Crediting ChatGPT for helping him make a critical medical decision that led to his dog's recovery, a man claimed that he saved his dog’s life using the AI tool after several veterinarians reportedly gave up hope. In a detailed social media post on reddit, the man described how ChatGPT helped him. The post was shared on Reddit’s r/Indian_flex subreddit under the title “Vets gave up on him. I took the matters into my hands, and won!!”. In the post, the user said that his pet dog, named Dude, suddenly fell seriously ill and was taken to both government and private veterinarians. According to him, the vets told him the dog had less than a five per cent chance of survival and would need a “miracle”. Blood test reports showed very poor results, leading vets to diagnose chronic kidney failure, a condition that is usually irreversible. The opinion from ChatGPT Unconvinced by the diagnosis, the man said that he turned to ChatGPT for a second opinion. He claimed the AI tool suggested multiple possible causes, including both chronic kidney failure and acute kidney infection. He believed an acute condition was more likely, as it is treatable. He also noted that his dog -- Dude -- had eaten rotten meat found on the road shortly before falling ill and had deteriorated rapidly, details he felt were overlooked by the vets. A screengrab of the post Infection indicators highlighted The man said ChatGPT pointed to the dog’s high white blood cell count as a sign of infection rather than chronic organ failure. He claimed this factor was not given enough importance by the veterinarians. According to the post, ChatGPT also calculated the required amount of intravenous fluids based on the dog’s body weight, recommending a much higher dose than what was being given. Decision to treat dog at home He alleged that the vets opted for a cautious treatment plan, which he felt was influenced by workload at the government hospital and financial considerations at the private clinic. Believing there was a lack of urgency, the man decided to treat Dude at home using the approach suggested by ChatGPT, with one small but crucial change compared to the vets’ method. A screengrab of the post Dog begin to recover A few weeks later, the man said his dog had fully recovered. Reflecting on the experience, he wrote, “Trust, urgency and accountability matter more than credentials.” He clarified that he was not claiming to be better than trained professionals, but wanted to highlight the importance of questioning decisions when something feels wrong. “Had I listened to the vets and blindly believed they were doing the best, Dude wouldn’t have been alive or would have serious organ failure,” he said. Mixed reactions by social media users The post sparked strong reactions online. While many users praised the man’s determination and love for his pet, others expressed concern about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence for medical decisions. A social media user stated, “It’s heartbreaking to see that flimsy AI can be a better healthcare advisor than the supposed professionals.” Another user wrote, “I have two dogs and can understand what you went through. I’m glad you did what was right for your dog.” Several users also warned against using AI as a replacement for professional medical advice, especially in emergency medical situations.
21 January,2026 11:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA fire broke out in a moving car in Kopri area of Thane district in Maharashtra, civic officials said on Wednesday, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident. According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), a minor blaze was reported in a car after it hit a divider near a CNG pump at Bara Bangla in Kopri area of Thane (East). "No injuries were reported in the incident and the fire was quickly extinguished," officials said. The incident took place at around 8 pm on Wednesday when the vehicle was travelling from Thane towards Mumbai. Car catches fire after hitting divider According to information received by the Disaster Management Control Room, a Honda City car hit the road divider, causing sparks which led to a small fire in the vehicle. Occupants Escape Safely Two people were travelling in the car at the time of the accident, officials said. As soon as the crash occurred, the driver and the other occupant got out of the vehicle as a safety measure, they said. Officials confirmed that neither of them suffered any injuries. Fire brought under control quickly Personnel from the city traffic department and local residents managed to extinguish the fire before the fire brigade and disaster management teams reached the spot. Later, Kopri Fire Station officials and fire brigade personnel arrived at the scene with a fire engine. Staff from the city traffic department and the disaster management department also reached the location with a pick-up vehicle, the officials said. They said that the fire was minor and the situation was quickly brought under control. The traffic was managed and normal conditions were restored soon after. Bus gutted in fire on Western Express Highway in Malad, no casualties Meanwhile, in an another incident, a private bus was gutted in a fire on the Western Express Highway in Mumbai's Malad area on Tuesday morning, affecting traffic movement on the busy route for some time, officials said. There was no report of any casualty, they said. The fire brigade received information at around 10 am about the blaze in the Borivali-bound sleeper coach bus near a bridge in Malad (East), reported PTI. There were passengers onboard when the fire erupted in the front portion of the bus, and they were all safely evacuated, a civic official said. The exact number of passengers onboard was not yet known. Firefighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes, but by the time the entire bus was gutted. "No injuries were reported in the incident," the official said.
