Politics

Won’t allow BJP to snatchvoting rights: Mamata

WEST Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to “snatch away the voting rights” of people through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly polls. Addressing thousands of worshippers after Eid prayers at Kolkata’s Red Road, the TMC supremo alleged that the SIR exercise, which the ruling party claimed had led to large-scale deletions of voter names, was part of a “broader attempt” to influence the electoral process in ..

‘TMC to contest 291 of 294 seats, sure to win over 226’

BETTING on calibrated generational change and organisational loyalty rather than star power, the ruling TMC on Tuesday unveiled candidates for 291 of the 294 West Bengal Assembly seats, signalling a strategy of controlled churn as it seeks a fourth straight term in office. The Mamata Banerjee-Suvendu Adhikari rivalry is set to acquire a fresh electoral theatre in Bhabanipur, where the Chief Minister will defend her seat even as the BJP has fielded the leader of Opposition from the constituency. The ..

Fadnavis not party to NCP merger talks, has no right to comment: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was not part of merger discussions between the two Nationalist Congress Party factions and therefore had no right to comment on them. Speaking to reporters in Baramati, the former Union Minister claimed that NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and his nephew and NCP chief Ajit Pawar had been leading the merger talks. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28. After his death, Sharad Pawar and other leaders ..

Confident of winning upcoming polls in WB, Tamil Nadu: BJP after Nabin-led meeting

THE BJP on Wednesday asserted that it will form its Government in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for the first time by defeating the ruling TMC and the DMK respectively in the upcoming Assembly polls. In a statement, the BJP said based on the ground reports presented by the party’s State units here at a meeting chaired by BJP National President Nitin Nabin, it is confident of dislodging the Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal and the M K Stalin Government in Tamil Nadu in the upcoming polls. At ..

Parth Pawar land row ‘Random’ accusations raised in poll season; truth will surface soon, says Ajit

FORCED to do the firefighting to defend his son in a controversial land deal, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Sunday wondered how a document can be registered without a “transaction of one rupee” and sought to link the allegations with elections to local bodies. He reiterated that the ongoing inquiry will reveal the truth about the land deal to the public. The sale of 40 acres of land in Pune’s upscale Mundhwa area for Rs 300 crore to a company in which Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar is a majority ..

Uddhav, Raj come together for ‘Marathi’

SHIV Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said, he and MNS head Raj Thackeray have come together to stay united as the cousins shared a political stage for the first time after two decades on the issue of Marathi identity and “imposition” of the Hindi language. Addressing a “victory” rally in Worli here to celebrate the rollback of the Hindi language GRs (resolutions) by the BJP-led Government, Uddhav hinted at contesting the upcoming civic elections together. “We have come together to stay ..

BJP MLA Munirathna booked in gangrape case

AN FIR has been filed against BJP MLA Munirathna and his accomplices after a 40-year-old woman accused himof gang raping her and urinating on her face and injecting her with a deadly virus, police said on Wednesday. The FIR was registered based on the complaint of a BJP worker at RMCYard police station on Tuesday, they said. In her complaint, the woman, claiming to be a BJP worker, alleged that the incident occurred at the MLA’s office in Mathikere on June 11, 2023...

Rekha Gupta is Delhi’s new CM

THE long suspense over ‘who will be the next Delhi Chief Minister’ ended on Wednesday evening with first-time MLA Rekha Gupta being chosen as the leader of the BJP legislature party, paving the way for her to take over the post. Gupta, the MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was chosen at a meeting of the BJP legislature party at the state party office at Pant Marg this evening, under the supervision of two Central Observers – former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP National Secretary Om Prakash Dhankhar...

New Mah CM to take oath on

THE new MahaYuti Government in Maharashtra will be sworn in at Azad Maidan here on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence , the State BJP announced on Saturday. While there was no announcement yet on who would be the Chief Minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been Chief Minister twice and was Deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led Government, was the front-runner for the top post. Shinde, who is holding the charge as caretaker Chief Minister and who ..

Won’t be a hurdle Shinde says, will back BJP’s decision on CM

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said, he will “fully support” BJP leadership’s decision to name the next CM, adding that he won’t be a hurdle in the process. Shinde’s announcement makes the decks clear for the BJP to name Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister for the third time, a senior BJP leader said. “I called PM Modi yesterday and also Amit Shah and told them to decide (on who will be the CM post), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take,” Shinde ..

Sule should apologise for fielding Yugendra against Ajit Pawar: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party on Sunday said NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule should apologise for her party fielding Yugendra Pawar against his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the Baramati Assembly seat. NCP President Ajit Pawar won from his traditional Baramati constituency, defeating his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra by more than one lakh votes. The high-stakes contest was seen as a battle between the 65-year-old politician and his uncle, Sharad Pawar (83). Talking to reporters, ..

Voting on Nov 20 Campaigning endsin Mah, J’khand

THE election campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls ended on Monday, with the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine hoping for a strong comeback. Polling will be held in all the 288 Assembly seats on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. The election campaign saw prominent leaders like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and many Union Ministers crisscrossing the state to garner votes for their ..

Eknath Khadseannouncesretirement fromelectoral politics

A VETERAN NCP-SP leader Eknath Khadse, who quit BJP in 2020 blaming the leadership for his neglect, on Monday announced his retirement from electoral politics citing health issues. However, in an emotional appeal to the voters from Muktainagar Assembly seat in Maharashtra, Khadse, who was all set for his ‘ghar wapsi’ to BJP but dropped the idea due to lack of formal offer, urged the voters to elect his daughter and NCP-SP nominee Rohini Khadse, who is pitted against the Shiv Sena candidate Chandrakant ..

Will not allow ‘vote jihad’ in Mah polls: Nilesh Rane

MAHARASHTRA BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has said he will ensure “vote jihad” does not happen in the upcoming State Assembly polls and maintained he was not afraid of the multiple FIRs pertaining to hate speeches registered against him. In an interview to PTI, Rane, who is the BJP’s nominee from Kankavli seat in Sindhudurg district, asserted he has “not done anything wrong” by taking the side of his “dharma” or community. “I am going to be mentioned as a Hindu on my birth and death certificate. If I am being ..

Mah Assembly elections Mahayuti will get over 175 seats, I willwin by over one lakh votes: Ajit Pawar

WITH campaigningin full swing ahead of Maharashtra Assemblyelections, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has exuded confidence in the victory of the Mahayuti alliance with over 175 seats in the 288- member State Legislature. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP candidate from Baramati Assembly constituencysaid,“Mahayutiwillget more than 175 seats and in Baramati, I will win with a margin ofmore than onelakhvotes.” Maharashtrawill go topollson November 20 with votes being counted on November 23. ..

BJP promises strict anti-conversionlaw, skill census in Mah

THE BJP on Sunday promised to enact ananti conversion law with stringent provisions in Maharashtra, and also assured a skill census for training as per industry needs as well as free ration to low-income families. Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled in Mumbai the 25-point ‘Sankalp Patra 2024’, as per which the financial assistance component under the Mahayuti Government’s Ladki Bahin scheme for women will be increased from Rs 1,500 per month to Rs 2,100...

MVA promises caste census, six cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 each

THE Opposition MVA on Sunday released its manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, promising free cervical cancer vaccines for girls aged 9 to 16 and two optional leave days for women employees during menstruation. The manifesto, titled ‘Maharashtranama’, also assured a castebased census, establishment of a separate department for the empowerment of selfhelp groups, formation of a dedicated ministry for child welfare, and six cooking gas cylinders every year at Rs 500 each to women. It also promised ..