Category: Politics

Congress Manifesto 2024: The opposition Congress party in India on Friday (Apr 5) launched its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Addressing the manifesto launch event, senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram said, “The broad theme of the manifesto is justice. Every aspect of justice has been threatened, weakened in the last 10 years, especially in the last five years.”

“I have always accused the BJP Govt and said that Modi Govt is the government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. This Govt is driven only by the interests of the top 1% of this country but we have to look at the bottom 50%. The bottom 50% is as important as those who are well off. It has been estimated that 23 crore people are still poor in this country,” Chidambaram added.

“The people of Amethi expect me to represent their constituency if I decide to become a member of Parliament…For years, the Gandhi family worked hard in Rae Bareli, Amethi and Sultanpur…The people of Amethi are really troubled by the current Member of Parliament, they think they have made a mistake by electing her,” he told ANI.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/robert-vadra-hints-at-contesting-lok-sabha-elections-people-of-amethi-expect-me-to-represent-them-2965600

In reaction to being denied a ticket, former MLA and national general secretary Satish Kumar said that the dissenting LJP leaders will now throw their weight behind the INDIA bloc. He condemned the LJP Supremo for allocating tickets to unqualified candidates and pledged allegiance to the INDIA alliance.

In a major setback before the Lok Sabha polls, 22 leaders of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) have resigned in protest against the ticket distribution for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. Expressing their dissatisfaction, the resignations come amid allegations of ticket distribution in exchange for money within the party ranks.

Among the prominent figures who stepped down are former minister Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and national general secretary Satish Kumar, state organisation minister Ravindra Singh, Ajay Kushwaha, Sanjay Singh, and State General Secretary Rajesh Dangi.

Former MP Renu Kushwaha, expressing her disappointment, stated, “Ticket should be given to the party workers instead of people from outside. Tickets were given to the outsiders which means that able people are not there in your party. Are we the labour class people in your party who will work for you, make you a leader? Our devotion was questioned when an outsider was given a ticket. We are not here to serve as labourers for the party.”

Former MLA and national general secretary Satish Kumar, in response to not receiving a ticket, emphasised that the rebel LJP leaders will now support the INDIA bloc. He criticised the LJP Supremo for giving tickets to undeserving candidates and vowed to support the INDIA alliance.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/in-mass-exodus-22-leaders-quit-chirag-paswans-party-they-will-now-support-india-bloc-article-109018758

“I have joined the BJP in interest of the nation and to serve the people. I want to help more and more people,” Singh said on joining the BJP

Vijender Singh, India’s first Olympic medallist in boxing and a Congress leader, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

“I have joined the BJP in interest of the nation and to serve the people. I want to help more and more people,” Singh said on joining the BJP.

The Olympic medal-winning boxer justified his switch to the BJP, saying he made a “well thought out decision” after connecting with the saffron party through a common friend.

In the 2019 general election, Singh had fought unsuccessfully from the South Delhi constituency as a Congress candidate. His name was doings the rounds for the last few days as the party’s nominee from Mathura, from where actor and incumbent MP Hema Malini is contesting again.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/elections/lok-sabha-election/boxer-vijender-singh-likely-to-join-bjp-article-12568061.html

During his questioning, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said by accessing his iPhone data and chats, the ED would be privy to details of AAP’s ’election strategy’ and pre-poll alliances

Apple has reportedly denied to unlock and give the Enforcement Directorate (ED) access to the iPhone used by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Cupertino-based tech-giant has reportedly said the data can only be accessed with the password set by the owner of the device.

A report by The Indian Express quoted sources saying that during ED’s raid on the night of Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21, the agency just found Rs 70,000 and four mobile phones, including the CM’s smartphone, which were confiscated. The Delhi CM, allegedly, had switched off his iPhone and denied sharing his password.

Why Kejriwal did not share his iPhone’s password with ED?

As per reports, Kejriwal, during his questioning, said that by accessing his mobile phone data and chats, the ED would be privy to details of AAP’s “election strategy” and pre-poll alliances.

Apple’s history of not unlocking devices for law enforcement

This isn’t the first time where Apple has refused to unlock the device at the request of a country’s investigating agencies.

In 2020, Apple refused to unlock the device of one Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a second lieutenant with the Saudi Air Force after he three Americans to death at Pensacola Naval Air Station. American authorities called this an act of terrorism, and the FBI had asked Apple to unlock the device and share the data with them to aid their investigation.

However, Apple refused to unlock the device but provided the investigative authorities with a wide variety of information that was associated with Alshamrani. Upon further requests, Apple provided more information including what they could retrieve from iCloud backups, account information and transactional data for multiple accounts.

Similarly, in 2016, a federal judge asked Apple to assist the FBI in unlocking the iPhones of two suspected terrorists, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the 2015 San Bernardino attack.

Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/apple-enforcement-directorate-delhi-arvind-kejriwal-iphone-13755283.html

We take a look at the different stages at which proceedings are currently pending against other AAP leaders.

Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh on Tuesday became the first Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to be granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Delhi Excise Policy case after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not object to his release.

Even so, Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP communications head Vijay Nair are still behind bars.

With the Lok Sabha elections just weeks away, CM Arvind Kejriwal was sent to judicial custody on April 1 after the ED arrested him in connection with the same case.

With Singh getting bail from the top court in an unexpected development today, we take a look at the different stages at which proceedings are currently pending against other AAP leaders.

Background of case and status of accused

The ED case against the AAP leaders originated out of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2022 alleging that there were irregularities in framing and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22. It was stated that AAP leaders received kickbacks from liquor manufacturers through this policy.

The central agency alleged that some part of the money was used as expenses for the State Assembly elections in Goa, in 2022.

One of the questions raised was whether AAP can also be added as an accused in the case.

The AAP leaders have denied the allegations against them, terming it a politically motivated witch hunt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

A total of six prosecution complaints – one main and five supplementary – have been filed by the ED since 2022. A total of 32 persons have been named as accused for offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

While cognizance of the complaints has been taken by the trial court, the matter has not yet reached the stage of arguments on charge.

At least 16 persons have been arrested in the case so far. Apart from AAP leaders Kejriwal, Sisodia, Singh and Nair, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha has also been arrested.

Kavitha has also been described as a kingpin by the ED and is alleged to have paid the bribes to AAP leaders in exchange of undue favours for herself and the “South Group” of liquor lobbyists.

Why AAP leaders are in the dock

After arresting the Delhi CM, the ED had told the trial court that Kejriwal was “intrinsically involved in the entire conspiracy” and also had a role in utilisation of “the proceeds of crime”.

Out of three statements connecting Kejriwal to the alleged kickbacks from South Group, two are of accused who have turned approvers and the other is of Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, the Lok Sabha candidate of BJP-ally Telugu Desam Party.

The other allegation against Kejriwal is with regard to utilisation of funds for the Goa elections by AAP.

The ED has claimed that a “part of the proceeds of crime to the tune of cash of Rs 45 Cr approx” was utilised in the election campaign and thus AAP has committed the offence of money laundering “through” Kejriwal.

“Arvind Kejriwal was at the time of offences under PMLA, incharge of and responsible for the said “company” i.e. AAP for conduct of business of AAP. Therefore, not only the AAP but Sh Arvind Kejriwal shall be deemed to be guilty of offences punishable u/s 4 ofPMLA and shall be liable to be prosecuted and punished as provided u/s 70 of PMLA,” the ED told Delhi High Court today in response to the petition challenging Kejriwal’s arrest.

Besides looking into Kejriwal’s digital devices, the ED is also going through his financial documents and details of movable and immovable properties.

Kejriwal is to be produced before the Special Judge Kaveri Baweja on April 15.

Delhi’s former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested first by the CBI and then ED in February and March last year.

The ED in its case against Sisodia has alleged that since he was not only the head of the Group of Ministers related to the policy, but also the Excise Minister, he had “played a key role” in modifying the terms of the policy in a “manner which would benefit the cartel members.”

He is particularly also accused of favouring a company Indo Spirits, which is claimed to have received major profits due to the implementation of the scheme.

Sisodia’s bail petitions have been dismissed right from the trial court to the Supreme Court.

At present, his bail is being argued again before the trial court and was listed today for arguments. The ED is expected to respond to Sisodia’s argument on April 6.

Vijay Nair was the first AAP leader to be arrested in the case by the CBI in September 2022. He was the party’s communication in-charge and as per the ED, the man at the centre of the whole conspiracy. The ED has even called him the “kingpin” of the whole “liquor scam”.

Though he was granted bail in the CBI case, he was later arrested by the ED and continues to remain in prison. His bail petition in the ED case was dismissed by Delhi High Court in July last year.

According to ED, Nair held meetings on behalf of the AAP with liquor industry players, particularly the “South Group”. Dinesh Arora’s statement is one of main pieces of evidence against him.

In particular, the central agency has accused Nair of receiving ₹100 crore from the South Group as an advance kickback on behalf of AAP.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/sanjay-singh-first-aap-leader-get-bail-delhi-excise-policy-case-what-status-other-accused

Party general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal, Kerala Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, KPCC acting president M.M. Hassan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala will accompany Mr. Gandhi.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will reach the district on April 3 to submit his nomination papers at the collectorate here for the Wayanad parliamentary constituency after leading a roadshow at Kalpetta in Wayanad.

Mr. Gandhi will arrive in a helicopter at Thalakkal ground at 10 a.m. and then head for new Municipal bus stand by car. The roadshow will begin from the bus stand premises at 11 a.m.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal, Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) acting president M.M. Hassan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala, along with other State leaders, will accompany Mr. Gandhi.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/rahul-gandhi-to-submit-nomination-papers-for-wayanad-constituency-on-april-3/article68020567.ece

BJP leaders dismiss Atishi’s claim of BJP’s coercion as baseless. They highlight internal power struggles in AAP for the Chief Minister’s post. The BJP MPs raise allegations of corruption and involvement in scams against AAP members

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Minister Atishi on April 2 alleged that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join them or else she would be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the coming days. While addressing a press conference, she said, “The BJP, through one of my close aides, approached me to join their party to save my political career, and if I do not join the BJP, then in the coming month, I will be arrested by the ED.”

Calling her allegations ‘baseless,’ BJP leader RP Singh said, “I too can make such baseless allegations. I, too, can say that Saurabh Bharadwaj called me up and requested me to protect them from Arvind Kejriwal, who wants to put them behind bars and make Sunita Kejriwal the CM.”

‘Internal tussle for Delhi CM’s post’, says BJP leader RP Singh
Singh further said that it was their party’s internal tussle which was surfacing, and the fight for the CM post had commenced within AAP. He said Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are on one side, and Sunita Kejriwal and Arvind Kejriwal are on the other side.

He said, “This is their internal tussle, which is coming out again and again in different manners. The truth is that action will be taken against all whose names are involved in the matter. It is clear that the fight for the CM post has begun in AAP. Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are on one side & Sunita Kejriwal and Arvind Kejriwal are on the other side.”

Another BJP MP, Manoj Tiwari, said, “People of Delhi are understanding it very well; there is a saying in English that thieves have been exposed. Their CM, Arvind Kejriwal, said Vijay Nair used to report to Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Nair, who is a key factor in the liquor scam, used to report to them. If the kingpin of this entire scam is saying that these people are involved, they should be interrogated. BJP has zero tolerance against corruption. PM Narendra Modi, BJP’s stand is to remove corruption.”

BJP leader and senior advocate Nalin Kohli says, “Atishi must be worried that the Aam Aadmi Party supreme leader Arvind Kejriwal seems to have taken her name and Saurabh Bharadwaj’s name, saying the middlemen used to meet them. If that is the case, their own leader is pointing a finger towards them. His two colleagues and other ministers are already in jail. He has already taken their resignation. Perhaps he has some other plans in mind to remove these ministers. But you just can’t turn around and attack the BJP on some false allegation or false narrative in the hope that the questions that are being asked will not be asked. Ultimately, they have to answer on the scam, which is the liquor scam in Delhi and on which the investigative agency obviously seems to have collected some credible material.”

‘Arvind Kejriwal fooled you,’ says BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said Arvind Kejriwal is the only person who has fooled her. “No one except Arvind Kejriwal has fooled you. He has destroyed several lives before her. When Arvind Kejriwal gave their names to the ED, they felt that they are the next in turn because Kejriwal has given them away.”

Sirsa, in the video message, also asked Atishi to reveal the name of her close aide, from whom she claims she got the blackmail threat from the BJP. He added, “Atishi claims that he has gotten a message. She should reveal the name of her close aide so that the ED can arrest him. BJP will not take in such a corrupt leader like Atishi and even will not allow her to walk outside its office.” Hinting at a power struggle in the AAP, Sirsa said, “This is because Arvind Kejriwal does not want to make them Chief Minister. He wants to put them in jail. So they are scared.”

Source: https://www.livemint.com/politics/arvind-kejriwal-has-fooled-you-bjp-dismisses-atishis-claims-calls-it-aaps-internal-tussle-for-cm-post-11712041225091.html

INDIA Bloc Maharally: Reminding the BJP of “the 1000-year-old (Ramayana) epic and its message”, Priyanka Gandhi spoke about how Lord Ram defeated Ravan despite having no army, chariot or resources.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said on Saturday that she wants to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the message of Lord Ram that “power does not last forever” and “ego is shattered one day”. She was speaking at the INDIA bloc’s rally held in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

Gandhi was the last speaker at the grand rally organised by the Opposition to protest the “misuse” of central agencies at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- ruled Centre.

She said, “Those in power call themselves Ram Bhakt…I believe they are trapped in an illusion.”

Reminding the BJP of “the 1000-year-old epic and its message”, Priyanka Gandhi spoke about how Lord Ram defeated Ravan despite having no army, chariot or resources.

“When Lord Ram was fighting for the truth. He did not have power or resources. He did not even have a chariot. Ravan had a chariot, resources, an army and gold. Lord Ram had the truth, hope, faith, love, modesty, patience and courage…,” Gandhi said.

“I want to tell those sitting in power, I want to remind PM Modi the message of Lord Ram: power does not last forever, power comes and goes; ego is shattered one day. This was the message of Lord Ram and his life,” she added.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/india-bloc-maharally-priyanka-gandhi-cites-ramayana-at-india-rally-tells-pm-modi-that-ravan-had-army-but-ram-11711881264415.html

Refuting allegations by the opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is an independent agency and it is working independently while underlining that the government does not interfere with its work.

In an interview with Thanthi TV weeks before the Lok Sabha polls, the Prime Minister said that opposition parties are trying to use courts as a “weapon” to hinder the ED’s work because they know that Modi will not stop fighting against corruption.

“Did we create ED? Or PMLA? They were there before we formed the government. ED is an independent agency. It is working independently. Neither do we stop them, nor do we send them. They have to be right in the eyes of the law… ED has around 7,000 cases. They have only 3% of cases related to politicians. During UPA, ED seized Rs 35 lakh cash,” he said.

