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Bihar Catch-22 Congress and RJD are hesitant to take action against MLAs who did not participate in Rajya Sabha elections
Both parties are currently in a difficult situation after the Opposition Mahagathbandhan lost to the NDA in the pivotal Rajya Sabha elections earlier this week due to the absence of four of its MLAs, three from the Congress and one from the RJD. They are unsure of how to deal with them. Surendra Mehta (Valmiki Nagar), Manoj Vishwas (Forbesganj), and Manohar Prasad Singh (Manihari) have all received show-cause notices from the Congress, and the RJD has not yet made a decision regarding their Dhaka lawmaker Faisal Rahman.Asit Nath Tiwari, a spokesperson for the Bihar Congress, told The Indian Express that the notifications were sent out despite the fact that Rajya Sabha elections are exempt from the anti-defection law. "Top party leaders will meet and decide on the appropriate course of action after we receive their responses," he stated.Another Congress leader, however, pointed out that the MLAs make up almost half of the party's strength in the Assembly and suggested that disciplinary action was improbable. What happens if the Speaker acknowledges them as a distinct group? Regardless, the rebels weren't actually members of Congress. Singh is known to be close to JD(U) leaders, whereas Mehta received a ticket because of the influence of (Independent Purnea MP) Pappu Yadav," the politician stated.Rahman, the son of former MP Motiur Rahman, presents a similar problem for the RJD. "Faisal narrowly secured his seat in the Assembly elections last year. Additionally, we have verified that his mother was quite ill on March 16, the day of the election. The party is likely to call the MLA once our leader Tejashwi Yadav comes to Patna. An RJD senior stated that the party will not be provoked by NDA leaders "who want to further weaken it," although no official show-cause notice has yet been issued.
Published 21 Mar 2026 05:57 PM
What is the reason behind Punjab Governor Kataria's abrupt praise of the Bhagwant Mann government in contrast to cooperation
The Punjab Assembly's budget session began earlier this week when Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave a speech that mainly commended the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's performance, despite opposition protests interfering with Assembly business and the governor's own anti-drug march weeks prior continuing to garner political attention.In sharp contrast to his predecessor, Banwarilal Purohit, who had multiple run-ins with the Punjab government, Kataria praises the initiatives of the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government. The government drafts the governor's address, which summarizes their accomplishments.Governors Thaawar Chand Gehlot and R N Ravi, who has since been named governor of West Bengal, have recently omitted portions of their speeches that commended the state governments in states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where the governors are perceived to have a tumultuous relationship with the state government.Mann's AAP government and Purohit had a number of issues between 2022 and 2024. One such disagreement occurred in early 2023 when the Governor first refused to approve the Budget session, which forced the state government to petition the Supreme Court.However, Kataria's 51-page speech on March 6 detailed the state government's efforts in a number of areas, including welfare programs, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and anti-drug campaigns.The extension of Aam Aadmi Clinics throughout the state was one of the efforts that were emphasized. According to the governor, hundreds of clinics are currently in operation and have given locals crores of free consultations and medications. The speech also mentioned the government's "Yudh Nashean Virudh" anti-drug program, which includes outpatient opioid-assisted treatment clinics and de-addiction centers for drug addicts' rehabilitation.In order to improve government education, Kataria mentioned hiring thousands of instructors and creating Schools of Eminence. The address also mentioned road infrastructure upgrades, irrigation facilities, 300 units of free power for the majority of homes, and farmer welfare programs including increased sugarcane prices.Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and other Congress lawmakers frequently interrupted the speech by shouting slogans about things like law and order. Assuring the lawmakers that they could voice their objections during the discussion later, Kataria pleaded with them to let him finish the constitutional address first. Congress MLAs eventually organized a walkout as the protests persisted. Following the speech, the Governor spoke at a joint press conference with Mann, praising the Punjab government's efforts to combat drug misuse and enhance education. According to him, the Opposition ought to have let the speech end before voicing its opinions in the House so that their complaints could be legally documented.
