Top Trending Politics News & Highlights
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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BJP trying to steal another Thackeray: Uddhav fumes as MNS chiefs meeting with Amit Shah sparks alliance buzz
Following the meeting of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to "steal" another "Thackeray" to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.He also accused the party of trying to appropriate the legacy of Bal Thackeray. Although, while addressing a rally in Nanded, Uddhav claimed that he is not bothered if the BJP took away his estranged cousin. Earlier today, Raj Thackeray met Amit Shah in Delhi amid speculations of BJP's interest in an alliance with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for a boost in Maharashtra in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Sena (UBT) chief charged at the BJP saying that it knows well that they don't get votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. "People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold)," he said during his two-day tour of Nanded and Hingoli districts in the Marathwada region. "First, they stole the photo of Bal Thackeray, but it doesn't matter. Today, they are trying to steal another Thackeray....take it, I and my people are enough," he added. Claiming that even Christians and Muslims have no issue with his style of Hindutva, Uddhav Thackeray said that the image of Shiv Sena (undivided) was getting sullied when they were with the BJP. Shiv Sena (UBT) is a part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi and INDIA bloc. Uddhav's estranged cousin Raj Thackeray had parted ways with the Shiv Sena due to his differences with Uddhav. He then founded the MNS in 2006.
Lovely Mohan, wife of gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan, joins JDU
Hours after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) shared the seat allotment deal between parties in Bihar on Monday, March 18, reports arrived that Lovely Mohan, wife of gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan, joined the Janata Dal (United).On joining the JDU, Lovely Mohan said, "...We have come to strengthen the party. Our goal is to win all 40 seats," according to an ANI report. As per the seat-sharing deal announced by the NDA earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest 17 of the total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, while Nitish Kumar's JDU will contest 16 seats. Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will field candidates in five Lok Sabha constituencies, and Jitan Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest one seat each. The NDA's seat-sharing pact in Bihar arrived days after the Election Commission of India announced the full schedule of the Lok Sabha polls. The general elections will happen in seven phases, starting on April 19 and concluding on June 2. According to the schedule, the voting in Bihar will take place in seven phases. The results will be declared on June 4.The JDU snapped ties with the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) in 2023 to join hands with the BJP and NDA. Nitish Kumar took oath as the Bihar Chief Minister for the record ninth time on January 28, along with three BJP leaders as ministers. West Champaran, East Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, Muzzafarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Ujiarpur, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patiliputra, Ara, Buxara and Sasaram.Valmikinagar, Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katiyar, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Jehanabad and Sheohar.
Congress Kharge attacks Modi as BJP gets 50% funding
The details of the electoral bonds data published by the Election Commission (ECI) on Thursday has caused quite a stir in political circles, with the Opposition accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating a huge "scam" in the name of funding. The country's main Opposition Congress party's President, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Friday directly charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with corruption as the data showed that the BJP encashed nearly 50 per cent of all the bonds purchased. The BJP encashed electoral bonds worth Rs 6060.5 crore, which is 47.5 per cent of the total bonds issued by the State Bank of India (SBI) between April 12, 2019 and January 24, 2024. "PM Modi says "na khaunga, na khane dunga, but it seems that he only meant —"sirf BJP ko khilaunga," Kharge charged. His remarks referred to Modi's popular slogan about eliminating corruption, often used in his election campaigns. "There are many dubious donors. Who are these people? Which companies are these? Why have so many companies donated only after ED, IT and CBI raids? Who exerted the pressure on such companies? We demand the highest level of enquiry by the Hon'ble Supreme Court to investigate this saga of corruption by the BJP," Kharge said. He also highlighted the huge disparity in the amount received by the BJP and the Congress – 47.5 per cent against 11 per cent. Raking up the recent issue of Congress' bank accounts being frozen, he questioned why no action has been taken against the BJP, which has "illegally acquired crores and crores of money." The Congress further demanded that an enquiry should be made on the issue and the BJP's accounts should be frozen immediately. The Congress and other Opposition are crying foul over the scheme, alleging it has disproportionately benefited the ruling party. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Kabil Sibal among other Opposition leaders have alleged the BJP of having carried out "extortion" by "harassing" corporates with financial probe agencies.
BJP received more funds than the next 6 parties combined
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the frontrunner in the encashment of electoral bonds, securing a staggering Rs 6,060.5 crore between April 12, 2019, and January 24, 2024. This figure represents over 47.5 per cent of the total bonds encashed during the period.Following closely behind, the All India Trinamool Congress received Rs 1,609.50 crore (12.6 per cent) via electoral bonds, while the Congress secured Rs 1,421.9 crore (11.1 per cent), solidifying their positions as the second and third biggest beneficiaries of this funding scheme, that was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Notably, Future Gaming and Hotel Services PR, owned by lottery tycoon Santiago Martin, emerged as the single largest donor to political parties during the aforementioned period. The firm donated Rs 1,368 crore through electoral bonds, according to data released by the State Bank of India (SBI) and published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 14. Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited, headquartered in Hyderabad, secured the second spot on the list of top donors, having contributed Rs 1,200 crore in combination with three associated companies. Other prominent donors included Qwik Supply Chain Private Limited (Rs 410 crore), Haldia Energy Limited (Rs 377 crore), Vedanta Limited (Rs 375.65 crore), and Essel Mining and Industries Limited (Rs 224.45 crore), among others.In total, more than 22 entities donated over Rs 100 crore each during this period, with electoral bonds worth over Rs 12,155 crore being purchased and over Rs 12,769 crore being encashed by political parties. This significant data has been made public by the ECI following the disclosure of information by SBI on March 12. The Supreme Court's directive mandated the ECI to host this information on its website by March 15. On Friday, the Supreme Court further directed the SBI to share the unique electoral bond numbers that would allow the linking of donors to their respective political contributions. The SBI is required to hand in this information to the ECI by 5 pm on Saturday.
