India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Chennai, Mar 31 (UNI) The ruling DMK and the prinicpal Opposition AIADMK are bracing up for intense battle as the two major Dravidian parties are locked in a direct contest in 121 of the total 234 seats in the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu With the filing of nominatons commencing for the high stake four-cornered contest, the on field battle between the two ar rivals, which had been ruling the state alternatively for the last six decades, gained momentum as both the parties gear up for the direct face-off in 121 constituencies across the State. The DMK is contesting in 164 seats on its own, and 11 candidates of alliance parties are contesting on DMK's Rising Sun symbol, taking the total tally to 175. The remaining 59 seats would be contested by the allies on their own party symbols. Its main ally, the Congress was contesting in 28 seats, new entrant DMDK in 10 seats, dalit outfit VCK in 8, CPI and CPI(M) 5 each, MDMK (4), Indian union Muslim League, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) (2 each), and Mukkulathor Puli Padai (MPP) of actor Karunaas, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK), Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the RSS-aligned Tamizhar Desiya Katchi (TDK) one each. Of this the MDMK (three of the four seats) and the MMK, KMDMK, MPP, MJK, SDPI and TDK would be contesting all their seats under the DMK symbol, rounding off the tally to 175 (164 plus 11), as against 184 (173 plus 14), the DMK had contested in the 2021 polls and won 133 seats, riding on the anti-incumbency wave, secured a majority on its own and formed the government after a decade long hiatus and its President M K Stalin became the Chief Minister for the first time. And banking on the achievements of its five year rule and taking a slew of its flagship schemes to the people's doorstep, Mr Stalin, was keen to break the second term jinx--a feat achieved only by matinee idol and AIADMK Founder MGR and the charismatic J Jayalalithaa--and form the government by retaining power and install the Dravidian Model 2.0 regime to continue implementing its people-centric initiatives, by keeping its flock intact having won all the successive elections since 2019. On the AIADMK Front, the Dravidian major is contesting in 167 seats after allotting 67 seats to NDA partners, including the BJP, PMK, AMMK, TMC and minor allies. The AIADMK has allotted 27 seats to its key ally BJP, 18 to the vertically split OBC-Vanniyar dominated PMK faction headed by former union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP-elect Dr Anbumani, 11 to Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) TTV Dhinakaran, who was re-inducted into the NDA fold after severing the ties a few months back, five to Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) of former union Shipping Minister G K Vasan and two seats to Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) and one each to minor allies, New Justice Party (NJP), Tamilaga Makkal Munentra Kazhagam (TMMK), Puratchi Bharatham and Singa Tamizhar Munnetra Kazhagam (STMK). While Mr Vasan's party would be contesting under the BJP's "Lotus" symbol this time, other minor allies would contest either under BJP or the AIADMK's popular "Two Leaves" symbol. The AIADMK had contested 179 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections and won 66 seats. A close look at the seats to be contested by the DMK and the AIADMK showed that both of them were locked in a direct fight in 121 seats, with a majority being their traditional strongholds and as usual fielded their heavyweights, including the present and former members, in these seats. The constituencies witnessing direct contests span across urban centres, industrial belts, and rural heartlands, reflecting the widespread nature of the rivalry. In Chennai, while the DMK, which had made them their stronghold would be contesting in all the 16 seats, the AIADMK is contesting in 13 leaving one each to allies BJP (Mylapore), PMK (Perambur) and AMMK (Saidapet). The seats to be contested by DMK are Dr.Radhakrishnan Nagar, Perambur, Kolathur, Villivakkam, Thiru-Vi-Ka-Nagar (SC), Egmore (SC), Royapuram, Harbour, Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, Thousand Lights, Anna Nagar, Virugampakkam, Saidapet, Thiyagarayanagar, Mylapore, and Velachery. In other key urban and peri-urban and neighbouring constituencies like Alandur, Shozhinganallur, Ambattur, Kancheepuram, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Madurantakam, Maduravoyal, Avadi, Tiruvallur, Gummudipoondi too both of them were involved in a straight fight making it more intriguing. In the Northern and North Interior belt, seats such as Arcot, Katpadi, Vellore, Anaikattu, Ambur and Jolarpet are set for direct contests and stretches to Bargur, Veppanahalli, Hosur, Palacode, Pappireddipatti and Harur, Chengam, Kilpennathur, Kalasapakkam, Arani, Cheyyar, Vandavasi, Vanur, Villupuram, Tirukkoyilur, Ulundurpet and Sankarapuram. The politically crucial Kongu belt, which has a strong base for AIADMK, will witness intense battles in constituencies such as Gangavalli, Attur, Yercaud, Mettur, Edappadi, Sankagiri, Salem South and Veerapandi, besides Senthamangalam, Namakkal, Paramathi Velur, Kumarapalayam, Perundurai, Bhavani and Anthiyur. The contest continues in Gobichettipalayam, Gudalur, Coonoor, Dharapuram, Kangeyam, Palladam, Udumalpet, Mettupalayam, Sulur, Thondamuthur, Coimbatore South, Kinathukadavu and Valparai. In central Tamil Nadu, Nilakkottai, Dindigul, Vedasandur, Aravakurichi, Karur, Krishnarayapuram, Kulithalai, Srirangam and Tiruchirappalli East are among the key constituencies. Other notable seats include