Published 09 Mar 2026 05:58 PM
Unauthorized reviews, dubious log-ins, and fuzzy documents: TMC MP to Supreme Court on SIR
TMC MP Dola Sen told the Supreme Court that Election Commission-appointed micro-observers were allegedly overriding decisions made by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), the statutory authority for including and deleting electors, raising concerns that eligible voters could be removed from the final electoral roll during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.In two applications filed on February 16 and 18, Sen, a petitioner before the Supreme Court contesting the SIR, also claimed that documents uploaded to the system were becoming "blurry" after submission and that officials were allegedly logging into the ECINET portal from locations other than where they were deputed. On February 28, West Bengal's final electoral roll is expected to be released. The Indian Express asked the EC for comment on Sen's claims, but the EC did not reply.The EC only deployed micro-observers in West Bengal, which was a first, despite announcing the SIR in nine states and three Union Territories on October 27 of last year. The EC informed the Supreme Court on February 4 that the purpose of the 8,100 micro-observers, who work for the Central Government, was to support EROs and Assistant EROs (AEROs). The EC had stated, "It is false to suggest that statutory powers have been vested in the micro-observers."
Published 25 Feb 2026 05:54 PM
A new system is implemented by Priyanka Gandhi to choose Congress candidates for the Assam elections.
Senior state leaders are typically summoned to the nation's capital for the screening committee's meeting with the state election committee (SEC) in Delhi. The three committee members have been given five districts each by Priyanka ji, who has instructed them to visit these areas in order to get input from stakeholders and local leaders. The three leaders are currently visiting local media, civil society activists, and cadres in the three areas. All of these sessions are private, and the results will be presented to the screening committee at its next meeting," the source stated. If Vadra's trial is successful and the system functions effectively, the AICC may think about adopting it for next state elections, a senior AICC leader told The Indian Express. According to the leader, "this system could be emulated in other upcoming elections, regardless of how we do in the Assam polls in terms of winning seats."The rest of the state would be discussed later, but the exercise is currently taking on in Upper Assam. Additionally, the split was made using the districts' social engineering. Since Ulaka is a tribal leader himself, he has been allocated several districts with a sizable population of tribal communities, whereas Masood has been allotted districts with a sizable Muslim population, the source said.
Published 18 Feb 2026 05:52 PM
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Countering Lalu Prasad jibe: Why BJPs ‘Modi ka Parivaar’ trend is déjà vu moment for Congress-led INDIA coalition
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the political parties in India are putting their best foot forward, and expectedly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is taking the lead. A day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav took a ‘family’ jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP recapitulated its 2019 Lok Sabha strategy to turn Lalu Prasad Yadav's attack on its head. “This Narendra Modi is attacking 'parivaarvaad' these days. First, you should tell why you do not have any children or family. For the people with more children, he (PM Modi) says that it is dynasty politics. You don't have a family...You are not even a Hindu. Every Hindu tonsures their head to mourn their mother's death. Answer why did not you get your hair and beard removed...," Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Sunday.During the high-intensity campaign before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the then Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacked the PM Modi-led NDA-I government on various issues including crony capitalism and irregularities in the Rafale aircraft deal. The BJP knew better than to respond aggressively against the slogan and smashed what they call a “masterstroke" in BJP supporters' language. All BJP politicians, especially the top leadership of the party and the Lok Sabha candidates, changed the name of their X (formerly Twitter) handles and added "main bhi chowkidar" after their name. That was the beginning of the BJP's "main bhi chowkidar" campaign and it worked wonders for the party to effectively evade the sharp attacks from the Congress. This time too, in a déjà vu moment for the Congress-led INDIA bloc, the BJP jumped to capitalise on the ‘family’ remarks by Lalu Prasad Yadav as all BJP leaders added "Modi ka Parivaar" after their name. The party said that the 140 crore people of this country are the family of PM Modi and even those “who have no one also belong to Modi and Modi belongs to them." Like 2019, this seems to be the beginning of a big campaign move to invoke emotion for PM Modi's image, which can transform into a wider mandate for the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Insult to PM Modi, Sanjay Raut on SBIs kam chori as lender seeks more time to submit electoral bonds data
After state-run lender State Bank of India (SBI) moved the Supreme Court over electoral bonds data sharing, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said that the bank executives should be punished for 'kam chori' (truancy), adding that it is an insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who works "20 hours all 365 days 9 years 10 months". On Monday, SBI moved the top court seeking an extension of the deadline till June 30 to disclose details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties. In its verdict last month, the apex court had directed the bank to furnish the details to the Election Commission of India by March 6. Raut, in his social media post on microblogging website X (formerly Twitter), wrote: "Yeh kya ho raha hai. SBI Chairman and Directors should be punished for insulting our PM Modiji. Modiji has changed India now it’s Digital India! And SBI asked Supreme Court time of 4 months to submit details of Electoral Bond." "How dare they insult our dear PM Modiji who has been working 20 hrs all 365 days 9 years 10 months! And these Kam Chor want 4 months? Send them all to Jail. Aaram Haram hai!" he added. In an application filed before the Supreme Court, the SBI contended that retrieval of information from "each silo" and the procedure of matching the information of one silo to that of the other would be a time-consuming exercise. The plea submitted that due to stringent measures undertaken to ensure that the identity of the donors was kept anonymous, "decoding" the electoral bonds and matching donors to the donations made would be a complex process.In a landmark judgement that delivered a big blow to the government, the Supreme Court on February 15 annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding, saying it violates the Constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed that the SBI must disclose details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties. The information should include the date of encashment and the denomination of the bonds and be submitted to the poll panel by March 6.
Elections 2024: PM Modi to launch ₹5,000 crore agri-economy, Hazratbal shrine development project in Srinagar on March 7
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on March 7 address a public rally in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the Kashmir Valley since his government abrogated Article 370 that gave special status to erstwhile state and bifurcated it into two Union Territories in August 2019."At around 12 noon, Prime Minister will reach Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar, where he will participate in the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu Kashmir’ programme," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.The last time the prime minister was in the Kashmir Valley was over five years ago in February 2019 ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. At Bakshi Stadium, a few miles from Lal Chowk, the city centre, the prime minister will dedicate to the nation Holistic Agriculture Development Programme, worth around ₹5,000 crore, to boost the agri-economy in Jammu and Kashmir. The prime minister will also dedicate to the nation and launch multiple projects related to the tourism sector, worth more than ₹1,400 crore, under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme. This scheme includes a project for the integrated development of the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar."In an effort to create world-class infrastructure and amenities for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Hazratbal Shrine, and to enhance their holistic spiritual experience, the project 'Integrated Development of Hazratbal Shrine' has been executed," said the PMO statement. Besides this, the prime minister will distribute appointment orders to about 1,000 new government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir and will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes, including women achievers, lakhpati didis, farmers and entrepreneurs, at the event. Among other projects to be launched on March 7 are tourism facilities developed in the Northeast circuit in Meghalaya, and spiritual circuit in Bihar and Rajasthan, to name a few. The prime minister will also launch the first-ever nationwide initiative to identify the pulse of the nation on tourism, in the form of ‘Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice 2024’.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJD, BJP hint at pre-poll alliance in Odisha, Congress says ‘two sides of the same coin’
Leaders from Odisha's ruling party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have hinted at a potential pre-poll alliance ahead of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state assembly elections.BJD leaders conducted a prolonged meeting at Naveen Niwas, the residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while BJP leaders held a similar session in the national capital, discussing election-related matters, including the prospect of forming an alliance. After more than three hours of discussions, BJD Vice-president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra acknowledged talks about a possible alliance with the BJP but refrained from confirming its formation explicitly. Speaking to reporters Mishra said, "Biju Janata Dal will prioritise the greater interests of the people of Odisha. Yes, there were discussions on the issue (alliance)." As per a press release issued by Mishra and BJD's senior general secretary Arun Kumar Sahoo: "An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections." Following a meeting chaired by BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi, senior BJP leader and MP Jual Oram admitted to discussions on a pre-poll alliance with the BJD. However, he clarified that the party's central leadership would make the final decision on the matter. "Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party's central leadership will make the final call," Oram, who personally opposed the alliance said.Amid the speculation, the Congress on March 7 called the BJD in Odisha and the BJP "two sides of the same coin", adding that opposition between the two parties is only "shadowboxing". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "We've always been saying that the BJD and the BJP are two sides of the same coin. The BJD has always supported the BJP in Parliament and whatever opposition the two show to each other in the state is merely shadowboxing. The cat appears to be emerging out of the bag!" Both the BJD and BJP had previously denied media reports about a potential pre-poll alliance on February 29, with BJD national spokesperson Sasmit Patra and BJP's Odisha election in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar dismissing the reports as rumours.Although no formal announcement has been made, speculations of the alliance have been rife after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's March 5th visit to the state. They gained momentum after Modi, during his speech in Odisha, attacked the Congress and INDIA bloc but remained silent in the Naveevn Patnaik-led Odisha government. PM Modi launched multiple development projects worth over ₹19,600 crore in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Tuesday. CM Patnaik and Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu were also present on the occasion.
Former Judge Who Joined BJP Is Dareden by Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the Trinamool Congress and the chief minister of West Bengal, has launched a vicious attack on Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court, who joined the BJP today. Speaking to a crowd following a Trinamool march on International Women's Day, Ms. Banerjee referred to the former judge as a "BJP babu who was sitting on the bench" and threatened to ensure his defeat should he run in the next Lok Sabha election."A BJP babu who was on the bench has joined the party. How are you supposed to hold them to justice? I remove the mask," she declared. As a judge of the Calcutta High Court, Mr. Gangopadhyay gained notoriety when he ordered multiple central agencies to look into claims of irregularities in the hiring of teaching and non-teaching staff by the Mamata Banerjee government. A few days after stepping down as a judge, he joined the BJP today.I've entered a new field today. I'm excited to work as a party soldier for the BJP. Our goal is to remove the dishonest TMC government from office," he declared. There are rumors that the BJP may run the former judge in the Lok Sabha election. Ms. Banerjee attacked the former judge, saying, "He turned into a leader after turning down thousands of students for jobs. Prepare yourself. I will send students to fight you wherever you are contesting from. Recall that you will now be judged by the public.The Chief Minister of Bengal went on to say that although she has five lakh jobs, "the people of Bengal are not getting jobs because of these dangerous snakes." Additionally, Ms. Banerjee retaliated against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jabs regarding the Sandeshkhali case. The "safest for women" is Bengal, according to her. Up to 458 central teams visited Bengal. When women were paraded in their undies, how many teams visited Manipur? What number of teams visited Hathras? She retorted, "All your anger is for Bengal," in response to the BJP's accusation.
Pawan Singh of the BJP Discusses Running for the Lok Sabha
Pawan Singh, an actor and singer from Bhojpur, stated on Monday that "time would tell" if he decided to run in the next Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to the media following his meeting with BJP president JP Nadda, Singh—who had been scheduled to run as the BJP candidate from Asansol in West Bengal but declared he would not after receiving negative feedback on his candidacy—avoided discussing the reasons behind his decision. "I spoke with the president of the party. After meeting with Nadda, Singh told the media, "Whatever happens in the future will be good." "That only time would tell," he responded when asked if he would run in the upcoming elections. I'll let you know if something occurs. Put it on hold for the time being "... On the other hand, Singh declined to respond to inquiries regarding the reasons behind his choice.Singh withdrew his name from the Lok Sabha election contest on Sunday from the West Bengal seat of Asansol, one day after the BJP announced him as its candidate from the seat currently held by Shatrughan Sinha of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).Singh thanked the BJP leadership in a post on X, but he also stated that he would not be able to run from Asansol "due to some reason," without providing an explanation.
CM Sukhwinder Sukhu will continue for 5 years, says Shivakumar; can say, replies Congress HP chief Pratibha Singh
Amid the ongoing political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, state Congress president Pratibha Singh on Friday undermined party observer DK Shivakumar's statement about Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, stating that “it is the people of the state who will decide the fate of the government".Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has said the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal Pradesh state government will stay and all the MLAs want the Congress government for five years. However, Pratibha Singh's comment has revealed that the party's state unit and its observers are not on the same page on the issue. Reacting to Shivakumar's statement, Pratibha Singh was quoted by ANI as saying, “Observer ke bolne se kya hota hai', it is the people who will decide what will happen in the future." Mentioning her loyalty to the Congress party, Pratibha Singh noted, “I have spent my entire life in the Congress party. We started from the Congress party." "We affiliate with the Congress ideology. I can't say what can happen tomorrow," she added, hinting at another trouble for the party after the resignation of Vikramaditya Singh from the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu cabinet. Interestingly, Pratibha Singh recently applauded the activities of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and said the Congress was on a weak footing. She also called out the Himachal CM for not listening to her advice to organise the party to regain strength in the state. "From day 1, I had been telling the CM that we would be able to face the upcoming elections only if he strengthens the organisation. This is a very tough situation for us. We can see a lot of difficulties on the ground. As per the directions of PM Narendra Modi, the BJP is going to do a lot of things...We are on weak footing there. I urged him (CM) again and again that we need to strengthen and the party needs to be organised...I can say that it is a difficult time. Still, we have to contest elections and win," she told ANI. The Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government suffered a major setback after losing the Rajya Sabha elections because of cross-voting to the BJP. The grand old party lost the lone seat of the state in the Upper House of Parliament after its six MLAs cross-voted for the BJP. Moreover, Congress senior leader and minister Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation from the cabinet. The development prompted the Congress party to send former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar to the hill state to resolve the crisis. With the disqualification of the six Congress rebel MLAs, the strength of the House has reduced from 68 to 62. The halfway mark is now 32. The Congress now has 34 MLAs and the BJP has a total of 28 MLAs, including independents. The fortunes of the grand old party rely on its ability to keep the rest of its party MLAs together.