Former Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty takes oath as RS member
Engineer-turned-philanthropist Sudha Murty on Thursday took oath as Rajya Sabha MP in the presence of her husband N R Narayana Murthy.Murty took the oath in Kannada. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath in his chamber in Parliament House. He also congratulated Murty and her husband after the oath-taking function.Leader of the House Piyush Goyal was also present on the occasion. "Hon'ble Vice-President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar administered oath to the newly nominated member of Rajya Sabha, Smt. Sudha Murty, in Parliament House today," his office said in a post on X, while sharing a video of the function.Murty, 73, the former chairperson of Infosys Foundation and the author of several books, mostly for children, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on International Women's Day last Friday. She is also renowned for her contribution to Kannada and English literature and is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar, the Padma Shri (2006) and the Padma Bhushan (2023). Murty, who was the first woman engineer to have worked with TELCO, is famously known to have provided the seed capital of Rs 10,000 from her emergency funds to her husband to start Infosys, which now has a market cap of over USD 80 billion. Dhankhar had on Tuesday administered oath to newly elected member of Rajya Sabha from Sikkim Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, in Parliament House.
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."
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.
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.
PM Modi congratulates new Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini
"Congratulations to Shri@NayabSainiBJP Ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana. Wishing him and his team of Ministers the very best for their efforts in fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Haryana," he 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! A hour after Nayab Singh Saini was sworn in as Haryana Chief Minister, former CM Manohar Lal Khattar on 12 March said that senior Bharatiya Janata Party Anil Vij was very unhappy with the political development and being dropped from cabinet. Speaking to reporters, Khattar said, as quoted by news agency ANI, "Anil Vij is our senior leader...It is in his nature that he gets upset quickly but becomes okay soon. There have been such instances before. He is upset but we are talking to him...Our new chief minister will also talk to him."
Electoral Bonds: 5 key highlights of SC verdict rejecting SBIs time-extension plea to disclose details
The Supreme Court of India, on Monday, turned down the State Bank of India’s (SBI) request seeking an extension of time to disclose details of the Electoral Bonds Scheme.The top court has asked the SBI to share the details with the Election Commission of India (ECI) by tomorrow, Tuesday, March 12. The poll panel has been asked to publish the details on its website by 5 pm on Friday, March 15. After scrapping the Electoral Bonds Scheme, the Supreme Court had on February 15 directed India’s largest public bank, SBI, to submit all details regarding the bonds to the Election Commission of India by March 6. Further, the Election Commission was directed to publish the received data on its website by March 13. However, on March 4, the SBI approached the top court with a plea seeking an extension until June 30 to disclose the details. Today, a five-judge Constitution bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, rejected the SBI’s time-extension plea. The top court has ordered that the details be disclosed by SBI to the Election Commission by March 12."Submissions of SBI in the application indicates that info sought is readily available. Thus, the application by SBI seeking extension of time until June 30 is dismissed. SBI is directed to disclose the details by the close of business hours of March 12, 2024," the top Court said in the order, Bar & Bench reported. Bar & Bench reported that the bench, while passing the order, noted that the now-scrapped Electoral Bonds Scheme stipulated that the information furnished by the buyer of such bonds shall be treated as confidential by the authorised bank and shall be disclosed when called upon to do so or on registration of an offence by law enforcement agencies. Once the SBI furnishes the details, the Election Commission of India is supposed to post them on its website. The poll panel has been asked to publish the details on its website by 5 pm on Friday, March 15. The dates assume significance since the Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for the April-May Lok Sabha polls 2024 in a few days from now.
Questioning the poll list after the leader, Kerala Congress Chief
Chief of the state party K Sudhakaran labeled a female Congress leader who expressed concerns about the lack of women in the party's Kerala Lok Sabha candidate lineup as "a nobody" on Sunday, brusquely brushing off the discussion of representation.Congress National Spokesperson Shama Mohamed expressed disappointment on Saturday that despite the Women's Reservation Bill having recently passed Parliament (though it hasn't yet been put into effect), the party—which was the first to introduce it—has only fielded one female candidate from Kerala for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections.When the media sought Mr Sudhakaran's reaction to Mohamed's statement, the state unit chief brushed off the issue, saying, "Go and ask her. She is not a party member at all.According to Ms. Mohamed, Congressman and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has been urging party leaders in Kerala to give attention to his calls for increased representation of women in politics.
