His remarks came after the Kerala assembly on Tuesday passed the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, which marks a break from the Communist Party of India Marxist-led government's long-standing opposition to the privatisation of education.
The highlight of the occasion, according to officials, is an address to a special gathering in the morning by President Xi Jinping, who cast himself in the mould of Mao Zedong, the founder of the Communist Party of China as it is officially called.
The CPI-M and CPM, the two communist parties formed of a split after the first government in Kerala, had charted out various programmes in their own capacity.
The INDIA bloc is set to convene on September 30 in New Delhi to formulate a unified strategy regarding the Election Commission, focusing on the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The meeting will also address coordinated protests and the CEC selection process, bringing together diverse opposition parties.
The INDIA bloc, comprising 17 opposition parties and civil society members, met at Rahul Gandhi's residence to strategize against alleged "vote chori" and the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site. Leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Tejashwi Yadav, vowed to continue their united political and people's resistance, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and asserting that those responsible for undermining democracy would be held accountable.
The CPI and CPI(M) have announced they will contest one Assembly segment each in the upcoming Tamil Nadu bypolls, while continuing their outside support for the ruling TVK. This decision creates a five-cornered contest and highlights the Left parties' independent stance, aimed at preventing indirect BJP influence and addressing public issues.
Several prominent INDIA bloc leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, were detained by Delhi Police on Saturday while attempting to protest at Jantar Mantar. They were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, with leaders condemning the detentions as an attack on democracy.
The Left Democratic Front's defeat in Kerala marks a historic moment as Left parties are without power in any state for the first time in decades, highlighting their diminishing political influence across India.
The INDIA bloc has formulated a joint action plan to address the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row and concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Following a meeting of key opposition leaders, the alliance announced a series of "save democracy" marches, demonstrations, and a march to the Election Commission, demanding a return to ballot papers for elections and alleging electoral malpractices by the ruling government.
The INDIA bloc meeting saw discussions about the emerging youth-led Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), with leaders holding divergent views on its intent and significance. While some expressed concerns about its political motives, many saw it as a healthy sign of youth dissent against the system, prompting calls for engagement and attention to the issues raised.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and members of the INDIA bloc, have strongly condemned the arrest and jailing of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for protesting at Jantar Mantar, asserting that waving the national flag and peaceful protest are not crimes.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there are some parties that have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, and several other opposition leaders were detained by Delhi Police during protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Delhi police detained more than 500 protesters, including Aam Aadmi Party leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi and Sanjay Singh, as well as activists of some student outfits, during a protest against the CEC at Jantar Mantar on Friday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to chair a crucial TVK alliance coordination meeting in Chennai. The meeting aims to formalise the ruling coalition's structure, common minimum programme, and joint steering committee. However, the absence of key Left allies and a public rift between TVK and Congress over national leadership aspirations threaten to destabilise the alliance, highlighting a significant test for CM Vijay's political management.
A member of actor-turned-politician Vijay-led Tamilaka Vettri Kazhagam on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to invite his single largest political party to form the government in the state.
CPI(M) leader John Brittas was allegedly manhandled and injured by Delhi Police personnel during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Rajya Sabha MP was taken to RML Hospital for examination. Brittas has written to the President, Rajya Sabha chairman, and CJI seeking an independent investigation into the alleged assault, claiming he was dragged, assaulted, and abandoned. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor condemned the incident, and other political leaders like M A Baby and Manoj Jha visited Brittas, criticising the police action and alleging brutality against protesters. The protest was organised to demand Kumar's resignation over alleged electoral roll irregularities.
Leaders of 16 opposition parties demanded a special session of Parliament on Operation Sindoor in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties held a meeting on the issue in the national capital on Tuesday.
Opposition leaders from CPI-M and AAP faced detention in Delhi and Chandigarh while protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over serious allegations of voter-list manipulation and suppression of democratic rights.