Himachal Pradesh Political Crisis: Six rebel Congress MLAs disqualified. What lies ahead for the hill state?
Himachal Pradesh Assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on February 29 disqualified the six rebel Congress MLAs who cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha elections. With this, the six MLAs cease to be members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.After the disqualification, the Congress government has, for now, survived in Himachal Pradesh after a two-day scare over its future due to cross-voting by six of its MLAs in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27. The strength of the house after the disqualification, pending judicial scrutiny, comes down to 62. The Congress now has 34 MLAs in the house, with 32 being the majority mark. Three independent MLAs who supported the Congress also cross-voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha election. The BJP had demanded a trust vote soon after the Congress lost the Rajya Sabha polls due to defections. Former Chief Minister, Jairam Thakur, and other leaders claimed that the Congress party had lost the majority in the house. However, the Congress government passed the budget on Wednesday, February 28, while 25 BJP MLAs were not present in the house after 15 of them were suspended. Also, the disqualification of six rebel MLAs has changed the dynamics. "Our experts will analyse the situation, and after looking at their judgments, we will take a decision. It is too early to say anything. Congress was totally exposed in the Rajya Sabha elections. Congress has lost its opportunity. Morally, they have no right to stay in power and the emotions of the people of Himachal Pradesh are clear from this," Rajeev Bindal, Himachal Pradesh BJP president, told news agency ANI. This disqualification order is subject to judicial scrutiny and will attain finality after judicial scrutiny, Pathania said. Also, it remains to be seen if these six MLAs approach the court against the disqualification. The six legislators had cross-voted, along with three independents, during Rajya Sabha polls. However, they have not been disqualified for cross-voting, but for violating the whip and skipping the budget session of the Himachal Pradesh assembly. Pathania said he wanted to prevent 'the aya Ram gaya Ram' politics. This phrase is used to refer to politicians switching party allegiances frequently. The Congress government's survival will also depend on whether the party can ensure that there are no more defections among the 34 MLAs. The Congress government's survival will also depend on whether the party can ensure that there are no more defections among the 34 MLAs.
BJP, Congress, other national parties declare 2022-23 income. Who earned the most?
Six national parties, including the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and Congress, have declared a total income of nearly ₹3,077 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Wednesday. According to the ADR report, the BJP has the maximum share in the declared total income of the parties.With around ₹2,361 crore, the report said that the ruling BJP’s income constitutes 76.73 per cent of the total income of the six national parties during FY 2022-23. Congress declared the second-highest income of ₹452.375 crore, forming 14.70 per cent of the total income of the six national parties. Other than the BJP and Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and National People’s Party (NPP) have declared their income.The BJP, Congress and AAP collected 49.09 per cent or ₹1,510.61 crore of the national parties’ total income from donations through electoral bonds for FY 2022-23. Through electoral bonds, BJP received ₹1,294.15 crore, Congress ₹171.02 crore, and AAP ₹45.45 crore. The ADR report, citing data shared by the SBI in response to its RTI, said electoral bonds worth ₹2,797.356 crore were redeemed by parties in FY 2022-23. 54 per cent or ₹1,510.62 crore of this has been redeemed by national parties. Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, the BJP’s income increased by 23.15 per cent or ₹443.724 crore from ₹1,917.12 crore to ₹2,360.84. During the same time, AAP’s income increased by 91.23 per cent ( ₹40.631 crore) from ₹44.539 crore to ₹85.17 crore.The only party from the northeast to have the national party status, the income of the National People’s Party (NPP) increased from ₹47.20 lakh during FY 2021-22 to ₹7.562 crore during FY 2022-23, a rise of 1,502.12 per cent or ₹7.09 crore. Citing the national parties’ records submitted to the Election Commission, the ADR report said that between 2021-22 fiscal and 2022-23 fiscal, the income of the Congress, CPI(M) and BSP decreased by 16.42 per cent ( ₹88.90 crore), 12.68 per cent ( ₹20.57 crore) and 33.14 per cent ( ₹14.50 crore), respectively. BJP, the report said, declared a total income of ₹2,360.844 crore during FY 2022-23, but spent only 57.68 per cent, which comes to ₹1,361.684 crore of the total income. While Congress’ total income was ₹452.375 crore, it spent ₹467.135 crore, with its expenditure for that year exceeding its total income by 3.26 per cent.The CPI(M)’s total income was ₹141.661 crore while it spent ₹106.067 crore (74.87 per cent of its income), and AAP’s total income was ₹85.17 crore while it spent ₹102.051 crore, its expenditure for that year exceeding its total income by 19.82 per cent.
In Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee meets with PM Modi
"Following protocol, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described her interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Raj Bhavan on Friday night as a courtesy meeting. According to Banerjee, she also discussed with the PM the matter of the state's unpaid bills. ""In addition to chatting with the prime minister, I brought up state-related issues with him,"" Banerjee told reporters following the meeting.Beginning on Friday, PM Modi will spend the night at Raj Bhavan while on a two-day tour of West Bengal. The prime minister arrived at the governor's house shortly after Banerjee's convoy pulled in. Governor C V Ananda Bose took to X and said he met the PM at the Raj Bhavan. Earlier in the day, Bose had also attended the prime minister's official program at Arambagh, where Modi dedicated, inaugurated, and laid the groundwork for several development projects totaling more than ₹ 7,200 crore.Banerjee met with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi in December of last year to demand the release of the state's outstanding debt. The TMC claimed that West Bengal owed the Center ₹ 1.18 lakh crore. According to the Union government, two tranches of tax devolution were released to all states on Thursday. West Bengal received ₹ 10,692 crore, which is the fourth-highest amount after Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. On Monday, the state government started paying over 30 lakh MGNREGA workers their outstanding debt of ₹ 2,700 crore, which had been unpaid since March 2022."
Congress To Defend 18 Seats in Maharashtra Opposition Seat Deal
According to sources who spoke with NDTV on Friday morning, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in Maharashtra has decided on a seat-sharing agreement for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. In 48 hours, there'll probably be an official announcement. Sources claim that 20 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be contested by the Shiv Sena faction, which is led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Nationalist Congress Party unit under Sharad Pawar will field candidates for the remaining 10 seats, with the Congress contesting 18 of them. The Sena (UBT) will give two seats to regional parties like Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, and Mr. Pawar's share will give a ticket to an independent candidate named Raju Shetty.Additionally, according to sources, the Sena (UBT) will run for four of Mumbai's six Lok Sabha seats; the VBA may receive one of them, potentially the Mumbai North East seat. The MVA's seat-sharing agreement is a significant step forward for the opposition bloc in India, which is attempting to finalize agreements as soon as possible because the election is scheduled for a few weeks from now. State parties have consistently pushed the national outfit to secure a larger share of seats, making it difficult for the Congress-led group—which was founded in June of last year with the specific goal of unseating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party—to reach agreements.Its task has been made even more difficult by the Congress's miserable electoral record over the past ten years, particularly in 2014 and 2019, when it won a combined total of fewer than 100 seats. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party has been riding the alliance to an almost impossible level. After the Congress persisted in negotiating Mamata Banerjee's "final" offer of two seats—the same (and only) two it had won the previous time—the Trinamool Congress in Bengal even ended all negotiations with the party.