“During our government, Rs 2200 crore cash has been seized by the ED. Bundles of cash are being seized. Notes are being found in washing machines and pipes in houses. Rs 300 crore cash was seized from Congress MP. In Bengal, cash has been seized from many ministers. Will the people tolerate all this? No, they won’t,” he added.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and eight others were elected unopposed after the closure of the nomination withdrawal period today.

Guwahati: The BJP has won as many as 10 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced, weeks before the scheduled election date. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and eight others were elected unopposed after the closure of the nomination withdrawal period today.

“We have won 10 seats uncontested, this is a big victory even before the vote has been cast, this just goes to show the massive support of people for our developmental work. People want us to continue, our government formation is confirmed. We will also win both Lok Sabha seats with a thumping majority,” said Mr Khandu.

The BJP has put up candidates for all 60 seats of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly. The assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh will be held on April 19. The Congress is contesting on 34 seats.

The BJP supporters bursted firecrackers in the capital Itanagar to celebrate the development.

Besides the Chief Minister and his deputy, BJP leader Dasanglu Pul’s nomination also went uncontested after her sole opponent, Bafutso Krong of the Congress, withdrew from the contest. Dasanglu Pul is the wife of former chief minister Kalikho Pul.

There was no candidate against Chief Minister Pema Khandu at the Mukto assembly constituency, similarly, first-timer Techi Rotu of BJP is the only candidate who filed a nomination for the Sagalee assembly constituency.

At Tali in Kra Daadi, BJP candidate Jikke Tako is set to be elected unopposed for his second term and Nyato Dukam is the lone candidate to file nomination at Taliha in Upper Subansiri and Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi, who recently joined BJP, is likely to win unopposed from Roing again.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arunachal-assemble-elections-how-bjp-won-10-arunachal-assembly-seats-weeks-before-voting-5341161

The Delhi Police said that it has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and the deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the Ramlila Maidan for the rally.

I.N.D.I.A. Bloc Rally: The opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc is set to hold a “Loktantra bachao rally” on Sunday at Delhi’s Ramlila ground. Ahead of the ‘maha rally’, the Congress has asserted that it is aimed at saving the Constitution and democracy and not any particular person.

The announcement came after Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy in the national capital.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took to social media platform X on Saturday and lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he wants to strangle democracy and take away the option from the people to choose the government of their choice. The Wayanad MP said that it seems as if the country is being run not by a government but by a criminal gang.

On Saturday, the Delhi Police said that it has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and the deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the Ramlila Maidan for the rally organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

According to the officials, the Delhi Police has allowed the Opposition to hold the rally with certain conditions, including no march, no tractor trollies, and no weapons in central Delhi. A strict action will be taken if any violations takes place.

Here Are Top Points:

• Top leaders of the Opposition bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav are expected to attend the rally. It is being held in the backdrop of Kejriwal’s arrest and allegations of misuse of agencies against the opposition by the BJP-led central government.
• Speaking on the I.N.D.I.A. Bloc’s rally, Rahul Gandhi said that tomorrow the opposition is going to hold a big meeting in Delhi to tell the truth about this false, arrogant, and corrupt government. “This fight is between BJP and the rights of the people, in which we stand with the people. India’s victory lies only in the victory of democracy,” he said in a post on X.
• Addressing a press conference on the rally, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi will address the rally, among other senior leaders. “It is not a person-specific rally. That is why it is called the Loktantra Bachao Rally. This is not one party’s rally, about 27–28 parties are involved in it,” Ramesh said, as quoted by ANI.
• An officer said that although the rally is allowed, Section 144 will remain imposed at the DDU Marg, where the offices of political parties are located, as reported by PTI. “We have made elaborate security arrangements so that the general public doesn’t face any inconvenience due to the rally,” a senior police officer said, as quoted by PTI.
• The traffic police will also remain deployed to regulate the traffic and parkings near the ground. About a dozen companies of paramilitary personnel will be deployed around the Ramlila Maidan and other parts of central Delhi, including DDU Marg, PTI reported, citing sources. The administration has allowed 20,000 people to come for the rally, but police expects it to exceed 30,000.
• According to a Delhi Police official, seven gates have been prepared for entry and exit at the Ramlila Maidan. “Among these seven, one is for VIPs and another for the media,” the official said, as quoted by PTI. Every visitor will be checked with door frame metal detectors and hand-held machines at the entry gates, he said.
• The Delhi Police has also installed CCTV cameras and set up a control room centre from where they could watch the activities at the Ramlila Maidan. The police said the organisers have made the seating arrangements for visitors. Officials said that the facilities for drinking water and washrooms will be provided at the ground.
• JKPDP President Mehbooba Mufti reached Delhi on Saturday to attend the rally. She was received by AAP leader and minister Imran Hussain at Delhi airport.
• Former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said “Tomorrow, a mega rally of the INDIA alliance is taking place in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. The way two sitting CMs have been arrested and leaders of the opposition are being targetted, it seems that PM Modi is scared of fighting elections… He does not want anyone to stand against him…When leaders are in opposition, actions are taken against them and when they join BJP they are given a clean chit,” as quoted by news agency ANI.

Source : https://news.abplive.com/elections/i-n-d-i-a-bloc-mount-attack-modi-govt-mega-delhi-rally-kejriwal-arrest-aap-congress-rahul-gandhi-mallikarjun-kharge-sharad-pawar-1676075

The Bharatiya Janata Party released the 8th list of candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. The list includes the names of 11 candidates including former IPS officer Debashish Dhar from West Bengal’s Birbhum and Preneet Kaur from Punjab’s Patiala.

Debasish Dhar, a 2010 batch IPS officer resigned from his service on March 20 to join politics. In his resignation, he wrote that due to personal reasons and to achieve social goals in his life, he is resigning.

The BJP on Sunday named two candidates from West Bengal, three from Odisha and six from Punjab. It has so far announced its candidates for 411 seats.

The saffron party has still has not given any candidate for Diamond Harbour and Asansol seats. This time, the party has replaced actor Sunny Deol and has given Gurdaspur ticket to Dinesh Singh Babbu.

Government doctor, Pranat Tudu resigned from his position and will now contest from BJP ticket from West Bengal’s Jhargram. Other candidates include Ravneet singh Bittu from Ludhiana, Hansraj Hans from Faridkot, Taranjeet Sandhu from Amritsar, Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar, Sukanta Kumar from Kandhamal among others.

Former Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu will be making his poll debut from Amritsar.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttarakhand by addressing a public meeting at Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district on April 2. Elections to the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand are scheduled to be held in the first phase on April 19. All the five seats are with the ruling BJP since 2014.

Source : https://www.news18.com/elections/bjps-8th-list-of-candidates-for-ls-polls-out-former-ips-officer-debashish-dhar-preneet-kaur-make-the-cut-8834211.html

Govinda joined Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and called it the ‘blessing of God’. “I thought I would not enter politics again,” the actor said.

Bollywood actor Govinda joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena on Thursday adding a splash of glamour to the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra. Govinda is likely to be fielded from Mumbai North West as he makes a comeback to politics after a hiatus. Govinda, in 2004, contested from Mumbai North Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket and earned the moniker of a giant-slayer as he defeated BJP’s Ram Naik. Later, he resigned from the party and took a break from politics altogether.

“I am joining Shiv Sena and it is a blessing of God. I thought I would not enter politics again,” Govinda said as he was officially inducted into the party by Eknath Shinde. On Mumbai under Eknath Shinde, Govinda said the city looks cleaner and better now. Govinda’s parents, the actor said, had a good relationship with Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govinda-joins-eknath-shindes-sena-likely-to-contest-from-mumbai-north-west-101711625345237.html

“We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

After India summoned a senior US diplomat to lodge a protest over remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Washington on Wednesday stressed that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes and “we don’t think anyone should object to that”.
“We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Miller was responding to a question during the State Department briefing over India summoning Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena in New Delhi earlier in the day as well as on freezing of Congress party’s bank accounts.

“We are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. And we encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of these issues.

“With respect to your first question, I’m not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations, but of course, what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don’t think anyone should object to that. We’ll make the same thing clear privately,” Miller said.

Ministry of External Affairs officials summoned the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena at its office in South Block in Delhi and lodged a strong protest against a US State Department official’s remarks on Mr Kejriwal’s arrest.

The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.

Reports suggested that a US State Department official had said that Washington “encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal”.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Mr Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy ‘scam’.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/after-arvind-kejriwal-remarks-us-speaks-on-congress-frozen-accounts-5323334

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered her ticket to fight the Lok Sabha election 2024, however, she declined the proposal citing a lack of funds required for fighting polls. The minister said that the BJP chief JP Nadda gave her the option to contest either from Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu.

“After thinking over a week or ten days, I just went back to say… maybe not. I do not have that kind of money to contest. I also have a problem whether it is Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. It’s also going to be a question of various other winnability criteria that they use…Are you from this community or are you from that religion? Are you from this? I said no, I do not think I am going to able to do it,” she said.

Sitharaman, the Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, was speaking at the TIMES NOW Summit 2024 in Delhi.

“I am very grateful that they accepted my argument…So I am not contesting,” she stated.

When asked why even the finance minister of the country does not have enough funds to fight Lok Sabha elections, she said that the Consolidated Fund of India does not belong to her.

She said, “My salary, my earnings, my savings are mine and not the Consolidated Fund of India”.

Source: https://www.news18.com/elections/nirmala-sitharaman-declines-bjp-ticket-lok-sabha-poll-dont-have-money-8830359.html

The seats on offer to the Congress are Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Bettiah, Katihar, Kishanganj, Nawada, Patna Sahib and Samastipur. However, sources say that the Congress also wants the seats of Purnia, Karakat and Aurangabad.

The Bihar Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) may not be near any consensus as far as seat sharing deal for the Lok Sabha elections is concerned. Sources say that that the Congress is seeking 11 seats to contest on, but Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is willing to concede only 8.

The seats on offer to the Congress are Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Bettiah, Katihar, Kishanganj, Nawada, Patna Sahib and Samastipur.

However, sources say that the Congress also wants the seats of Purnia, Karakat and Aurangabad.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is likely to meet Congress leaders in Delhi today to finalise the seat sharing deal. The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) is also expected to meet at 6 pm today and discussion on Bihar is said to be on the cards.

An announcement on the seat-sharing deal is likely expected tomorrow, sources said.

In 2019, the Congress contetsted nine seats but won only one. The RJD didn’t win any. The BJP-led NDA won 39 out of 40 seats, with the BJP securing 17 seats. Nitish Kumar’s Janta Dal United (JDU) got 16, while Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) won all six they contested.

Nitish Kumar is now back in the NDA after briefly being with the Grand Alliance. The BJP has also finalised seat-sharing deal with Paswan.

Last week, the NDA announced its seat distribution in Bihar. The BJP will contest 17 seats, JD(U) 16 and the LJP five, while Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM will each contest one seat.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/bihar-grand-alliance-seat-sharing-standoff-congress-pushes-for-11-rjd-offers-8-meeting-today-article-108804665

The BJP has been actively organising political rallies across various states, featuring prominent national leaders such as Prime Minister Modi, Party President Nadda, and Amit Shah.

As the country gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, the verbal attacks and counterattacks between political parties have intensified. Leading up to the upcoming elections, the ruling party at the center, BJP, released a video mocking opposition leaders. Many found this video hilarious, saying it truly depicts the infighting between leaders of the I.N.D.I.A bloc.

Watch the video here.

The video advertisement depicts the prominent figures of the opposition gathered for a meeting with a woman regarding marriage. Rahul Gandhi, a Congress MP, is seated in the center, giving an explanation about the family.

BJP Campaign strategy

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut released a list of 17 candidates for Lok Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday released the party’s first list of 17 candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Anil Desai will contest from the Mumbai South Central parliamentary constituency.

Sanjay Raut said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is going to contest a total of 22 seats in the general elections and the remaining five names will be announced in a day or two. He also said in Hatkanangale, farmers’ leader Raju Shetti has asked for the support of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Of the names declared on Wednesday, 11 names were already announced by party chief Uddhav Thackeray during his visit to respective Lok Sabha constituencies in the last month.

The party has also renominated all five sitting MPs. Sitting MP Arvind Sawant will contest from the Mumbai South constituency, Sanjay Patil from Mumbai North East and Amol Kirtikar from the Mumbai North West constituency.

Rajan Vichare will contest from Thane, while Vinayak Raut has been given a ticket from Ratnagiri Sindhudurg. Sitting MPs Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani) and Omraje Nimbalkar (Osmanabad) have also been renominated.

The party will also contest Aurangabad, fielding former MP Chandrakant Khaire from the seat.

Interestingly, wrestler Chandrahar Patil has been fielded from Sangli, the seat that the Congress, a partner in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, was insisting on.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said the decision to go solo is based on feedback from public and party workers

The BJP will go solo in the election for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, state party chief Sunil Jakhar said in a video message today, putting an end to speculation on a possible tie-up between the BJP and its estranged ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
“The BJP will be contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab alone. The party has taken this decision on the basis of feedback from the people, party workers and leaders,” Mr Jakhar said, stressing that the Narendra Modi government had worked tirelessly for Punjab and the work is not hidden from anyone.

While it is the BJP that has officially pulled the plug, the Akali Dal had dropped broad hints on its plan to go solo after a meeting of its core committee this Friday.

The key reason behind the two parties not joining hands appears to be a mismatch in their core ideological planks. The Akali Dal’s panthic agenda to reach out to Sikhs appears to clash with the BJP’s nationalist posturing. Also, unlike in 1996, when the Akali Dal joined hands with BJP for an alliance that lasted over two decades, the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party set conditions for another tie-up.

The party resolution said that the Centre must honour its commitment to release all Sikh prisoners who had completed their terms and fulfil all promises made to farmers.

“The party will continue to put principles above politics, and it will never deviate from its historic role as a champion of the interests of Khalsa Panth, all minorities as well as all Punjabis,” the resolution said.

“As the sole representatives of the Sikhs and of all Punjabis, the party will continue its fight for more powers and genuine autonomy to the states,” it added.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-akali-dal-sukhbir-badal-sunil-jakhar-bjp-to-go-solo-in-punjab-stage-set-for-4-way-fight-for-13-lok-sabha-seats-5312163

A major controversy erupted after an offensive post was made from Supriya Shrinate’s Instagram handle against Kangana Ranaut.

Bollywood actor and BJP’s Mandi Lok Sabha candidate Kangana Ranaut has said that she was hurt by the now-deleted controversial post from Congress leader Supriya Shrinate against her.

Ranaut said that she was particularly pained by Congress leader’s comments on Mandi from where she is contesting the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.

“Every woman deserves dignity, no matter what profession she is in,” Kangana told reporters at Chandigarh airport, according to ANI. “The most I am hurt by is the ‘Mandi’ thing, which is known as Chota Kashi and has been the land of several Rishis,” she added.

Asked whether she plans to take any action against the Congress leader, Ranaut said she had been called to Delhi by BJP president JP Nadda and would respond only after meeting him.

“I have to maintain the dignity of the party. I can’t walk before it. I have to walk with them and follow their instructions,” she said, according to PTI.

A major controversy erupted after an offensive posts was made from Supriya Shrinate’s and Congress leader HS Ahir’s Instagram handle targeting Ranaut.

Shrinate claimed that many people have access to her Facebook and Instagram accounts, and someone from them made the post in question. Ahir also gave a similar ‘explanation.’

“Anyone who knows me will know I would never say that for a woman. However, a parody account that I have just discovered misusing my name is being run on Twitter ( @Supriyaparody ) which started the whole mischief, and is being reported,” Shrinate said.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kangana-ranaut-says-she-was-hurt-by-supriya-shrinates-post-ncw-urges-sonia-gandhi-to-take-action-101711443768835.html

The BJP has dropped Varun Gandhi from the Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat. Former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who joined the BJP in 2021, replaces Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit.

The BJP on Sunday released its fifth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The party has dropped Varun Gandhi from the Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat but retained his mother, Maneka Gandhi, from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who joined the BJP in 2021, has been given the ticket from Pilibhit in place of Varun Gandhi.

Varun Gandhi allegedly fell out of favour with the BJP after he criticised the party’s governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh on several occassions.

Last year, in an apparent dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Varun Gandhi advised people not to “disrupt a nearby sadhu” as nobody knows “when ‘maharaaj ji’ will become the Chief Minister”.

In September 2023, he derided the Uttar Pradesh BJP government over the suspension of the licence of Amethi’s Sanjay Gandhi Hospital after the death of a patient.

In 2021, Varun Gandhi was ousted from the BJP’s national executive, allegedly after his remarks calling for fixing accountability and bringing the culprits to justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Earlier this year, there were reports that Varun Gandhi may join the Congress after he met his estranged cousin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand a few months ago.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bjp-drops-varun-gandhi-from-pilibhit-retains-maneka-in-sultanpur-lok-sabha-polls-2519011-2024-03-24

The New York attorney general’s office has filed judgments in Westchester County, the first indication that the state is preparing to try to seize Donald Trump’s golf course and private estate north of Manhattan, known as Seven Springs.

State lawyers entered the judgments with the clerk’s office in Westchester County on March 6, just one week after Judge Arthur Engoron made official his $464 million decision against Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization.

The decision against Trump and the difficulty the former president is having securing a bond while he appeals the verdict strikes directly at Trump’s image as a billionaire as he attempts to raise more cash for both his legal bills and third run for the White House.

Entering a judgment would be the first step a creditor would take to attempt to recover property. Additional steps, such as putting liens on assets or moving to foreclose on properties, or taking other actions in court would follow, if the asset is going to be seized.

The judgment is already entered in New York city where Trump’s properties including Trump Tower, his penthouse at Trump Tower, 40 Wall Street, his hotel abutting Central Park, and numerous apartment buildings are located.

Judgments have not been entered in Florida counties including Miami or Palm Beach where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property and the Trump National Doral Golf Club and resort are located or Cook County, Illinois, where Trump’s hotel in Chicago is located, according to a review of records Thursday by CNN.

Trump now has four days to satisfy the judgment or sway an appeals court to allow him to post a smaller amount or defer posting the payment until after the appeal.

In a new Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said that putting up the money is “VERY EXPENSIVE” and said it was “not possible for bonding companies to do in such a high amount.”

The attorney general’s office will be allowed to file a written response to Trump’s claims, a New York appeals court said Friday.

The process to seize assets would not be quick or easy. Trump has structured his business by setting up limited liability companies for nearly every property or asset – over 300 in total – which ultimately are controlled by his trust.

“They are complexly organized and he is not on paper the owner and therefore a judgment against him would not be executable directly against certain properties. Sorting this out is not going to be simple and it’s not going to be quick,” said Nikos Passas, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University.

“In the meantime, she could also obtain bank levies and go after the bank assets. She could put liens on properties. There are all kinds of things that she’s able to do in an effort to collect,” Passas said.

“All this is completely undermining the brand, which he uses for the most part for making any kind of money around the world not just the United States,” Passas said. “In the end I think this could very much mean the end of Trump business in New York and not only – it could spell trouble in other jurisdictions too.”

Trump attorneys push back on AG’s bond ideas
Separately, Trump’s lawyers pushed back Thursday on several of the suggestions the New York attorney general’s office made about how he can pay bond.

That includes the idea that Trump could get several underwriters to secure bonds totaling the judgment – saying it would still require Trump to post half a billion dollars in cash or stock – money he doesn’t have.

Trump’s legal team argued in the filing that the New York attorney general’s office shouldn’t be able to challenge their claims.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, March 9, 2024, in Rome, Georgia.

If no arrangement is met, New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she will take steps to seize assets.

The attorney general’s office on Wednesday said that it’s common for large companies to post billion-dollar bonds and suggested Trump should have posted real estate with the court.

“The suggestion is both impractical and unjust. The Attorney General cites no New York case law to support this contention. In any event, from the perspective of risk, the Attorney General’s proposal of a ‘court-appointed officer’ to ‘hold real estate’ is functionally equivalent to what Supreme Court has already imposed through the requirement of a court-appointed monitor to oversee Defendants’ business operations,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.

Trump’s lawyers also said to be forced to sell properties at a fire sale would cause irreparable injury because they could not later recover the property if they were to win an aspect of the appeal.

“By demanding an undertaking in the full amount of the judgment in order to appeal, the Attorney General and Supreme Court have sought to impose a patently unreasonable, unjust, and unconstitutional (under both the Federal and New York State Constitutions) bond condition,” they wrote.

Judge gives monitor expansive duties including review of efforts to obtain bond

Thursday, Engoron expanded the role of the monitor overseeing the Trump Organization to include more expansive oversight of Trump’s real estate business’ internal financial practices.

Engoron also ordered the Trump Organization to supply detailed information to the monitor about its efforts to obtain bonds to cover judgments.

“The Trump Organization shall inform the monitor, in advance, of any efforts to secure surety bonds, including any financial disclosures requested or required, any information provided in response to such requests, any representations made by Trump Organization in connection with securing such bonds any personal guarantees made by any of the defendants, and any obligations of the Trump Organization required by the surety,” the judge ordered.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/politics/trump-calls-ny-attorney-generals-bond-suggestions-impractical-and-unjust/index.html

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The current challenge for the AAP is to identify a capable leader who can effectively manage both the party’s internal affairs and the governance of Delhi in the absence of Arvind Kejriwal.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 took a major step by arresting Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the alleged liquor scam case, which has caused upheaval within his decade-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and raised doubts about his continuation in office. The ED’s action came shortly after the Delhi High Court rejected Kejriwal’s plea for protection against coercive measures by the agency. This move followed the ED’s issuance of nine summons to Kejriwal, asking his cooperation in their investigation into the excise policy issue.

At present, the real challenge for the AAP lies in identifying a competent leader who can successfully navigate both the party’s affairs and the governance of Delhi in the absence of Kejriwal. The AAP leadership faces a daunting task in identifying a leader whose stature even remotely matches that of Kejriwal, who has served as the party’s convener since its inception in 2011 and held the post of Delhi Chief Minister for three consecutive terms spanning nearly a decade.

More significantly, the urgency of this task is further heightened as the AAP prepares to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Assam, and Haryana, where Kejriwal was expected to play a key role as the party’s key campaigner.

9 Key Facts About Atishi: AAP’s Prominent Leader

(1) Amid the evolving political dynamics, the spotlight has turned towards Sunita Kejriwal, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife and a former IRS officer, as well as AAP government minister Atishi for the role of Delhi Chief Minister. Atishi, 43, entrusted with a diverse array of portfolios within the Delhi government such as education, finance, PWD, revenue, and services, is widely seen as closely aligned with Kejriwal.

Following a reshuffle in June last year, Atishi was assigned a remarkable 12 departments, the most for any minister within the AAP. This significant allocation positioned her as the second-in-command in Kejriwal’s cabinet, highlighting her growing influence and responsibilities within the party and the government.

(2) Additionally, Atishi plays a crucial role as a frontline spokesperson for the party, vigorously defending the AAP government and Kejriwal while launching scathing attacks on the BJP. Her regular appearances in press conferences and on news channels underscore her proactive stance in advocating for the party’s agenda and countering opposition narratives.

(3) Born in 1981 to Delhi University (DU) professors Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, Atishi pursued her education in Delhi. She completed her schooling and undergraduate studies in History at DU’s St Stephen’s College in 2001, following which she attended Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Before entering politics, she taught History and English at the Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh.

(4) Reports suggest that her father named her Atishi Marlena, combining letters from ‘Marx’ and ‘Lenin’. During the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign, Atishi dropped the word “Marlena” from her name due to concerns that it might suggest she was of Christian faith. However, Atishi, who comes from a Punjabi Rajput family, now writes her name as Atishi on social media platforms.

(5) Prior entering into politics, Atishi and her husband Praveen Singh, who holds degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, founded a commune in 2007. Their aim was to champion the ideals of “gram swaraj” (village self-governance) and “humanistic education.” Based primarily in Madhya Pradesh, they dedicated their efforts to fostering communal living and promoting comprehensive educational values, according to report in the Times of India.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/elections/lok-sabha-election/atishi-leads-the-race-to-be-arvind-kejriwal-successor-in-aap-what-we-know-about-the-delhi-fm-article-12506271.html

The New York attorney general’s office has filed judgments in Westchester County, the first indication that the state is preparing to try to seize Donald Trump’s golf course and private estate north of Manhattan, known as Seven Springs.

State lawyers entered the judgments with the clerk’s office in Westchester County on March 6, just one week after Judge Arthur Engoron made official his $464 million decision against Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization.

The decision against Trump and the difficulty the former president is having securing a bond while he appeals the verdict strikes directly at Trump’s image as a billionaire as he attempts to raise more cash for both his legal bills and third run for the White House.

Entering a judgment would be the first step a creditor would take to attempt to recover property. Additional steps, such as putting liens on assets or moving to foreclose on properties, or taking other actions in court would follow, if the asset is going to be seized.

The judgment is already entered in New York city where Trump’s properties including Trump Tower, his penthouse at Trump Tower, 40 Wall Street, his hotel abutting Central Park, and numerous apartment buildings are located.

Judgments have not been entered in Florida counties including Miami or Palm Beach where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property and the Trump National Doral Golf Club and resort are located or Cook County, Illinois, where Trump’s hotel in Chicago is located, according to a review of records Thursday by CNN.

Trump now has four days to satisfy the judgment or sway an appeals court to allow him to post a smaller amount or defer posting the payment until after the appeal.

In a new Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said that putting up the money is “VERY EXPENSIVE” and said it was “not possible for bonding companies to do in such a high amount.”

The attorney general’s office will be allowed to file a written response to Trump’s claims, a New York appeals court said Friday.

The process to seize assets would not be quick or easy. Trump has structured his business by setting up limited liability companies for nearly every property or asset – over 300 in total – which ultimately are controlled by his trust.

“They are complexly organized and he is not on paper the owner and therefore a judgment against him would not be executable directly against certain properties. Sorting this out is not going to be simple and it’s not going to be quick,” said Nikos Passas, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University.

“In the meantime, she could also obtain bank levies and go after the bank assets. She could put liens on properties. There are all kinds of things that she’s able to do in an effort to collect,” Passas said.

“All this is completely undermining the brand, which he uses for the most part for making any kind of money around the world not just the United States,” Passas said. “In the end I think this could very much mean the end of Trump business in New York and not only – it could spell trouble in other jurisdictions too.”

Trump attorneys push back on AG’s bond ideas

Separately, Trump’s lawyers pushed back Thursday on several of the suggestions the New York attorney general’s office made about how he can pay bond.

That includes the idea that Trump could get several underwriters to secure bonds totaling the judgment – saying it would still require Trump to post half a billion dollars in cash or stock – money he doesn’t have.

Trump’s legal team argued in the filing that the New York attorney general’s office shouldn’t be able to challenge their claims.

If no arrangement is met, New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she will take steps to seize assets.

Source : https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/politics/trump-calls-ny-attorney-generals-bond-suggestions-impractical-and-unjust/index.html

Arvind Kejriwal is the first sitting chief minister to be arrested , in office. His arrest came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the federal agency. The AAP has called for a nationwide protest against the BJP following the arrest.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on Thursday evening after two hours of questioning by the ED in the Delhi liquor scam case (File photo)Delhi Excise Policy scam case

The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the federal agency.

The AAP has called for a nationwide protest against the BJP following the arrest. AAP’s Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai said Kejriwal’s arrest is the “murder of democracy” and an “announcement of dictatorship”.

The ED arrested Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case on Thursday evening and took him to the agency’s headquarters here, officials said.

“I appeal to the countrymen to protest outside BJP offices across the country against this dictatorship. We will gather at the AAP office at 10 am on Friday and then protest outside the BJP headquarters,” Rai, a minister in the Delhi government, said.

“If Kejriwal can be arrested, anyone can be arrested and their voice can be suppressed. From today, the fight has begun. Arvind Kejriwal is not a person, but an ideology,” he added.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/arvind-kejriwal-arrest-the-16-suspects-arrested-by-ed-in-delhi-excise-policy-scam-case-article-108691398

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is of the opinion that the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down electoral bonds will bring back the reign of black money in politics.

Speaking at CNN-News18’s Rising Bharat Summit, Shah said: “The Supreme Court’s decision is binding on all citizens and I respect their verdict on electoral bonds. But my personal opinion is that bonds had almost ended black money in politics. This is why the entire INDIA bloc led by Rahul Gandhi was against the bonds and they wanted the old system of cut money to rule over politics once again.”

Explaining the rationale behind the charge, he said: “Earlier, donations would come in cash. So suppose a person gave Rs 1,500, then Rs 100 would go to the party fund and the rest would go in the party leader’s pocket. Once bonds came, this entire amount would be transferred to the party fund via cheque. This is not what the INDIA bloc was used to. They didn’t care if money was spent on party’s works or elections but their generations should live well.”

The home minister also said BJP believed in a system of transparency. “In 2014, BJP got 81 per cent donations in cash wherein the donor was not known. In 2018, this number dipped to 17 per cent. In 2023, it was only 3 per cent. So far as confidentiality is concerned, we have a federal structure and wanted to avoid a situation where a state government becomes vindictive towards someone who doesn’t give funds to them. So, the confidentiality clause was introduced. We believe in being transparent.”

Rubbishing the charge that the party had amassed huge funds via bonds, Shah said: “We have been accused that we got a lot of money via bonds but so did the INDIA bloc. We have 303 seats, 17 governments, party units in every state. In 2019, we got a sizeable proportion of funds in bonds when the Model Code of Conduct was in place and no new schemes or policies could be announced. We got more than ninety per cent of funds in bonds after the MCC was imposed. So the argument that it was affecting government’s policies is false.”

