BJP's candidate from northwest Delhi constituency Hans Raj Hans, Union minister and Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan and other party leaders were also present.
Cockroach Janata Party, which according to Dipke had 201,000 followers on X, came about following a controversy over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant using "parasites" and "cockroaches" while pulling up a lawyer for his plea seeking senior designation.
The CJP's rapid rise on social media reflects growing digital dissent and youth frustration with issues like unemployment and exam-paper leaks.
JD-U leaders have backed a proposal to rename the party Janata Dal Nitish, putting Nitish Kumar's political legacy at the centre of the party's identity.
A BJP worker, Karan Sheth, was seriously injured in a clash between two factions of the party in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday. The incident occurred late Friday night after a Bijoya Sammilani event, leading to police intervention to restore order.
Three Aam Aadmi Party leaders from Punjab, including former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and two other legislators, joined the BJP on Monday, marking a significant setback for AAP ahead of the Punjab assembly polls. The defections follow their resignations from the AAP.
A Ramlila committee in Pitampura, Delhi, will burn a 30-foot-tall "cockroach" effigy this year, alongside those of Ravan, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnad. The committee states this symbolises "filth and dirt" and supports the "Swachh Bharat" and "Swachh Delhi" campaigns. This decision comes amidst protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in the capital.
Several political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the ruling TVK and opposition DMK, walked out of an all-party meeting convened by the Election Commission. They demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the previous Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, where millions of voters were reportedly removed or flagged. The AIADMK and BJP attended the meeting, with AIADMK also raising concerns about the large number of affected voters.
JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh openly defied his party by supporting a rival candidate, Anuj Singh of the Jan Suraaj Party, for the Bihar legislative council elections. This move is seen as a direct challenge to JD(U)'s official candidate, Neeraj Kumar, with whom Singh has a long-standing rivalry. The JD(U) leadership is reportedly considering action against Singh.
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly has passed a resolution demanding the immediate restoration of full statehood, a move that saw protests and a walkout by BJP legislators. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the Centre's repeated assurances of restoration at an 'appropriate time'.
An online fraud amounting to Rs 22.10 crore has been uncovered in Tamil Nadu, with police suspecting an international cybercrime syndicate. BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam has criticised the state government's administrative oversight and accountability regarding the siphoning of public funds.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that Rahul Gandhi has turned creating ruckus in Parliament and resorting to boycotts into a Congress culture.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has expressed her openness to entering electoral politics in the future, stating her desire to contribute to India's development and continue serving the nation beyond her sporting career.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad are set to announce a new alliance for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections, aiming to consolidate Dalit and minority votes. This move comes after Owaisi's exclusion from the INDIA bloc's seat-sharing pact in UP.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at the INDIA bloc's Ramlila Maidan rally, accused the BJP of forming governments on "stolen" mandates and alleged that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were shielding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He called for PM Modi's removal to protect democracy.
The BJP is increasingly integrating its digital outreach with on-ground mobilisation, using social media attacks, political songs, marches, rallies, and public meetings to amplify its political messaging and counter opposition narratives. This evolving strategy, exemplified by the 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' campaign, aims to take political contests beyond online platforms to streets and campuses, especially in response to the INDIA bloc's recent rally and accusations against the Election Commission.
A farmer and four associates were allegedly abducted and threatened in Latur, Maharashtra, amidst intense rivalry for the upcoming District Central Co-operative Bank (DCCB) elections. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, led to a police complaint and protests by Congress workers, resulting in an FIR against two individuals for kidnapping and criminal intimidation.
BJP MP Janardan Mishra has caused a controversy by stating that modern farmers work for only three months and spend the rest of the year playing cards, consuming gutka, and liquor. His comments, made at a Govardhan Puja event, have drawn sharp criticism from Congress leaders who accuse him of insulting farmers and demand a public apology.
The BJP has narrowly defeated the Congress in the Rajasthan urban local body elections by less than one percentage point. Independent candidates secured a significant share of votes, and NOTA outperformed several smaller parties. Prime Minister Modi lauded the BJP's performance, attributing it to public support for good governance.
A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after a plaque bearing former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's name at Kolkata's Nandan cultural hub was painted over, while one for Jyoti Basu remained untouched. This incident, occurring just before the Kolkata International Film Festival, has led to a war of words between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with actor Mithun Chakraborty questioning the relevance of Banerjee's name.