The Himachal Crisis and Congress: Navjot Sidhus War Cry
Navjot Sidhu's War Cry During Congress' Himachal Crisis: "Purge The Party" After launching a fierce attack this morning on six party lawmakers who crossed-vote in Tuesday's Rajya Sabha election, which the party should have easily won, Navjot Singh Sidhu, the leader of the Congress in Punjab, appeared to be siding with the Bharatiya Janata Party. A political crisis in the hill state, where the Congress won less than two years ago, has been brought on by the shocking Rajya Sabha loss. The BJP is now demanding that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's weakened government demonstrate its strength in the 68-member House.Next, Mr. Sidhu attacked "masqueraders" who were "secretly dancing to the tunes of agencies like CBI, ED" and said that leaders in the Congress should be removed for "prioritizing personal gain over the collective good." "'Masqueraders' (for) plum posts, covertly dancing to the tunes of agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, and Income Tax Department, have spelt doomsday for us many-a-times!" said he.
Cross-voting, Hotel Stay, and Helicopter Return for Six Himachal Congress MLAs
Six Congress MLAs who supported the BJP candidate in the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections have returned to Shimla after departing Haryana on Wednesday for an undisclosed location. Three independent MLAs were among the returnees; they had also arrived here yesterday following their votes in the Rajya Sabha election. When the nine of them arrived at the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, BJP MLAs welcomed them with thumping and slogans.The lawmakers, which included Rajinder Rana and Ravi Thakur, stayed in a hotel here last night before departing this morning in a helicopter from Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, Haryana, which is governed by the BJP, according to earlier reports. Tuesday, after casting their votes in the Rajya Sabha election, the MLAs traveled from Shimla to Haryana. It is purported that they are in contact with the BJP regarding a potential takeover of the state government. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, reportedly "disappointed" the MLAs, who therefore wanted him replaced.In response to Sukhu's allegations that some party lawmakers had been "kidnapped," Ravi Thakur said on Tuesday that he "can go anywhere," presumably alluding to his trip to Panchkula. "Five to six" Congress MLAs, according to Sukhu in Shimla, were "kidnapped" and taken away by the Haryana Police and the CRPF.
Priyanka Gandhi Takes Aim at BJP Over Himachal Issue
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the leader of the Congress party, has taken to attacking the BJP, claiming that the party is working extra hard to topple the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh. Priyanka Gandhi mentioned six of her party's MLAs cross-voting in yesterday's Rajya Sabha election in a post on X, and she questioned how the opposition BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, is competing against the majority party, which has 43 MLAs."The people have the right to select the government of their choice in a democracy. Using this privilege, the people of Himachal Pradesh established the Congress party with a resounding majority. However, through abusing its financial, agency, and central government power, the BJP seeks to subjugate people's rights," Priyanka Gandhi stated in the Hindi post.Last night, the six Congress MLAs were transported to Haryana. Today, they came back to Shimla with three independents. This morning, all nine of them arrived at the assembly in Himachal Pradesh. BJP MLAs greeted them with thumping and slogans.Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu denied rumors of his resignation today and claimed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Haryana Police had abducted the Congress MLAs. "Never before in the nation's history has the BJP used government resources and security for this purpose. It is evident that a party relying on representative horse-trading is dependent on having 25 MLAs challenge the majority of 43 MLAs, according to Priyanka Gandhi.
The final desire of the Rajiv Gandhi Case Convict to see his mother was not granted.
Santhan, one of the seven prisoners released in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, had hoped to return to his native Sri Lanka and care for his ailing mother, but his wish was never fulfilled. Santhan, also known as T Suthendiraraja, 55, passed away today in Chennai from a heart attack. Despite his will to go home, he had been fighting for his life in the hospital for almost a month when his failing health finally got the better of him. Santhan's attorney Pugazhendhi stated that his brother was by his side when he passed away. The counsel further stated that Santhan would be brought to his home in Sri Lanka for the final ceremonies. Santhan could not be sent home as scheduled, even though the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Chennai, issued an order on February 23 to send him to Lanka in his favor and the Supreme Court freed him from prison along with six other convicts in 2022. Santhan was being treated for cryptogenic cirrhosis, a condition for which there is no known cause, at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchirappalli when he was taken in critical condition to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) on January 28.He had fluid in his abdomen, limb swelling, and dyspnea when he was brought to this hospital. Dr. E Theranirajan, dean of RGGGH, stated, "He had a setback in his condition on Tuesday night and he passed away after a cardiac arrest early today." Santhan and others were freed in November 2022, but A G Perarivalan was placed on trial and placed at large by the Supreme Court in May 2022. Due to the assassination case of the former prime minister, all of them have spent more than thirty years behind bars.
