Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Arup Chakraborty on Monday said the breakaway faction is trying to "rectify" the party, and would fight for the control of its election symbol, even as the Mamata Banerjee-led outfit termed the move illegal under the anti-defection law.
'If the BJP becomes our political identity, our political face, if we are represented by the BJP, then what happens to our identity as Bengalis?'
Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced that 20 dissident Lok Sabha members from TMC have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and pledged support to the NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The group expects its numbers to increase to 22 and clarified they have no connection with rebel TMC MLAs in West Bengal. Dastidar also highlighted the alleged non-implementation of central schemes in West Bengal by the previous TMC government.
A Calcutta High Court judge, Gaurang Kant, disclosed that his elder brother is a national spokesperson for the BJP while hearing Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the Bhabanipur assembly seat poll result. Despite the disclosure, Banerjee's lawyer expressed full confidence in the judge.
Senior Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee has issued an ultimatum to party chief Mamata Banerjee, asking her to choose between him and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, whom he blames for the party's recent turmoil. This comes as the TMC faces significant internal strife, including multiple Rajya Sabha MP resignations and claims of widespread defection among MLAs and MPs.
Sharad Pawar objected to comparing PM Modi with Jawaharlal Nehru, highlighting Nehru's sacrifices and nation-building contributions.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has replaced Saayoni Ghosh as youth wing president and Mala Roy as women's wing president, amidst a significant rebellion within the party where dissident MPs claim to have the support of 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha members.
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has named Jyotiprakash Chatterji as its new president, a development that follows the merger of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel Lok Sabha faction with the party. This announcement by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a key figure in the dissident camp, comes amidst speculation about the party's leadership after its founder stepped down. However, details about Chatterji and the party's internal workings remain unclear, with some existing members expressing unawareness of the change.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad has accused the BJP of orchestrating 'Operation Lotus' to induce defections from the Mamata Banerjee-led party, citing recent resignations and meetings of dissident MPs as evidence of an organised attempt to weaken the TMC.
Iran threatened to halt its matches at the World Cup if unauthorised flags are displayed or slogans targeting the national team are chanted at stadiums, Iranian media reported, citing Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali, following criticism of the team's presence at the tournament.
23 political parties of the INDIA bloc will meet on Monday to redraw their strategy to take on the BJP and iron out differences amid changed power dynamics after the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the obscure Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a move seen by political observers as a strategic way to support the BJP-led NDA without immediately joining the saffron party and bypassing legal complexities.
The TMC is grappling with an extraordinary internal paradox as its legislative faction in West Bengal pledges 'constructive opposition' against the BJP, while a significant portion of its Lok Sabha MPs surprisingly aligns with the BJP-led NDA, exposing a profound ideological schism within the party.
The campaign, launched under the leadership of IYC in-charge Manish Sharma and the wing's president Uday Bhanu Chib, seeks to reclaim the term 'cockroaches', which the organisation said had been used to mock protesting youth.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad have launched a scathing attack on rebel party MPs, accusing them of lacking political morality, maintaining links with the BJP, and abandoning party workers amidst alleged harassment and political attacks.
Dinesh Trivedi's experience as a businessperson and his fluency in Bengali are expected to be crucial in strengthening India-Bangladesh relations, particularly in attracting Indian investments to Dhaka.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is undergoing interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged primary school recruitment scam. The ED is focusing on the money trail, financial documents, and statements from other accused, following a prior questioning session by the state CID on a separate forgery case.
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.
DMK Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin has launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the former ally of 'stabbing the DMK in the back' and blaming them for the BJP's consecutive national victories. He exhorted party cadre to 'never trust the Congress again'.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay's meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and allegedly with Home Minister Amit Shah has ignited fresh political speculation about his potential defection and the formation of a dissident parliamentary faction, further deepening the turmoil within the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
A group of dissident Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs, led by Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, plans to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek recognition as the 'real TMC' parliamentary group, claiming the support of 19 members amidst an escalating internal party crisis.
'Shivakumar's relationship with the BJP and the RSS is not adversarial in the way Siddaramaiah's has been.' 'Siddaramaiah has publicly attacked the RSS on record; Shivakumar has made no such statement at any point.' 'He vociferously defended the Karnataka government's celebration of Ram temple consecration with RSS-ish arguments.'
The Congress and Raijor Dal have finalised a seat-sharing agreement for the Assam assembly elections, with Congress leaving 11 constituencies for Raijor Dal and a friendly contest in two others. The alliance aims to defeat the BJP government.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has strongly condemned the social media campaign against national award-winning Malayalam actor Salim Kumar during his illness and after his death. Satheesan criticised the abusive comments and the intrusive behaviour of online media during the actor's cremation, calling for greater responsibility from both individuals and media organisations.
Amidst the INDIA bloc conclave in Delhi, a significant number of Trinamool Congress MPs convened a closed-door meeting, signalling a deepening internal rebellion and discontent within the party's parliamentary ranks following recent electoral setbacks.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay concluded his first official visit to Delhi, meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss key state issues.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has criticised Congress leaders for visiting 'anaj mandis' in Haryana and challenged them to assess the performance of Congress-governed states. He highlighted the development work carried out in Haryana under the current government.
The Indian National Congress has strongly condemned the air strike by Pakistan that hit a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulting in a high number of casualties. The party calls for global rejection of such acts of barbarism and expresses solidarity with the Afghan people.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the Congress party of indirectly supporting the BJP in West Bengal, urging voters to reject them in the upcoming elections. He alleged a nexus between the Congress, BJP, and Left parties, claiming that votes for Congress would split the opposition and benefit the BJP.
'Those who have drained Mamata Banerjee's blood -- they are the ones calling us traitors.'
Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar announced that the TVK regime, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will take steps to ensure fair financial devolution from the Centre, including pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court. The government also plans to conduct a 'Social Justice Survey' and address the state's severe financial deterioration.
The National Investigation Agency on Friday night arrested former Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla, the prime suspect in the Bhangar blast case, from West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, hours after declaring him as 'absconding'.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Uttar Pradesh government has questioned Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and administrator Gopal Rao regarding allegations of donation money theft and financial mismanagement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
D K Shivakumar, the Vokkaliga strongman and state Congress President, is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka today at 4:05 pm at Lok Bhavan. The ceremony will also see some ministers taking oath, though the final list is awaiting approval from the Congress high command.
Speculation around leadership change and a Cabinet reshuffle has intensified after the Congress government completed three years in office on May 20.
Siddaramaiah has resigned from his position as Chief Minister of Karnataka, following instructions from the Congress high command. D K Shivakumar is expected to succeed him. The decision follows internal discussions and political manoeuvring within the Congress party.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the BJP's 47th Foundation Day, highlighting the Uniform Civil Code and 'One Nation, One Election' as key unfinished agendas. He also reaffirmed the party's commitment to implementing women's reservation in the 2029 elections and criticised dynastic politics.
Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called for a special session of the Haryana Assembly to address the state's deteriorating law and order situation. Citing central government and NCRB reports, Hooda highlighted Haryana's unsafe status, high organised crime rates, and alarming statistics on rapes, murders, and suicides, alleging the BJP government's negligence.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly condemned the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, alleging it is a politically motivated act of "electoral sabotage" ahead of the West Bengal elections.
