase New Delhi: Over 11 crore voters will decide the fate of 889 candidates contesting in the penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections across 58 seats. **** BOM25 MH-COURT-ACCIDENT **** Pune car crash: Juvenile's father, five others sent in judicial custody Pune: A court here on Friday remanded Vishal Agarwal, father of a 17-year-old involved in a car crash that killed two persons in the city, and five other accused in the case in judicial custody till June 7. **** ELN31 ELECTIONS-HP-PM-LD MANDI **** Central funds sent for Himachal monsoon disaster victims distributed selectively: PM Modi in Mandi Shimla: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of selectively distributing central aid meant for victims of last year's floods and promised to find out where the money went once he returns to power. **** ELN27 ELECTIONS-SIBAL-EC **** Sibal urges SC to direct EC to preserve EVM logs for 2-3 years, put out voting records before counting New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday urged the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission to keep the logs of EVMs safe for at least two to three years and declare the records of every phase of voting before counting so that no member is elected ''illegally''. **** DEL18 IMD-CYCLONE **** Cyclone Remal to make landfall in West Bengal, Bangladesh on Sunday night: IMD New Delhi: A cyclone brewing in the Bay of Bengal will make landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Bangladesh's Khepupara on Sunday midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. **** CAL2 WB-BANGLADESH-MP-PROBE-ARREST **** Bangladesh MP murder: Police arrest butcher; takes his help to locate body parts Kolkata: The West Bengal CID arrested one person from the state's Bangaon area in North 24 Parganas district for his allegedly involved in the ''murder'' of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar, an officer claimed on Friday. **** ELN35 ELECTION-JK-KPS **** Over 26,000 displaced KPs to vote at 34 special polling stations set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi Jammu: More than 26,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandit voters from across the country are eligible to vote at 34 polling stations in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag constituency on Saturday. **** LEGAL: LGD10 SC-VOTER TURNOUT-LD EC **** SC refuses to direct EC to upload voter turnout data amid LS polls, says 'hands-off approach' needed New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused an NGO's plea to issue the Election Commission directions to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website during the Lok Sabha polls, saying a ''hands-off approach'' needs to be adopted during the elections. **** LGD19 SC-MANIPUR **** Manipur violence: Can't go by sentiments, says SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Friday it cannot go by sentiments and has to act in accordance with law, as it refused to entertain a petition seeking contempt action for alleged non-compliance with the apex court's order on protection of properties of people displaced during the Manipur violence. **** LGD18 DL-COURT- CM AIDE REMAND **** Kejriwal aide Bibhav Kumar remanded in four-day judicial custody New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar to four-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. **** LGD9 SC-ADANI-LETTER **** 21 international organisations write to CJI for speedy resolution of Adani coal imports case in SC New Delhi: At least 21 international organisations have written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and requested the Supreme Court to speedily resolve the pending case filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, investigating Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of Indonesian coal imports. **** FOREIGN: BOM22 NUCLEAR-INDIA-RUSSIA Ready to build high-capacity nuclear power units at a new site in India: Russia Mumbai: Russia has said it is ready for serious expansion of cooperation with India in the area of atomic energy, including building high-capacity nuclear power units at a new site in India. FGN45 UN-KISHORE **** Kamal Kishore starts term as special representative of UN chief for disaster risk reduction United Nations: Kamal Kishore, a top Indian official for disaster and climate risk management, has started his term as a special representative of UN chief Antonio Guterres for disaster risk reduction. ****