Top Trending Politics News & Highlights
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.
Published 04 Mar 2024 05:25 PM
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."
Published 01 Mar 2024 09:04 PM
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.
Published 01 Mar 2024 10:24 AM
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.
Published 28 Feb 2024 05:25 PM
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Many items in my business are designed: Piyush Pandey
I spent a brief time working at Ogilvy Mumbai in the early years of my profession. I was definitely looking forward to meeting Piyush and simply watching and learning from his talent. It was the strongest incentive to sign up. However, deep down I was also realistic about it. I was aware that he would never have a conversation with a junior. After joining, I came to the realization that he most likely would have, but I also understood it was impossible given the amount of work he had to accomplish each day. And boy, was I glad I was. Apart from the fact that he is an advertising genius, these are the things I picked up from him during my tenure, even though I never worked directly with him.I learned the power of words from him. On my first day there, I recall being sucked into a film short for a newly launched bank. I expected an assignment when I walked in, but instead I got a really good poem. It was exquisite. The story and the slogan were both brimming with skill. Written specifically for the pitch, Piyush delivered it to the group by reading it aloud. The client gave it their blessing because it was so clever. It was enjoyable to come up with ways to carry it out. That day made me proud to be a copywriter because he demonstrated to me the power of words to accomplish goals that so many rounds of PowerPoints couldn't. I learned from him that leaders are people too.Everyone gathered on the floor to celebrate Piyush's birthday by cutting cakes. He was asked to speak a few words, as custom would have it. He became so overcome by the festivities during his remarks that he started crying. The largest agency leader in our nation displayed weakness during a time when all of them exuded strength and conceit. Furthermore, this was taking place in front of 200 or more workers. And we all cherished it. He taught me early on that leaders are people too and that it's appropriate to occasionally display your feelings as a leader since it's the right thing to do.
The biggest shake-up in Congress history
"The Congress announced significant organizational changes on Saturday in advance of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including the removal of Priyanka Gandhi as the party's leader in Uttar Pradesh.The ancient party has named Ramesh Chennithala as its Maharashtra in-charge and Sachin Pilot, a former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, as the leader of the Chhattisgarh Congress.With no designated job, Priyanka Gandhi will continue to serve as the party's general secretary, the Congress stated in a statement.The Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, presided over a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body, two days prior to the appointments. Senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, were present. Senior leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, K C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, and Jairam Ramesh continue to serve as general secretaries, with responsibility for Gujarat, Karnataka, communication, and organization, respectively. According to the statement, Deepak Babaria is in charge of Delhi and Haryana, while Jitendra Singh, the general secretary in charge of Assam, was assigned the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh."
Congress rearranges the leadership group, giving Sachin Pilot a major role
"With the Lok Sabha elections quickly approaching, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge completed the much-needed reorganization of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretariat on Saturday. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was relieved of her duties as general secretary for the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, and Sachin Pilot was named general secretary for the state of Chhattisgarh. These nominations followed the party's appointment of a manifesto committee, chaired by former Union Minister P Chidambaram, to formulate the party's platform and issues for the Lok Sabha election campaign. Several leaders of the party urged the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to act quickly and begin organizing for the general elections on Thursday. As general secretary, Priyanka will remain so ""without any assigned portfolio."" There are rumors that she might receive a significant position within the company. The AICC general secretary Pilot's promotion and Ashok Gehlot's appointment to the national alliance committee earlier this week suggest that the Congress may consider a different candidate for Rajasthan's Leader of the Opposition position. granted that Pilot has been granted a function outside of the state and that Ashok Gehlot was included in a national alliance group earlier this week, Congress may be considering a new candidate for Rajasthan's Leader of the Opposition."
Avinash Pande is who? The new UP chief for the Congress, who took over for Priyanka Gandhi
"In the party's reorganization ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Avinash Pande took over as the Congress General Secretary overseeing Uttar Pradesh, replacing Priyanka Gandhi. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party named senior leader Avinash Pande as the General Secretary responsible for Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Pande responded to the appointment by writing on X, ""I swear, Smt. Priyanka ji, to uphold your legacy."" I shall fully utilize the authority bestowed upon me as the General Secretary in charge as well as the task that has been assigned to me."
"Those who receive a summons from Lord Ram...”: BJP as CPM's Yechury turns down an invitation to Ayodhya
"Following the CPI(M)'s confirmation on Tuesday that it will not be attending the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, a furor broke out. Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi stated, ""Invitations were sent to all (but) only those called by Lord Ram will come,"" in an interview with news agency ANI.I received the invitation from Nripendra Mishra ji and a leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The CPI(M) respects and upholds each person's freedom to practice any religion they so choose. But now, the state is funding this inauguration ceremony. Attendees at the event will include the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister, and other constitutional officials. Politicization like this is wrong, Yechury said to India Today TV. ""According to the Constitution and the Supreme Court, the state shall not profess any particular religion or have any religious affiliation,"" he added.Our stance is to uphold each person's freedom to practice their religion and their beliefs. Religion is a matter of personal preference that should not be used as a political tool. Despite being invited, Comrade Sitaram Yechury will not be attending the ceremony, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) announced on X."