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, who had termed the bonds as ‘hafta vasooli’, Shah said: “Gandhi also got Rs 1,600 crore. He should explain where he got that ‘hafta vasooli’ from. We say it is transparent donation but if he says it is vasooli, he should give details.”

Source: https://www.news18.com/elections/ask-rahul-gandhi-to-explain-rs-1600-cr-hafta-vasooli-amit-shah-tears-into-india-bloc-over-electoral-bonds-8822311.html

While the government is presenting its report card of the last 10 years and planning for the first 100 days of its next term, the Opposition is busy hurling its 104th abuse at me, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit on Wednesday.

“Elections are around the corner. Dates have been announced. There is an atmosphere of debates. The government is giving its report card of the work done in the last 10 years, is making a roadmap for the next 25 years and the plan for first 100 days of the third term,” PM Modi said.

“On the other hand, our Opposition just hurled its 104th abuse at me. They called me Aurangzeb. They have planned to eliminate me,” he added.

“These abuses will not make any difference,” he said, asserting that he gets blessings of the poor who have been receiving all the benefits meant for them, unlike in the past when a huge chunk of welfare money used to be siphoned off.

Speaking about the image of India on the global stage before he came to power in 2014, PM Modi said the citizens of the country were also losing confidence.

“When a nation is losing its credibility in the world, the citizens also lose their confidence. Before 2014, corruption was the topic of discussion in households. The government of the time used to defend its scams. But our government is taking strict action against the corrupt. Today powerful and corrupt leaders are asking why the agencies are targeting them. This is the change that has come about in the last 10 years,” the PM said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/politics/we-planned-100-days-of-next-term-oppn-planned-its-104th-gaali-for-me-pm-modi-at-rising-bharat-summit-8822964.html#google_vignette

The Congress’ Central Election Committee on Tuesday cleared tickets to 16 Lok Sabha segments in Karnataka, which include children of five state Cabinet ministers.

The Congress’ Central Election Committee on Tuesday cleared tickets to 16 Lok Sabha segments in Karnataka, which include children of five state Cabinet ministers.

Congress leaders are meeting again on Wednesday to decide on the remaining five seats.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy’s daughter Sowmya Reddy (Bangalore South), Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi (Chikkodi), Women & Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar’s son Mrinal (Belgaum), Agricultural Marketing Minister Shivanand Patil’s daughter Samyukta (Bagalkot) and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s son Sagar Khandre (Bidar) will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The committee, headed by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, is yet to finalise the candidates for Kolar, Chitradurga, Chikkaballapur, Chamarajanagar and Bellary constituencies since many contenders are lobbying for tickets.

In Gulbarga, which is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president’s turf, Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani will be the candidate.

For Davangere, the Congress has decided to field senior MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s daughter-in-law Prabha Mallikarjun. Her husband SS Mallikarjun is the mines & geology minister.

Former IIM Bangalore professor M V Rajeev Gowda, who was earlier a Rajya Sabha member, got the Bangalore North ticket.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/children-of-five-ministers-in-cong-s-new-list-of-16-2943927

Raj Thackeray’s visit to Delhi fuels speculations of MNS joining BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance. BJP aims to leverage MNS influence in Maharashtra. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale opposes MNS inclusion in NDA alliance.

Speculations around Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joining the ruling BJP-led NDA alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 have gained ground after Thackeray arrived in Delhi late Monday night.

Over the past few days there have been speculations about Thackeray joining the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. On Monday night Thackeray reached Delhi along with his son Amit Thackeray. The MNS chief met Union Home Minister Amit Shah today at his Delhi residence.

Earlier speaking to news agency ANI, Thackeray had said, “I don’t know what my schedule is yet. I was just told to come to Delhi. Let’s see.”

Speaking on MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s Delhi visit, NCP-SCP leader and MP Supriya Sule said, “He has gone to Delhi. Now it remains to be seen who he will meet there. I feel that this is the time to fight against corruption, unemployment and inflation…For which the states must work within the framework of the Constitution…” When asked if MNS will be included in the MVA, she told reporters, “Everyone will be welcomed and respected in the Aghadi…”

Pertinently, the BJP convened a core committee meeting in eight states including Maharashtra to deliberate on potential candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/politics/lok-sabha-elections-speculations-of-raj-thackeray-joining-nda-rise-as-mns-leader-arrives-in-delhi-all-you-need-to-know-11710823384925.html

Nitin Gadkari said, “This scheme was made with the idea that parties would get money through bonds and it will help push the economy if you want to make it number one”

New Delhi: Union minister Nitin Gadkari said that the scrapping of Electoral Bonds scheme would open the gates for black money and all parties should think about developing a better system. In an exclusive interview with NDTV Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia, Mr Gadkari supported the Electoral Bond Scheme that was developed when the late Arun Jaitley was the country’s finance minister.
“It is a fact that money is needed to contest elections. Every party needs that,” he told NDTV.

“This scheme was made with the idea that parties would get money through bonds and it will help push the economy if you want to make it number one,” Mr Gadkari said, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitions on the economic front. “What was wrong with that,” he questioned.

Declaring that he would not comment on a decision of the Supreme Court, Mr Gadkari, however, pointed out another drawback of a ban. If electoral bonds are banned, money would still come in, only in the form of black money, he said.

“It you do not allow (electoral) bonds, people will take money as number two. This will happen anyway,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had scrapped the Electoral Bond Scheme, objecting to the unlimited and undisclosed funding through corporate donations that come with strings attached.

“Political contributors get access… this access leads to policy making… because of the nexus between money and voting. Financial supports to political parties can lead to quid pro quo arrangement,” Chief Justice of India Chandrachud had said.

Mr Gadkari pointed out that electoral bonds “will be purchased by people who are wealthy”.

“Those wealthy would be contractors. Or have made it big in trade or industry. So it is not right to link it to that (quid pro quo),” he said.

When it was pointed out that electoral bonds can bring black money into the system, Mr Gadkari said, “How can money that create growth, and generate employment and revenue be called black money? The problem is money that is taken outside the country and dumped elsewhere”.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/if-electoral-bonds-are-not-there-nitin-gadkari-points-out-drawback-5257329#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Marking his first public appearance since the declaration of the Lok Sabha 2024 election dates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had started preparing to win the upcoming elections, too.

PM Modi also praised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for its “stringent and unwavering” action against corruption. He took a dig at opposition parties, saying that they are worried about the probe agency’s remarkable actions.

During the session themed ‘Redefining Bharat’ of the India Today Conclave 2024, PM Modi discussed various key issues such as startups, the digital revolution, women’s empowerment, and the global initiative ‘One Earth One Health’.

HERE ARE THE KEY QUOTES FROM PM MODI’S SPEECH:

• Responding to remarks on preparations for 2029 general polls, PM Modi said, “You got stuck on 2029, I am preparing for 2047,” the Prime Minister said amid thunderous cheers from the audience.”
• PM Modi emphasised his dedication to hard work: “Whenever I go to a conclave like this, you expect me to give headlines, but I am a person who works on deadlines, and not headlines.”
• Prime Minister applauded the surge in startups in the country, noting their presence in over 600 districts: “Till 10 years ago, there were hardly 100 startups. Now there are 1.25 lakh startups registered. The startup movement in India is not just about numbers, but the fact that they are located in more than 600 districts, which accounts for 90 per cent of the country’s area.”
• PM Modi highlighted that since 2014, members of his Cabinet have visited the northeastern states a total of 680 times: “I, as the Prime Minister, have visited the northeastern states more than combined tours done by all other Prime Ministers of the country.”
• As part of efforts towards women empowerment, PM Modi shared that he distributed agricultural drones to girls in villages to challenge the social stigma against women driving tractors: “Even today, when daughters drive tractors in villages, it surprises people. I wanted to break this psyche. I wanted to show that daughters can operate drones too.”

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/lok-sabha-poll-dates-out-pm-modi-speech-ed-opposition-infrastructure-projects-8818476.html

The rally at Mumbai Shivaji Park comes a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concluded his 63-day-old Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the city.

The Congress-led Opposition’s INDIA alliance is set to hold a mega rally on Sunday in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is prominent among the INDIA bloc leaders, who will attend the concluding rally of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

The meeting comes a day after the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concluded his 63-day-old Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai by paying tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar at his memorial Chaityabhoomi in central Mumbai and reading the Preamble of the Constitution. The yatra, which commenced from strife-torn Manipur on January 14, entered Mumbai from neighbouring Thane on Saturday.

Besides MK Stalin, top Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav will take part in the mega rally.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, CPI general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren, and former CM Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren will also take part, news agency PTI reported.

The meeting will also mark the launch of the INDIA bloc’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, whose schedule was announced by the Election Commission on Sunday. Voting for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19 and ending June 1. The counting of polls will be held on June 4.

The Congress-led INDIA bloc’s rally in Maharashtra is being held at a time when several party leaders from the state have switched over to the BJP, the most prominent being former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. Chavan joined the BJP in Mumbai on February 13.

Earlier, on Wednesday, senior party leader Padmakar Valvi also joined the BJP, in the presence of the BJP’s state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and party leader Ashok Chavan, in Mumbai.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-oppositions-mega-rally-at-mumbais-shivaji-park-today-sharad-pawar-mk-stalin-to-join-101710635271924.html

Pachouri, Rajukhedi and other leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP president V D Sharma and former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the party’s state headquarters in the morning.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/congress-leader-and-ex-union-minister-suresh-pachouri-ex-mp-rajukhedi-likely-to-join-bjp-ahead-of-lok-sabha-polls-2929176

Eleven MLAs, including six Himachal Pradesh Congress rebels, arrived in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand on Saturday, signaling that the infighting in the party is far from over.

A bus with Haryana’s number plate arrived in Rishikesh’s Taj Hotel on Saturday morning, reported ANI. 11 MLAs, including six rebels and three independent MLAs, disembarked from the heavily guarded bus.

The development comes two days after chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited Delhi after being summoned by the Congress top brass.

According to reports, he went to the national capital to present a report on the political situation and hold discussions on the Lok Sabha elections.

Asked if he would take the six rebels back, Sukhu said on Thursday: “If one realises one’s fault then that person deserves another chance”.

Earlier, Himachal minister Vikramaditya Singh said he had played the role of a mediator between the Congress high command and the rebels, and that the ball was in the court of the national leadership.

Last month, the six rebels and three independents voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections, resulting in an embarrassing loss to Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The six MLAs – Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto – were later disqualified.

The rebels have moved the Supreme Court against the Speaker’s move.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/himachal-crisis-11-mlas-including-six-congress-rebels-reach-bjp-ruled-uttarakhand-101709967380052.html

Sources said Rahul will also fight from Amethi in all probability but a decision will be taken only at a meeting of the CEC in the future.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/congress-first-candidate-list-to-be-out-on-friday-rahul-to-fight-from-wayanad-again-cec-clears-11-names-from-karnataka-2927262

Navjot Singh Sidhu said this during an interview to a media outlet when asked about rumours that he may join the BJP and whether the party had approached him.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had approached him once expressing his readiness to join the party.
Mr Sidhu said this during an interview to a media outlet when asked about rumours that he may join the BJP and whether the party had approached him. He shared a clip of the interview on his X handle.

There was no immediate response from Mann to Mr Sidhu’s claims.

“I can tell you one thing about who had approached (me). Bhagwant Mann sahab had come to me. If he tells, I will even tell him the place (where they met),” Mr Sidhu said.

“He told me paaji, I am ready to be your deputy if I get him to join the Congress. And he also told me that if you come to the Aam Aadmi Party, still he was ready to be my deputy,” the Congress leader said.

Mr Sidhu further claimed that he told Mr Mann that he is committed to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and it’s not possible for him to leave them.

Mr Sidhu said he told Mann that if he wants, he is welcome to join the Congress and that he should talk to the party leadership in Delhi.

After this, there was no further discussion, he added.

Mr Sidhu said his sole aim is to serve the people of Punjab.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bhagwant-mann-approached-me-once-to-join-congress-navjot-sidhu-5196796

The summons was issued on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED ) claiming that the Delhi Chief Minister was not appearing before the agency despite its summons to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

A Delhi court on Thursday issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal in connection with a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claiming that the Delhi Chief Minister was not appearing before the agency despite its summons to Kejriwal in the money laundering case connected to Delhi Excise Policy scam [Directorate of Enforcement (ED) v Arvind Kejriwal].

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Court issued the summons and asked Kejriwal to remain present before the Court on March 16.

ED filed a fresh complaint case against Kejriwal on March 6 arguing that he was summoned a number of times to appear before the probe agency for questioning in relation to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam but he has refused to comply.

The fresh complaint was filed after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor refused to appear before the ED on March 4 for the eighth time. He was first summoned on November 2, 2023.

Kejriwal had termed the ED’s summons as “illegal” and “politically motivated”.

Notably, this is ED’s second complaint case against Kejriwal.

The federal anti-money laundering agency had on February 3, 2024 also filed a case against Kejriwal. He has been issued summons by the Court in that case and is likely to appear personally on March 16.

The ED’s probe into money laundering contentions stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 17, 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22.

The CBI case was registered on a complaint made by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on July 20, 2022.

The ED subsequently registered a case on the money laundering angle against the accused persons on August 22, 2022.

It has been alleged that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia and other unidentified and unnamed private persons/entities during the stage of the policy’s formulation.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/delhi-excise-policy-scam-delhi-court-issues-summons-arvind-kejriwal-ed-alleges-non-appearance

February 29 – Confident, assured, brazen even. March 6 – Tensed, muted, furtive. The body language of Shajahan Sheikh has undergone a 180-degree change a week since his first court appearance in the custody of Bengal Police to his appearance for a medical check-up in CBI custody.

The suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader was handed over to the CBI by West Bengal CID on Wednesday in connection with the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali in January. The CID took him to a state-run hospital for a medical check-up before handing him over to the CBI. The CBI officials later in the night took Sheikh to another medical check-up in their custody.

Sheikh was arrested in a case related to a mob attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali on January 5 when the central agency had gone to search his premises in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam.

The TMC strongman, who has also been accused of sexual assault and land grab in Sandeshkhali, was arrested on February 29 after being on the run for 55 days. After his arrest, Sheikh was escorted by law enforcement officers to be produced in a Basirhat court.

Sheikh had walked confidently into the court with shoulders hunched up high amid huge security presence as mediapersons jostled to question the man said to be the ‘don of Sandeshkhali’. He donned a white kurta-pyjama and a waist coast, a classic politician’s attire. This reporter managed to put forth one question to him: “Was it you who tortured the people of Sandeshkhali?” Sheikh turned to the reporter and wagged his index finger to signal ‘no’. No words, just a gesture seemed enough for Sheikh to claim innocence.