Uddhav Thackeray: We Will Destroy BJPs Chor Bazar In Polls
Uddhav Thackeray, the head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), stated today that the BJP only knows how to steal from others; it has never participated in any movement or struggle or produced anything of its own. He was speaking to Mumbai suburbia's party workers. "Neither the Marathwada Mukti Sangram nor the Sanyukta Maharashtra struggle nor the freedom movement were affiliated with the BJP. It is limited to snatching. In the polls, we will demolish the BJP's "chor bazar". It has witnessed our camaraderie. It will now witness the heat of our "mashaal," the party's poll symbol, which is a lit torch," he declared.Amol Kirtikar will be the party's candidate for the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha seat, Uddhav Thackeray reiterated, and he urged Mumbai's civic officials to abstain from the BJP's "corrupt activities". Mr. Kirtikar is the son of Shiv Sena member Gajanan Kirtikar, a current MP who is led by Eknath Shinde.Congressman Sanjay Nirupam, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2019, responded angrily to his announcement the day before.
A Seat in the Bengal Lok Sabha To Be contested by a former couple
Bengal's Lok Sabha election features a divorced couple competing against each other; this development has generated significant discussion in the state since the ruling Trinamool Congress released its list of nominees today. Sujata Mondal will run against Soumitra Khan, a BJP candidate running from Bandal's Bankura district's Bishnupur seat. Earlier this month, the leader from Bishnupur was fielded by the BJP. From the same seat, Trinamool revealed Ms. Mondal's name today.In the lead-up to the state's 2021 assembly election, which the Trinamool party won handily, the couple fell out. When his wife entered politics as a Triamool Congress member, Mr. Khan made the announcement of their divorce live on camera. Senior Bishnupuri leader Mr. Khan defected from Trinamool to join the BJP in advance of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. At the time, his wife had run a campaign in his favor. The Trinamool Congress made its candidacies for 42 seats in Bengal known today, indicating that it intends to take a solo role in the state.The Congress, which was expecting a retreat despite Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement that she would only reevaluate relations with the Opposition bloc India after learning the election results, has been greatly offended by it. "The Indian National Congress has made it clear time and time again that it wants to share seats in West Bengal with the TMC in a decent manner. Jairam Ramesh, the leader of the Indian National Congress, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "the Indian National Congress has always maintained that such an agreement has to be finalized through negotiations and not by unilateral announcements."
People Are Constantly Thinking About PM Modi And Chandrayaan": S Jaishankar
The Viksit Bharat Ambassador Artist Workshop was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday. He expressed his appreciation for the event for highlighting the aspirations of people for a "Viksit Bharat." In association with the Lalit Kala Akademi, the National Gallery of Modern Art organized the event at the Purana Qila. "Today, I visited the Purana Qila #ViksitBharatAmbassador Artist Workshop. Thank you for organizing, @ngma_delhiand @LalitKalaLKA. I'm happy to see how Viksit Bharat is portrayed in different artistic mediums.Mr. Jaishankar told the reporters, "Everyone should have the opportunity to experience India's diversity. During the G20, our goal was to ensure that foreign events were held throughout the nation, not just in the capital. Talking about Viksit Bharat indicates that India is becoming more influential globally, and for that reason, it is critical that everyone is aware of Bharat."This was a really smart move. Here, I witnessed people's goals. I can also perceive Chandrayaan's powerful influence. People are constantly thinking about Chandrayaan and Modi ji, he continued. He went on to discuss the different facets of "Viksit Bharat." There exist various facets of Viksit Bharat. We see ourselves as a state that has advanced civilization. Our goal is to rise to prominence and gain a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Our nation has the largest population. We are currently in fifth place economically, but we will soon move up to third," he stated.
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.
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.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 : BRS MP BB Patil joins BJP in Delhi
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and Telangana parliamentarian BB Patil joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 1, ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.Patil, member of parliament from Zaheerabad, Telangana, joined the saffron party in the presence of Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Delhi. In a four line resignation letter to party president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Patil thanked Rao for allowing him to serve the people of Zaheerabad constituency and the party. Patil was elected from Zaheerabad twice in 2014 and 2019 on a BRS ticket. "On behalf of all my colleagues and workers in the BJP, I welcome BB Patil into our fold as a fellow worker, as a fellow leader, and wish him the very best," Chandrasekhar said on the occasion welcoing Patil in the party fold. The switch comes a day after senior BRS leader and Telangana parliamentarian Pothuganti Ramulu resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Ramulu, along with his son Bharat and three other BRS leaders, were inducted into the party in the BJP office in New Delhi by party in-charge of Telangana affairs Tarun Chugh and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The back-to-back exits from BRS comes weeks ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The dates of elections are expected to be announced in less than two weeks. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to release the first list of candidates for the elections soon. Reports claim that the party has finalised the names of candidates for nearly 155 of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats. The first list may feature the names of some high-profile leaders. Led by K Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, the BRS lost the Telangana assembly elections to Congress party last year.
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."