Amit Shah and JP Nadda are scheduled to meet in Kolkata prior to the Lok Sabha elections.
"On Tuesday, December 16, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda arrived in Kolkata to evaluate West Bengal's organizational readiness for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Throughout the day, West Bengal BJP workers are expected to attend a number of organizational meetings with Amit Shah and JP Nadda. On the occasion of Veer Baal Diwas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda attended and offered prayers at Gurudwara Bara Sikh Sangat in Kolkata on Tuesday."
Caste, religion, and god in Kannada: How Karnataka Rakshana Vedike came to represent the state's language war
On Wednesday, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) made headlines once more when its members destroyed non-Kannada signage and vandalized commercial establishments in Bengaluru, demanding that they have 60% Kannada. The demand has been made by pro-Kannada organizations previously. However, Wednesday’s vandalism came after the state government directed all establishments to sport Kannada signboards prominently and the Bengaluru civic body – Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) – set a February 28, 2024, deadline for the same.Parties have refrained from confronting the KRV due to its influence and network, which have been established over 20 years, and Siddaramaiah government's cautious response to the most recent wave of vandalism."
Congress seeks to determine a ""safe"" path after the Ram Temple event, where the road was paved with mines.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust invited the Congress to the Pran Pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, but the Congress is not at all happy about the invitation. The Congress is caught in a political minefield, trying to craft a stance that won't do too much electoral damage, knowing that the BJP stands to gain political ground from the ceremony on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. The matter may also cause rifts within the INDIA alliance. The Trinamool Congress has hinted that Mamata will speak at the function, although the CPI(M) has formally announced that its general secretary Sitaram Yechury will not be there and has criticized the BJP and RSS for combining religion and politics. In response to the Cong predicament, Shashi Tharoor says that invitees ought to have the freedom to choose, ""rather than being described as 'anti-Hindu' if they don't go, or 'playing into BJP hands' if they do."""
The main political events of 2023, in numbers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the new Parliament building on May 28. The Lok Sabh However, in terms of Parliament's operations, the year was still turbulent. It started with the chaotic Budget Session, which saw the second-lowest amount of time this government has ever spent in office. Though the Monsoon and Winter Sessions saw some of the most Bills passed since 2019, the productivity of the next two regular Sessions of Parliament suffered as well. However, there were constant interruptions during each session, and many important and divisive bills were passed with little to no debate. The government called a Special Session in September and unveiled the women's reservation bill, which aimed to give women 33% of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, shocking the electorate ahead of the Assembly poll. During this session, the Bill was approved by both Houses.a chamber now has 888 seats, up from 543 in the previous building. Additionally, the Rajya Sabha chamber's capacity was increased from 250 to 384 seats. Although the precise amount has not been disclosed, the construction is thought to have cost around Rs 1,200 crore. However, because the PM was launching the Parliament and ""sidelining"" President Droupadi Murmu, the legitimate head of state, twenty opposition parties, representing 242 MPs in both Houses, boycotted the inauguration."
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.
BJP was better than Congress but...: Shashi Tharoor predicts ruling partys downward slide in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Ahead the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor explained where the Congress falls behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking at ABP Network's Ideas of India' Summit 3.0, he said on Friday the BJP has been better than the Congress "at the last mile of reaching every voter and knocking on doors, their panna prabhari system, etc. He said politics is about ideas, policies, and issues on one hand, and delivering them to the electorate in a way that gets out the results. "I agree that in the last couple of elections, the BJP has been better than Congress at the last mile of reaching every voter and knocking on doors, their panna prabhari system, etc. They have also been far better funded," he added. Speaking about the BJP, Tharoor said it would be difficult for the BJP to repeat its electoral performance of 2019. He said the BJP's performance peaked in 2019, in many states, and there would be only a "downward slide" in the coming elections. "The 'complacency' of the BJP is the opposition's strength," Shashi Tharoor was quoted by PTI as saying while speaking on 'Collaborative Federalism: View of the States'. Meanwhile, BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was part of the panel, said the target for his party in the coming Lok Sabha polls was 370 seats. Tharoor responded by saying, ""They seem to think it is already a done deal and it isn't." He added that there was a great deal of scepticism about whether the BJP would be able to come anywhere close to what it was projecting. Tharoor further explained why he has doubts about the BJP achieving the 300+ target and said that in the 2019 elections, the BJP did "too well" across the Hindi heartland where it is strong. He said after the "wave of enthusiasm after the Ram mandir and so", the BJP's "percentage of votes may go up but there are no seats left to win at any of these places, and the story