Thiruverumbur, Lalgudi, Musiri, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tittakudi, Neyveli, Kurinjipadi and Bhuvanagiri. In the Cauvery delta region, Poompuhar, Vedaranyam, Thiruvidaimarudur, Orathanadu, Pattukkottai and Peravurani are set for direct contests. The southern districts will also see high-voltage contests in Madurai East, Sholavandan, Madurai North, Madurai West, Thiruparankundram and Tirumangalam. Further south, constituencies such as Andipatti, Bodinayakanur, Cumbum, Aruppukottai, Tiruchuli, Paramakudi, Mudukulathur, Vilathikulam and Thoothukudi will witness a direct fight. In the deep south, Kovilpatti, Tenkasi, Alangulam, Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai and Kanyakumari round off the list of key battleground constituencies. These 121 constituencies are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the election, as they represent straight contests between the two principal Dravidian parties without significant interference from alliance partners. With campaigning set to intensify, the direct face off between the DMK and AIADMK across these constituencies might well define the political narrative of Tamil Nadu in the run-up to the polling day.
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], November 19 (ANI): With the Maharashtra elections approaching, wrestler and Congress MLA from Haryana's Julana, Vinesh Phogat, held a roadshow in Pune to support Congress candidate Datta Bahirat from the Shivajinagar Assembly constituency. She urged voters to ensure a victory for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), criticising the Mahayuti government for "injustice" by toppling the government elected by the people. "Everything is going well... If people shower their blessings on us on the 20th, we will win with a bigger margin this time. I appeal to voters to respond to ...Read More >
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has called for the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, citing concerns over the legitimacy of election results. Ranjan raised doubts about the EVM's accuracy, suggesting that the results may be influenced and advocating for a ballot paper system like many other countries. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also echoed similar sentiments, accusing EVMs of wasting votes from marginalized communities. This comes after the Congress' defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly election. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed a petition seeking th ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The Winter Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed intense discussions on Tuesday over delays in drinking water projects, with senior BJD MLA Badri Narayan Patra making a striking admission. During the Question Hour, Patra attributed the party's setbacks in the 2024 Assembly elections to voter dissatisfaction stemming from unfulfilled promises regarding drinking water infrastructure. "I have personally experienced voters' anger over the non-completion of promised projects before the elections. Candidates who narrowly lost felt the brunt of this frustration ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 4 (ANI): BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Wednesday met Governor CP Radhakrishnan to stake claim to form the Mahayuti government. BJP's Central Observers for the state, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijay Rupani were also present at the meet. Also Read | Stock Market Today: Indian Stock Market Ends in Green, All Eyes on RBI's MPC Decision on Repo Rate. Fadnavis is scheduled to take oath as the Chief Minister on December 5 after being unanimously chosen as Leader of Maharashtra BJP Legislati ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: BJP leader Amit Malviya on Tuesday accused Rahul Gandhi of being "so arrogant that he did not even greet the President" during the 75th Constitution Day event held in Parliament. This comes as the grand old party has often voiced its criticism against the saffron party for not inviting President Droupadi Murmu at the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building last year and Ram Temple consecration this year. "Rahul Gandhi is so arrogant that he did not even greet the President. Just because she comes from the tribal community, is a woman and Rahul Gandhi is the prince of ...Read More >
The Congress leadership was aware it was losing ground to the ruling Mahayuti following the gains made during the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, several party leaders privy to an internal survey less than a month ahead of the November 20 elections have said, adding that the outcome shouldn't exactly come as a shock. As per a report in The Indian Express, several party leaders it spoke to admitted that a survey conducted in 103 "strong MVA seats" showed the Maha Vikas Aghadi ahead in only 44 seats out of 54 it was ahead in during the Lok Sabha elections. On the contrary, the Mahayuti, wh ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) Odisha MLAs across party lines on Tuesday demanded an increase in their salaries and enhanced pensions for former lawmakers. The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, supported by members from both Congress and BJP. Mallik emphasised the need to increase the pension of former MLAs, saying they were struggling to manage due to rising market prices and medical expenses. She pointed out that a committee formed by the previous government had already submitted a report recommending an increase in the salary of MLAs to Rs 2.5 lakh per ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress MLAs Tuesday staged a walkout from the Odisha assembly, accusing the ruling BJP of failing to control prices of essential commodities and resolve the potato crisis in the state. The issues were debated in the House over the admissibility of an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition on price rise of vegetables, pulses, edible oil and fuel. The opposition members took exception to comments made by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra that adverse climate conditions, rates in international and domestic markets, and less production by ...Read More >