Law Panel Might Add Chapter To Constitution, Call For Simultaneous Polls In 2029
Sources said today that the Law Commission is expected to recommend by mid-2029 adding a new chapter on 'one nation, one election' to the Constitution and organizing the massive democratic exercise of simultaneous polling for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies across the nation. According to sources who spoke with Press Trust of India, the Commission, led by Justice (retired) Ritu Raj Awasthi, would suggest amending the Constitution to include a "new chapter or part" on simultaneous elections.Additionally, the panel would suggest synchronizing the terms of legislative assemblies in "three phases" over the course of the following five years, in order to hold the first simultaneous polls in May or June of 2029, which is when the 19th Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place.The explanation given was that the new chapter in the Constitution would cover topics such as "simultaneous election", "sustainability of simultaneous elections", and "common electoral roll" for the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, panchayats, and municipalities. This would allow for the holding of the three-tier simultaneous polls "in one go". The proposed new chapter will have the "power of non-extant" to supersede other Constitutional clauses pertaining to assembly terms. The synchronization of assembly terms will occur over a five-year period divided into three phases. According to the Commission's recommendation, the first phase could address state assemblies, whose duration would need to be shortened by three or six months.
Rajya Sabha Polls Today: How Are Upper House Members Elected? Process Explained
The stage is set for crucial Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday in which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to further increase its strength in the Upper House of Parliament.Out of 56 seats for which the Election Commission announced the poll schedule last month, as many as 41 including former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP chief J P Nadda and new party entrant Ashok Chavan and Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and L Murugan were elected unopposed while the polling on remaining 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 4 in Karnataka and 1 in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka will take place on February 27. The official notification for these elections was issued on February 8, and the deadline for filing nominations was closed on February 15. The term of office for 50 Rajya Sabha MPs representing 13 states is slated to conclude on April 2, while the remaining six members from two states will complete their tenure on April 3. Among 56 seats, Uttar Pradesh has 10, Bihar and Maharashtra have six each, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have five each, Gujarat and Karnataka have four each, and Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan have three each. Additionally, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand each have one seat. The Rajya Sabha, also known as the Upper House of Parliament, takes inspiration from the United Kingdom’s House of Lords. Presently, it comprises 245 members, with 233 chosen through elections and 12 nominated. According to constitutional provisions, the Upper House’s membership is capped at 250. Out of the 233 elected members, representation is drawn from states and Union Territories (UTs), while the President of India appoints the remaining 12 individuals, who must demonstrate expertise in the realms of art, literature, science, and social services.
Bengal: Why Mamata Banerjee revived seat-sharing talks with Congress
After slamming the door hard in the Congress Party’s face, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has returned to the negotiating table to finalise a seat-sharing arrangement with the Grand Old Party in West Bengal, and importantly enough, in a few other states as well. Didi’s change of heart stems from a number of reasons linked to the national political scenario ahead of the announcement of dates for the general elections in mid-March. But the about-turn is, in many senses, a climb-down for the otherwise irrepressible Trinamool Congress which simply loves to punch above its weight and has acquired quite a reputation as a shrewd bargainer. The resumption of talks is, however, of great national importance before Lok Sabha polls as the Congress Party and the Trinamool Congress are the largest and second largest opposition party in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance bloc gearing up to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Top leaders of the two parties, including the Congress Party’s Jairam Ramesh, have confirmed that talks have restarted and the doors for an alliance have reopened. A key reason for Mamata suddenly reopening talks with Rahul Gandhi’s party is Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi minister Atishi’s assertion at a press conference last week that Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate this week unless AAP parts ways with the Congress Party and walks out of the Congress Party-led INDIA bloc to boost the NDA’s poll prospects. If the Trinamool Congress continued to disassociate itself from the Congress Party and refused to revive seat-sharing talks even after Atishi’s revelation that Kejriwal had received threats from the powers that be to choose between going to prison and walking out on the Congress Party, it would have been presumed in political circles that the Trinamool Congress had succumbed to exactly the same threats and dumped the Congress Party in order to shield Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew and heir-apparent, who is facing a string of CBI and ED cases but hasn’t been arrested so far.