will vary from state to state". He noted that the BJP won every seat in Haryana, Rajasthan, all but one seat in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, and a large number of seats in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar, Tharoor said. "The percentage of the BJP's votes may rise, but even if there is enthusiasm after the Ram Mandir consecration in Ayodhya, there are no more seats left to win in any of these places, and the story will vary from state to state," he said. "All of them is not possible this time, because it's impossible for them to repeat those numbers. I think they peaked in 2019. We are going to see nothing but a downward slide. How much downhill that is going to be depends on how effective the opposition campaign is, which is just picking up," the Congress leader said. The BJP's tally in the Lok Sabha rose to 303 in 2019. "All of this is not going to happen this time because it is impossible for them to repeat those numbers," Tharoor claimed. "The election hasn't been called yet so we don't know how much time the Opposition has... Don't give up on the Opposition as it could be your next government," Tharoor said. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
Political Parties Should Find Solutions to Kashi, Mathura Outside Courts
Ajmer Dargah chief Syed Zainul Abedin said political parties should try to find solutions to disputes such as in Mathura and Kashi outside the courts. Any dispute that is resolved by mutual consent will win the hearts and trust of communities, he said.The Ajmer Dargah chief was addressing a conference titled “Paigam-e-Mohabbat Hum Sab Ka Bharat” organised by the Rajasthan unit of All India Sufi Sajjadanshin Council in which heads of almost all the dargahs of Rajasthan were present. Abedin said that India was playing a positive role in restoring peace in the world by following the civilization of Vasudhaiva Kutambakam, a statement issued here said.India is playing its role in world peace, so efforts should be made to resolve the internal issues of our country peacefully outside the courts All that is needed is a strong initiative,” he said. On the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Ajmer Dargah chief also said that in the last few years, Muslims have been misled about the CAA law.
Congress Has Completed AAP-Seat Share Speed Run Agreement
According to sources who spoke to NDTV on Friday afternoon, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, who this week produced the INDIA bloc's first electoral victory in the Chandigarh mayoral election, have finalized seat-share agreements for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Gujarat, Goa, and Haryana. The specifics will be disclosed during a press conference later today, but it is believed that the members of the INDIA bloc have decided to divide Delhi's seven seats four ways to three. According to sources, the AAP will run candidates in East, West, and South Delhi in addition to New Delhi, while the Congress will run candidates in Chandi Chowk, North West, and North East Delhi.A deal for Goa, Chandigarh, Gujarat, and Haryana was also reportedly reached, according to reports that NDTV received hours later. Two seats in Gujarat and one each in Chandigarh and Haryana are reportedly included in the agreement.As of right now, the AAP was expected to run for two seats in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi; the Congress was expected to win Chandigarh's lone Lok Sabha seat as well as the seat in South Goa; and the AAP was expected to win at least one seat in Haryana. In the most recent election, the BJP won every one of these, taking all 26 seats in Gujarat and all 10 in Haryana. With just two Lok Sabha seats in Goa, the BJP gained
Courts Cannot Order States To Adopt Specific Plans
The Supreme Court has ruled that courts cannot order the States to adopt a specific policy or plan on the grounds that a "better, fairer, or wiser" option is available. As a result, the scope of judicial review in examining government policy matters is extremely limited. When a PIL asking for the creation of a plan to establish community kitchens in order to fight hunger and malnutrition was being dismissed, the observation was made. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare programs are being implemented by the federal government and individual states, the top court noted, declining to issue any directives in the matter.The legality of the policy—rather than its wisdom or soundness—would be the focus of judicial review, according to a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal. It is commonly known that the judicial review process has a very narrow scope when it comes to policy matters. The courts are not and cannot assess whether a policy is right, appropriate, or suitable. Neither are they the executive's advisers on matters of policy that the executive has the authority to create. Because there may be a better, more equitable, or more sensible option available, the courts cannot order the States to adopt a specific program or policy," the bench stated."We do not propose to give any further direction in that regard when the National Food Security Act (NFSA), which uses a "right based approach" to provide food and nutritional security, is in effect and other welfare schemes under the said Act have also been framed and implemented by the Union of India and the States to ensure access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity."We have not examined whether the concept of community kitchens is a better or wiser alternative available to the States to achieve the object of NFSA, rather we would prefer to leave it open to the States/UTs to explore such alternative welfare schemes as may be permissible under the NFSA," the court stated. The top court's decision was based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that was filed by social activists Anun Dhawan, Ishann Singh, and Kunajan Singh. The PIL sought orders for all states and union territories to create a plan for community kitchens in order to fight malnutrition and hunger.
