DMK says BJP eyeing TN mileage with Radhakrishnan's VP pick
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Hindustan Times
a few seconds ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP's UP allies put up show of strength, unity in Delhi
In a show of strength and unity amid a buzz over the expansion of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet and long-pending demands, the BJP's Uttar Pradesh allies, including the Nishad Party, SBSP, RLD, and Apna Dal (S), gathered in Delhi to assert their presence and set the tone for political bargaining ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Claiming that they are the PDA within the NDA, representing OBC and Dalit communities, the alliance partners sent a clear message to the BJP that their voices should not be ignored. (For representation only) The occasion was the national convention of the Nishad party. The event was held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday to mark the party's 10th foundation day. Sharing the stage were Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Apna Dal (Sonelal) vice president Ashish Patel, and Rashtriya Lok Dal national general secretary Chandan Rajbhar and Patel are also ministers in the Yogi government. Claiming that they are the PDA within the NDA, representing OBC and Dalit communities, the alliance partners sent a clear message to the BJP that their voices should not be ignored. 'Parties that ignored us have been voted out of power,' they declared. Along with an increased share in the ministry, the leaders emphasised that issues of rights and reservation must be addressed on priority. The RLD has already submitted a list of assembly constituencies to the BJP where it intends to field candidates in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Several of these seats are currently held by BJP MLAs. Tensions recently escalated over the Chhata seat in Mathura district, following a heated exchange between sugarcane development minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and RLD leaders. During a recent visit to Mathura, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary announced that his party would contest the Chhata seat held by Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary. Meanwhile, both the SBSP and the Nishad Party have declared their intention to field candidates in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. Addressing the gathering, Sanjay Nishad said, 'The convention is a symbol of the determination and unity of the allies. Our biggest issue is reservation and Constitutional rights. This is the dream of our generations, and we will achieve it at any cost. Until our society gets its due rights, this struggle will continue.' 'Our struggle is not limited to Delhi or Lucknow; this fight will reach every village, every street, and every home of Uttar Pradesh. If our society remains united, no power can deny us our Constitutional rights. This is not just the fight of one person or one party. This is the struggle of the entire Nishad community. We all must move forward with unity. Organisation is our biggest strength. If our people can come to Delhi, they can also march to surround the assembly in Lucknow,' he said. Rajbhar said the so-called PDA leaders had only exploited backward and Scheduled Castes, including Nishad, Kevat, Mallah, Bind, Kashyap, Bhar, Rajbhar, Patel, Kurmi and Jat. 'For 70 years, the Congress and for 19 years, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party discriminated against our castes. They have been voted out of power. The massive gathering at the stadium shows our strength and the message is clear that if we are denied representation and rights, then we will take the fight from Delhi to Lucknow,' he said Ashish Patel said the massive turnout and enthusiasm represent the real strength of the Nishad party and allies. 'The Nishad party is no longer alone, all our allied parties stand firmly with them,' he said. RLD leader Chandan Chauhan invoked the legacy of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh and his son Ajit Singh, who championed the rights of farmers and backward classes. 'The unity shown by the Nishad community in Delhi is historic. Rashtriya Lok Dal and our president Jayant Chaudhary stand firmly with the Nishad Party in its fight for rights and reservation,' he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Vaiko suspends Mallai Sathya for 'anti-party activities'
Chennai: MDMK general secretary Vaiko relieved party deputy general secretary Mallai Sathya from all responsibilities, accusing him of indulging in "anti-party activities". In a show cause notice issued under party bylaws to Sathya on Aug 17, Vaiko directed the senior functionary not to use the party flag and name and sought a reply within a fortnight. In the notice issued under Rule 35(6) of MDMK bylaws, Vaiko said Sathya's media interviews and speeches on internal party affairs amounted to violating party rules and tarnished its reputation. "Your activities undermine the interests of the party and are contrary to its policies and objectives," Vaiko said, directing Sathya to hand over records, assets, and responsibilities to the party general secretary immediately. Sathya must submit a written explanation within a fortnight, failing which, disciplinary action would be taken without further notice. Sathya distributed sweets to his supporters upon receiving the letter on Wednesday morning. He told reporters that he was ready to meet Vaiko and reply in person. "You are my mentor. You moulded me. Fix a date and place, I will come alone and answer," he said. Sathya also invited Vaiko to attend the 117th birth anniversary event of C N Annadurai in Kancheepuram, where a 'Dravida Ratna' award was planned for him. Sathya had contested unsuccessfully in Madurantakam assembly constituency in 2021, where he lost to AIADMK's Maragatham Kumaravel by 3,570 votes. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Gold Rates Today in Chennai | Silver Rates Today in Chennai Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
New bills will ensure morality, probity: BJP
