Even his critics say Thaawar Chand Gehlot is a man of delivery. 'If a task is assigned, he wins it over with political sagacity,' they say.
A weak presence in the Rajya Sabha has forced the NDA to try and rope in 'weak links' in the Opposition ranks to pass key legislation in the Upper House.
The crucial, neck-to-neck contest was necessitated as the Bharatiya Janata Party fielded three candidates while Shiv Sena put up two and Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party one each.
There are two such seats in Tamil Nadu and one each in West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Madhya Pradesh.
Rajya Sabha will sit for late hours in last week of the first half of the budget session from Monday to clear the pending legislative and other businesses.
On Tuesday, the government had agreed to refer it to the committee.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed a heated debate between the opposition and the government regarding a discussion on the West Asia crisis, with accusations of political maneuvering and failure to uphold the dignity of parliamentary positions.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly criticised Aam Aadmi Party members who defected to the BJP, labelling them as 'traitors' and accusing the BJP of attempting to destabilise the AAP government in Punjab.
Mamata Banerjee is actively trying to prevent further defections from the TMC after a significant split, personally contacting rebel MLAs and deploying MPs for damage control. The crisis, stemming from a challenge to Abhishek Banerjee's influence, sees rebels trying to maintain Mamata's symbolic leadership while consolidating their own position, marking a critical period for the party's future.
NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar has acknowledged that despite political differences with Narendra Modi, the prime minister is working to uphold India's prestige internationally. Pawar emphasised the importance of collective effort for national interest and cited examples of past leaders who prioritised the country's reputation.
The Indian government is unlikely to allow a parliamentary debate on the West Asia crisis, citing prior briefings by the External Affairs Minister. This decision comes amid opposition protests and a pending no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
Mamata Banerjee has expressed shock over the attack on her nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee, raising questions about security arrangements and his subsequent treatment at a hospital. She alleged that there was pressure on doctors regarding his treatment and that the incident could have had fatal consequences.
As soon as the House resumed at noon, Joshi said, "In protest against the action of their party's former president (Rahul Gandhi) and in your honour and in honour of the Constitution, we would participate in the Question Hour while remaining standing in silence. We request for your permission".
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Union Budget strikes a fine balance between growth, employment, and fiscal consolidation, and promotes cooperative federalism. Replying to the discussion on the Union Budget 2024-25 and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Budget in Rajya Sabha, the minister said the government is on track to achieve the pre-announced fiscal deficit target of 4.5 per cent by 2025-26. Sitharaman, also a former defence minister, said the Agniveer Scheme to recruit people in the age group of 17.5 to 21 years, is aimed at keeping the armed forces fit, young and battle-ready.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to resign, potentially paving the way for his deputy DK Shivakumar to take over. The move follows reported pressure from the Congress high command, though the party has denied any official decision. Speculation is rife as political tensions rise in the state.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra is showing signs of strain as both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress have announced their intention to field candidates for the upcoming legislative council elections.
Cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar has come under criticism for not attending a single session of Paliament this year. Parliamentary records the former batsman has not attended a single session this year. He made it to just three in 2013 and has so far not participated in any debates in the house.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata residence was raided by police and central forces for over four hours in connection with a financial fraud case, targeting his close aide Sumit Roy, whose mobile phone was last traced to the property.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following a dispute between the government and the opposition regarding Rahul Gandhi's request to speak before the Union Budget discussion commenced.
Union minister Smriti Irani will also contest the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat from where she is already an MP and her term ends on August 18.
Sources said that Shiv Sena MPs Sanjay Raut and Anil Desai will now sit in the opposition benches during the Winter Session of Parliament, beginning Monday.
The Trinamool Congress MP said he is unable to bear various incidents that are happening in West Bengal.
The Liberhan Commission report on the demolition of Babri Masjid on Wednesday generated heat in the Rajya Sabha with the Congress and the Samajwadi Party squarely blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party for the demolition of the historic structure, while the main opposition debunked the report.
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislature Party have decided to extend its full support to the TVK to form the government, AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar said in a statement citing TVK chief Vijay's request seeking support.
Opposition MPs in India have moved notices in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of bias, misconduct, and acting under the influence of the executive.
A look at the careers of Indian sportspersons who have transitioned into politics, highlighting their successes, failures, and party affiliations.
Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad are both set to enter the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir. Congress president Sonia Gandhi cleared their names and both the Congress leaders would be filing their nomination papers on Tuesday.
The election to the post is mostly decided by consensus, but opposition leaders complain that the Narendra Modi government was yet to reach out to them, reports Archis Mohan.
Yoga guru Ramdev on Saturday sought to find fault with the Rajya Sabha nomination to Sachin Tendulkar, alleging that the "sinking" Congress might have pressured him to accept the honour to enhance its prestige.
The government on Tuesday faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when the opposition scuttled its move to withdraw three bills, including one on raising the FDI cap in insurance sector to 49 per cent, which are expected to be introduced in Lok Sabha for replacement of Ordinances.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticises the state government over alleged LPG cylinder shortages and black marketing, urging immediate action to alleviate public hardship. He also addresses concerns regarding farmers' MSP and the SYL canal issue.
Government floor managers are busy talking to Opposition members to resolve the stand-off over Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti's remarks, in the Rajya Sabha.
The West Bengal government has further scaled down security arrangements for several political leaders, former officials, and other prominent individuals after a review of threat perceptions.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling Congress members clashed on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha over the issue of attack on Christians in Orissa, leading to abrupt adjournment of the House.
The average asset of a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament is Rs 20.17 crore, says a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms. It also says that 67 per cent of Rajya Sabha MP's are crorepatis.
Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil has ruled out the possibility of a merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, stating that talks ceased following the death of Ajit Pawar.
Former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, signalling efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
A parliamentary panel has decided to review the implementation of reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) as well as the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case and has summoned NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other bureaucrats for deliberations.
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