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively courting Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party with strong Sinhalese nationalist roots, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations despite ideological differences. This engagement, highlighted by a recent high-profile visit by JVP leader Tilvin Silva, aims to foster cooperation on economic projects and address New Delhi's concerns over slow progress in India-aided initiatives in the island nation.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist, which supports the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from outside and based on which the government survives, has alleged that the ruling party was distributing "money to secure votes" for the October 6 bypolls and it tops the list of parties that have given cash to influence the electorate.
Around 200 people, including Tushar Gandhi's organisation members and CPI(M) supporters, were detained in Mumbai for protesting.
A new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals a significant increase in donations to national parties in India, with the BJP receiving the overwhelming majority, surpassing the combined total of all other national parties by more than tenfold.
Political circles in Tamil Nadu are rife with speculation about a potential alliance between rivals DMK and AIADMK to prevent the TVK from forming a government. This comes after the Congress party joined forces with TVK, further complicating the political landscape.
The close assembly election results in Kerala -- where the CPM is the single largest party but won't form the government -- is thanks only to VS's line, which insists that the primary obligation of the party is not merely toward electoral politics but toward the vast segments of dispossessed, marginalised, humiliated, impoverished people, says MK Bhadrakumar
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced that Rahul Gandhi would lead the INDIA bloc in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, dismissing reports of TVK proposing C Joseph Vijay as a prime ministerial candidate. Venugopal highlighted Gandhi's widespread appeal and campaigns on key issues, while also addressing internal alliance differences and criticising the BJP government's actions.
The BJP has announced Hasirani Rath, mother of slain former aide to Suvendu Adhikari, as its candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, aiming for an emotive campaign. The party also named Sakharav Sarkar for the Rejinagar seat. These bypolls are set against a backdrop of multi-cornered contests and internal TMC disputes, with voting scheduled for October 6.
The CPI(M) has initiated an internal inquiry into allegations that one of its councillors in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Ajin S, demanded a Rs 10 lakh bribe to resolve a land dispute. The complainant, Sanju, provided audio and video clips, while Ajin S denies the claims, calling them fabricated. The party's state secretary confirmed the probe, and the Thiruvananthapuram Mayor also acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition amidst ongoing protests for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and scrapping of SIR. Shah predicted a "crushing defeat" for the Congress in the 2029 general elections, citing the BJP's and NDA's strong public support and the Congress's dismal performance in recent bypolls and local body elections across several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tripura. He urged the Congress to introspect instead of engaging in "negative politics" and "fabricated media events."
Opposition INDIA bloc leaders staged a sit-in at Rajghat, alleging a 'criminal conspiracy of vote chori' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding Kumar's resignation and seeking a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.
The T P Chandrasekharan murder case verdict in Kerala could land a heavy blow to the Communist Party of India's Lok Sabha ambitions. G Sreedathan explains
'The Dravidian parties wanted to prevent the TVK from forming a government.'
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai announced that the Congress will be part of the new government in Tamil Nadu led by Vijay's TVK, with discussions underway for ministerial posts and a Rajya Sabha seat.
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met in New Delhi on Monday and decided to write to the chief justice of India on the Special Intesive Revision exercise and "vote loot", besides demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-CBSE row.
The Congress party won six out of nine wards where repolling was conducted across four urban local bodies in Rajasthan, while the BJP secured three. These results finalise the tally for all 10,244 wards, with the BJP holding the overall lead in total wards won, followed by Congress and Independents. The process for electing mayors and chairpersons is now underway.
The CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation has rejected an offer to fight on 19 seats in the upcoming assembly polls as a part of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagatbandhan, deeming it an undignified proposal.
C Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at a gala event attended by prominent personalities including Rahul Gandhi. The swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of Vijay's parents and actress Trisha, while former CMs M K Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami were absent.
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met President Droupadi Murmu, alleging 'vote chori' and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with the repeal of assembly polls from the last two years. Rahul Gandhi expressed shock that the President did not deny the 'election theft' charge but sought proof.
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.