21 January,2026 10:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis is not in Davos on a “picnic”, his wife Amruta Fadnavis said on Wednesday, rebutting remarks made by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. Fadnavis is attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. “I can never understand his (Raut’s) language. But I will say this much, someone who goes for a picnic does not hold conferences and meetings daily from 6 am to 11 pm to bring investment to India and Maharashtra, and to boost employment,” Amruta told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai. “So I feel that this statement of his, like all his other statements, is baseless,” she said. Describing the WEF as an international forum, Amruta said leaders from across the world attend the event to discuss their countries and explore business opportunities. “Going there, I believe, is the duty of the head of every state in India,” she added. Raut had earlier demanded that the travel costs of leaders visiting Davos be made public. “Chief ministers from various states in India are having a picnic in Davos,” he had said, adding that the Davos conference was “ridiculous from an Indian perspective”. When asked who would be the next mayor of Mumbai, Amruta said the post would be held by a Marathi person. Devendra Fadnavis has been credited with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s strong performance in the recent municipal corporation elections. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 seats in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). India set to become third-largest economy in coming years, says Ashwini Vaishnaw Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday, in his address at the World Economic Forum, stressed that India is poised to become the world's third-largest economy in the next few years, driven by a decade of "well thought-through" structural changes and focused execution, news agency ANI reported. Vaishnaw highlighted a trajectory where the nation is expected to maintain a real growth rate of 6 to 8 per cent. He attributed this momentum to four strategic pillars: massive public investment in physical, digital, and social infrastructure; inclusive growth ensuring the "entire society grows along with the growth of the country"; a push for manufacturing and innovation; and a rigorous drive toward simplification, ANI reported. The Union Railway Minister further highlighted, "All this, combined with the base of technology that we have put in, we can very clearly say that India is going to grow with a 95 per cent confidence interval in the next five years,” while adding that security of the poorest comes as a priority. Supporting Vaishnaw’s view, economist Gita Gopinath pointed out that based on current math relative to other major economies, "India gets there by 2028," and potentially sooner depending on upcoming GDP rebasing, ANI reported. The economist further emphasised that the true challenge is not just the aggregate size of the economy but also raising per capita incomes to higher levels to meet the 2047 goal of a developed India. While she lauded the "impressive" infrastructure build-out and GST reforms, Gopinath also cautioned that sustaining this momentum requires addressing deep-seated bottlenecks in land, labour, and the judicial system. (With PTI and ANI inputs)
21 January,2026 09:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOn the second day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) signed 12 strategic global partnerships, securing long-term investment commitments worth nearly USD 104.65 billion (Rs 9.52 lakh crore) and generating an estimated 9.5 lakh jobs across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The agreements were formalised in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, positioning Mumbai as a global hub for co-creation across infrastructure, technology, healthcare, climate resilience, and urban governance. Unlike conventional investment announcements, the partnerships focus on long-term collaboration and execution, spanning fintech, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, climate-resilient planning, and metropolitan governance. Fadnavis said the Davos partnerships reflect growing global confidence in Maharashtra’s ability to deliver large-scale metropolitan development. “Through MMRDA’s integrated approach, we are ensuring region-wide growth, job creation and inclusive development across the MMR,” he said. The Deputy CM said the collaborations would translate into visible on-ground transformation. “These partnerships will unlock investment, create employment and strengthen livelihoods across the region,” he said. Dr Mukherjee stated that the agreements signal deep institutional trust. “Global leaders are partnering with MMRDA not just as investors, but as long-term collaborators to convert capital into resilient infrastructure and global expertise into inclusive growth,” he said. Key MoUs Brookfield (USD 30 billion) for logistics, industrial parks and a fintech hub RMZ Corporation (USD 25 billion) for global business districts and data centres Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce (USD 15 billion) for infrastructure and manufacturing Jupiter Wellness for a global Medi City Shree Naman–Tillman for hyperscale data parks Raigad Pen Growth Centre (USD 4.65 billion) with multiple global partners Knowledge partnerships with The Alan Turing Institute, TU Delft, IIT Bombay, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Surbana Jurong, Arup, and EDGE Community MMRDA will lead land identification, trunk infrastructure, statutory clearances and inter-agency coordination, while global partners will bring capital, technology and operational expertise. Officials said the agreements reinforce the MMR’s ambition to emerge as a USD 300-billion economy by 2030, while positioning Mumbai as a global laboratory for next-generation urban solutions.