The opposition had also drawn attention to Sheikh’s body language, alleging he was not bothered about his arrest since he knew he has the backing of TMC leadership. Questions were also raised on why police officials did not hold Sheikh by the hand as is the norm while producing an accused in court.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/at-ease-with-bengal-police-on-guard-with-cbi-the-180-degree-change-in-shajahan-sheikhs-body-language-8806349.html

A potential pact between the two parties marks a significant shift in the political dynamics of the state, especially considering the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has hinted at a potential alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On Wednesday, leaders of the BJD convened for an extensive session at Naveen Niwas, the official residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Simultaneously, counterparts from the BJP, including its state unit chief Manmohan Samal, gathered in the national capital for a parallel meeting, engaging in discussions related to electoral affairs, with a particular focus on the possibility of forging an alliance.

A potential pact between the two parties marks a significant shift in the political dynamics of the state, especially considering the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago, which had prompted former BJP leader and minister Sushma Swaraj to say that Naveen Patnaik would “regret” snapping ties after an 11-year understanding.

While no formal announcement has been made, BJD vice president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra confirmed the discussions but stopped short of confirming the formation of an alliance. “Biju Janata Dal will prioritise the greater interests of the people of Odisha. Yes, there were discussions on the issue (alliance),” Mr Mishra told reporters after the meeting at Naveen Niwas.

A press release issued by the BJD stated, “An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.”

“It was resolved that since by 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its statehood, and BJD and Chief Minister Patnaik have major milestones to be achieved by this time, therefore Biju Janata Dal will do everything towards this in the greater interests of people of Odisha,” the statement added.

On the BJP side, senior leader and MP Jual Oram, after the meeting presided over by BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi, confirmed discussions on a pre-poll alliance with the BJD. However, he added that the final decision rests with the party’s central leadership. “Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party’s central leadership will make the final call,” Mr Oram stated.

The Numbers 

The strategic importance of Odisha, with its 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats, is not lost on either party. In the 2019 elections, BJD and BJP secured 12 and eight parliamentary constituencies and 112 and 23 assembly constituencies, respectively. According to sources, in the event of an alliance, the BJP would contest the majority of Lok Sabha seats, while the BJD would focus on assembly seats.

The growing speculation about the alliance gained credence from the recent public praises exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Patnaik. Both leaders acknowledged each other’s contributions, with the BJD demonstrating support for the Modi government’s agenda in Parliament.

For the Assembly elections, the BJD is pushing for a larger share of seats, proposing to contest 105 out of the 147 available seats, leaving the BJP with 42 seats. Simultaneously, in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is expected to secure a significant portion of the seats. Of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, the BJP is likely to contest 13-14.

Abhijit Gangopadhyay joined the BJP on Thursday, days after resigning as a judge in the Calcutta High Court.

Days after resigning as a judge in the Calcutta High Court, Abhijit Gangopadhyay joined the BJP on Thursday. State leaders Subhendu Adhikari, Sukanta Mazumder and Mangal Pandey from central leadership were present.

Earlier, on Tuesday, after tendering his resignation, Abhijit Gangopadhyay had announced that he would be joining the BJP.

Abhijit Gangopadhyay was given a grand welcome at the BJP office in Salt Lake, Bengal, as state party president Sukanta Majumdar handed him the party flag.

“Today, I have joined a new field. I am happy to join the BJP and will work as a party soldier. Our objective is to oust the corrupt TMC regime from the state,” he said after joining the party officially.

Abhijit Gangopadhyay also came down heavily on the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government and said his prime focus would be to uproot the ‘ferocious’ government from the state.

“The time has come to uproot a corrupt government from West Bengal. They have caused serious harm to the state,” the former judge slammed the Trinamool Congress.

“I feel extremely depressed when I see Bengal is going down day by day, which is not acceptable to me as a Bengali. We have to start a huge agitation to remove the ferocious political party which believes in terrorism and terrorizing people and does not have respect for women for the state,” he added.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/justice-abhijit-gangopadhyay-joins-bjp-days-after-resigning-as-calcutta-high-court-judge-2511735-2024-03-07

Further taking a swipe at the grand old party, Mann said the Congress, which ruled the country for 60 years, ‘neither had any MLA nor MP during 2015 to 2020’.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/punjab/in-punjab-assembly-bhagwant-mann-takes-swipe-at-ally-congress-says-party-is-like-old-model-of-fiat-car-2921607 

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reiterated that his government will complete its five-year tenure.

Six “black snakes” from the party sold their honour and tried to destabilise the Congress government by abstaining from voting on a budget which had welfare schemes for the poor, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday.
“How can people who sell their honour for money serve the people of their constituency,” he said, while addressing a public meeting in Dharampur in the Kasauli Assembly constituency of Solan district.

In political life, people who betray their party which gave them a chance to contest elections are called “black snakes,” he said.

If somebody realises his mistake, he can be forgiven, but first these MLAs should come out of the “jail” they have been in for the past 72 hours, Mr Sukhu said.

“Those who betrayed the party and played with the sentiments of the people of the state won’t be spared even by the Almighty,” he asserted.

The chief minister’s remarks were meant for the six Congress MLAs from Himachal Pradesh who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha Poll on Tuesday, throwing their lot with BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan.

Mr Sukhu accused the BJP of being ill-at-ease with his government’s performance in curbing corruption and starting welfare schemes.

“I am here for the people of the state, for the development of my state, I am here for you all and not afraid of the conspiracies being hatched against me,” he said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/congress-congress-crisis-sold-their-souls-himachal-chief-minister-on-cross-voting-by-mlas-5157856

In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh said it was “too early to say that the crisis is over”.

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh told India Today TV that even if the party has managed to save its government in the state, it was “too early to say that the crisis is over”.

In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Pratibha Singh said, “I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or in the coming future… There were certain issues which could not be decided within a few hours or within a day. It will take time. And then only I can, if we are in a comfortable position, say that the government will last (five years).”

While there were reports that Vikramaditya Singh would join the BJP and stake claim to the post of chief minister, he later backtracked, saying he wouldn’t press his resignation until a dialogue with party leaders was not completed.

The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government faced a mini-crisis after six of its MLAs, along with three Independents, cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress managed to defeat the rebellion after the six MLAs were suspended from Assembly by the Speaker and the government passed its budget.

‘NO FACTIONALISM’
Pratibha Singh said her son offered his resignation not because he wanted the chief minister’s post but to raise public’s issues.

“Did he talk about the chief ministership? Definitely not. His issues were entirely different. He talked about the youth, he talked about the development, he talked about the installation of Virbhadra Singh’s statue on the ridge. That was the issue of concern. That is not only our concern, it is the entire Himachal Pradesh who is looking towards the government for doing these little things,” Pratibha Singh said.

“We had promised the youth that we will give you some jobs, some placement in the government, which we have not been able to do. And now Lok Sabha elections are around the corner, we have to go to the people. So we are also answerable. That was the concern,” she added.

Pratibha Singh also denied that she leads a rival faction within the state Congress, affirming “we all are the same group”.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/himachal-pradesh-congress-crisis-pratibha-singh-vikramaditya-singh-sukhvinder-singh-sukhu-2508846-2024-02-29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening chaired the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in the national capital to take a call on the first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting, which began around 10:30 pm on Thursday, lasted for more than four hours and was held at the party’s headquarters. Top leaders, including party’s National President JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh, Chief Ministers, State Presidents, In-charges, Co-Incharges, and Election In-charges of various states were present in the meeting.

The leaders held discussions on the seats of Lok Sabha across about 17 states and set seals on more than 155 seats, the list of which will be released in a day or two.

According to an India Today report, the BJP is likely to announce its candidates on “weak seats” in Uttar Pradesh before the Election Commission releases dates for the Lok Sabha elections that are expected to be held in April-May.

Source: https://www.news18.com/elections/pm-modi-amit-shah-attend-bjp-poll-body-meet-first-list-of-lok-sabha-candidates-to-be-out-soon-8798506.html

Police in Bengaluru are examining a viral video following claims that Congress supporters shouted “Pakistan zindabad” inside the Karnataka assembly to celebrate the win of a party candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The ruling Congress party, however, rejected the charge. Its officials maintained that supporters were cheering for Syed Naseer Hussain, one of the three victorious Congress candidates in the southern state on Tuesday, and were shouting “Naseer saab zindabad”. A senior police source, too, said the slogan prima facie sounded like “Naseer saab zindabad”.

“We have obtained the video and analysing it,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda told News18.

The alleged incident took place soon after a media conference addressed by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly R Ashoka, in a post on X, said “Shameless @INCKarnataka workers shouted Pakistan Zindabad slogans in the Karnataka Assembly to celebrate Congress candidate Naseer Hussain’s victory in the Rajya Sabha election.”

“This is a direct fallout of CM @siddaramaiah and DCM @DKShivakumar’s dangerous game of appeasement politics which has emboldened anti-national elements and tukde tukde gang,” Ashoka added.

BJP leader Amit Malviya also slammed the alleged sloganeering and took to X saying “Pakistan Zindabad slogans raised after Congress’s Naseer Hussein, political secretary of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, won Rajya Sabha election from Karnataka. Congress’s obsession with Pakistan is dangerous. It is taking India towards balkanisation. We can’t afford it.”

RAJYA SABHA ELECTION RESULTS IN KARNATAKA
The ruling Congress in the state won three seats in the Rajya Sabha elections, which were marred by cross-voting in a setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ajay Maken, GC Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain from the Congress and Narayansa K Bhandage of the saffron party got elected to the Upper House on Tuesday.

A total of five candidates, including JD(S)’s D Kupendra Reddy, were in the run for the four seats.

Maken, Hussain and Bhandage got 4,700 votes each and Chandrashekhar got 4,500 votes. With 3,600 votes on the other hand, Reddy could not make the cut.

Hussain, after his win, told reporters “This was an expected victory. We had enough votes to win all three seats. We got more votes for these three seats. This is an important victory ahead of Lok Sabha. It is a privilege for me to be in the Upper House and represent Congress party and Karnataka for the second consecutive time…”

Notably, BJP’s MLA ST Somashekhar voted for Maken, while another party legislator A Shivaram Hebbar abstained.

The saffron party said that it will explore legal avenues for taking action against them and lodging complaint with the Speaker UT Khader seeking their disqualification from the assembly.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/bengaluru-police-viral-video-congress-naseer-hussain-pakistan-zindabad-slogan-allegations-rajya-sabha-elections-8795590.html

A day after clinching a victory in the Rajya Sabha polls, BJP MLAs met the Himachal Pradesh Governor seeking a floor test for the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in the state assembly.

The BJP has sought a floor test in Himachal Pradesh after the ruling Congress lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat in the hill state and contends with a possible rebellion from its legislators following the biennial elections to the Upper House.

As intense political manoeuvring got underway in Himachal Pradesh, senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Jairam Thakur, along with party MLAs, met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.

Sources said that the BJP demanded a floor test in the Himachal assembly, claiming that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu had lost the mandate to rule.

The crucial Rajya Sabha elections began at 9 am on Tuesday with 41 out of 56 candidates already declared victorious due to the absence of opposition. 15 seats in UP, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh will witness a fierce contest.

The Rajya Sabha biennial elections, which commenced on Tuesday, have already seen 41 candidates secure their seats unopposed in the Upper House due to lack of opposition, leaving seats up for grabs in three states, including Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

Polling is being held for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, four in Karnataka and one seat in Himachal Pradesh from 9 am to 4 pm and counting will be held later in the day from 5 pm onwards. Notably, the shadow of cross-voting looms large with parties keeping a keen watch on its MLAs.

Out of the 56 Rajya Sabha seats going for polls on Tuesday, 41 members virtually secured their seats in the Upper House although the results will be formally announced on February 27.

• In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has fielded eight candidates and the opposition Samajwadi Party three for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats. Both BJP and the SP have numbers to send seven and three members respectively, unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.

However, with BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a competitive faceoff is much-likely in one of the seats.

To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, a candidate needs nearly 37 first preference votes.

• In Karnataka, the ruling Congress has shifted all its MLAs to a hotel ahead of the biennial election to fill four vacancies. Five candidates — Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain and G C Chandrasekhar (all Congress), Narayansa Bandage (BJP) and Kupendra Reddy (JD(S)) — are in the fray. All parties have issued whips to the MLAs, who are the voters in Tuesday’s poll, amid apprehensions of cross-voting.
• Likewise, in Himachal Pradesh, Congress has issued a whip to all its MLAs to vote for party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi — a move which BJP alleged was to pressurise the MLAs. BJP claimed that legislators have been elected democratically and have the right to vote as per their wish.

The Congress has a clear majority in Himachal Pradesh Rajya Sabha polls with 40 out of 68 MLAs and the support of three independent MLAs.

• BJP President JP Nadda, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradesh, Union IT Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi were the among the 41 candidates who won seats unopposed in the latest round.
• However, a tough competition is expected on the remaining 15 seats, which include 10 for Uttar Pradesh, four for Karnataka and one for Himachal Pradesh. Notably, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka is likely to witness closely contested electoral battles.
• JP Nadda was nominated as the party’s candidate from the seat that fell vacant in Gujarat and was elected unopposed. Similarly, Vaishnaw was elected for a second time to the Upper House with support from the ruling Biju Janata Dal from Odisha.

Even MoS Information and Broadcasting L Murugan was elected unopposed from Madhya Pradesh.

• In Rajasthan, Sonia Gandhi was elected unopposed and so were BJP’s Chunnilal Garasiya and Madan Rathore.

Gujarat diamond merchant Govindbhai Dholakia, Jasvantsinh Parmar and OBC Morcha chief Mayank Nayak were also elected unopposed.

In Bihar, JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

• In West Bengal, four Trinamool Congress — Mamata Thakur, Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Devi and Mohammed Nadimul Haque were elected unopposed. From BJP, Shamik Bhattacharya was the first MP to reach the Upper House.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rajya-sabha-election-56-seats-in-15-states-go-to-polls-with-cross-voting-likely-in-up-karnataka-himachal-2507474-2024-02-27

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra days after Congress and the Samajwadi Party finalised their seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra on Sunday. This comes days after Congress and the Samajwadi Party came to an agreement on the seat-sharing talks for Uttar Pradesh.

For days, Akhilesh Yadav had refused to join the yatra declaring that he would only participate once the seat-sharing with Congress is finalised.

On Sunday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi welcomed the Samajwadi Party chief to the yatra and said, “Today is a very happy day”.

All three addressed the crowd gathered in Agra as Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav joined hands to present a united front.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joins Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, in Agra. pic.twitter.com/iBg04M6nYP — ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2024

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/akhilesh-yadav-rahul-gandhi-bharat-jodo-nyay-yatra-congress-samajwadi-party-seat-sharing-2506892-2024-02-25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began his monthly address to the nation by talking about the famous ‘drone didi’ and his government’s efforts to empower women.

While addressing the 110th edition of his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the prime minister asked the people of the country to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of women in different spheres of life.

