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Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in order to take opposition unity forward, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar on Friday said that the unity will not be forged overnight, however, he assured that in "the next three to four months of discussions this can be done," news agency ANI reported. 

Speaking about the opposition unity, NCP Chief stated: "We are trying for it (to bring together Opposition parties). It won't happen immediately but I think in the next 3 to 4 months of discussion this can be done. It's the wish of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar that we should come together for a meeting. Its date is not yet decided but whenever it happens I will be there." 

As part of the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) crackdown on terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the anti-terror agency is conducting raids in the Pulwama district on Saturday (May 20).

The raids are part of the NIA's probe into the activities of the OGWs (over-ground workers) and cadres, who operate in support of outfits such as The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF, among others.

It is alleged that these OGWs or intermediaries to terrorists push the youth in the area to engage in terror activities and are involved in the supply of magnetic bombs and sticky bombs.

Taking advantage of the infighting in Telangana BJP, a resurgent Congress has called on several leaders, who are currently in the BJP, to join the party in order to unite and fight against BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao even as BJP MLA Etela Rajender denied reports that he was considering parting ways with the saffron party.

Bolstered by the Congress victory in neighbouring Karnataka, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy on Thursday named several former Congressmen, who are currently in BJP, along with dissident BRS leaders to join forces, saying the BJP cannot fight the BRS. He even pointed out that Narendra Modi’s invincibility has been destroyed by the victory of Congress in Karnataka.

In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Kiren Rijiju was removed as Law Minister on Thursday and moved to the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will replace him in the coveted portfolio. Rijiju was named as law minister on July 7, 2021. The Sports Minister and the Minister of State for Minority Affairs at that time, Rijiju had got the portfolio following the resignation of Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh was holding charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which suffered a humiliating defeat in the recently-concluded Assembly elections, aims to undertake a complete overhaul to plug the gaping holes in its strategy ahead of next year's general elections.

This comes against the backdrop of former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai having completed the process of seeking feedback from former ministers and senior party leaders who lost the elections.

There is widespread speculation over the heads that may roll in the party following the dismal performance in the elections.