21 January,2026 09:29 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday took a sharp swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde amid speculation of a tussle within the Mahayuti alliance over the Mumbai mayoral post, saying the Sena leader would have to persuade senior BJP leaders if he wanted his party to secure the post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), news agency ANI reported. Although the BJP–Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance swept the BMC elections, a decision on the mayoral post is yet to be finalised. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 of the 227 seats, and is eyeing the top post, while Shinde is keen to retain the Shiv Sena’s long-standing control over India’s richest municipal corporation. While addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut said, "Nobody cares about Shinde for the mayoral post. There is nothing more insulting than those who call themselves Shiv Sena and put up Balasaheb's photo and have to go to Delhi to sit at the feet of Gujarati leaders for the post of Mumbai mayor." He added that the decision for the post is pending as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum 2026, ANI reported. The Sena-UBT leader also raised questions over CM Fadnavis' Davos visit, stating that he signed agreements with Indian companies, which he could have done in Mumbai. He demanded that the travel costs of the leaders travelling to Davos be revealed to the public. "The chief ministers from across the country are having a picnic in Davos. He (CM Fadnavis) will pay attention to the mayoral elections after that is over. The Davos conference is ridiculous from an Indian perspective. Chief ministers from many states meet there, they talk to each other, and Indian industries go to Davos and sign agreements, on taxpayers' money," Raut told ANI. Party has initiated legal action against KDMC Corporators who are unreachable, says Sanjay Raut "They go to Davos every year. They should tell the nation and their states how much is spent on their travel. This could have happened sitting in Mumbai. If the figures (of the investment and job creation) being given are true, then I welcome them," he added. Meanwhile, when asked about two UBT faction corporators in the Kalyan-Dombivli corporation being unreachable, Raut said that the party has initiated legal action against them. He said, "Legal action is being taken against him, disqualification proceedings are underway against him, this will be successful, then they can go wherever..." Problems for the Uddhav Thackeray faction are increasing in Kalyan-Dombivali as Shinde's son and MP Shriknath said that Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has extended support to the Mahayuti. The Thackeray cousins contested the BMC polls together, but could not get the better of the BJP-Sena Yuti, which won the 118 seats, breaching the majority mark of 114. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats while MNS won six seats in Mumbai. In Kalyan-Dombivali, the Mahayuti won 103 of the 122 seats, with the BJP securing 50 seats and the Shiv Sena 53. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured a win on 11 seats and MNS on five. Meanwhile, former BMC Mayor Kishori Pednekar was elected as the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators on Wednesday. She secured victory in Ward No 199, defeating Rupal Kusale of the Shiv Sena. (With ANI inputs)
21 January,2026 09:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentExcept for one newly-elected corporator, 64 of the 65 Shiv Sena (UBT) councilor-designates, elected in the recently held BMC Election 2026 completed the mandatory registration formalities on Wednesday, while the absence of one member sparked political speculation, reported the PTI. The registration is a routine formality ahead of the formation of the new Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), officials said, according to the PTI. A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader dismissed speculation surrounding the absence of Dr Sheetal Mhaske at the divisional commissioner’s office at Konkan Bhavan in Navi Mumbai, saying she has not gone incommunicado and remains in contact with the party. Mhaske was elected from Ward 157 in the Chandivli area of eastern Mumbai in the January 15 BMC polls. She secured 14,749 votes, defeating her nearest BJP rival, Asha Tayade, the news agency reported. BJP–Shiv Sena ends Thackerays’ 30-year BMC control, paves way for Mahayuti mayor In the high-stakes polls, the BJP–Shiv Sena combine ended the Thackerays’ nearly three-decade-old control over India’s richest civic body, paving the way for the installation of a Mahayuti mayor. A total of 64 newly elected Sena (UBT) corporators were present for the registration, barring Mhaske, said a party corporator-elect who was part of the group that visited Konkan Bhavan. The corporator said he was unaware of the reason for Mhaske’s absence or whether she had informed the party leadership about skipping