The JD(U) has expelled Mokama MLA Anant Singh and his wife, former legislator Neelam Devi, for six years due to alleged anti-party activities. Singh was accused of campaigning for a rival candidate in recent legislative council elections and using insulting language against party leadership. The party also recommended the termination of Singh's MLA membership.
The Supreme Court has questioned the reliability of legislative majority as the sole determinant for political party ownership, especially when disqualification proceedings are pending against the very legislators forming that majority. This query arose during arguments concerning the Shiv Sena faction dispute between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.
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.
With the anti-Gyanesh Kumar campaign, Rahul Gandhi is showing he is determined to not let anyone else claim credit for what follows, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
An analysis by ADR and National Election Watch reveals that 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026. Nagaland and West Bengal recorded the highest number of switches. The report also highlights party-level impacts and suggests reforms to the anti-defection framework.
JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh has publicly declared his intention to support and campaign for Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh against his own party's MLC, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming Bihar legislative council polls. Singh cited personal scores and past conspiracies involving Neeraj Kumar and RCP Singh as reasons for his rebellion.
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has launched her new political party, Jan Neeti Bharat, with the aim of contesting the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and redefining governance by making people central to policymaking and ensuring government accountability.
JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh clarified his controversial "nine murders for Nitish Kumar" remark, stating it was misunderstood. He claimed he was referring to family members murdered due to his proximity to Nitish Kumar during RJD rule, not that he committed murders. The Mokama legislator, currently upset with JD(U) over legislative council polls, had previously made the statement causing a political stir.
The Supreme Court, hearing pleas on the Shiv Sena split, observed that a political party retains control over its legislature wing and its valid decisions must prevail, but also advocated for granting 'elbow room' to elected representatives for political decisions if a majority 'genuinely disagree' with party directions.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly has passed a motion urging the central government to completely withdraw the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. Chief Minister V D Satheesan and CPI MLA K Rajan highlighted concerns that the MDR would increase business costs, harm small businesses, and reduce the appeal of digital payments, while the BJP argued it would not affect general public or small merchants.
Umashankar Singh, the Bahujan Samaj Party's sole MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from the Rasra constituency, has passed away at the age of 55 after a prolonged illness. Political leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP president Mayawati, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, have expressed their condolences.
The ruling Mahayuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi are set for a significant political contest in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. Polling for five seats - three Graduates' and two Teachers' constituencies - will be held on Friday, with 182 candidates in the fray. The results, crucial for both alliances, will be declared on October 27.
The Supreme Court is examining the Election Commission's decision to allot the Shiv Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction. The court questioned the validity of relying primarily on legislative strength, particularly when MLAs face disqualification. Arguments from the Shinde faction defended the EC's test, while the court raised concerns about the "sentiment of the symbol" for defectors and the practicalities of assessing grassroots support. The hearing remains inconclusive.
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.
Two MDMK MLAs, T M Rajendran and R Senthil Selvan, have refused to resign from their Assembly seats despite demands from MDMK General Secretary Vaiko. They assert their status as DMK legislators, having won on the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol, and have pledged loyalty to DMK leadership, including M K Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Militants ambushed 14 Meitei men in Manipur on Monday, killing three and injuring three others. The attack, which occurred in the Sunurok hills, sparked widespread protests in Imphal, with locals placing bodies outside the Chief Minister's residence. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters. Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh condemned the killings and held security review meetings, while the opposition Congress demanded his resignation, citing the state's ongoing ethnic violence since May 2023. Security forces have launched a combing operation with drones and sniffer dogs.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging the Maharashtra Speaker's decision regarding the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs and the Election Commission's recognition of the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde camp, argued that the EC has jurisdiction under Article 324 to examine a party's democratic character and organisational structure, especially when the Thackeray faction's constitution was not registered with the poll panel. He emphasised that the Shinde faction's case is based on a split within the political party, not just its legislative wing, citing cadre discontent. The hearing remains inconclusive.
The Congress party has announced a significant organisational reshuffle in its Uttar Pradesh unit, appointing Aradhana Misra-Mona as president and Imran Masood as working president. This strategic move comes ahead of the state assembly elections next year and aims to strike a social balance while strengthening the party's position in the crucial state.
Maharashtra BJP MLC Parinay Fuke has criticised MNS chief Raj Thackeray, alleging that Thackeray's public statements and influence are solely due to the police security provided by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fuke claimed Thackeray would not leave his home if the security was withdrawn. The MNS, through leader Sandeep Deshpande, retorted that security decisions are institutional, not personal, and challenged the BJP to withdraw it. This exchange follows Thackeray's recent criticisms of the state government.
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'.
The BJP's Sikkim unit has supported the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as governor, despite opposition allegations linking him to the "VIP" in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The party called for an independent and impartial probe by the CBI, which recently met Bhandari's parents, and stressed that justice must be free from political influence.
Tamil Nadu's ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, strengthening its minority government. Concurrently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured emphatic victories in West Bengal's Nandigram and Muslim-majority Rejinagar, consolidating its post-TMC rule position. The BJP also established a significant lead in Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, and its ally AINRC retained Thattanchavady in Puducherry.
