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.
"The BJP tried every trick to defeat the BSP candidate and indulged in malpractices," the BSP supremo alleged.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has announced his decision to contest the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar. He frames the bypoll as a "referendum" on the performance of the current BJP-led government under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. Kishor, a former poll strategist, aims to challenge the established parties in a seat traditionally held by the BJP.
Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary M K Vishalakshi, who is the returning officer for the Rajya Sabha polls, declared the 'unanimous election' of Gowda and Kharge from the Janta Dal-Secular and the Congress respectively, and BJP's Iranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti, with no extra candidate in the fray.
The government now seeks to bring a constitutional amendment bill in this regard in Lok Sabha on Tuesday and in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, for which the session has been extended.
Despite recent gains, the BJP-led NDA is unlikely to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha in the near future, highlighting the challenges in passing key legislation requiring constitutional amendments.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is set to meet with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to discuss the state cabinet reshuffle following Siddaramaiah's resignation. Key topics include Rajya Sabha and MLC candidates, as well as potential appointments of multiple Deputy CMs to maintain social and regional balance.
Three BJP candidates have been declared elected unopposed in the biennial Rajya Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress party has moved the Supreme Court against the rejection of its candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination.
According to RS members, these polls distort the election process.
The Rajya Sabha elections saw several candidates elected unopposed, including Sharad Pawar and Ramdas Athawale, while Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana prepare for contested elections.
Top leaders of opposition parties including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, besides Left leaders and those from smaller parties, are likely to attend the meeting at the Constitution Club in the national capital.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra is facing internal conflict over the allocation of a winnable Rajya Sabha seat, with the Congress staking its claim against the Shiv Sena (UBT). Discussions are ongoing to reach a consensus before the nomination deadline.
All 5 candidates, three from Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United and two from the opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party, were on Friday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from the state.
As more opposition MPs are now aligning with the ruling NDA, sources in the government indicated that possibilities are being explored to give a fresh push to the delimitation legislation in Parliament.
BJP rebel Gokul Gite secured a surprising victory in Maharashtra legislative council's Nashik district local governing body constituency, defeating the ruling Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade by 109 votes, despite senior Mahayuti leaders' attempts to resolve his independent candidature.
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.
The BJP team under the new national president Nitin Nabin, who took charge in January, is expected to be announced within this month, with sources suggesting that some holding positions in the government may move to the party.
He said that his primary goal would be to strengthen the political momentum to replace the Congress government with BJP rule in the coming assembly polls in Karnataka.
He said, according to the party constitution, a 3-member enquiry committee would be set up, which after going through their (suspended MLAs) replies to the notice.
Opposition parties have submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Trinamool Congress's (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP and former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro has tendered his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament, party sources said on Tuesday.
Sources stated that the move comes even as Trinamool Congress has attempted to stir a controversy over Dasgupta's candidature. BJP has fielded Swapan Dasgupta from Tarakeswar Assembly constituency in Hoogly district.
Dharmendra Pradhan's political career faced an unexpected jolt as he resigned as Education Minister following nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak, marking a significant departure from the government's initial dismissive response to the agitation.
There are strong possibilities of some Union ministers being sent to take organisational roles in the BJP and party office-bearers being inducted into the Modi ministry.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the completion of "Operation Tiger" as six Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) officially defected to the ruling Shiv Sena. This move further formalises a split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, strengthening Shinde's party and marking a significant political development in Maharashtra.
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.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was on Monday named as the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, while Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad was declared the Leader of the Opposition.
Sinh, who has been in the BJP earlier and was elected to Lok Sabha on its ticket in 90s, wields considerable influence in the Amethi region of Uttar Pradesh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Harsh Malhotra as the president of its Delhi unit, sparking speculation about an imminent reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. This move follows the BJP's 'one person, one post' principle and comes as the party prepares for upcoming elections and a review of ministerial performance.
The BJP has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections across multiple states, including Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and Haryana.
The Indian government and opposition are preparing for a contentious Monsoon Session of Parliament, with key issues including the Constitution Amendment Bill on delimitation and women's reservation, the alleged NEET paper leak, and a row over Ram temple donations set to spark heated debates.
'It is a well calculated strategy of the BJP to hit the JSP and widely propagate that leaders have been leaving PK sensing his defeat in the bypoll.'
It also made the EC a party to a petition filed by former Rajya Sabha member Kuldeep Nayar challenging recent amendments to the election procedure.
Speculation around leadership change and a Cabinet reshuffle has intensified after the Congress government completed three years in office on May 20.
Stating that it was a "conscious" decision to quit electoral politics, Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Friday filed his nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha polls scheduled to be held on February 7.
The JD(U) stated that it supported the BJP for the Bihar chief minister's post to reciprocate past support, as the new government prepares for a vote of confidence.
The Election Commission will examine a complaint filed by opposition parties alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation violated the Model Code of Conduct for elections.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticises the state government over alleged LPG cylinder shortages and black marketing, urging immediate action to alleviate public hardship. He also addresses concerns regarding farmers' MSP and the SYL canal issue.
The Trinamool Congress MP said he is unable to bear various incidents that are happening in West Bengal.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP chief J P Nadda and new party entrant Ashok Chavan and Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and L Murugan were among the 41 candidates elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha on Tuesday while Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh will witness polling on February 27.