the process. Mhaske could not be reached for comment. A senior BMC official said that after completing the registration, corporators-elect are required to submit the receipt to the BMC municipal secretary’s office along with their winning certificates. However, the Sena (UBT) members did not visit the BMC headquarters to submit the documents, he added. Apart from the 64 Sena (UBT) corporators-elect, 24 Congress members have completed the registration process so far. On Monday, the Maharashtra government published a notification in the Extraordinary Gazette listing the names of all 227 elected BMC members. Meanwhile, former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar has been appointed group leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the BMC, party leaders said. The appointment comes as the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are expected to command a majority in the civic body. Pednekar, who served as mayor during the Covid-19 pandemic, remained with Uddhav Thackeray following the Shiv Sena split in 2022. (With PTI inputs)
21 January,2026 09:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPolice on Wednesday questioned Noida Authority officials over alleged negligence in the Noida Techie death case and continued to probe the matter further. Meanwhile, a builder arrested in connection with the death of a 27-year-old software engineer in Greater Noida was remanded to two weeks’ judicial custody on Wednesday, as a Special Investigation Team intensified its probe and questioned . "Abhay Kumar, one of the accused builders who is the director of MZ Wiztown Planners, was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Surajpur. He has been sent to 14 days' judicial custody," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Hemant Upadhyaya told PTI. Upadhyaya said efforts were underway to arrest the other builder, associated with real estate firm Lotus Greens, named in the FIR. Forensic experts also collected samples from the accident site on Wednesday as part of the investigation. SIT questions Noida Authority officials over techie death The three-member SIT, formed by the Uttar Pradesh government, spent several hours at the Noida Authority headquarters in Sector 6, questioning senior and junior officials, particularly those connected with the traffic cell, officials said, reported news agency PTI. The SIT is headed by Additional Director General of Police (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar and includes the Meerut divisional commissioner and the Public Works Department’s chief engineer. The team arrived in Noida on Tuesday, visited the accident site in Sector 150, and met the victim’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta. From Wednesday morning, teams from the forensic laboratory and other departments were seen at the Sector 150 site, carrying out measurements of the road and adjoining drain. Officials closely inspected the area, including the deep pit, now resembling a waterlogged pond, from which deceased Yuvraj Mehta's car was retrieved on Tuesday evening, three days after the accident. Yuvraj Mehta, who worked in Gurugram, was returning home on the night of January 16 when his car fell into the deep, water-filled pit near a construction site in Sector 150. He died after allegedly pleading for help for nearly two hours, even as police, the NDRF and the SDRF tried to save him amid the dense fog, while his helpless father, Raj Kumar Mehta, witnessed the tragedy unfold. Amid mounting public outrage against developers and the local authority, the Uttar Pradesh government had on Monday removed the Noida Authority's Chief Executive Officer and ordered the SIT probe into the incident. Earlier, it had terminated the services of a junior engineer of the authority's traffic cell. The police had arrested Abhay Kumar, director of MZ Wiztown Planners, which owned the construction plot where water had accumulated since 2021. Prior to that, it belonged to Lotus Greens, according to officials. The FIR had been lodged under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), along with other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said. (With PTI inputs)
21 January,2026 09:02 PM IST | Noida | mid-day online correspondentAmid the cluttered situation for the BMC mayoral post, former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar on Wednesday expressed happiness after she was chosen as the Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator's leader. While speaking to the media on Wednesday, Pednekar said that she would live up to the expectations of her party and would continue her efforts to make the mayor of Mumbai from Shiv Sena (UBT). Kishori asserted, "We are happy I have been chosen as the leader... I will live up to the party's expectations... We will accept whatever our leader Uddhav Thackeray says... We will continue our effort to make the mayor," as cited by news agency ANI. Former BMC mayor Kishori Pednekar secured victory by defeating Shiv Sena's Rupal Kusale in Ward