Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday called for a "main front" of all non-BJP parties to take on the ruling alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the decision on its leadership can be taken later.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Monday demanded that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance II government at the Centre take immediate steps to end the nexus between the Trinamool Congress and Maoists to ensure peaceful elections in West Bengal.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hinted that a meeting of opposition leaders may take place in Patna after the crucial Karnataka assembly polls were over as many would be busy electioneering there.
Three years after the expulsion of Marxist stalwart Somnath Chatterjee from the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the party has dropped a broad hint of considering his return if there was a specific proposal.
Demanding the resignation of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar scam, Communist Party of India - Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat on Monday said the Congress was setting a "shameless" standard of not accepting responsibility for "what is happening right under its nose."
In the last six assembly elections, the state voted the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress to power alternately.
Gam secured 67,242 votes against Basumatary's 25,101 while the third candidate, Bhaity Richong of the Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist, got 2,265 votes.
Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury described it as a "brazen destruction of the foundations of our democracy".
As Congress intensified efforts for a consensus candidate for the vice president's post, the Communist Party of India Marxist said it is in favour of a candidate who does not belong to the Congress. This was conveyed by CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had recently contacted him as part of efforts to seek support of political parties in selection of a candidate in the vice presidential election.
Kerala's election discourse operates surreptitiously. Its explicit face focuses on important national and local issues. At the same time, it seeks to secure apt communal equations to ensure votes, notes Shyam G Menon.
Naidu met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussed with him the possibilities of all opposition parties uniting and forging a joint opposition alliance.
After two days of self-introspection, Karat, the party general secretary, retains his hold and instead the West Bengal lobby along with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will now be taking "corrective measures at the organisational and governmental level."
Trinamool Congress Monday said Left's failure to support a no confidence motion to be brought by it in winter session will mean that their opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail "is false and sham" and voiced hope that all parties would come on board.
Prakash Karat, the head (general secretary) of the country's premier Left party, the Communist Party of India -Marxist, tells Saubhadra Chatterji it won't be doomsday if they lose power in West Bengal.
With Congress forming a panel headed by Rahul Gandhi for the next Lok Sabha poll preparation, Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday said the general election could be advanced as the ruling party would want to "cut their losses" in major states where it is in power.
The Congress on Thursday accused Left parties, especially the Communist Party of India-Marxist, of inaction in taking follow-up steps after Purulia arms drop case accused Kim Davy claimed the incident was the result of attempts by political forces at the Centre to destabilise the then Marxist government in West Bengal.
'Most leaders, from Lalu Yadav and Mamata to M K Stalin, respect and trust Sonia. She should continue unless she expressly declines.'
The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to stop mass joinings from the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal amid growing resentment within the saffron party over rampant inductions without scrutiny, senior leaders said on Tuesday.
With the all-party meetings called by Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla producing no breakthrough to end the deadlock in Parliament, Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi accused opposition parties of repeatedly 'insulting' Dhankhar.
While EC Secretary General Umesh Sinha would be visiting Tamil Nadu next week, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain would be in West Bengal in the coming days, sources said.
The West Bengal Human Rights Commission on Friday took cognisance of obscene comments made by the Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA Anisur Rahman against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and directed the Director General of Police to file a report within three weeks.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist has said the party was opposed to communalism not religion, and faith was no bar for anyone to join the party if he or she was willing to work in accordance with its programme and constitution.
The two leaders, who pleaded not guilty, will now face trial during which the court would record their statements and that of the complainant and other witnesses.
In an attempt to win back its Muslim votes in Left-stronghold Kerala and West Bengal ahead of next year's assembly elections, the Communist Party of India-Marxist hosted a Muslim convention in New Delhi on Saturday.
A team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday held on-spot inquiries in Sandeshkhali to ascertain facts about alleged sexual abuse by some Trinamool Congress leaders even as fresh agitation rocked the trouble-torn village, where locals torched the property of accused Trinamool leaders and held demonstrations against the delay in arresting the main accused, Shahjahan Sheikh.
Expressing reservations on some clauses in the two bills introduced in the Lok Sabha relating to a federal agency and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment, the Communist Party of India-Marxist on Wednesday demanded the proposed legislations be referred to the Standing Committee of Parliament.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist is in a spot politically and socially in Kerala with the police unearthing more and more details regarding the involvement of Peoples Democratic Party leader Madani's wife Sufiya Madani in the Kalamassery bus burning incident and the close rapport both Madani and his wife had with the dreaded Lashkar-e-Tayaiba operative Thadiyantavida Naseer.
Party leader Rahul Gandhi dubbed the Union Budget as a 'zero-sum budget', saying it has nothing for the salaried, middle class and the poor.
This election will be remembered for being the first election where the Election Commission failed to take action on gross violations involving the ruling party that repeatedly used religion, communal slurs, lies and undocumented allegations, observes Ramesh Menon.
Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Biman Bose on Monday rubbished Somnath Chatterjee's scathing comments on party general secretary Prakash Karat and criticised the former Lok Sabha Speaker for dragging Jyoti Basu's name into the controversy. "I feel that these are rubbish. If somebody wants to malign the party, that is in bad taste and is sad," said Bose, the state party secretary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kollam visit to take stock of the temple firework tragedy was a "big relief" for the people of Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in Kochi on Friday.
The Samajwadi Party was not invited to a dinner hosted by Gandhi at her residence for prospective allies as she tried to cobble together a coalition government after the fractured verdict in the general election.
Cracks were visible in the Opposition unity ahead of Tuesday's meeting convened by Congress to ramp up attack on demonetisation and alleged "personal corruption" of the prime minister, with Left parties and the Janata Dal-United unlikely to attend it.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist has accused the Congress of reversing its own stand of bringing the Prime Minister under Lokpal purview, saying a parliamentary panel headed by senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee had made such a recommendation in 2001.
Kerala Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India - Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan will be removed from the party's politburo and the central committee, said sources in New Delhi. The octogenarian leader, who is currently in New Delhi, will leave for Kerala early on Sunday morning, said sources.Though some leaders from West Bengal had voiced their support for Achuthanandan, CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat remained firm on taking action against the Kerala CM.
The Defence Minister should make a statement and clarify what is the reason and why it is being purchased after its price has been escalated 20 times," CPM leader Basudeb Acharia said in Lok Sabha. He was promptly supported by former Defence Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Karat has said they will issue a statement on the resignation soon.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Friday demanded the resignation of Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah in view of the CBI naming him as an accused in the chargesheet filed in the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.
'Our prime interest is to help the victim get justice. When we speak of justice, what we mean is, all the people who exploited her should be punished,' KK Shailaja, general secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association, tells Shobha Warrier
Shiv Sena has said it would recommend eminent agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan's name for the highest post.