Today in Politics: PM Modi to meet multi-party delegations; amid reunion buzz, NCP factions to mark foundation day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet members of the multi-party delegations, who had travelled to world capitals to convey India's stand following Operation Sindoor, on Tuesday, sources said.
Official sources said the members will be sharing their feedback with the PM, whose government has praised the work of the seven delegations comprising over 50 persons, mostly current MPs.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has already met the delegations and praised their efforts in conveying India's strong stand against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Four delegations were led by the ruling alliance, including two BJP MPs, one JD(U) MP and one of Shiv Sena, while three were led by opposition MPs, one each of the Congress, DMK and NCP(SP).
NCP foundation day
Amid buzz of a possible reunion, the two rival factions of the NCP – led by veteran leader Sharad Pawar and his nephew and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar – will hold separate 'Foundation Day' gatherings in Pune on Tuesday.
Despite the reports of a potential reunion between Ajit's ruling NCP and Sharad's Opposition NCP(SP), both sides have insisted there was no such proposal on the table. Frequent meetings between Sharad and Ajit Pawar at public and private events have fuelled speculations about the factions reuniting after a split in the party in July 2023.
On Tuesday, while Sharad Pawar will address workers and office-bearers at a function in the morning, Ajit Pawar will participate in a programme in the evening in Pune, the home turf of the Pawar family.
According to political observers, party workers are expecting clarity and future roadmaps for their respective factions from the top leadership.
Stampede petitions in Karnataka HC
Karnataka High Court on Monday said it will hear on Tuesday the petitions of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd challenging criminal cases against them in the stadium stampede incident.
The stampede occurred on June 4 in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah of the Congress government will travel to New Delhi on Tuesday to meet the Congress high command, where he is expected to discuss various developments, including the stampede. Siddaramaiah had on Sunday denied reports that the Congress high command had sought information from him regarding the stampede.
CPI(M)'s delegation to J&K
During a meeting of its central committee earlier this month, the CPI(M) decided it would send a party delegation led by general secretary M A Baby to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday as part of its campaign against terror.
The other members of the delegation include Lok Sabha MPs Amra Ram, K Radhakrishnan and Su Venkatesan, and Rajya Sabha MPs John Brittas, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya and A A Rahim.
The party is also planning to hold a week-long campaign in June against 'terrorism, war mongering and efforts to spread communal hatred' using the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
– With PTI inputs
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