Number 199 in the recently concluded BMC elections 2026. According to official figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BMC, the BJP won 89 seats, polling 11,79,273 votes, which accounts for 21.58 per cent of the total votes cast. Among all winning candidates, the BJP's vote share stands at 45.22 per cent, making it the single largest party in the civic body, reported PTI. Mahayuti crossed the majority mark in BMC elections 2026 BJP’s alliance partner, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), on the other hand, secured 29 seats with 2,73,326 votes, translating into 5 per cent of the total vote share. Together, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance (Mahayuti) emerged as the largest bloc in the BMC. On the contrary, the Shiv Sena (UBT), contesting in alliance with the MNS (Shivshakti), won 65 seats across the municipal corporation. The Shiv Sena (UBT) polled 7,17,736 votes, accounting for 13.13 per cent of the total votes cast. While the Raj Thackeray-led MNS added 6 seats to the alliance tally, with 74,946 votes and a 1.37 per cent vote share. Lagging way behind the Mahayuti and the Shivshakti alliance, the Indian National Congress (INC) only managed to secure 24 seats, polling 2,42,646 votes, which represents 4.44 per cent of the total vote share in the BMC elections 2026. Among other parties, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won 8 seats with 68,072 votes. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured 3 seats, the Samajwadi Party won 2 seats, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won 1 seat, as per PTI. Overall, winning candidates from recognised political parties polled 26,07,612 votes, amounting to 47.72 per cent of the total votes cast. The total number of votes polled in the election stood at 54,64,412, while 11,677 voters opted for NOTA, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
21 January,2026 08:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid the race for the mayoral post in Kalyan-Domibivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) following the recently concluded Maharashtra civic polls, a new political twist emerged on Wednesday. Five corporators of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have now offered support to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, which is in alliance with the BJP, news agency PTI reported. Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) Shrikant Shinde made the claim about the MNS offering support to his party. The MNS corporators' decision to support the rival Shiv Sena faction in the KDMC mayoral post could be seen as a setback to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS fought the keenly watched January 15 elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) together. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut had earlier claimed that Raj Thackeray was "distraught" over the development in Kalyan-Dombivli, as it was not the official decision of his party. However, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said the new equation appears to be part of an understanding at the local level, news agency ANI reported. In the 122-member KDMC, the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party winning 53 seats, while its ally BJP stands second with 50 seats. With the support of five MNS corporators, there are now 108 members in the alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) have won 11, two, and one seats, respectively, in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Elections. Lottery for the mayoral post in Mumbai to be held on January 22 The lottery for the mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies is scheduled to be held on January 22. The lottery determines the category for which the mayor's post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. Talking to the media outside the Divisional Commissioner's office in Navi Mumbai, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said 53 corporators of his party have submitted a letter about the formation of a group in the civic body. Replying to a question, Eknath Shinde said, "Five corporators of the MNS, who have formed their group, declared their support for the Shiv Sena. But this is only between Shiv Sena and MNS, and not with any other party," as per PTI. When asked why the Shiv Sena needs the support of any other party when it contested the election with the BJP, he said the mayor will belong to the Mahayuti combine only. He also added, "Whichever party supports the Shiv Sena is welcome," adding that the MNS has supported the party for stability and development. The Kalyan MP further added, “In KDMC, the Shiv Sena, BJP and MNS will elect the mayor as a Mahayuti candidate, while in neighbouring Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, the Shiv Sena, BJP, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Secular Alliance of India (SAI) and independents will elect the mayor,” as per PTI. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
