Opposition parties are expected to announce their joint vice-presidential candidate, potentially leading to a 'south versus south' contest. Meetings and discussions have been held to finalize the candidate, with names from Tamil Nadu being considered. The opposition aims to field a non-political figure with national standing.
'His willingness to take the initiative to fight for truth and justice and his willingness to cross swords with anyone for a just cause.'
BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said the Mahayuti partners will meet Governor C P Radhakrishnan to stake a claim to form a government in the state.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday asked what was the need to "impose" Hindi on students and appealed to schools in Maharashtra to foil the government's "hidden agenda to deliberately create a language divide".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of rigging the Maharashtra assembly elections and expressed concerns about similar tactics being used in the upcoming Bihar polls. He alleged that the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar is an attempt to manipulate the election process.
A video showing an auto-rickshaw driver being beaten up allegedly by Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray workers in Maharashtra's Palghar district for 'anti-Marathi' remarks has gone viral on social media, further fuelling controversy over the language issue in the state.
The present strength of the electoral college is 781 as six seats are vacant in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha. This puts the majority mark at 391. The NDA has 425 MPs, while the opposition camp has the backing of 324.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MNS head Raj Thackeray met at a hotel in Mumbai on Thursday morning.
Estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will unite for the cause of the Marathi language, as their parties will stage a joint protest against the 'imposition' Hindi and the state government's three-language formula for Classes 1-5.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned against violence and linguistic chauvinism related to the Marathi language, emphasizing constructive promotion and legal action against those taking the law into their own hands.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Maharashtra government lost to the power of 'Marathi manoos' after it withdrew two GRs (government resolutions) on the implementation of Hindi, part of the three-language policy, in Classes 1 to 5 in state schools.
The Congress continued its losing spree on Saturday posting its worst-ever show in Maharashtra and ending up a distant junior partner to the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand, further diminishing its role in the opposition bloc as other allies perform better.
Thackeray said that the MNS will contest more seats than any other party.
Amid parties accusing rivals of promoting dynastic politics, the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls will see brothers, cousins and father-children in the fray, with members of the same family taking on each other in some seats.
Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat denies allegations that a bag seen in a viral video contained money, claiming it only held clothes. The video surfaced amid scrutiny over a significant increase in his declared assets.
Former Supreme Court judge B Sudhershan Reddy is the joint candidate of the Opposition parties for the Vice-Presidential polls, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced.
'When Penguins were brought from abroad to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo (commonly known as Rani Baug), we accepted that their names would be in English. However, chicks born here, on the soil of Maharashtra, should be given Marathi names'
The stage is set for a direct contest between NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy for the September 9 vice-presidential election. Nominations have been scrutinized and accepted.
Activist Manoj Jarange's hunger strike demanding Maratha quota continues for the third day in Mumbai, following a meeting with a government delegation. The protest has caused traffic disruptions and highlights the ongoing debate over reservation policies in Maharashtra.
Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre, whose ethereal beauty and acting talent made her a popular choice for many 90s films and earned her a loyal fan base, has firmly denied rumours linking her to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray after an old video of the two went viral.
'Let Fadnavisji prove to the people of Maharashtra that he acts fairly against one and all.'
The Jain community, for whom feeding pigeons is a sacred tradition, have fiercely opposed the closure, with demonstrations in Mumbai highlighting the cultural significance and the distress of pigeons dying on streets.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday sought to make light of his meeting with Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray head and political rival Uddhav Thackeray a day ago and noted his government was stable with support from deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, estranged cousins and leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS respectively, will share a public stage after two decades to celebrate the Maharashtra government's decision to roll back the three-language policy in primary schools.
Activist Manoj Jarange has criticized the Maharashtra government for extending the permission for his hunger strike for Maratha reservation by only one day. He warned that Marathas from across the state will come to Mumbai if their quota demand is not met quickly, threatening to escalate the protest and stop taking water in the next two days.
Wednesday's joint protest march in Patna marked a significant moment, with Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly, leading a unified demonstration -- perhaps a first in the state's recent political history.
Flanked by his party MP Sanjay Raut, Uddhav received his cousin at the entrance of the Matoshree bungalow, one of the most recognised landmarks in Mumbai.
BJP leader Nitesh Rane criticizes MNS after alleged assault on a man for not speaking Marathi, sparking political controversy.
Does voter deletion controversy expose critical gaps in ECI verification procedures and safeguards protecting electoral roll integrity?
'The government's priority is not farmers.'
Police detained MNS leader Avinash Jadhav ahead of a rally planned in Thane to counter a protest staged by traders against the slapping of a food stall owner for not speaking in Marathi.
Amid the language controversy, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has prohibited his party members from interacting with media or posting personal reactions on social media platforms.
The BMC's decision to ban public feeding of pigeons in view of health hazards associated with the practice and close kabutarkhanas has led to a controversy. People who feed pigeons have challenged the civic body's decision in the Bombay high court.
Lok Sabha polls held over 5 phases so why hold assembly elections in single phase, asks Oppn.
Unfortunately for the prosecution, the chassis number that the investigation was relying on to implicate Pragya failed as the court said in its judgment that the chassis number of the two-wheeler had been wiped out and therefore it could not be connected to Pragya.
Veteran legislator Ganpatrao Deshmukh on Sunday created history by winning his 11th assembly election.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance on Saturday retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats, as the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 50 seats.
BJP leaders in Maharashtra criticized Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint rally in Mumbai, calling it a desperate attempt to revive their political fortunes ahead of civic polls. They accused the Thackerays of using the Marathi language issue as a guise to regain power and criticized their past actions.
'Our party has formed governments independently in all neighbouring states except West Bengal; now it's Bihar's turn.'
Cousins and political rivals Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands in the larger interest of native Marathi speakers, nearly two decades after a bitter split.