Russia Is A Power With A Vast Statecraft Tradition
Speaking on Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed current geopolitical developments and their implications. He said that Russia is a power with a rich tradition of statecraft and is turning more towards Asia or non-West parts of the world. Responding to a query regarding Moscow's increasing closeness to Beijing during an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue, S. Jaishankar stated that it makes sense to offer Russia a variety of options and that pressuring it into choosing one and criticizing it for it would be akin to a self-fulfilling prophecy."I believe that offering Russia a variety of options makes sense. "You are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy if we force Russia into a single option and declare that's really bad because that's the outcome," the speaker stated.These days, it's critical that other nations, particularly those in Asia, communicate with Russia," Mr. Jaishankar stated. "Russia is a powerful nation with a long history of statecraft. Such powers would never enter into a monogamous relationship of that kind. It would not align with their beliefs," he remarked. he external affairs minister was asked to comment on intensification of ties between Russia and China and whether India was uncomfortable with it.The minister of external affairs proposed that Russia and China are becoming closer due to Western policies. "It's kind of funny -- on the one hand you have people who set policies (and) bring the two together and then you say beware of them coming together," he stated. Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Australian Lowy Institute, posed the query. Days prior, Mr. Jaishankar claimed that Moscow had never harmed New Delhi's interests and that India and Russia had a "stable" and "very friendly" relationship.
SP-Congress deal sealed in UP: What next for INDIA bloc as clock ticks down to Lok Sabha elections 2024
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress party have finally agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement for contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress will contest 17 seats while the SP and other parties of the alliance will field its candidates in 63 of the 80 parliamentary seats in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh. Also, the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP will contest Madhya Pradesh’s Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat and will in return support the Congress in the rest of the state’s 29 seats in the state, as part of the deal. The announcement on February 21 is the first seat-sharing agreement of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an amalgamation of leading opposition parties who have resolved to fight together in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The inaugural meeting of the Opposition coalition was held in Patna on June 23. Eight months since, the alliance has faced many setbacks. The biggest, of course, is from Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, who has now switched his party Janata Dal's (United) allegiance to the NDA. Kumar, who holds a record of sorts for his nine oaths as Bihar CM, was considered the architect of the INDIA bloc.Other blows to the opposition alliance were Jayant Chaudhary's RLD deciding to leave it and Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress refusing to enter into an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal.
In boost to BJP in Odisha, former Naveen aide joins party
The BJP’s Odisha unit got a shot in the arm ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls after expelled BJD leader and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy joined the party on Wednesday. The three-time MLA, once considered to be the blue-eyed boy of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was expelled from the BJD for “anti-people” activities in November 2020. Since then, he has been facing multiple cases of alleged corruption and cheating. BJP state president Manmohan Samal claimed Panigrahy has been a “victim of various political situations”, alleging vendetta politics. Welcoming the 60-year-old to the party, Samal said Panigrahy’s entry will strengthen the BJP in the Ganjam district, a BJD stronghold and bastion of CM Patnaik. Ganjam, within which Panigrahy’s Gopalpur seat falls, is the state’s most populous district, with 2 Lok Sabha and 13 Assembly seats. The BJP is yet to announce which seat Panigrahy will contest from, whether in the Lok Sabha or Assembly polls. Panigrahy’s induction into the BJP comes a day before Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to address a rally in the Gopalpur constituency. The Gopalpur MLA, who has been targeting Patnaik and his close aide V K Pandian since he was dismissed from the BJD, mounted a fresh attack immediately after joining the BJP. “A lot of development has taken place in the country under the leadership of PM Modi. The world is today looking at India because of Modiji’s leadership. Time has come for a change in Odisha and to throw away the corrupt government. We will work with the ‘Odia first’ approach,” Panigrahy told reporters.
UP Establishes Committee To Examine Noida Farmers Concerns
According to officials, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, ordered the creation of a committee on Wednesday to investigate the problems raised by farmers in Gautam Buddh Nagar who are staging protests against the Noida and Greater Noida government. Following an unsuccessful attempt to travel to Delhi on February 8, local farmers' groups have threatened to march on the capital city in the middle of the night in order to demand their demands. The farmer groups are requesting better pay and developed plots in place of the land that the NTPC and local government previously took from them.District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma stated that the committee, which will be led by the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Council, will deliberate on the problems pertaining to the farmers' demonstrations against the local government before presenting its findings to the government.According to an official statement, the committee will be comprised of the divisional commissioner and the district magistrate, with support from the Chief Executive Officers of the Noida Authority and the Greater Noida Authority as needed."The report will have to be presented to the state government within the time limit set by the committee, formed on the instructions of the chief minister to resolve the problems of farmers," said the statement. A high-level committee of NTPC will speak with the affected farmers and interested parties to ensure a solution, according to the district magistrate, in order to address the demands of the farmers impacted by the NTPC, Dadri project. He said that DK Patel, Director (HR), NTPC, New Delhi, will lead this committee.