West Bengal BJP MLA Papiya Adhikari has defended her controversial statements about firecrackers killing germs and viruses, claiming her words were twisted for TRP. She clarified that she was referring to traditional beliefs about firecrackers during Diwali-Kali Puja. Adhikari also alleged political opponents were using her statements and noted reduced firecracker use in her constituency this year.
The Janata Dal (United) is considering a proposal to rename the party as 'JD(U)-Nitish' to honour its leader Nitish Kumar, a move supported by key aides but criticised by the RJD, which suggests it indicates an impending split within the party.
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, questioning her political rise and describing events surrounding the Gandhi family as "way too many coincidences." Ranaut, citing research for her film 'Emergency,' labelled Gandhi a "mysterious foreign national" and linked the deaths of Indira, Sanjay, and Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia's eventual leadership, accusing her of promoting foreign agendas.
It is too early to judge whether the CJP will become a consequential political movement or remain a moment of protest. Its significance will depend less on the size of crowds or the reach of online campaigns than on what follows when the initial excitement subsides, notes Manoj Mohanka.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested two key suspects in the plot to murder West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, uncovering potential links to the functionary of a rival political party in the state, officials said on Friday.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Sunday that the BJP had forcibly shut shops in Connaught Place, causing losses to traders. He stated that the INDIA bloc had encouraged rally attendees to shop locally, but the BJP's actions prevented this. Gandhi had previously urged supporters to shop for Diwali, countering BJP's "rumours" about the rally affecting businesses. The INDIA bloc's mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday aims to protest alleged electoral irregularities.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expanded his council of ministers on Tuesday, swearing in four new faces from the Kashmir valley: Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shameema Firdous, and Altaf Ahmad Wani. This expansion comes after all ministers submitted their resignations, with the Congress, an ally, distancing itself from joining the cabinet until statehood is restored.
The BJP has announced eight candidates, including minister Dharam Pal Singh, for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. These elections, scheduled for October 16, will fill 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh, one from Uttarakhand, and a bypoll in West Bengal, with several prominent members retiring.
The Samajwadi Party secured five seats, including two crucial wins in Varanasi, in the Uttar Pradesh legislative council elections, while the BJP won six. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the BJP's performance a "double defeat" and expressed confidence for the 2027 assembly polls.
The BJP claimed a rift within the Congress party, claiming Rahul Gandhi is actively sidelining his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at INDIA bloc protests.
In Rajasthan's urban local body polls, 77 candidates, including 37 women, have been elected unopposed. The ruling BJP secured 44 of these victories, while the Congress won 16, and independents accounted for 17. Jaipur notably had no unopposed candidates, while Deeg recorded the highest number of uncontested winners.
A TMC office, former MLA and councillor residences, and a CPI(M) memorial were allegedly vandalised in Jadavpur, Kolkata. The Trinamool Congress and the Left Front have accused BJP workers of the attacks, while the BJP has denied involvement, attributing the incidents to internal TMC disputes.
A new satirical Instagram page, 'Dimagi Naxal Party,' has emerged following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' remark.
The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, conducted using ballot papers, have reignited the debate over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) versus ballot papers ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls. While the BJP maintained its lead, the Samajwadi Party made significant gains, prompting renewed calls for ballot paper usage in future elections.
The CBI has withdrawn approximately 20 petitions from the Supreme Court that sought to transfer cases related to the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence outside the state. The agency cited "changed circumstances" for its decision, which comes after the state's CID initiated fresh inquiries and reopened cases concerning the violence.
AJUP chief and Naoda MLA Humayun Kabir has hinted at quitting electoral politics and his assembly membership after his arrest during the Rejinagar bypoll. Kabir, who claims the BJP will win Rejinagar due to a "looted mandate," expressed disillusionment with the democratic system and vowed not to attend the state assembly as long as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is in office. He also alleged betrayal by Adhikari regarding his son's bypoll prospects.
6 out of 10 flyers had experienced higher baggage weights at airport check-in than at home.
Aishwarya, daughter of BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda, has publicly apologised to a woman police sub-inspector whom she slapped at a temple in Mandya. The apology comes after the High Court directed her to do so before applying for bail in connection with the incident, which occurred on August 12 and went viral via CCTV footage. An FIR was registered against Aishwarya for assault and obstructing duty, while she also filed a counter-complaint.
Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi explained that giving up her Italian passport and adopting Indian citizenship felt more difficult, as it was a part of herself that she had brought from Italy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a nationwide protest against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's "indecent and offensive" remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Kharge retorted "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" during a speech.
