Delhiites woke up to the sound of thunder and lightning this morning and, according to the weather department, the city recorded 117.9 mm rainfall from 5:30 AM to 2.30 PM.
For the Congress to be taken seriously, it has to convince those around it that it could actually double its Lok Sabha seat share from the existing 52, and vote-share by a third more from the stagnating 20 per cent in 2014 and 2019, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
It won't be wise old Modi versus an immature Pappu any longer. It will be Modi versus a whole collection of experienced Opposition leaders, predicts Vir Sanghvi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to vote in large numbers. "Today, there are bypolls taking place in various places across India. I urge those voting in these seats to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy," he said in a tweet.
As government-issued guidelines in many places banned large congregations and setting up of fairs or food stalls, the torching of effigies was restricted to very few venues than usual. The Ramleela Maidan at the iconic Red Fort where every year the Dussehra festivities are attended by dignitaries including the prime minister and the President apart from hundreds of common people, was deserted this time as the annual celebrations were cancelled.
It will be the year of preparation for the electoral test in Uttar Pradesh, due in 2022. But before that, the West Bengal Assembly election will set the mood for the rest of 2021.
A party source said most of the leaders, however, are hoping that Gandhi will continue to lead the party as the Nehru-Gandhi family acts as a "glue" that binds the party together.
Imarati Devi, Tulsi Silawat, Govind Singh Rajput, Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, Pradyumn Singh Tomar and Prabhuram Chaudhari were removed from the cabinet with immediate effect on Friday, said a Public Relations Department official.
The BJP said it will seek a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly on March 16.
Accepting defeat in the Madhya Pradesh elections, state Congress' campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday called for "major reconstruction" and introspection in the party.
The resolution asserted that the House "is of the firm and considered view that there cannot be any compromise on unity, integrity and national security.
Sixteen former ministers of the United Progressive Alliance government are staying unauthorised in government bungalows for over a month now and have been served eviction notices, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday.
It is necessary to have a sense of pride in your state, he said.
The Congress legislator, who is a COVID-19 patient, was the last one to cast his ballot wearing a PPE suit. He came to the assembly complex in an ambulance, the official said.
The issue was raised by Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia after Chinese troops entered Chamoli district of Uttarkhand.
Arrested in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, she was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency, but the trial court refused to discharge her from the case.
Strengthening the portfolios of the home minister and the finance minister is a message that should not be missed, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya clarified his stance on Mahendra Singh Dhoni's alleged conflict of interest issue, saying that a newspaper misquoted him on the Indian ODI skipper being probed by the Board.
Scindia also said that as far as talks for alliances are concerned, "like-minded parties should also think in a like-minded way".
The controversial Land Ordinance was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday by Union Minister of State for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Keeping in view the approaching Lok Sabha elections, the All Indian Congress Committee has appointed a battery of high-profile spokesmen for the Congress to showcase the achievements of the last 10 years of United Progressive Alliance government and publicise the various sectors where the UPA has performed. Renu Mittal reports
The BJP is confident of winning all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh and even political experts believe the Congress stands no chance. Bikash Mohapatra reports
During the meeting, which came in the backdrop of Gandhi's fierce attack on the Prime Minister over demonetisation, top Congress leaders presented a memorandum to Modi on demands of farmers including loan waiver, reducing power bills to half and remunerative MSP for farm produce.
Gandhi said Modi had "claimed that he wants to be a 'chowkidar' (watchman of the country) but he actually proved to be a 'chowkidar' of Anil Ambani, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi and has been working for them since last four years."
'Her presence before and during the Lok Sabha election will electrify the political environment.'
'Shekhawat has no moral authority to continue as a Union minister and should resign so that the investigation is not influenced'
Though the erstwhile scion of Gwalior and present Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Yashodhara Raje Scindia only has Rs 15,400 cash in her hand, she owns a dinner set worth over Rs 1.54 crore, according to the affidavit she filed along with the nominations papers in Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.
She was admitted to Escorts hospital a few days ago.
These awfully bizarre designs made high-fashion look so ugly!
'The Congress cannot appreciate people with an independent opinion.' 'That's why many people left the party.'
They will fawn over a prize catch who has brought a rich dowry of Gwalior-Chambal politicians. But in the end, all BJP members are prajas of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, notes Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Tuesday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had got 10,000 burqas stitched for its 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh' to be held in Bhopal on Wednesday, for which a real estate company had paid Rs 42 lakh to the tailor, a charge denied by the BJP.
No one else filed papers till Sunday, according to Mullapally Ramachandran, the chairman of the party's Central Election Authority.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had announced his party would waive farm loans within 10 of coming to power in the state.
Urjit Patel said said the process of remonetisation was on and estimation of costs was a complex exercise.
Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar on Tuesday took over as the International Cricket Council replacing his predecessor Narayanswami Srinivasan, while the BCCI's rules conflict of interest were unanimously approved by the members.
The two-member special disciplinary committee comprising of Jyotiraditya Scindia and Arun Jaitley, appointed to investigate charges levelled against former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi, completed their probe and submitted their findings to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
In a significant statement, the head of Board of Control for Cricket in India's Committee of Administrators (COA) Vinod Rai on Thursday made it clear that the BCCI officials don't need their approval to convene a Special General Meeting (SGM).
Gandhi, on the other hand, has also reached out directly to the party workers in the three states to know their top choice for the chief minister post through an internal mobile messaging app, party leaders said.
Bypolls to 28 assembly constituencies in the state will be held on November 3. In order to return to power in the state, the Congress has to win all 28 seats, while the ruling BJP only needs nine seats to reach the majority mark of 116 in the 230-member House.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances