The battle for the Trinamool Congress' name and election symbol is spilling into the Nandigram bypoll, with the rebel faction asking party supremo Mamata Banerjee to contest from there, promising not to field a candidate against her.
A rebel Trinamool Congress faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has named candidates for two assembly bypolls in West Bengal, directly challenging the Mamata Banerjee-led camp. This move escalates the internal party battle, particularly over the 'twin flowers' symbol, which both factions claim. The Election Commission is currently reviewing the dispute, and the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar will serve as a crucial electoral test for both sides.
Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has strongly criticised the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, labelling it an 'unfair procedure' despite its legal standing, raising concerns about mass voter deletions and the erosion of democratic trust.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has appealed to Opposition leaders to stop politicising the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar. Her comments follow accusations from NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule regarding the lack of an FIR and the ruling faction's perceived inaction. Pawar stressed the immense grief of the family and affirmed faith in ongoing investigations.
The All India Football Federation has announced a series of high-profile international friendly matches for the Indian men's national team. India will host Panama on September 26 in Bengaluru, followed by five-time world champions Brazil on October 3 and two-time world champions Uruguay on October 6, both in Kolkata. These matches represent a significant step for Indian football, offering the team a chance to compete against top-ranked global opponents.
Some colour combinations just make sense. Black and white, blue and denim, pink and red -- we've seen them all before.
Some see in the CJP the potential of weakening the Opposition. Hence the BJP/RSS's 'softly softly catchee monkey' approach, with co-option being the ultimate aim, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has ignited a political firestorm with his controversial remarks suggesting sugar should be "very expensive" and avoided by those over 40, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition amidst rising inflation concerns.
A Kishore Kumar song, a birthday cake, a prince's break from protocol to thank his driver, a Persian painting on the ceiling of the presidential residence -- the BRICS Summit had many memorable moments.
The highlight of the successful BRICS Summit was its ability to deliver a joint statement that all members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates, embroiled in the war in West Asia, signed.
Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore has formally objected to the use of a song dedicated to Maharana Pratap in "Mirzapur The Movie", demanding its removal from the Central Board of Film Certification. Rathore argues that using the historical song in a scene with criminal characters disrespects Maharana Pratap and hurts public sentiments. The song's composer, Rapperiya Balam, also claims it was used without his permission and that its placement glorifies villains, insulting Rajasthan and Maharana Pratap.
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, despite strong objections from the Punjab government. The Mann government claimed the appointment bypassed constitutional norms and procedures, leading to a political tussle with the Centre, which defended the process.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed district presidents at a training camp in Nashik, urging them to uphold party ideology and fight for justice. He also demonstrated martial arts and discussed various state issues with senior leaders, while BJP leaders protested his visit.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
For the second time in two years, Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the state Cabinet on Friday amid the Opposition heat over his alleged involvement in the Rs 89 crore Valmiki Corporation scam.
BJP MLC Parinay Fuke claimed NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar was considering joining the Congress, citing deteriorating relations with Supriya Sule. In response, Pawar accused Fuke of shielding alleged corruption, particularly concerning illegal sand businesses, paddy procurement issues, and irregularities in an employment guarantee scheme, challenging him to address farmers' concerns instead of making baseless claims.
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.
Fighting in Yemen has intensified as Houthi rebels advance on strategic government-held areas like Marib and Taiz, putting pressure on Saudi Arabia to respond. The conflict is also linked to wider US-Iran tensions affecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with former US President Trump commenting on the situation.
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
An FIR has been registered in Haldwani against unknown persons following an alleged "purification ceremony" at Ramlila Maidan after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting. The complaint, filed by Congress leader Anju Arya, alleges caste discrimination and social humiliation. The Uttarakhand High Court has been assured of an investigation, and Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallu Ravi, have demanded action, with Ravi filing a separate complaint in Delhi.
The US Department of Homeland Security removed a controversial X post featuring a Transformers-themed cartoon targeting an Indian Sikh man, Harjinder Singh, with racially charged language. The post, which linked Singh to vehicular homicide charges and used phrases like "Self deport or find out," drew fierce condemnation from Indian American organisations and Democratic lawmakers for its discriminatory nature. DHS initially dismissed the outcry but later removed the post without explanation, while continuing its campaign against "illegal aliens" involved in fatal traffic accidents.
The Indian hockey teams will return to their traditional blue jerseys for the upcoming Asian Games, reversing a controversial decision to switch to a saffron-coloured kit. The previous change had led to widespread criticism, internal discord within Hockey India, and even political debate, despite claims of visibility issues on blue turf.