“After a few days on March 8, we will celebrate Women’s Day. This special day is an opportunity to salute the contributions of women’s power in the developmental journey of the country. The great poet Bharathiyar Ji has said that the world will prosper only when women get equal opportunities,” PM Modi said.

Highlighting Sita Devi’s revolutionary use of drones in farming and technological advancements and agricultural practices, PM Modi said, “Who would have thought till a few years ago that in our country, women living in villages would also fly drones? But today this has become possible. Today, everyone is talking about Drone Didi in every village, ‘Namo Drone Didi, Namo Drone Didi’ is on everyone’s lips.”

PM Modi also talked about his government’s focus on the conservation of wildlife adding that the number of tigers increased under the Modi government.

“Due to the efforts of the government in the last few years, the number of tigers in the country has increased. The number of tigers in the Tiger Reserve of Chandrapur, Maharashtra has crossed the figure of 250,” he said.

“A Bengaluru-based company has developed apps named ‘Bagheera’ and ‘Garuda’. With the ‘Bagheera’ app, the speed of vehicles and other activities during jungle safaris can be monitored,” PM Modi said.

Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated ‘Sudarshan Setu’, the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge of 2.32 km, on the Arabian Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.

Source : https://www.news18.com/politics/mann-ki-baat-110-edition-pm-narendra-modi-2024-lok-sabha-bjp-elections-women-empowerment-politics-news-8792277.html

Congress is seeking a ‘respectable’ number of seats in an alliance and may settle for around five seats, sources said. Earlier, the state leaders had demanded at least nine seats but during a meeting with them, Rahul had asked them to be realistic and seek not more than half-a-dozen seats.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/lok-sabha-seat-sharing-talks-congress-mulls-meghalaya-sacrifice-to-strike-deal-with-tmc-in-bengal-2908249

Also called ‘tutari’ in Marathi, the trumpet is sounded to mark the entry of important persons, ranging from kings earlier to political leaders now.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/man-blowing-turha-sharad-pawar-faction-of-ncp-gets-new-party-symbol-2906459

A seat-sharing consensus has been reached between Congress and Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress will contest 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, while Akhilesh Yadav’s party and other INDIA alliance partners will field their candidates on the remaining 63 seats.

• Seat-sharing consensus has been reached between Congress and SP in Uttar Pradesh.
• Congress will contest 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.
• Samajwadi Party and other INDIA bloc members will fight on remaining 63 seats.

The Congress will contest 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and the remaining 63 seats will be for Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) and other alliance partners of the INDIA bloc.

“I am delighted to tell you that it has been decided that in Uttar Pradesh the INC will contest on 17 seats and the remaining 63 seats will have candidates from the INDIA Alliance – from SP and other parties,” Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande said while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.

The announcement comes as the first major seat-sharing deal between Opposition-led INDIA bloc, which was formed in June, last year, to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

SEATS GIVEN TO CONGRESS IN UP

As per the agreement, Congress will field candidates on its strongholds — Raebareli and Amethi.

Additionally, the party will also contest Lok Sabha seats of Kanpur Nagar, Fatehpur Sikri, Basgaon, Saharanpur, Prayagraj, Maharajganj, Amroha, Jhansi, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Sitapur, Barabanki, and Deoria.

Notably, Congress will also field its candidate on Varanasi seat, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PRIYANKA GANDHI ‘THE ARCHITECT’

The seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh was finalised following Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s meeting with Akhilesh Yadav to break the weeks-long deadlock between the two parties.

Following his meeting with Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav confirmed that an alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Congress will happen in Uttar Pradesh.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/congress-akhilesh-yadav-samajwadi-party-others-seat-sharing-uttar-pradesh-2505248-2024-02-21

Farooq Abdullah denied Azad’s claims adding that if he wanted to meet PM Modi or Amit Shah, he would seek meetings in the daytime

Hours after veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad claimed that former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah only sought late-night meetings with PM Modi Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to avoid opposition scrutiny, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief took a U-turn from his remarks.

Clarifying his statement on National Conference leaders, Azad said that he never said they met PM Modi and Shah but that his sources informed him that he tries to meet central leadership only at night.

“I never claimed that he (Farooq Abdullah) met him (PM Modi). I said that through sources in Delhi, it has come to be known that he tries to meet central leadership that too only at night. I never said that he met or got an appointment,” said Azad in his previous remarks.

Azad, in an exclusive interview with India Today claimed Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah only sought late-night meetings with PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah as they wanted to escape scrutiny to please both the opposition and ‘ruling party.

“Abdullahs were duplicitous, saying one thing in Srinagar, another in Jammu, and something else in Delhi,” Azad told the publication.

Azad also made a revelation about an alleged meeting between the Abdullahs and PM Modi on August 3, 2019, just before the scrapping of Article 370. He claimed that rumours swirled in Delhi that the Abdullahs were taken into confidence regarding the decision.

Source : https://www.news18.com/politics/ghulam-nabis-u-turn-after-farooq-abdullah-reacts-over-late-night-meeting-with-pm-remark-says-i-never-claimed-8785068.html

Kamal Nath is in Delhi amid buzz that he is joining the BJP, upset over his removal from the state party chief post after the Congress’s crushing defeat in the recently held assembly election.

New Delhi: The Congress has claimed that its veteran leader from Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath, is not joining the BJP. This is what Mr Nath has told them when asked about the matter, party general secretary Jitendra Singh told NDTV this evening. Mr Nath is in Delhi amid a buzz that he is joining the BJP, upset over his removal from the state party chief post after the Congress’s crushing defeat in the recently held assembly election.
His successor Jitu Patwari seconded Mr Jitendra Singh, blaming the buzz on “misuse of media”.

“This was a conspiracy against Kamal Nath. I spoke to him and he said that all these things are just rumours, and he is a Congress person and will continue to be a Congress person… he will continue to have Congress ideology till his last breath. This is his own thoughts, he said this,” he said.

The Congress claim, though, sits awry with what Mr Nath’s loyalists have to say. Mr Nath has enough reasons to join the BJP and “the people” want him to do so, they argue.

One of them, former Congress MLA Deepak Saxena, told news agency ANI that only Mr Nath is being blamed for the party’s rout. He was also said to be the one to shoot down the Central leadership’s seat share understanding with the Samajwadi Party for the state elections, thereby creating a rift within the nascent INDIA bloc.

“The Public want Kamal Nath should go to the BJP so that development works will be done in the Chhindwara,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“The way he (Kamal Nath) has been removed from his post… there is a group of 11 senior Congress members, we all discussed and decided that if we are neglected like this then it would be better to go to BJP and get the work done. I will also go,” he had added.

Former President Donald Trump launched a line of sneakers ranging in price from $199 to $399.

By Alexandra Marquez and Jason Abbruzzese

If anyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop in the upcoming presidential race, former President Donald Trump just did, launching his own line of tennis shoes on Saturday.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” Trump said when he announced the launch of a sneaker line at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia.

“I have some incredible people that work with me on things and they came up with this … and I think it’s gonna be a big success,” he added.

In his brief remarks at the sneaker launch, Trump indicated the line could be an effort to reach out to younger supporters, saying, “We’re going to turn this country around fast. We’re going to turn it around. And we’re going to remember the young people, and we’re going to remember Sneaker Con.”

He was met with a mostly enthusiastic crowd, though some occasional boos permeated through the cheers.

The line, called Trump Sneakers, is available for preorder online.

It features three different pairs of tennis shoes: a pair of high-tops, a pair of red laceless athletic shoes and a pair of white laceless athletic shoes.

The high-tops, which are gold and emblazoned with a “T” on the outside of each shoe, are called the “Never Surrender High Top Sneaker” and are priced at $399 online. The athletic shoes, which feature a “T” and the number 45 on the sides are priced at $199.

The purchase of a pair of sneakers comes with extra laces and a Trump “superhero charm.”

The website selling the sneakers also features a “Victory47” perfume and cologne for sale at $99 each.

The sneakers, perfume and cologne sales have nothing to do with Trump’s presidential campaign or the Trump Organization. The former president’s name, image and likeness have been licensed to CIC Ventures LLC to sell the sneakers.

President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign mocked the sneaker launch, with communications director Michael Tyler saying, “Donald Trump showing up to hawk bootleg Off-Whites is the closest he’ll get to any Air Force Ones ever again for the rest of his life.”

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after Trump incurred a more than $350 million penalty for engaging in repeated financial fraud through his family corporation. Trump has said he intends to appeal the order.

This isn’t Trump’s first time licensing his name, image and likeness to sell products. In 2022 and 2023, he struck a licensing agreement to sell NFT trading cards. Those cards were produced and sold by NFT INT LLC, which had a licensing agreement with Trump to use his name and image.

Sneaker Con, the venue where Trump debuted the sneaker collection, is an event that started in 2009 and has become one of the premiere events within the broader sneaker culture that has exploded in recent decades.

With the rise of sneaker culture, signature shoes have moved beyond athletes to musicians, actors and more. Some politicians are now thought of as “sneakerheads,” which is slang for people who tend to rock particularly desirable sneakers. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., reportedly has somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 pairs of collectible sneakers.

Source : https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-launches-sneaker-line-rcna139334

Congress MP Nakul Kamal Nath dropped the party name from his social media bio

A day after Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma claimed that there were some Congress leaders upset with the party’s leadership, Congress leader Nakul Kamal Nath dropped a major hint of a possible political switch after he removed the party name and symbol from his social media bio.

Nakul Nath’s move sparked rumours that his father and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath could also join the BJP.

Meanwhile, BJP’s top sources told News18 that Kamal Nath is likely to join the saffron party in the next 48 hours, in what could turn out to be a major blow to Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

On speculations about Kamal Nath joining the BJP, the Congress veteran, one of the few remaining leaders of the Indira Gandhi era, said he “will soon inform.”

According to a The New Indian Express report, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and his son Nakul Nath might join the saffron camp before Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ enters the BJP-ruled state.

Kamal Nath is reportedly upset as he was not consulted by the party leadership before the Congress nominated Gwalior-Chambal politician Ashok Singh for the Rajya Sabha elections.

On being asked about the latest developments, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that he is confident Kamal Nath would never leave the party.

“I had a conversation with Kamal Nath ji last night. He is in Chhindwara. He is the person who started his political career with the Nehru-Gandhi family. You cannot expect that person to leave Sonia Gandhi and Indira Gandhi’s families,” Singh said.

Calling Kamal Nath “Indira Gandhi’s third child”, Congress leader Jitu Patwari said that Nath can never betray Gandhi family and will remain in the party.

VD Sharma earlier said that many senior Congress leaders are upset with their party leadership after the grand old party turned down the invitation to Ram Temple’s ‘Pran Pratishta’ ceremony.

Source : https://www.news18.com/politics/kamal-nath-to-join-bjp-congress-leader-removes-party-name-from-social-media-bio-8782634.html

While addressing the Delhi Assembly, Arvind Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief, launched a scathing attack on the BJP.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal faced a trust vote in the Delhi Assembly today weeks after he accused the BJP of attempting to “poach” AAP MLAs with the aim of toppling his government in the national capital.

While addressing the Assembly, Arvind Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief, launched a scathing attack on the BJP. “AAP is the biggest challenger to BJP, which is why it is under attack from all sides,” Mr Kejriwal said.
Mr Keriwal said he has faced several attacks in the past and now the BJP wanted to arrest him. “You may arrest me but how will you finish Kejriwal’s thoughts?” he asked.

This is the second time when the Arvind Kejriwal government sought a trust vote. The Aam Aadmi Party has 62 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly and the BJP has eight. “We have majority in the House but this confidence motion was needed because BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs,” the Chief Minister said.

Moving the vote of confidence motion in the Assembly yesterday, Mr Kejriwal said two AAP MLAs told him that they were approached by members of the BJP who claimed that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested soon.

“The MLAs were told that 21 AAP legislators have agreed to leave the party and more are in touch with the BJP. They offered the MLAs ₹ 25 crore to join the BJP. The MLAs told me they did not accept. When we spoke to other MLAs, we found that they had not contacted 21, but seven. They were trying to carry out another Operation Lotus,” Mr Kejriwal said.

Ahead of the trust vote, Arvind Kejriwal also appeared before a Delhi court via video conferencing this morning over skipping five earlier summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor policy case. The court will next hear the matter on March 16.

The court had last week summoned Mr Kejriwal to appear before it today, noting that he was “legally bound” to comply.

In its complaint, the ED has alleged that the Delhi chief minister intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving “lame excuses”. If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would “set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi,” the agency said.

Mr Kejriwal’s trust vote move also came ahead of the ED’s sixth summons to appear before it on February 19.

The AAP chief has skipped five summons so far and he and his party have repeatedly claimed that the summonses were illegal and the agency’s only aim is to arrest him.

Ever since the first summons was issued by the Enforcement Directorate, there has been intense speculation that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested by the agency after his questioning.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-may-appear-in-court-today-after-calling-for-trust-vote-5073285

The Yatra reaches its final stage in Bihar and is scheduled to enter Uttar Pradesh later today.

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav joined Rahul Gandhi in his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ on Friday in Bihar’s Sasaram. The Yatra reaches its final stage in Bihar and is scheduled to enter Uttar Pradesh later today.

Mr Yadav was seen driving Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in the lead jeep as the yatra made its way through Sasaram with the RJD leader acknowledging his ally in his post on x.

Mr Yadav will also share the stage with Rahul Gandhi during a public meeting in Kaimur at Dhaneychha in the Durgawati block of Kaimur.

This will be the first time the RJD leader will be seen sharing the stage with Mr Gandhi in Bihar since state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar severed his ties with INDIA bloc.

“Today is the 34th day of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and Rahul Gandhi will have conversations with farmer leaders in Rohtas today…Today around 2:30 pm, Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi will address a gathering in Kaimur and at around 5 pm, the yatra will enter Uttar Pradesh…” Senior Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said.

Later in the day, at 4 pm, the Yatra will move into UP’s Chandauli. It will be in UP till the evening of February 25 with a two-day break on February 22 and 23.

Earlier on Thursday, Yatra reached Bihar’s Aurangabad, where Mr Gandhi came out in praise of the Supreme Court over its verdict striking down electoral bonds, promising to conduct a financial survey across the country if voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The Nyay Yatra arrived in Bihar days after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was at the forefront of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties formed to take on the BJP at the Centre, dumped the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and joined hands again with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-tours-bihar-in-jeep-wrangler-tejashwi-yadav-in-drivers-seat-5067460

In total, the income from the Electoral Bonds Scheme between 2018-19 to 2021-22 constituted 58 percent of the total income of the national political parties.

The Supreme Court’s judgment on Thursday striking down the Electoral Bonds Scheme has revealed data on how much money different political parties in India received through the anonymous donations since 2017-18.

The annual audit reports over the last six years revealed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received the highest amount of anonymous donations – over ₹6,566 crore.

