Latest news with #post-LokSabha
Time of India
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Theft' Bombshell On EC Ignite BJP Vs Cong War Of Words
In a sharp escalation of the political battle, the BJP and Congress are locked in a war of words over alleged voter fraud. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the BJP and the Election Commission of orchestrating massive vote theft in Maharashtra, citing the addition of over one crore new voters post-Lok Sabha polls. The Congress is demanding 10 years of voter data and CCTV footage from the EC. The BJP has hit back, calling Rahul's remarks threatening and anti-democratic. Union ministers and BJP MPs accused Congress of undermining institutions and questioned their governance in states like Karnataka and Bihar.#rahulgandhi #maharashtrapolls #voterfraud #electioncommission #bjp #congress #indianpolitics #priyankagandhi #democracy #vote #india #maharashtra #biharsir #toi #toibharat Read More
India Gazette
10-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
J-K CM says strengthening INDIA bloc responsibility of its largest partner, demands immediate statehood
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 10 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the responsibility to strengthen the INDIA bloc lies with its largest partners, not with individual regional leaders. He also reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, calling the current status of the former state a 'huge betrayal' to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. CM Abdullah arrived in Kolkata on Wednesday to take part in the Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) travel trade show. Abdullah remarked that the alliance has not met formally since the post-Lok Sabha election meeting held at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in New Delhi. 'The responsibility to strengthen the INDIA alliance is neither mine nor Mamata Banerjee's. This responsibility belongs to the biggest partner of the INDIA Alliance. I have said multiple times that it is unfortunate that we don't meet. The last meeting was held right after the elections at Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. There has been no meeting since then,' he said. Abdullah also spoke strongly about the need to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, calling the Union Territory status imposed in 2019 a 'huge betrayal.' Abdullah said, 'Unfortunately, being a Union Territory, the security of the state is not our responsibility. We want that responsibility to be ours. Our government should be given the responsibility of J&K as soon as possible. We don't want to be a Union Territory. Making us a Union Territory was a huge betrayal to us.' He emphasised that the BJP and the Central government had committed to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir 'The Central government and the BJP are promise-bond to make J&K a state again. This should not be delayed now. We should be given the statehood as soon as possible and we should have the responsibility of the security of the state,' he said. Earlier on Thursday, Abdullah attended a conference with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Howrah, expressing gratitude for her empathetic stance during Kashmir's trying times and sowing seeds for a promising partnership in trade, tourism, and industrialisation that could soon transform the scenic landscapes of J&K into a hotspot for West Bengal tourists. 'I thank West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for her sympathy towards the people of J&K. In 2019, during a challenging political period, Didi expressed her concerns, stating that whatever was happening was wrong. After the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, Didi sent a team from here to assist those affected by the shelling,' Omar said during a joint press conference. CM Abdullah was referencing the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the removal of Jammu and Kashmir's special status; the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists; and the subsequent retaliatory Operation Sindoor. (ANI)
India Today
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Will Imran Masood's BSP pitch deepen SP-Congress rift, help Mayawati?
Imran Masood, the Congress MP from Saharanpur, has caused a stir in political circles in Uttar Pradesh by saying that an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would benefit the Congress more than its current ally Samajwadi Party (SP).Masood, in a recent media interaction, also urged BSP chief Mayawati to introspect and consider collaborating with the Congress, warning that without such a rethink, her 'movement' faced an dodged the question of a potential coalition between the SP, BSP and Congress, saying he would prefer the BSP over SP for a pact with the Congress. Though he clarified that these were his personal views, the comment has stirred fresh speculation about rifts within the INDIA bloc in Uttar open preference for the BSP comes at a time when relations between INDIA allies SP and Congress are considered to be under strain. In the post-Lok Sabha poll churn, as the Congress tries to consolidate gains after winning six parliamentary seats in the state, a recalibration of alliances is quietly underway. Political observers believe Masood's statement could both deepen mistrust between the SP and Congress and provide BSP a rare opening into the Opposition equation. However, it cannot be denied that Mayawati is still unlikely to make any alliance without extracting a high political the past few months, it is being speculated that the SP has been bitter over seat-sharing issues in state elections and uneasy about the Congress's aggressive stance against industrialists such as Gautam Adani, and this has raised questions about their unity. Many believe that at the core of the SP's grievances is the Congress's alleged indifference to the party's role outside Uttar Pradesh. While the Congress secured key positions in alliances across states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, the SP claims it was sidelined in seat-sharing discussions.A different blow of sorts came last December when the SP lost a front-row seat in the Lok Sabha because of alleged influence of the Congress. Talking to INDIA TODAY back then, an SP leader, requesting anonymity, had said they did have differences with the Congress as it appeared to be acting with both parties downplay the tensions, the SP's growing proximity to Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee and the public airing of grievances hint at deeper fractures. The ability of the SP-Congress alliance to stay intact till the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls will be pivotal to any Opposition strategy against the ruling BJP in the the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Congress had unsuccessfully attempted to bring the BSP into the INDIA fold. The BSP, having fought several elections on its own in recent years, has made its aversion to alliances clear. BSP sources indicate the party will keep its distance from the upcoming panchayat elections to focus on organisational rebuilding for the state polls in 2027. Mayawati herself has said that alliances bring more harm than benefit to her party, and her criticism of the Congress remains sharp as BSP has intensified its organisational activity. The party is inducting leaders from other parties through cadre camps across districts and deploying all three national coordinators to expand its base in other states. After the Bihar assembly elections, the party plans to launch a large-scale membership campaign in UP as the same time, the return of Akash Anand as BSP national coordinator is expected to strengthen the party and help attract Dalit youth. Anand's return also serves to address factionalism in the BSP while reinforcing Mayawati's the visible strain, there is also a section within political circles that believes the SP-Congress coalition is not breaking anytime soon. According to them, statements like Masood's may be more about exerting pressure on the SP—a strategic move by some within the Congress to negotiate a better share in the alliance in future to India Today MagazineMust Watch