The Indian junior women's hockey team played a goalless draw against China in their final elite pool match of the Junior Asia Cup. This result secured India the top spot in their pool due to a superior goal difference, setting up a quarter-final clash against Pakistan.
Tensions have emerged within Jammu and Kashmir's ruling alliance between the National Conference and Congress over the full rendition of Vande Mataram at an official state event. While the NC defends it as a "statutory obligation," the Congress expresses strong disapproval, citing historical resolutions and the need to respect India's pluralistic ethos.
Indian hockey teams will return to their traditional blue jerseys for the Asian Games after a controversial shift to saffron kits sparked widespread criticism and internal discord within Hockey India. The decision to revert to blue was confirmed by HI president Dilip Tirkey, who had previously questioned the saffron kit's adoption without proper approval.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan stated that the state government adheres to Central protocol for Vande Mataram recitation when the President, Vice-President, or Prime Minister attend official functions, despite his party's internal policy. This clarification follows a controversy and protests from the CPI(M) and SFI regarding the full rendition of the national song at a recent state event.
A Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh has sparked a major controversy by alleging that staff at Rewa's Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital mortuary sexually abused the corpses of "beautiful" women and extorted money for post-mortems. The hospital administration has vehemently denied these claims as baseless, while the MLA insists an investigation will reveal the truth, citing a past incident where employees were sacked for irregularities.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha informed the Assembly that the post-mortem report indicated DGP Anurag Dhankar's death was suicidal. This statement came amidst demands for a high court judge-led probe from the opposition, who also questioned the disclosure of the report in the Assembly. An impartial inquiry is currently underway.
Cricket Australia has announced that private investment will be introduced into the Big Bash League (BBL) from the 2027-28 season, beginning with the sale of the Melbourne Renegades T20 franchise, a move aimed at strengthening the league's long-term future and boosting finances.
A special NIA court in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district has convicted all 10 accused, including two women, in the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack case. The attack resulted in the deaths of 29 people, including senior Congress leaders, and was one of the deadliest incidents of Left Wing Extremism. The quantum of punishment will be announced on September 16.
A proposed Rs 1,200 crore Secretariat-Assembly complex in Pattinapakkam, Chennai, has ignited significant opposition from local fishing communities and various political parties. Residents fear displacement, loss of livelihood, and environmental damage, citing ancestral rights and broken promises. Political leaders across the spectrum are urging Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the site, highlighting concerns about ecological impact, traffic, and financial priorities.
New South Wales (NSW) has strongly criticised Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to proceed with a "self-determination" model for Big Bash League (BBL) privatisation, warning of potential threats to investment in grassroots cricket and long-term implications for the sport. NSW, which operates two BBL clubs, expressed disappointment over the lack of alignment across Australian cricket and highlighted unfulfilled conditions for the sale process.
Amidst ongoing ethnic tensions, a new political alignment in Manipur sees Meitei and Naga groups uniting to demand an update to the National Register of Citizens with a 1951 base year, a move fiercely opposed by Kuki-Zo communities who fear it will disenfranchise them.
The Bombay High Court has dismissed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's petition challenging a 2019 summons issued by a magistrate court in a defamation complaint. The complaint, filed by a BJP member, pertains to Gandhi's alleged defamatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The High Court found no illegality in the magistrate's order but extended the deferment of the lower court hearing by six weeks to allow Gandhi to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The UEFA Champions League group stage commenced with thrilling matches as holders Paris St Germain, Arsenal, and Liverpool all secured victories. Ferran Torres netted a hat-trick for PSG in their dominant 6-1 win, while Martin Odegaard's late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 triumph over Napoli. Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1, and Barcelona also started strong with a 5-1 win against Feyenoord.
A Delhi court has ordered the framing of money laundering charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and six others in the alleged IRCTC hotel scam. The court found strong suspicion of a manipulated tender for railway hotels and a quid pro quo involving land transfer at undervalued rates.
A consumer redressal commission in Pathanamthitta, Keralam, has ordered King's Biriyani Cafe to pay Rs 96,500 to a woman who suffered a Salmonella infection after consuming food from the eatery. The woman experienced severe illness and hospitalisation, leading to the commission's ruling against the cafe's proprietor and manager.
The BRICS grouping adopted a consensus joint declaration in New Delhi, successfully navigating differences on the West Asia conflict but notably omitting any direct mention of US strikes on Iran or Iranian military attacks on Gulf Arab nations. The declaration also criticised Israel's actions in Gaza and called for a concerted approach against terrorism.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay departed from a long-standing Assembly tradition by sitting with ministers in the front row instead of his designated chair. This move, considered unprecedented for a chief minister, occurred during a session where the presence of department secretaries was also debated.