The Indian National Congress is second on the list, with a comparatively lower amount of ₹1,123 crore in its kitty.

All India Trinamool Congress also received ₹1,092 crore since 2017.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was the only national party which did not accept donations through electoral bonds.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna in his separate but concurring opinion also analyzed the data produced before the Court, mostly by the petitioners, and what was available on the website of Election Commission of India (ECI).

Below is the detailed break-up of the donations received by various political parties through electoral bonds since 2017.

One of the main assertions before the Constitution Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was that a larger portion of the donations was going to the ruling party at the Centre.

The data revealed that this apprehension was correct.

“It is clear from the available data that the majority of contribution through Bonds has gone to political parties which are ruling parties in the Centre and the States,” Justice Khanna said.

The petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms had also submitted a table to showcase party-wise donations received from corporate houses by the national parties.

This table again showed BJP taking most of the corporate donations.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/money-political-parties-share-electoral-bonds-supreme-court-judgment

mid the recent political developments within the Congress, former party leader and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said that it is unfortunate that the grand old party is coming to an end due to the weaknesses and arrogance of a few people. Azad told ANI that the exit of former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan from the party, is a big blow for the Congress.

Amid the recent political developments within the Congress, former party leader and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said that it is unfortunate that the grand old party is coming to an end due to the weaknesses and arrogance of a few people.

Azad told ANI that the exit of former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan from the party, is a big blow for the Congress.

“Now I do not want to say much on this because I have left the party. ‘Ab Vo Jaane Unka Kaam Jaane.’ Ashok Chavan has a significant contribution to Congress. His father was also a big leader of Congress and was also a Union Minister. The information that I have is that more people will leave the party in the coming times. It’s a big blow for them,” Ghulam Nabi Azad told ANI.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/ghulam-nabi-azad-lists-out-reasons-why-congress-is-coming-to-end-article-107704560

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/rs-polls-sonia-gandhi-files-nomination-as-cong-candidate-from-rajasthan-2893878

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led government secured the magic number during the trust vote in the state assembly on Monday, defeating the Mahagathabandhan, which was hoping for some “Khela” (play) after some JD(U) MLAs skipped their party meeting a day ago.

The NDA government won the floor test easily with 129 votes in favour while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) staged a walkout from the state assembly.

Opposition Stages Walkout

In the absence of the Opposition, Kumar first proved his majority by voice vote but later insisted on manual voting and went on to win the vote of confidence with 129 votes in favour against none in opposition to his government.

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s victory in the Bihar assembly floor test saw a huge political commotion, a war of words and name-calling.

Kumar accused Tejashwi Yadav’s party of corruption, saying “they were minting money”, while the RJD leader took potshots at Nitish Kumar for taking oath as Chief Minister three times in a single term.

Number Game in Bihar Assembly

• The are a total of 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly and the majority mark is 122.
• The NDA has the majority in the Assembly with 128 seats, of which, BJP has 75, JD(U) 45, Hindustani Awam Morcha, 4 and one independent MLA Sumit Singh.
• On the other hand, the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly has a total of 114 seats with RJD having the highest at 79, Congress at 19, CPI(ML) 12, and 2 each with CPI(M) and CPI.
• In an unprecedented move, earlier today, 3 RJD MLAs sat with the ruling NDA in Assembly, to which, Tejashwi raised a point of order.
• According to a PTI report, taking objection to party MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav sitting among members of the ruling NDA, ahead of voting on a no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav raised a point of order.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/no-khela-in-bihar-cm-nitish-kumar-sails-through-trust-vote-rjd-congress-mlas-stage-walkout-8776131.html

The Congress in Maharashtra was jolted again on Monday as top leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan left the party. The 65-year-old is the third influential leader from the state to quit the party in less than a month. Former union minister of state Milind Deora resigned from the Congress on January 14 followed by erstwhile Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique last week, with both citing internal party problems and that they were not being given opportunities. Chavan so far has not explained his reasons.

“I hereby submit my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress Party with effect from 12/02/2024 noon,” he said in a statement.

Ashok Chavan met Maharashtra speaker Rahul Narwekar early on Monday morning. Later, his resignation letter from the primary membership of the Congress went viral on social media platforms. With a post on social media platform X, he confirmed that he had resigned as MLA of the Bhokar assembly constituency.

“Today i.e. on Monday, February 12, 2024, I have tendered my resignation as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 85-Bhokar Assembly Constituency to the Assembly Speaker Rahulji Narwekar,” said the post.

While speaking to the media, Chavan said that he would decide on his next move in two days.

“I will clarify my political stand in the next two days. As of now, I have not decided to join the BJP. I have no complaints about the Congress party or its leaders. However, I am considering exploring other options, which is why I have resigned from the party,” said Chavan.

As a top leader of the Congress, Ashok Chavan frequently held seat-sharing meetings for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. Chavan led many of these meetings along with senior Congress MLA Balasaheb Thorat.

Sources say Chavan being a Maratha has a very strong hold over the community, especially in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. His family had for long been seen as a Congress and Gandhi family loyalist. His late father Shankarrao Chavan was twice Maharashtra chief minister and also served in the union cabinet. Ashok Chavan became a junior minister, cabinet minister, and then chief minister of the state. His quitting the party is being seen as a big blow not only to the Maharashtra Congress but also to the central leadership. During the first leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, held from September 7, 2022, to January 30, 2023, Chavan was in charge of it in Maharashtra. His organisational skills were later applauded by the party’s national leadership.

Ashok Chavan started his political career in 1986 as general secretary of the Maharashtra Youth Congress and later became its vice president. In 1987, he won his first Lok Sabha election. In 1992, he became a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) of Maharashtra. In 1993, he was made the junior minister for the Home Department and Public Works Department (PWD). During 1995-1999, he was a secretary of the Maharashtra State Congress. In 1999, Ashok Chavan contested the state assembly elections for the first time and won, becoming a cabinet minister in charge of the Revenue Department. In 2003, he was made the Minister of Protocol along with Road Transport and Culture. In 2004, he was made in charge of the Industries Department.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/maha-exodus-for-congress-after-milind-deora-and-baba-siddique-former-cm-ashok-chavan-leaves-party-8776068.html

The meeting in Dubai between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamim Bin Hamad, the Emir of Qatar, on December 1 last year is said to have set the ball rolling for the release of eight Indian Navy veterans by Qatar on Monday. Seven of them returned home on Monday, and all of them said it would not have been possible without Modi’s intervention on the issue with Qatar.

This is being seen as a big diplomatic win for India which used both official and the back channels to achieve the release. Modi had met the Emir of Qatar on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai on December 1.

“We had a good conversation on the potential of bilateral partnership and the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar,” the PM had said about the meeting.

The issue of the eight jailed Indian Navy veterans in Qatar is said to have featured in the conversation that PM Modi had with the Emir of Qatar, though it has not been officially confirmed by either of the countries so far.

Things moved positively since that meeting as the Indian Ambassador in Qatar got consular access to the veterans on December 3, and the court overturned the death sentence to the veterans on December 28. Their release was announced on Monday. Earlier, on October 26 last year, the Qatar’s court of First Instance had issued them a death sentence before hearings began in a Court of Appeal.

India described the ruling as “deeply” shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case. In November this year, the appeals filed by the veterans with assistance from India were accepted by the Court of Appeal in Qatar, and a key hearing had taken place on the Court of Appeals on December 7.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/how-pm-modis-december-meeting-with-the-emir-of-qatar-set-the-ball-rolling-for-release-of-8-indian-navy-veterans-8775390.html

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman issued a strong critique of the Congress party, asserting that Sonia Gandhi operated as a “super PM” whose leadership lay at the core of economic mismanagement during the UPA regime. Responding to discussions in the Lok Sabha regarding the White Paper on the Indian economy, Sitharaman emphasized that the document’s contents were substantiated by evidence, devoid of unfounded accusations.

Sitharaman condemned the Congress for jeopardizing national security and causing delays in environmental clearances for projects, attributing these issues to leadership failures.

“Leadership was at the heart of UPA’s mismanagement and corruption-driven 10 years of government. The central problem point during UPA era was a rudderless and leaderless government. Sonia Gandhi acted as the ‘Super Prime Minister’ as Chairperson of the NAC. NAC had unaccountable and unconstitutional powers. Why did files go to such an unaccountable and unanswerable body for approval?” Sitharaman asked.

She said the ‘andolan jivis’ who were members of the NAC used to prepare legislations, including Right to Food and Right to Information.

“Should that be acceptable to the members of Parliament?” “When Dr Manmohan Singh was on a tour, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tore up the ordinance in a press conference. Wasn’t that insulting the country’s Prime Minister? He (Rahul Gandhi) didn’t care for his own Prime Minister,” she said. Sitharaman also said under the UPA government there was “glaring mismanagement of defence” sector and its highlight was the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland scam.

“Critical shortage of ammunition & defence equipment was the main feature of 2014 when we inherited the economy. Bullet proof jackets were not available for our soldiers. Night vision goggles were not available,” Sitharaman said. She said ‘Jayanti Tax’ during the UPA tenure delayed environment clearances for projects up to a year.

The average time to clear projects increased to 316 days from 86 days between 2011 and 2014. She said 10 years of dedicated efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government have put the economy back on rails.

“We corrected all misgovernance, and focussed on reforms,” Sitharaman said, adding the average environment clearance time for projects has come down to 70 days. The minister said big-ticket corruptions during the UPA tenure averaged one each year and common people were disillusioned.

The Modi government more than doubled defence budget to Rs 6.22 lakh crore for fiscal 2024-25, from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14, she added. Responding to members’ allegation that Enforcement Directorate (ED) has become a government tool, Sitharaman said under Modi government ED has been given “independence” to pursue cases under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Giving a comparative analysis of the conviction, restitution, extradition and red corner notices issued during UPA versus NDA governments, she said the number was zero during the Congress-led government. During the Modi regime, she said ED filed 1,200 prosecution cases and recovered Rs 16,333 crore and convicted 58 people.

Also, 24 RCNs were issued, 12 offenders were declared fugitives and Rs 906.74 crore recovered from fugitive economic offenders. Talking about the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, she said, so far 7 lakh direct and indirect jobs have been created. 14 sectors benefit from the PLI Schemes brought by our government. Manufacturing locations are coming up in 24 states and more than 150 districts. The government has committed nearly Rs 1.97 lakh crore over five years starting 2021-22. Rs 1.07 lakh crore worth of investment has been committed under the PLI Schemes.

She said that average inflation under the Modi government has never crossed 8 per cent, whereas in the last 3 years of UPA’s tenure the annual average inflation was in double digits. Sitharaman said Rs 2.7 lakh crore was saved because of the Aadhaar authenticated Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT).

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/sitharaman-blasts-congress-says-sonias-super-pm-role-was-at-heart-of-upas-economic-mismanagement-8773407.html

While Rao shared an icy equation with Sonia Gandhi that pushed him into political oblivion, Charan Singh quit Congress in 1967, dissolved party’s state govts & got Indira arrested.

On Friday, moments after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Centre’s decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on former prime ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991 to 1996) and Charan Singh (July to August 1979), reporters accosted former Congress president Sonia Gandhi outside Parliament for her reaction to the development.

The reporters pressed her into issuing a response: “Well, I welcome it. Why not?”

As Sonia exited the Parliament building, leaving a volley of questions trailing behind, it was left to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to issue an elaborate statement on the matter.

On X, Kharge posted that the Congress welcomed the decision of the Centre, lauding Rao’s role in “nation-building”.

“Under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms that played a pivotal role in shaping the middle class for generations to come. He also made significant contributions to India’s nuclear programme and a number of foreign policy achievements marked his tenure, including the ‘Look East’ policy,” Kharge said.

His statement also invoked Charan Singh’s “pro-farmer policies” and the wide respect that he commands among “our annadatas (farmers) and khet mazdoors (agricultural labourers) in the country”.

More than Kharge’s adulatory statement, however, it was Sonia’s visible discomfiture outside Parliament that captured the Congress’ difficulty in dealing with the BJP’s latest curveball.

Because, more than anything else, it is the icy equation that Rao shared with Sonia that pushed him into political oblivion after his five-year term as PM ended in 1996.

In books authored by them, Congress veterans such as Natwar Singh and K.V. Thomas have attributed the bitterness between Rao and Sonia to the latter’s unhappiness over the slow pace of probe into the 1991 assassination of her husband, former PM Rajiv Gandhi (1984 to 1989), under Rao’s stewardship as PM.

Natwar Singh, who briefly served as the external affairs minister in the first Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, notes in his book One Life is Not Enough: “An impression was created by one or two senior members of the Congress Working Committee that she (Sonia) was not happy with the (economic) reform process and that Rao was ignoring her. Almost all the senior members of the Congress party were aware of Gandhi giving him the cold shoulder.”

At one point, records the book, Rao even confided in Natwar Singh that “I can take on Sonia Gandhi. But I do not want to do so. Some of her advisers have been filling her ears against me. I don’t take them seriously. Sonia’s case is different. Her attitude towards me is affecting my health. If she wants me to go, she only has to say so. I have done my best to meet all her desires and requirements promptly. You worked closely with her and must know and should know why Sonia is so hostile to me”.

Incidentally, Rao, who was the first PM not belonging to the Nehru-Gandhi family to complete a five-year term, landed the top job accidentally.

After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination left the Congress without a president, as many leaders such as Sharad Pawar, Arjun Singh and N.D. Tiwari started vying for the post, Rao, who was preparing to retire, emerged as the surprise pick, which eventually paved his way to the PM’s post.

The accounts of Gandhi family loyalists such as Mani Shankar Aiyar, however, are wholly hostile to Rao, particularly over the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 when the latter was PM. For them, the Gandhi family’s aversion to Rao was more ideological than personal.

For instance, speaking to ThePrint in August ahead of the launch of his autobiography Memoirs of a Maverick, in which Aiyar accuses the former PM of “facilitating” the demolition of the mosque, he held Rao “singularly responsible” for pulling the Congress away from its secular moorings.

“It was under Narasimha Rao that the Congress started separating itself from its strong anchoring in the secularism of the Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru kind,” Aiyar said.

At the launch of the book, Aiyar also described Rao as the “first BJP prime minister of India”.

Many years later, even after the Liberhan Commission report exonerated Rao of all charges relating to the demolition of the mosque, the Congress remained silent.

Rao was even denied a ticket to contest in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, with then Congress president Sitaram Kesri — who was also unceremoniously shown the door soon after — citing Rao’s “inability to protect the Babri Masjid” as the reason behind it.

‘Sonia did not want a memorial for Rao anywhere in Delhi’
After Sonia took over the reins of the Congress in 1998, the erasure of Rao’s imprint was complete as he did not even find a place in the newly-constituted Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the Congress.

