All posts tagged: Rivals

Kakade set for unopposed election to Pune MLC seat after rivals withdraw nominations

Kakade set for unopposed election to Pune MLC seat after rivals withdraw nominations

Published by Parlour News

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Vikram Kakade is set to be elected unopposed to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from Pune after all five rival candidates, including NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) nominee Shrikant Patil, withdrew their nominations on Thursday, the last day for withdrawal. NCP candidate Vikram Kakade is set to be elected unopposed to MLC from Pune after all five rival candidates withdrew their nominations on Thursday, the last day for withdrawal. (HT FILE) According to the district administration, NCP (SP)’s Shrikant Patil and Independent candidates Sunil Tingre, Tushar Kamthe, Pradip Kand and Ranjeet Jare withdrew their nomination papers. “I thank everyone for making this election unopposed. Though there will be no contest, I will continue to reach out to all voters and understand their expectations and concerns so that I can represent them effectively,” Kakade said. Patil said his decision to withdraw followed a request from deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar. According to him, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar left the final decision to him. “Sunetra Pawar requested Sharad Pawar saheb to withdraw our candidature. Pawar …

BFF Ram Charan and Akhil to Turn BO Rivals? Peddi Vs Lenin Clash Looks Inevitable

BFF Ram Charan and Akhil to Turn BO Rivals? Peddi Vs Lenin Clash Looks Inevitable

Published by Parlour News

Director Buchi Babu Sana recently locked June 25 as the release date for Ram Charan’s Peddi, a period action drama co-starring Janhvi Kapoor. The move ended hopes of an early June release and has now placed Akhil Akkineni’s Lenin (featuring Meenakshi Chaudhary as the leading lady ) in a tricky situation, as the film is already slated for June 26. Both films are aiming at a wide release. Akkineni Nagarjuna, one of the producers of Lenin, appears unfazed by the competition. The actor recently watched the first cut of his son’s rural romantic action entertainer and expressed immense confidence on social media. “I say this with confidence and pride… you are about to witness a new AKHIL on June 26, 2026. Mark the date,” he wrote, effectively reaffirming the planned release despite the looming clash. watched the first cut of our film LENIN last night.I say this with confidence and pride… you are about to witness a new AKHIL on June 26 2026.mark the date!!!see you in the theatres🔥 — Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) April …

Matua Math In Focus As TMC, BJP Rivals Hold Closed-Door Talks In Thakurnagar Ahead Of Bengal Polls | India News

Matua Math In Focus As TMC, BJP Rivals Hold Closed-Door Talks In Thakurnagar Ahead Of Bengal Polls | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 10:35 IST The Matua community is considered decisive in around 30 Assembly seats and plays a swing role in over 40 constituencies. Trinamool leader Mukut Mani Adhikari; (R) BJP leader Santanu Thakur (X @mukut_adhikari, PTI) West Bengal witnessed a political storm on Saturday after President Droupadi Murmu publicly expressed hurt and disappointment over the state government changing the venue of the International Santal Conference in Darjeeling district and not adhering to the desired protocol to receive her. The development even prompted a strong reaction from the Prime Minister, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership launching a counter-attack on the BJP. Amid the political sparring between the ruling TMC and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two key leaders from rival camps held a closed-door meeting in Thakurnagar–the epicentre of the Matua community, around 75 km from Kolkata. Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the BJP’s prominent Matua face in Bengal, Santanu Thakur, met TMC MLA Mukut Mani Adhikari, who had earlier defected from the BJP and is …

AAP pitches Kejriwal for PM as rivals eye CM post

AAP pitches Kejriwal for PM as rivals eye CM post

Published by Parlour News

The celebrations in the Aam Aadmi Party camp after a Delhi court granted a clean chit to its national convener Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy case were not merely loud. They were aspirational. What began as relief soon evolved into something more ambitious: an impromptu search for the country’s next prime minister. MLA Anmol Gagan Mann declared that Kejriwal was the “natural choice” to lead the country. Cabinet minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond was not far behind, pitching him as a national leader whose brand of governance could travel smoothly from mohalla clinics to the corridors of power in New Delhi. Party workers revived the familiar chant of “kattar imaandaar”, a phrase that has now graduated from campaign slogan to something close to a character certificate issued by the faithful. In politics, momentum is everything. One favourable court order can quickly begin to look like a political endorsement. For now, Kejriwal remains party convener. But if the enthusiasm of his Punjab colleagues is any guide, someone may already be polishing the résumé for the …

How India, England, South Africa and New Zealand tactically outfoxed their rivals to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals | Cricket News

How India, England, South Africa and New Zealand tactically outfoxed their rivals to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals | Cricket News

Published by Webster

5 min readMar 2, 2026 08:49 PM IST India, South Africa, England and New Zealand have all reached the semis. South Africa have had the smoothest ride; the others navigated bumpier terrain during the Super 8s.”But what matters in tournament cricket, as the cliché goes, is peaking at the right time — and all four sides have been doing exactly that. That peaking, however, came after some sharp tactical tweaks: new faces introduced, existing roles redrawn. The gambles paid off, delivering crucial wins at pressure points and booking places in the last four. Here is a look at the tactical calls that turned into masterstroke moments. India Tactical move: Sanju Samson as opener Impact: 97 off 50 balls vs West Indies Sanju Samson’s knock helped India beat West Indies and qualify for T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals. (Express photo by Partha Paul) India’s top order had grown predictable at this World Cup — three left-handers in a row made it easy for opposition sides to set fields and attack from consistent angles, with off-spinners particularly …

