Top Trending Politics News & Highlights
Bangladesh in Turmoil : Sheikh Hasina Resigns as Prime Minister
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns from the office and lands at Hindon Air force Station near Delhi, at 5:36 pm on August 5, 2024. The move came as a result of series of protests happening in the country, in which around 300 people have already lost their lives. After Sheikh Hasina left the country with her sister, protestors stormed inside the Prime Minister House. Amidst the turmoil Bangladesh Army Chief, Waker Uz Zaman has said that an interim government will be formed and the injustices will be addressed. As a neighboring country, India is also going to face challenges because of the sudden turn of events. In the border areas which are already facing heavy unemployment and corruption, these events could pose even more challenges. West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has urged the people to maintain peace. The turmoil has halted travel between India and Bangladesh. Air India has cancelled all the scheduled flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect. It’s time for India to look towards this pressing issue in our neighboring country.
Published 05 Aug 2024 07:38 PM
Says Chinas Xi, Putins Re-Election Fully Reflects Russian Peoples Support
Chinese President Xi Jinping informed his Russian counterpart that his reelection "fully reflects the support of the Russian people" in a congrats letter sent on Monday, according to Beijing's official media. As of Monday, official election data indicated that Putin had received 87.33 percent of all votes cast, with 99 percent of polling places having submitted results, as reported by state news agency RIA. In a presidential election where he had no real competition, Putin achieved a record-breaking win, despite the polls' criticism.Xi addressed Putin, saying, "Your re-election fully reflects the support of the Russian people for you," as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. "In recent years, the Russian people have united as one to overcome challenges and move forward steadily on the road to national development and revitalisation," according to Xi. "I believe that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction," he stated. "China attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations and is willing to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, healthy, stable and in-depth development of (bilateral ties)," said Xi.bolster relationships According to Russian state news agency TASS, Putin praised Beijing, his important ally, saying he was "sure that in the coming years we will only strengthen and build up our relations and achieve common successes for the benefit of the Chinese and Russian peoples." "The alignment of state interests is the most crucial factor. According to reports, Putin said, "This sets a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations."
Published 18 Mar 2024 05:27 PM
Dates of Lok Sabha Polls Are Forwarded To President Murmu for Awareness
The sources claim that the central government sent President Droupadi Murmu the Election Commission's recommendation on Sunday, starting the process of announcing the dates of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Sources claim that the President should send out the notifications for the various phases based on a recommendation from the Cabinet meeting that took place this morning. "The Cabinet approved to recommend to the President for issuing statutory notifications under sub-section (2) of Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act 1951 from the Parliamentary constituencies for the election of members of the Lok Sabha," according to sources.For the first round of elections in 102 seats, scheduled for April 19, the first notification will be sent out on March 20. With the notification's release, a specific phase of the nomination process gets underway. Notifications would be sent out to kick off the election process to form the Eighteenth House of the People. The Law Ministry drafts a proposal based on the recommendation for the Union Cabinet, which suggests to the President that the notifications for the various phases be approved.The Election Commission released the schedule for the 18th Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. It states that the elections will take place in phases starting on April 19 and ending on June 1. According to the sources, the PM has also instructed the ministers to work with the officers and secretaries of their respective ministries to draft a plan for the first 100 days and the following five years of the new government.
Published 18 Mar 2024 02:17 AM
PM Modi On Srinagars First-Ever Formula-4 Car Show
The first-ever Formula-4 car show was held on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that it was encouraging to see and that it will further help showcase the beauty of Jammu and Kashmir. "Seeing this is incredibly encouraging. It will contribute to showcasing Jammu and Kashmir's beauty even more. Srinagar is in the prime location for motorsports to flourish in India, which presents numerous opportunities for the industry to flourish." PM Modi stated on X in a post.PM Modi shared a post on X from someone saying, "PM Modi has changed Kashmir—Mera Kashmir badal raha hai! Today was the inaugural Formula 4 car show, held on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar! #Page 370.The Prime Minister also reshared the eye-catching pictures from the auto show. Under the auspices of the Tourism Department, Formula 4 and the Indian Racing League collaborated to host the race on Sunday.
Published 18 Mar 2024 02:13 AM
Politics
Politics is one of the most discussed topic in every corner of the globe and almost every citizen wants to know what is happening in domestic politics as well as the world politics which is now a days dominated by USA followed by India and China politics.
BJP candidate list 2024: Congress says othing new’ as PM Modis party releases first list of 195 candidates
After the Bhartiya Janata Party on Saturday released the first list of its candidates for Lok Sabha polls 2024, the Congress called the announcement an ‘assumed list' of big names. Commenting on the BJP's candidate list for Lok Sabha 2024, Congress leader Deepak Babaria said, “all the names were already assumed".“They have done nothing new. The question is how much is the public going to accept the BJP. They keep talking about 400, they are not telling from where they are getting it. There is doubt among the people that they are getting the majority through the EVM and they are doing nothing to remove that doubt," news agency ANI quoted Congress leader Deepak Babaria. The ruling party's first list for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections named Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the contestant from Varanasi. Apart from this, 34 Union ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani were named in the list of 195 candidates. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla will fight again from Kota in Rajasthan, according to the list, which also included two former ministers of the BJP government. Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will contest the elections from Vidisha.After being selected as the BJP candidate for the Vidisha seat in Madhya Pradesh, former state CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the list to be a “balance of women and youth". He said that he is blessed to be a part of the “development Viksit Bharat under PM Modi's leadership". Lashing out at the ruling party for missing out on major names, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “We did not understand what it meant when one after another BJP MPs were leaving their positions... But when the list came out, we saw that a lot of names were missing. The BJP leadership is not happy with the work done by them. Those MPs who did not get the ticket, who will answer about their 5 years? Did PM Modi think that they will not win even by PM Modi's name?" Questioning the BJP's claim of securing 400 seats in the upcoming General Elections, AICC Delhi Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria said that the BJP's first list of Lok Sabha candidates came up with ‘already assumed names.’ BJP leaders and workers began celebration on Saturday soon after the announcement of the first list of BJP candidates who will be contesting Lok Sabha elections this year. “I thank the party high command for believing in me. I am 100% sure of winning. Based on the work done by the double-engine government, we will win," said BJP leader Kripanath Mallah after getting a party ticket from Karimganj constituency. The saffron party fielded former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's daughter, Bansuri Swaraj from New Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Expressing her happiness after the release of the list, Bansuri said, "I want to thank Sangathan Mahamantri Pawan Rana, Jay Panda, my elder sister Alka Gujjar and every single BJP worker who has bestowed this opportunity on me."
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.