After his death in 2004, Rao’s body was not allowed to be taken inside the 24, Akbar Road, Congress headquarters in New Delhi, located barely 200 metres away from his official residence on Motilal Nehru Marg, and the cortege was parked outside its premises for people to pay their respects.

Sanjaya Baru, who was the media advisor to former PM Manmohan Singh, wrote in his book The Accidental Prime Minister that while Rao’s children wanted the former PM to be cremated in Delhi, like other Congress PMs who even have memorials built for them, “Sonia did not want a memorial for Rao anywhere in Delhi”.

“Later that evening, I was told the Congress party had got Rao’s family to agree to fly his body out to Hyderabad by deploying Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to persuade them to fall in line. The Congress party refused to allow Rao’s body to be brought into the party’s headquarters on its way to the airport, and Sonia chose not to be present at the Hyderabad cremation,” wrote Baru.

Source: https://theprint.in/politics/sonia-welcomes-bharat-ratna-to-narasimha-rao-charan-singh-but-heres-why-gandhis-wont-celebrate/1961151/

The Congress ‘black poaper’ focuses on the 10-year governance tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday released a ‘black paper’ against the Centre’s much-talked-about ‘white paper’. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the government’s ‘white paper’ during the current Budget Session of Parliament.

“Today, we are bringing out a ‘black paper’ against the government. Whenever PM (Narendra) Modi presents his views in Parliament, he hides his failures. At the same time, when we speak about the failures of the government, it is not given importance. Therefore, we want to bring out a black paper and tell the public about the failures of the government,” Kharge said a press conference.

Reports indicated that the Congress’s ‘Black Paper’ focuses on the 10-year governance tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government. He added, “There is discrimination being done with non-BJP states like Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana…”

The ‘black paper’ highlights the ‘failures’ of the Narendra Modi government in relation to unemployment, inflation and farmers’ distress, Kharge said.

He added, “Congress ensured country’s independence and in 2024, it will take country out of BJP’s ‘darkness of injustice’”

Speaking to media, he also said, “There is a danger to democracy in the country…In last 10 years, 411 MLAs were taken on their by the BJP. They toppled so many Congress governments. They are finishing democracy.”

The Modi government had announced in the Union Interim Budget presented on February 1 that it would come out with a ‘white paper’ to compare the economic performance of 10 years of the Congress-led UPA government with that of 10 years of the BJP-led NDA government.

A white paper serves as a government publication designed to showcase new policies and accomplishments, aiming to garner public support and assess reactions. Typically, it is distinguished by its white cover.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-mallikarjun-kharge-releases-black-paper-counter-centre-white-paper-101707368050058.html

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recognized the Ajit Pawar-led faction as a real Nationalist Congress Party and granted them NCP’s “clock” symbol ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The poll body’s ruling in favour of the Ajit Pawar-led faction after more than 10 hearings spread over more than six months came as a big blow to the Sharad Pawar faction.

The Election Commission said the ‘test of the legislative majority’ helped the Ajit Pawar faction clinch the NCP symbol in view of disputed internal organisational elections.

It also provided Sharad Pawar with a one-time option to claim a name for its new political formation and provide three preferences to the Commission by 3 pm on February 7.

Ajit Pawar had walked away with a majority of NCP MLAs in July last year and supported the BJP-Shiv Sena government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra.

AJIT PAWAR FACTION ENJOYED MAJORITY SUPPORT: EC
The Commission examined the affidavits of support filed by both factions and concluded that the group led by Ajit Pawar enjoyed majority support among the legislators.

“In view of the aforesaid findings, this Commission holds that the faction led by the Petitioner, Sh. Ajit Anantrao Pawar, is the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol “clock” for the purposes of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968,” the poll body said.

The Election Commission said a party becomes a “private fiefdom of a single person or group of select individuals and the party is run like a private enterprise” when democratic elections get replaced by appointments or when the elections are held contrary to the provisions of the Party Constitution or when the elections are held in an opaque or obscure manner without disclosing the notifications, the electoral college, the place of election, etc.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/big-setback-to-sharad-pawar-ajit-pawar-faction-recognized-as-real-ncp-by-election-commission-gets-clock-symbol-8768861.html

Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren on Monday won the floor test in the state Assembly with the support of 47 MLAs. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led ‘Mahagathbandhan’ will retains its government in the state.

Of the 77 MLAs present in the Assembly during the trust vote, the opposition NDA — BJP in alliance with AJSU party — got 29 votes in the 81-member House. Meanwhile, Independent legislator Saryu Roy did not participate in the voting process.

Champai Soren was given ten days to prove his government’s majority on the floor of the House, following which he set the date for the trust vote as February 5.

HEMANT SOREN TAKES PART IN TRUST VOTE
During the session today, former CM Hemant Soren challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party to prove the corruption charges against him, asserting that if the accusation are proved, he will quit politics.

Taking part in the confidence motion moved by CM Champai Soren, Hemant alleged that the Raj Bhavan also had a role in his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.

“I challenge BJP to prove corruption charges against me. If proved, I will resign from politics,” said Hemant Soren.

Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case in an alleged land fraud. On February 2, the former Jharkhand CM was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court.

However, a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court in Ranchi allowed Hemant Soren to participate in the trust vote in the Assembly on Monday.

JMM-LED COALITION MLAS BACK IN RANCHI
Around 40 MLAs of the ruling JMM-led coalition, who were camping in a resort in Hyderabad, returned to the state on Sunday to take part in the crucial trust vote on Monday.

After arriving in Ranchi, legislators had exuded confidence to win the trust vote in the assembly. “Our MLAs are united… We have the support of 48 to 50 legislators,” Minister Alamgir Alam said.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/jharkhand-floor-test-cm-champai-soren-wins-support-of-47-mlas-assembly-hemant-soren-jmm-congress-8766928.html

The Uniform Civil Code bill, set to be presented in the Uttarakhand Assembly today, will make the state the first in the country to adopt such legislation.

The Uniform Civil Code bill is scheduled to be tabled in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday, on the second day of the special assembly convened to enact the legislation. If passed by the House, the BJP-ruled state will become the first in the country to adopt the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The state cabinet, on Sunday, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cleared the UCC bill with the aim of establishing a common set of personal laws for all citizens, regardless of their religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

The UCC bill will be tabled by Chief Minister Dhami when the session recommences at 11:00 am.

According to sources, some of the key features of the UCC bill to be tabled today aim to ensure equal property rights for son and daughter, elimination of distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, inclusivity of adopted and biologically born children and equal property rights after death.

Other major possible recommendations include, a complete ban on polygamy and child marriage, a common marriageable age for girls across all faiths and enforcing similar grounds and procedures for divorce.

The final draft of the Uniform Civil Code, running into 740 pages in four volumes, was submitted on February 2 to Chief Minister Dhami by a five-member panel headed by retired judge of the Supreme Court Ranjana Prakash Desai. Upon receiving the draft and initiating the process of legislation, the Chief Minister said earlier that the “long-awaited moment has arrived”.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/uniform-civil-code-uttarakhand-assembly-bjp-pushkar-singh-dhami-2498094-2024-02-06

Uttarakhand: With the cabinet’s approval to the UCC draft report the state government is likely to table the UCC Bill during the Uttarakhand Assembly session on February 6.

The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the report on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during a cabinet meeting held at the Chief Minister’s residence under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, news agency ANI reported.

With the cabinet’s approval to the UCC draft report the government likely to present the UCC Bill during the Uttarakhand Assembly session on February 6. A special four-day session of the Uttarakhand Assembly has already been convened from February 5-8.

Once implemented, Uttarakhand will become the first Indian state after independence to adopt the UCC. It has been operational in Goa since the days of the Portugese rule.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Sunday, “In today’s cabinet meeting, a proposal has been approved to present a Uniform Civil Code in the upcoming legislative Assembly session and to complete the formalities to introduce it in the form of legislation.”

The UCC drafting committee, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, submitted the draft to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday.

Dhami had earlier informed that 2,33,000 people gave suggestions on the UCC draft. “The draft report is about 740 pages long and is in 4 volumes…,” he had said earlier this week.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/uttarakhand-cabinet-approves-ucc-report-pushkar-singh-dhami-11707055253234.html

The federal government is extending its ban on foreign home purchasing in Canada, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced in a release Sunday.

The rule, which was first announced in 2022, will now be extended until the beginning of 2027. It bans foreign nationals and commercial enterprises from buying residential property in Canada, with exceptions for some international students, refugee claimants and temporary workers.

“By extending the foreign buyer ban, we will ensure houses are used as homes for Canadian families to live in and do not become a speculative financial asset class,” Freeland said in the statement Sunday.

Experts have questioned whether the ban is having a significant effect on housing affordability in Canada, given the relatively small share of the overall housing market owned by non-Canadians. In 2020, for example, the share of the market owned by non-residents in some provinces measured ranged from two to six per cent.

In 2021, in B.C., only around 1.1. per cent of home sales included a foreign buyer.

There are also further exemptions to the home buying rules that allow for the purchase of buildings with four or more residences, or in some less populated areas.

Brendon Ogmundson, the chief economist for the B.C. Real Estate Association, told CBC News late last year that “the foreign buyer ban was more political than economic policy or housing policy.”

Some provinces in Canada already had foreign home buyers taxes in place, while Toronto recently proposed a municipal levy on non-Canadian residential purchases.

Housing has become a major political flashpoint as Canadians deal with a severe affordability crisis. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) says 3.5 million additional homes on top of expected growth need to be built by 2030 to reach affordability.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/foreign-housing-buying-ban-extended-1.7104533

Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi paid a visit to his senior colleague Lal Krishna Advani at his residence in Delhi on Saturday to congratulate him for being conferred with India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning announced that LK Advani, who led the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the 1990s, will be conferred the Bharat Ratna.

According to an ANI report, Murli Manohar Joshi called it his great fortune that he got to work with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Nanaji Deshmukh and LK Advani.

“Deeply happy to see Lal Krishna Advani ji honoured with Bharat Ratna. I congratulate him. It is my good fortune that I got the opportunity to work with Bharat Ratna Atal Ji, Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh and Bharat Ratna Advani Ji for more than 60 years,” Joshi, 90, said.

PM Modi on Saturday hailed the 96-year-old former deputy PM and described him as ‘one of the most respected statesmen of our times’, adding that the veteran politician’s contribution to the development of India is monumental.

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/murli-manohar-joshi-visits-bharat-ratna-lk-advani-congratulates-veteran-leader-watch-8765644.html

Arvind Kejriwal had been asked to appear before the probe agency at its Delhi headquarters today.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – who had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for the fifth time – will not appear before the probe agency for questioning in the Delhi liquor policy case today.
This comes after Arvind Kejriwal skipped January 19 questioning, saying that the summons issued by the ED were illegal and its only aim is to arrest him.

Mr Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, had refused to appear before the probe agency on three earlier summons for November 2, December 21 and January 3 as well.

The AAP has slammed the agency’s actions as “politically motivated” and “unlawful”. The AAP has slammed the agency’s actions as “politically motivated” and “unlawful”. “PM Modi’s aim is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and topple the Delhi government. We will not allow this to happen,” the party said in a statement.

The AAP chief had been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the case in April, but had not been made an accused by the agency.

Ever since the first summons was issued by the Enforcement Directorate, there has been intense speculation that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested by the agency after his questioning.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-to-skip-5th-summons-in-delhi-liquor-policy-case-4978266

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP won the Chandigarh mayoral elections on Tuesday, after eight votes of the INDIA bloc were declared invalid. The saffron party also won the deputy mayoral and senior deputy mayoral polls, after a boycott by the AAP and Congress that alleged “unfair” means.

All eyes were on the opposition front amid numerous setbacks it has faced in recent days, the latest being the departure of its architect, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. This was the first election where bitter rivals, the Congress and AAP, had agreed to contest together making it a big step towards building confidence; especially considering that, in Punjab, chief minister Bhagwant Mann has refused to share seats with the grand old party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Sonkar was declared the winner with 16 votes, while the BJP had a total of 14 + 1 votes. Perhaps, Shiromani Akali Dal’s one vote went in its favour. The AAP and Congress had 13 and seven votes each, but got a total of 12 votes after eight were declared invalid.

‘DEEPLY WORRYING’
Soon after the results were declared, AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the mayoral elections in the union territory, which is the capital of Punjab and Haryana, were conducted in an “unfair manner”.

“The unfair manner and dishonesty in broad daylight in the Chandigarh mayor elections is extremely worrying. If these people can stoop so low in a mayor’s election, they can go to any extent in the country’s elections. This is very worrying,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Punjab’s AAP MP Sandeep Pathak also alleged “dishonesty” in the Chandigarh mayoral election, calling it “deeply concerning”. “…If these malpractices can occur in a local election, it raises serious questions about the integrity of our national elections. This is extremely alarming and calls for a thorough examination of our electoral processes,” he said in a post on X.

Congress MP and former minister Pawan Bansal also took to X and said: “The worst fears of unabashed tempering by the BJP’s councillor-presiding officer in a premeditated and planned intrigue to murder democracy have come true in Chandigarh mayoral elections. Agent of the Congress-AAP candidate was not allowed to see the ballot papers, the presiding officer announced rejection of eight votes, declared BJP candidate winner and went away. BJP members rushed to the table and tore off the ballot papers,” Bansal said in a post on X. (sic)

Source: https://www.news18.com/politics/chandigarh-mayoral-election-bjp-wins-manoj-sonkar-mayor-india-bloc-congress-aap-setback-8759617.html

The ED has been looking for the Jharkhand Chief Minister to question him in connection with a money laundering case

As officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) struggle to track down Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the BJP has launched a scathing political attack by releasing a ‘missing’ poster with the Chief Minister’s photograph.
Sharing the poster on X, Jharkhand BJP president and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi wrote, “Search is for Jharkhand’s missing Chief Minister. If any gentleman spots him, please send information to the address mentioned below. The person who gives correct information will receive ₹ 11,000 in cash.”

The address mentioned in the poster is of the Chief Minister’s residence in Ranchi. The poster describes Mr Soren’s appearance and adds that he had been missing from his Delhi home since Sunday night. “Security personnel last saw him leaving on foot around 2 am,” the poster adds.

“If the police also don’t know where he is, it is a serious matter. The state faces a Constitutional crisis,” Mr Marandi told the media.

The ED has been looking for the Jharkhand Chief Minister to question him in connection with a money laundering case. The case relates to an alleged racket of illegal change of land ownership by mafia in Jharkhand. The ED has arrested 14 people in the case so far.

They last questioned Mr Soren on January 20. But when they reached his Delhi home yesterday, they could not find him. The chartered plane on which he flew from Ranchi to Delhi is parked in Delhi airport, and his BMW car has been seized. Police have looked for him at his Delhi addresses and Jharkhand Bhavan, but he was not here.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/hemant-soren-jharkhand-enforcement-directorate-bjp-releases-hemant-sorens-missing-poster-announces-rs-11-000-reward-4958961