Rivals copy Martin Crowe’s 1992 World Cup strategy to rein in Indian batsmen

Rivals copy Martin Crowe’s 1992 World Cup strategy to rein in Indian batsmen

Published by Webster

6 min readAhmedabadFeb 19, 2026 05:12 PM IST A novelty tactic deployed by the visionary Martin Crowe in the 1992 ODI World Cup has found a revival in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Crowe, the New Zealand captain, opened the bowling with Dipak Patel, a journeyman batting all-rounder, recast into an off-spinner. The move shocked the favourites Australia, co-hosts and defending champions. Similarly, captains have used seemingly ordinary off-spinners to handcuff India’s power-packed top-order. It has worked tellingly, to such an extent that it has emerged the unforeseen tragic flaw of this wondrously knit batting unit. None of Aryan Dutt, Salman Ali Agha and Gerhard Erasmus induce sleepless nights. Batsmen don’t hawkishly pore over their footage. None of them turn the ball precociously away from the left-hander, and on the contrary, spin or angle the ball into them; none possess befuddling variations or roll out arcane tricks from their sleeve. Bestowed with humbler virtues, they deal with subtle change of pace, angle and release points, at a spinner’s good length, or just shorter. None are …

‘Cooperative Partners Instead Of Rivals’: China After Strategic Dialogue With India | India News

‘Cooperative Partners Instead Of Rivals’: China After Strategic Dialogue With India | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 07:03 IST India and China struck a conciliatory tone after their Strategic Dialogue, with Beijing saying the two sides should see each other as “cooperative partners instead of rivals”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping (File photo/PTI) India and China on Tuesday sought to project a stabilising tone in their ties, with Beijing stating that the two countries should view each other as “cooperative partners instead of rivals” and as development opportunities rather than threats. The remarks came after a fresh round of the India-China Strategic Dialogue held in New Delhi between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who is in India for BRICS-related meetings. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued separate readouts outlining the discussions, which ranged across bilateral ties, border stability, trade concerns and multilateral cooperation. ‘COOPERATIVE PARTNERS, NOT RIVALS’: CHINA In its statement, Beijing said the two sides had held “friendly, candid and in-depth” talks on the international and regional situation, domestic and …

Women’s Premier League: Friends turn rivals for an evening as Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues aim to come out on top in final | Cricket News

Women’s Premier League: Friends turn rivals for an evening as Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues aim to come out on top in final | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Asked during the pre-match press conference if there was a particular moment on or off the field when things started to change for her and Delhi Capitals (DC) after a tough start to the season, captain Jemimah Rodrigues had a smile on her face. She looked to her left and whispered to Smriti Mandhana, her close friend for years and opposing captain in Thursday’s Women’s Premier League final, “Should I say it?” “No!” said Mandhana, and they both broke into laughter. Whatever that little story is between them stays a secret for now, but it was just another reminder of how much Rodrigues and Mandhana lean on each other for support. An emotional Rodrigues spoke after her epic World Cup semifinal century against Australia about how Mandhana’s mere presence during the nets session was a morale-booster for her during a tough phase when she was briefly dropped from the team. And more recently, when Mandhana’s wedding was cancelled, Rodrigues stayed back to be by her side and not return to Australia for her Women’s Big …

Uzbekistan’s love for chess rivals India’s own and revenge is on the menu for what happened in Budapest

Uzbekistan’s love for chess rivals India’s own and revenge is on the menu for what happened in Budapest

Published by Webster

When Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov landed in Uzbekistan after their exploits in the freezing climes of Wijk aan Zee, a warm welcome awaited them back home. The two players, who had finished first and second in the year’s first classical tournament, were instantly draped in a traditional, long Uzbek robe called a chopon and cap called a doppi and greeted by a welcoming party with countless hugs, grandiose bouquets and multiple camera crews. That two of their own had emerged on the top of the standings at the topsy-turvy Tata Steel Chess tournament with many of the best players of the current generation was national news. Wearing those elaborately embroidered robes, both Abdusattorov and Sindarov were besieged by camera crews for answers. The scenes were reminiscent of the way Gukesh was greeted by kids from his school at Chennai airport when he had won the Candidates tournament in Toronto in 2024. Just like India, in Uzbekistan chess is a big deal. And chess players are no less than celebrities. Sample this: when Sindarov won …

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi future in doubt after Karim Benzema switch to rivals | Football News

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi future in doubt after Karim Benzema switch to rivals | Football News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 3, 2026 09:53 AM IST Cristiano Ronaldo’s future in Saudi Arabia has been thrown into doubt after Karim Benzema was cleared to join Al-Nassr’s closest title rivals, Al-Hilal. According to The Daily Telegraph, Ronaldo is said to be furious at what he views as a lack of investment in Al-Nassr and was absent from their 1–0 victory over Al-Riyadh on Saturday, a win that moved them to within a point of league leaders Al-Hilal, who were held to a draw. The 40-year-old was not included in the squad amid reports he had refused to play because of an ongoing dispute linked to Benzema’s transfer, which had initially stalled the deal. Benzema’s move from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal has now been approved following the termination of his contract, a development that has inevitably raised questions over Ronaldo’s long-term future in the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his goal for Al Nassr against Al Khaleej in Saudi Pro League game. (X/Al Nassr) The situation has caused significant upheaval within the SPL, the report added. …