The BJP has accused Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut of creating a fake audio clip using AI, alleging a Rs 500 crore payout to Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange. The BJP claims Raut orchestrated the conspiracy to push Rahul Gandhi's agenda and create rifts among ruling allies. Raut, however, claims a BJP MLC leaked the clip due to internal party competition. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis has ordered a forensic probe into the audio clip.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai has alleged that Nepalese nationals were added to the state's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and that voters were illegally shifted between constituencies. He has demanded an impartial investigation into these alleged irregularities, calling for deletion of illegal entries and action against those responsible.
Kerala's Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph stated that criticism regarding the state government's initial decision for a preliminary inquiry in the alleged CMRL payments case, involving former CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his family, would subside following a recent Supreme Court verdict. Health Minister K Muraleedharan also affirmed that the SC order vindicated the government's cautious approach, which prioritised a preliminary inquiry over immediate FIR registration based solely on the ED's request.
JD-U MLA Anant Singh, a prominent 'strongman' in Bihar politics, has openly defied his party by campaigning for Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh in the Patna Graduate constituency legislative council polls.
Despite recent electoral losses to the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in both the April Assembly election and October 6 by-polls, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has demonstrated a robust and independent vote bank. Electoral data indicates that the DMK maintained significant voter support, securing its position as the principal opposition party and potentially a key challenger to the TVK in future elections, including the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami has criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for his silence regarding a multi-crore international drug racket operating along the state's coastline. Palaniswami questioned if the racket was happening with the ruling TVK's knowledge, citing a recent 137 kg crystal methamphetamine seizure by the DRI and the alleged involvement of a TVK functionary. He demanded a comprehensive explanation from the Chief Minister.
The Allahabad High Court has stayed the conviction and sentence of Nandlal Rai, a BJP worker, in a 2017 murder case, allowing him to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly election. The court cited his right to contest elections and referenced a Supreme Court precedent regarding public representatives.
President Droupadi Murmu has announced a major gubernatorial reshuffle, appointing new governors for Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Sikkim, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and Odisha. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar moves from Keralam to Tamil Nadu, while Om Prakash Mathur becomes the new Keralam Governor. Dushyant Gautam, Sudha Yadav, Dhal Singh Bisen, and Braj Mohan Ram are among the new appointees, bringing diverse political experience to their roles.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has extended an invitation to Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee to rejoin the Congress with her remaining legislators, offering her leadership in West Bengal amidst the TMC's significant internal turmoil and post-election challenges.
Parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old resort receptionist murdered in 2022, met senior CBI officials in Delhi to discuss the ongoing probe into an alleged "VIP" involvement. The CBI has registered a case against unknown persons regarding this VIP role. The parents also requested narco tests for former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore and Urmila Sanawar, whose audio clips purportedly mentioned a VIP.
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar and his son Nishant Kumar made a joint appearance at a party orientation programme, sparking speculation about Nishant's political future and potential leadership roles within the party. The event, aimed at training parliamentarians and legislators, also saw Nishant urging attendees to uphold his father's principles of "zero tolerance for crime, corruption and communalism."
BJP legislators in Karnataka protested during a special legislative session by reciting the full version of Vande Mataram after the official recording played in the Assembly and Council ended after only two stanzas. The Congress government in the state has a standing order to play only the first two stanzas at its programmes, except for high-profile events.
A panel supported by Congress MLC Satej Patil has won the election for the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Gokul Dairy), defeating the Mahayuti-backed group led by NCP minister Hasan Mushrif. This victory marks a setback for the ruling Mahayuti alliance in western Maharashtra and gives the Patil-backed panel control of the influential cooperative's board.
The AIADMK suffered a significant blow in the recent Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-polls, seeing a sharp decline in its traditional vote base. The party came in a distant third in both seats, which were previously its strongholds, raising concerns about its leadership, strategy, and future in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, especially with the rise of the TVK.
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution demanding the urgent restoration of full statehood, a move that saw the opposition BJP stage a walkout. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved the resolution, which also referenced previous calls for greater autonomy and special status. The BJP vehemently opposed the resolution, calling it an insult to the Constitution.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal challenged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to bring jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to Mumbai for interrogation following a series of attacks, including one on actor Tiger Shroff. Sapkal alleged that the Bishnoi gang operates with government blessings and questioned why Bishnoi has not been interrogated despite his alleged involvement in high-profile cases. He also criticised Fadnavis's handling of law and order and the alleged misuse of police.
The BJP has initiated a motion to remove the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather. This action stems from the Speaker's decision to allow a resolution by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah demanding full statehood restoration, which the BJP claims violates assembly rules. The Speaker, however, defended his actions, citing procedural rules for such motions.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's comment in the Assembly that a dozen MLAs have two marriages has ignited a political controversy. BJP leaders are demanding that he disclose the names of these legislators, arguing that such remarks undermine the dignity of the Assembly and create public distrust.