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said the three bills moved by union home minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha that seek the removal of the Prime Minister or chief ministers facing corruption or serious offences if they remain in detention for 30 consecutive days, are intended at ensuring 'morality and probity' in public life. Proceedings of the Lok Sabha underway during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Wednesday.(Sansad TV/ANI) The party also underlined how its own leaders, from LK Advani to Amit Shah, had stepped down from their positions when they faced allegations of 'corruption and other charges.' 'When the bill was first drafted the PM's office was kept out of the ambit, but PM Modi insisted that the bill should include the head of the union government as well. Where is the question of any political witch hunt?The provisions of the bills are in line with the anti corruption agenda and will apply to all equally,' said a senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity. A second party functionary said that the Congress and other opposition parties should 'clearly state the reasons for their opposition to the bill…and whether they support a government being run from behind the bars,' While the opposition joined forces to criticise the bills, dubbing them as undemocratic and against the tenets of federalism -- they see this as a way for the BJP to topple state governments -- the BJP asserted that the move was line with the government's anti corruption agenda and not intended as a tool for vendetta. Amid disruption and protest by the opposition, Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or chief ministers facing corruption or serious offence charges if they remain in detention for 30 consecutive days. He also introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; since there is no provision under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) for such a measure, Section 54 of the Act, needs to be amended to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a minister in these cases. And he introduced the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which extends the same law to UTs. Senior BJP leaders explained that the bills which have been referred to a joint parliamentary committee that will present its report on the first day of the next session will ensure there is no recurrence of events where a minister or a CM, refused to step down even as charges were framed against them. A third senior party leader, cited the example of former Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal who was in prison for nearly six months in 2024 in the corruption case lodged by the CBI in connection with the excise policy 'scam', as an example of impropriety. 'There was this case of a sitting CM who was in jail and on August 15, another leader had to step in to unfurl the National Flag… it was against public morality,' added the third leader. On the timing of the Bill, the second leader said the government had thought of bringing the bill soon after Kejriwal's arrest, but decided against it, because it did not want the opposition to paint it as 'a political move to remove Kejriwal'. 'It was about the system and not the individual…' the leader said. He said there have been numerous instances where leaders who were accused of graft and other irregularities had stepped down pending a probe. 'When the Hawala Diaries were made public and LK Advani's name was mentioned, he stepped down as the party president and resigned from his Lok Sabha membership… Shah himself stepped down as minister in Gujarat and more recently Jharkhand CM, Hemant Soren stepped down as CM when he was arrested, and much earlier Lalu Prasad Yadav had to step down as Bihar CM when he was accused of the fodder scam,' the leader said. In 2024, Soren stepped down as CM following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case. He went on to say that Shah did not accept any constitutional position till he was acquitted by the court in 2015. 'He could have become union minister or a Rajya Sabha member in 2014 itself, but he chose not to. He became the minister in 2017…' Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Shah referred to his own decision to step down as the home minister of Gujarat till he was cleared of all charges by the courts 'False allegations were levelled against me, and I resigned on moral grounds, and I did not take any constitutional posts until I was cleared of all charges by the courts,' Shah said. The BJP also stepped up its attack on the Congress, pointing out that the party, when it was in power, had attempted to amend the Office of Profit bill to seek exemption for the post of NAC chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several other posts from its ambit. 'When Sonia Gandhi had to resign for holding an office of profit the party tried to amend the provisions. Instead of leading by example and walking the talk on probity and public morality they chose to alter the rules,' the first leader quoted above said. In 2006, Gandhi had to resign as Lok Sabha MP after being accused of holding an office of profit by being a Member of Parliament as well as the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, which was a post with the rank of a Cabinet minister. Responding to a question whether the government was confident of getting the numbers to pass the bill, the second leader said, 'We don't have the numbers, but we decided to send it to the JPC so that there can be discussion on the bill…Let the opposition stall its passage and explain to the people why they did so.' The BJP also dismissed the opposition's claims that the provisions were violative of the constitution. Responding to AIMIM chief Asasduddin Owaisi's charge that the bills violate the principle of separation of powers and undermine the right of the people to elect a government, the second leader said the bills state that the offences should carry a jail term of five years or more, which implies it will be implemented only in serious cases. 'Thirty days is sufficient time for the courts to consider and pass judgment…the bill also says that the dismissed minister or CM can be appointed again after their release. Where does it undermine the democratic process?'
