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About 50 out of 71 candidates on the BJP's initial list for Bihar were repeat candidates; senior ministers and deputy chief ministers
For the Bihar Assembly elections next month, the BJP on Tuesday unveiled its initial list of 71 candidates, keeping a number of its current ministers and MLAs but adding fresh names in a few constituencies.About half of the 71 names are repeat candidates who ran in the 2020 elections, such as Vinod Narayan Jha (Benipatti), Pawan Jaiswal (Dhaka), Rana Randhir Singh (Madhuban), Awadhesh Singh (Hajipur), and Sanjay Saraogi (Darbhanga).Outgoing deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha will run in the next Bihar assembly election from the Tarapur and Lakhisarai assembly constituencies, respectively, according to the Bharatiya Janata Party's first list of candidates released on Tuesday. Election results for the 243-seat Bihar legislature will be revealed on November 14 after two phases of voting on November 6 and 11.The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal-United (JDU) are running for 101 seats apiece, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Chirag Paswan, is running for 29 seats. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalized their seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly elections on Sunday. Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), also known as HAM(S), and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will compete for six seats each.As the party ran for 115 seats in the 2020 Bihar assembly election, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) saw a decline in the final seat-sharing results. Additionally, the BJP lost 110 seats from the previous election to 101.Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote on X to announce the completion of the seat-sharing arrangement, saying, "The NDA allies have finished the distribution of seats in a cordial atmosphere." This is greatly appreciated by all NDA party leaders and employees. Bihar is prepared, and an NDA government will be established once more.
Published 14 Oct 2025 09:07 PM
No Aadhaar, no school Pakistani refugee children's education in Delhi is in a state of uncertainty
Five years have passed since Daulatram's family departed Sindh, Pakistan, in search of a brighter future for his kids. However, his children's education and that of other residents of the hamlet close to Delhi's Signature Bridge are in a state of uncertainty. Most children have been forced to quit out after fifth grade due to a lack of documentation.Only one of Mr. Daulatram's five children, who owns a roadside stand, attends a primary school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) close to Majnu ka Tilla. Sandhya, his daughter, is in fifth grade and will have to leave school the next year. "We invested a lot of money and our hearts here. We are merely getting by, we don't see any progress, and we don't have a suitable location," he remarked.Children of refugees living in a camp close to Delhi's Signature Bridge Picture: Unique Arrangement Five years have passed since Daulatram's family departed Sindh, Pakistan, in search of a brighter future for his kids. However, his children's education and that of other residents of the hamlet close to Delhi's Signature Bridge are in a state of uncertainty. Most children have been forced to quit out after fifth grade due to a lack of documentation. Only one of Mr. Daulatram's five children, who owns a roadside stand, attends a primary school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) close to Majnu ka Tilla. Sandhya, his daughter, is in fifth grade and will have to leave school the next year. "We invested a lot of money and our hearts here.
Published 13 Oct 2025 05:29 PM
In the push for OBC quota, BJP MP government aligns its argument with Congress's 'jitni abaadi, utna haq' pitch
The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, led by Mohan Yadav, is advocating in the Supreme Court for an increase in the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 14% to 27%. This initiative would violate the top court's quota ceiling of 50%. It appears to resonate with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's call for “jitni abaadi, utna haq (representation proportional to population).”In an affidavit submitted on September 23 before the Supreme Court proceedings that commenced Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh government referenced 2011 Census data, stating that disadvantaged groups including Scheduled Castes (SCs) at 15.6% of the population, Scheduled Tribes (STs) at 21.1%, and OBCs at over 51% together constitute over 87% of the state's population. On Sunday, veteran Congress politician Kamal Nath charged that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh was perpetrating a “drama” under the pretext of providing a 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He claimed that the ruling party aimed to deny this community its rights. The OBC quota was raised from 14% to 27% by an ordinance under Nath's Congress government in 2019, but litigation prevented its implementation.Nath asserted in an X post that the Mohan Yadav government was using court procedures and legal advice as a repeated excuse to protect itself.
Published 09 Oct 2025 04:19 PM
Could BJP nominate Maithili Thakur to resonate well in Mithilanchal? Celebration, young folk music performer – let out a few suggestions
As reported by The Indian Express, 25-year-old folk singer Maithili Thakur may run for the Benipatti or Alinagar seat in the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections in Mithilanchal. At the age of 12, Maithili first rose to fame by launching a YouTube channel where she sang Maithili and Bhojpuri songs. She currently boasts more than 5.1 million YouTube subscribers and 6.3 million Instagram followers.Thakur's recent meetings with Vinod Tawde, the national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Bihar organisation in-charge, as well as with Union minister Nityanand Rai, have led to speculation regarding her candidacy in the elections. During her visit to Jabalpur for a performance at the Narmada Mahotsav, the folk singer informed journalists that she feels a special bond with her hometown and believes beginning her political career there would provide her with valuable lessons.Bihar's assembly elections will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14. When asked about her preferred assembly constituency, Maithili responded, "There hasn't been any official announcement yet, but I would like to go to my village area because I have a special connection with it." Beginning there will provide me with an opportunity to learn as well. By meeting people and talking to them, I will gain more understanding if I start from my village," she added.In response to a question concerning the Bihar assembly elections, the 25-year-old singer expressed her willingness to help with the country's development in any way she can. Thakur mentioned that she and Tawde and Rai talked about various aspects of Bihar's future during her meeting with them. Thakur, who was born in Madhubani district of Bihar at Benipatti to a father who was a Maithili musician, made his musical mark in 2011 at the age of 11 and has remained active in the field since then. Vinod Narayan Jha, a BJP leader and ex-minister, is the current representative of Benipatti in the Bihar assembly. In this constituency, which is dominated by Brahmins, the BJP leader (aged 68) triumphed over Bhavana Jha of Congress in 2020, winning by over 30,000 votes.
Published 07 Oct 2025 09:03 PM
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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."
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.
