The Karnataka government will conduct a new 'Social and Educational survey', popularly known as 'caste census', in the state for 15 days, from September 22 to October 7. The survey aims to eliminate caste discrimination and gather data on financial status and land ownership.
In total, 17 people, including Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy, have been issued notices to appear before the Delhi police's investigation officer (in connection with the case. Sources, however, said Reddy is "unlikely" to join the probe and may send his representative.
With no respite in sight, the All India Congress Committee is planning on calling a meeting of all leaders from Andhra Pradesh to discuss the proposal to set up a Rayal-Telangana state.
'...for success like the BJP.' 'The BJP's work for the next election begins the day one election ends.'
With the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly rejecting the resignations of all members of legislative assembly from the Telangana region, the Congress MLAs are locked up in a meeting to decide on the next course of action.
The Congress party has pledged to provide free LPG cylinders, ration kits, and electricity up to 300 units to Delhi residents if elected to power. The announcement was made by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin and Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav. This is the latest in a series of promises made by the Congress for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Earlier, the party had promised a monthly monetary grant of Rs 2,500 to women, free health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh, and Rs 8,500 every month to educated unemployed youths in Delhi for one year.
BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were among those who addressed public meetings in different parts of the state on Sunday.
Congress suggestion of a Gorkhaland model of autonomy, has only further angered Telangana activists, who are unwilling to settle for anything short of a separate state.
Congress leaders from the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh claimed that they have an indication from the Union home ministry on creation of a separate state.
He asked if DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, "who speaks of Tamil culture, such a serious allegation has been made--will DMK snap ties with Congress, for Tamil pride and the Tamil people."
However, finding the funds to fulfill them will be a herculean task.
'Mr Modi has the power and pre-eminence in the BJP-RSS to choose how long he wants to serve, and he is definitely going to want to contest in 2029.' 'He will only be 79, as old as Donald Trump now, and fitter,' observes Shekhar Gupta.
After the release of the Justice Srikrishna report on Telangana, the Congress leadership is gearing up to face a long drawn battle on the issue even as the bifurcation of the state is not on the mind of the party leadership, say highly placed sources in the Congress.
Speculation about Sharmila growing closer to the Congress has been doing the rounds for quite some time after she met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru in May to congratulate him on the victory of the party in the neighbouring state.
In a letter to the Karnataka chief secretary, the Commission said the state government did not obtain prior approval from it for publishing the advertisements, an action violative of the poll code instructions issued to central and state governments years ago.
If the Congress reached 90, it would have a pretty good chance of holding the BJP below the 272 mark. A hundred seats will rock national politics, argues Shekhar Gupta.
'Earlier, we used to talk about a deficit economy. There is a deficit in democracy' 'If you read superficially Gandhi and Ambedkar and Nehru, some misconceptions and misunderstanding come to mind, as if they were at loggerheads and they differed radically in their views' 'India is one nation. There is only one citizenship. No citizenship for South India and no citizenship for North India and another for the Northeast'
Congress leaders from Telangana on Saturday asserted that there was no question of retracting their resignations, tendered in support of the demand of separate state.
Unless the merger is reversed, the Congress is set to lose its Opposition Party status in the state assembly.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to replace its Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar with Union minister G Kishan Reddy, a "softer" leader who can take everyone along, and elevate Etela Rajender, who has switched from the BRS, as its election management committee chairperson hints at a change in the party's strategy in the state.
'His willingness to take the initiative to fight for truth and justice and his willingness to cross swords with anyone for a just cause.'
Owaisi was appointed as pro-tem Speaker though there were other senior members in the House, state BJP president G Kishan Reddy alleged.
Telangana Congress group, comprising of 52 Members of Legislative Assembly and 11 Members of Parliament and other elected representatives, appear to be a divided house on the eve of their visit to New Delhi on Tuesday to meet the party high command on the issue of formation of Telangana state.
The Maharashtra legislative assembly passed the 'Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill' aimed at preventing unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organizations, focusing on urban Naxalism and passive militancy.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi orchestrated the entire drama on Telangana with Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in the lead. The truth about Telangana lies behind six blatant lies. Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa analyses
Two Congress MPs from Telangana region dismissed reports that there was a proposal to pacify the agitation by offering political posts to the agitators and said there was "no compromise" on their commitment to a form a separate state.
The Congress now knows that it is the only force -- however weakened it might be -- that stands between the BJP and India's evolution into a single-party Republic. Because, once it is out of the way, the BJP could sort out the other regional powers: Co-opting some, demolishing others, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'What matters is policies, not personalities like Priyanka, Rahul or Modi.'
A crucial meeting of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the leaders from Telangana once again resulted in no concrete decision being taken on the issue of separate statehood.
He said with a view to releasing a white paper on the state's finances, the cabinet has asked the officials to furnish information on the expenditure made by the previous government from 2014 to December 7, 2023 on all departments in the state government and the purposes for which the expenditure was incurred.
Congress leaders from Telangana region will discuss the party's directive that they should "withdraw" from the all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee on Monday.
The Congress needs to reorganise itself at the grassroots, infuse younger blood, and have more boots on the ground. Just offering freebies is not the answer anymore. Leadership matters, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The Telangana government has issued a circular allowing Muslim employees to leave offices an hour early during the holy month of Ramzan. The move has been criticized by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which termed it "appeasement politics". The BJP questioned why similar measures are not extended during Hindu festivals. The ruling Congress party defended the decision, stating that such facilities are provided during various festivals and are not unique to Ramzan.
Asked about him sticking with the Congress since he got the parliamentary polls ticket from Moradabad in 2009, he said loyalty is very important to him since the beginning.
'There is ample evidence to suggest that attacks on the PM's probity and his connections with business houses do not resonate with voters.'
The Congress feels that the people of Telangana must agree to some sort of a compromise formula and once the statehood is announced then they would not argue too much on this issue. The Congress says it has to take care of the interests of each and every person and this is the best workable solution available to them
There is a proposal from the BJP camp that they would resort to a proportion-based increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats for individual states, based on what they now have. On the face of it, this sounds like a fine argument that those demanding a 'freeze' now cannot oppose without reasons and justification, avers N Sathiya Moorthy.
As the Centre announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the next census on Wednesday, opposition parties said it is a victory for their long-standing demand and sought time-bound implementation.
Telangana Congress MPs and other leaders on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for recommending the deletion of a controversial clause related to police recruitment, but decided to continue their boycott of official work for now.
The MPs sealed their mouths with black bands to register their protest.
