News18 Afternoon Digest: UP Budget Session Begins, Hemant Soren's Escape Story and Other Top Stories

In today’s digest, News18 brings you the latest updates on the budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, the inside story of Jharkhand’s former Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s escape and other top stories.

UP Budget Session Begins; Yogi Govt Set To Unveil Its ‘Largest Ever’ Rs 7 Lakh Cr Budget For 2024-25

The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly began on Friday (February 2), a day after the state Cabinet led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The session is poised to set the tone and tenor of the Lok Sabha elections, with Yogi-Adityanath gearing to present its largest-ever annual budget of over Rs 7 lakh crore for 2024-2025. READ MORE

Gone for 36 Hours, How Did Hemant Soren Reach Ranchi from Delhi? The Inside Story

An interview with lawyer Kapil Sibal in Delhi, a mysterious 1,300-kilometre journey to Ranchi from Delhi that may have involved a Kolkata pit-stop, and leaving the questioning of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) mid-way to go to Raj Bhawan and resign as the chief minister — Hemant Soren left nothing to chance in the three days before his arrest by ED. READ MORE

One Nation, One Poll Meeting or Mending Ties With Cong? Mamata’s Upcoming Delhi Visit Sparks Buzz

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit Delhi on February 6, 48 hours after her ‘dharna’ in Kolkata over the state’s pending dues. READ MORE

Poonam Pandey Passes Away at 32 of Cervical Cancer; Manager Confirms She Died On Thursday Night

Poonam Pandey has passed away. Her team confirmed the news with News18. “She passed away last night,” her team said. The news of her death was first revealed in a post shared on her official Instagram handle. READ MORE

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