Jet Airways pilots body, the National Aviator's Guild, Monday appealed the State Bank of India (SBI) to release Rs 1,500 crore, which was proposed to be infused in the ailing carrier as part of a debt-restructuring plan last month.

The airline is operating just 6-7 planes, with almost its entire fleet being grounded due to non-payment of rentals to lessors amid severe paucity of cash.

SpiceJet Monday announced the launch of non-stop flights from Mumbai to Colombo, Dhaka, Riyadh, Hong Kong and Kathmandu.

The no-frills airline would start the services from the end of May.

In a release, the carrier said it would be the first Indian budget carrier to launch daily direct flights on the Mumbai-Colombo, Mumbai-Dhaka, Mumbai-Riyadh, Mumbai-Hong Kong and Mumbai-Kathmandu sectors.

Seeking to drive a wedge between alliance partners SP and BSP, Union minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said Samajwadi Party will have to bear the consequences of teaming up with the Mayawati-led party in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing an election meeting at Dataganj here, he said, … Samajwadi Party (SP) does not know what big mistake it has committed by forging an alliance with the BSP. It will have to bear the consequences.

Earlier this year, BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced that they will fight from 38 and 37 seats, respectively while leaving two for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

The rupee opened 10 paise higher at 69.07 against the US dollar on Monday. The domestic unit halted its three-day winning streak as it closed 25 paise lower at 69.17 as forex traders weighed rising crude oil prices.

Besides, as forex dealers said, there was concern in the market after reports surfaced that the Supreme Court Friday restrained Arcelor Mittal from acquiring Essar Steel, which in turn might impact dollar inflows considering the Essar Steel acquisition was worth nearly USD 7 billion.

Telecom operator Reliance Jio has crossed the 300 million customers mark in two-and-a-half years of its operations, sources said.

The milestone was reached on March 2, they added.

Queries sent to Jio on the matter remained unanswered.

For nearly one month after dates of Lok Sabha elections were declared, BJP got close to 160 hours of airtime coverage on DD News and its regional channels, even as Congress half of that, a report by Indian Express has said. On April 5, DD News shared a report with Election Commission on airtime provided to all political parties from the date of announcement of polls till that day. The Congress was second in terms of coverage with 80 hours, while CPM got only eight hours.

Based on this report, the EC on April 9, called airtime to parties disproportionate. The poll body also asked Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to ask DD News to desist from extending any preferential or disproportionate airtime coverage in favour of any party, the paper added further.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Sunday said his technology advisor Hari Prasad Vemuru, whose presence in TDP's delegation to the Election Commission was objected to by the poll panel, was a whistle-blower and not a thief.

Yesterday we met the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and showed him how EVMs were not functioning properly. He (Vemuru) was called for discussion in the fight for transparency. He is a whistle-blower. He has not committed theft, Naidu said speaking at a presser of opposition parties here on the issue of transparency in the election process.

Jet Airways, which revolutionized Indian aviation after the government ended the monopoly of state-owned carriers, is now on the brink of shutting down, devastated by management missteps and the feisty low-cost airlines that followed in its footsteps.

Out of cash and desperate for a buyer, Jet is now operating just nine planes, according to the Press Trust of India, down from 123 at its peak. The company had grounded dozens of aircraft over the past few weeks as its finances deteriorated, and on Friday, it canceled its last remaining international flights through at least Monday, upsetting the plans of travelers in locations from London to Hong Kong.

Congress in-charge for Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is willing to contest against PM Modi. If she indeed contests, it will be the most watched match-up of Lok Sabha election 2019, where a member of the Gandhi family will directly challenge the might of PM Modi, that too from Varanasi.

According to sources, Priyanka Gandhi has given serious thought to the possibility of contesting against PM Narendra Modi. The party hopes that such a fight, even if symbolic to an extent will greatly enthuse workers of the region. However, the final decision will be taken by Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday promised that the Congress will deposit Rs. 72,000 every year into the bank accounts of women if the party comes to power at the Centre after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a public meeting in Kolar, the constituency which will go to polls on Thursday (April 18), Mr. Gandhi said the Congress has promised a minimum income guarantee scheme (MIGS), formally called Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), to 5 crore of the “poorest families” covering 25 crore people by assuring them a guarantee minimum income of Rs. 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per year.

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