21 January,2026 08:47 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA tense political battle is emerging in Thane, the home area of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as the BJP seeks a larger share of power in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), reported the PTI. The push comes after the party achieved a strong performance in the recent civic elections. The Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, won 75 wards in the 131-member civic body, while alliance partner the BJP secured 28 seats. The majority mark in the TMC is 66 seats, meaning the alliance comfortably controls the corporation. Amid speculation that the Shiv Sena is aiming for the Mumbai mayor’s post despite finishing behind the BJP in Thane, the BJP has put up posters across the city praising its own performance in the civic polls, according to the PTI. BJP Thane in-charge and MLC Niranjan Davkhare said the banners are meant to honour the party workers who helped secure the victory. He noted that, excluding one seat lost due to a technical issue, the BJP maintained a 100 per cent strike rate in the 28 seats it contested in Thane. BJP calls for key positions Davkhare argued that the BJP’s strong showing in the civic polls across Maharashtra’s 29 municipal corporations justifies a major role for the party in Thane. He said key positions such as the mayor, Leader of the House, and chairpersons of important committees should be held by the BJP to ensure the party’s development plans for Thane are implemented smoothly. “If we are to fulfil the promises made in our manifesto, it is essential to hold key positions in the municipal corporation,” he said. “Without a meaningful role in these positions, the development roadmap we have planned for Thane may face obstacles,” as per the PTI. BJP avoids direct answer on mayor’s post demand When asked if the BJP was demanding the mayor’s post for at least two years, Davkhare did not give a direct answer. He said that any decision made by senior leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Ravindra Chavan (Maharashtra BJP president) would be acceptable to the party and its workers, the news agency reported, (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2026 08:42 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Mumbai University has once again postponed its winter semester examinations due to the Zilla Parishad Elections. Papers that were scheduled to be held on February 4, 5 and 6 will now take place on February 17, 18 and 20. Earlier, the examinations were planned for mid-January but were postponed because of municipal elections. The repeated changes in the examination schedule have left many students uncertain and frustrated. Several students said the delays have affected their internships, travel plans and academic progress. An IT student pursuing a master’s degree said the changing timetable forced him to repeatedly request leave from his internship. As an outstation student, he also found it difficult to plan travel home between semesters due to the uncertainty. Delays after curriculum completion Another student, studying for a master’s degree in philosophy, said that the semester syllabus had been completed two months ago, but the batch is still waiting to finish examinations. “We were expecting exams soon after Diwali. Now, some papers are being held in January and the rest in mid-February. There is also confusion over which papers have been postponed,” the student said. Classes may begin before exams end According to students, some university departments are considering starting fourth semester lectures before the third semester examinations are completed. This is being discussed as a way to bring the academic calendar back on track. Students planning to study abroad have also been affected by the delays. A 20-year-old science student said many foreign universities require confirmation that third-year examinations have been completed. “I may miss this year’s intake and will have to apply next year. Even our dissertations may be delayed, making it harder to work with reputed organisations,” she said. University senate member responds Speaking to mid-day, Mumbai University senate member Dr Vijay Pawar said elections have caused delays across many institutions, not just the university. “These delays can create problems, especially for final-year students applying for higher studies or jobs. However, elections take place only once every five years, and democratic duty must be given priority,” he said. 10,000 to 11,000 students are to appear for exams The officials from the Mumbai University said that the Date of Commencement or the exam timetable was first released on November 12, 2025, before the election dates were announced. As many as 10,000 to 11,000 students are to appear for these examinations.
21 January,2026 08:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarADVERTISEMENT
-1769007419010_d.png "The victim died after allegedly pleading for help for nearly two hours. Representational Pic")