Traffic Diversions for oath-taking: The swearing-in ceremony of the new Maharashtra Chief Minister will be held at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai tomorrow, December 5. Mumbai Traffic Police has issued an advisory in view of the event. The traffic diversions will remain in place from 12 PM tomorrow till the end of the programme. Devendra Fadnavis was on Wednesday unanimously elected as Maharashtra BJP legislature party's leader, paving the way for his swearing-in as the chief minister for a third time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders are set to attend the grand swearing-in cerem ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 18 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader and in-charge of the party's National IT Department, Amit Malviya, on Monday, criticised the Congress party's 'hypocrisy' over their stance on the Adani Group, pointing to past investments and agreements made with the corporate conglomerate by Congress-ruled states. Taking to social media platform X, Malviya referenced Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's recent "public admission of accepting money" from the Adani Group on November 10, 2024, pointing out that this acknowledgment contradicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] November 18 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party MP K Laxman slammed Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing the Congress party of 'misleading' people. He further said that the people of Maharashtra know "how to teach a lesson" to Congress. "Revanth Reddy as a CM of Telangana and as a Congress leader is misleading the public. Maharashtra people are clever enough they know how to teach a lesson to these Congress people and Revanth Reddy you will come to know what has happened in Haryana that is going to be repeated in Maharashtra, and Jharkhand also," K Laxman ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce ballot paper in place of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines). A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale rejected the prayer to return to the ballot system due to the alleged manipulability of EVMs. "When you lose, EVMs are tampered with; when you win, EVMs are fine," remarked the apex court, when the petitioner referred to the statements made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his predecessor Jagan Mohan ...Read More >
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition is now gearing up for a national protest after losing Maharashtra state elections. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which suffered a crushing defeat in last week's Maharashtra state elections, is now gearing up for a national protest against the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which it blames for its loss. The MVA, led by the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (led by Sharad Pawar), is planning to challenge the use of EVMs in court and demand a return to ballot paper voting. Fo ...Read More >
In a heart-wrenching incident, a 30-year-old Dalit youth, who was brutally thrashed, succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a hospital in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, and four people have been arrested in this connection. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of Subhashpura police station on Tuesday, however, the matter came to light after a video surfaced on social media showing four persons beating the youth with sticks and pipes mercilessly. In the video, the victim, identified as Vishnu Jatav, was seen being thrashed by a group of men in a field in Indergarh vil ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Senior BJP leader H Raja has been sentenced to six months imprisonment in two separate cases relating to his derogatory comments against DMK MP Kanimozhi and threatening to raze down the statues of rationalist leader Periyar (EV Ramasamy). Additional special court for cases relating to MP/MLAs G Jayavel pronounced the orders convicting and sentencing him in the cases registered by the Erode district police based on complaints lodged by DMK and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) following his derogatory comments made in against Periyar and Kanimozhi in 2018 through his Twitter ...Read More >
Chandigarh [India], December 3 (ANI): Punjab Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday, slammed the BJP-led central government for neglecting the interests of farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Bajwa's scathing attack comes amidst growing discontent among farmers in the region, who feel their concerns have been ignored by the ruling party. "Ever since the BJP government has come to power, they have not taken a single decision that is in the interest of the farmers of India, especially the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. It is their fundamental rig ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Monday amid protests by opposition members over the Adani indictment row, recent violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal and other issues. As soon as the lower House met after the weekend break, many opposition members, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani in a US court on bribery charges, among other issues. Some members were in the Well of the House while other opposition members stood in the aisle and raised slogans. Speaker Om Birla asked the ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Local CPM leader Madhu Mullassery, who was expelled from the party for walking out of its area conference at Mangalapuram in Thiruvananthapuram district, joined the BJP on Wednesday. The former CPM leader accepted the party membership from state president K Surendran. BJP leaders including District Treasurer Balamurali and local leaders, played a key role in facilitating his transition to the BJP despite attempts by Congress leaders to contact him, reported Manorama Online. CPM District Secretary V Joy alleged that Mullassery had already decided to join the BJP. Joy also ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A political slugfest erupted after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was stopped from visiting violence-hit Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, with the BJP accusing the Congress leader of attempting to incite communal tensions. BJP leaders criticised Gandhi's visit as a desperate political move, driven by competition with the Samajwadi Party (SP) to reclaim vote banks. Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, slammed the government's actions as undemocratic and an assault on constitutional rights. BJP spokesperson Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi described the visit as a "sign of h ...Read More >
BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, CR Kesavan, and Pradeep Bhandari, accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of arrogance after he allegedly failed to greet President Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, during her speech on Constitution Day. Malviya claimed that Gandhi's refusal to acknowledge the President stemmed from her tribal background, while Kesavan and Bhandari pointed to Gandhi's "dynastic entitlement" and anti-tribal sentiments. The President, addressing Parliament, highlighted the significance of India's Constitution and lauded the government's efforts in social justice and inclusive dev ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 3 (PTI) Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday visited a private hospital in Thane for a "check-up," two days before a new CM is sworn in at an open ground ceremony in south Mumbai. Even as it is not known yet who would take oath as chief minister at Azad Maidan on the evening of December 5, preparations are in full swing for the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 2,000 VVIPs and some 40,000 supporters. Shinde, who had been staying at his private residence in Thane for the last few days, visited the hospital in the morning. "I ...Read More >
Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in West Bengal in connection with irregularities in the medical admissions in the state under the non-resident Indian (NRI) quota. The irregularities in medical admissions come after a major recruitment scam in Bengal in 2022, where former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide were arrested. The raids and search operations were conducted in multiple locations in the state. ED reportedly started the investigation based on a complaint filed in the Electronic Complex Police Station under Bidhannagar ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Singles, Doubles, and the Team Championship - the 18-year-old Chennai girl, the daughter of an auto driver from Kasimedu, left nothing for competitors from around the world at the sixth edition of the Carrom World Cup held in the US which Team India swept. The Women's Singles final was a hard-fought contest, where the 18-year-old M Khazima kept her nerves to defeat 12-time national and multiple World Cup winner Rashmi Kumari from Bihar. With this victory, Khazima became the youngest Carrom World Champion. Khazima, whose father Mehaboob Basha is an auto driver from Kasimedu, had been ...Read More >
Campaigning for the November 20 assembly bypolls to four seats in Punjab ended on Monday evening with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party making last-ditch efforts to mobilise support for their respective candidates. Hours before the campaign ended at 6 pm, major political outfits intensified their efforts to woo the voters. Bypolls to four assembly segments -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala -- will be held on November 20 from 7 am to 6 pm, and the results will be out on November 23. The bypolls were necessitated afte ...Read More >
Defying pollsters, exit polls, and predictions, the BJP scored a hat trick in Haryana, albeit with a narrow lead in the recent Assembly election. It formed a government on its own sans any ally, and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini assumed office for a second consecutive term with relative ease. But the euphoria did not last long. In the first Assembly session convened after the new government took over, the opposition, led by the Congress and the electorally diminished Indian National Lok Dal, attacked the government on the issue of fertilizer shortages in the sowing season. The government d ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) Two-time CPI-M legislator and state Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, known for his unassuming nature and direct engagement with the public, has expressed admiration for Tamil Nadu's development while voicing concerns about Kerala's comparatively slow progress. Cherian, who is often seen mingling with locals or enjoying a cup of tea at roadside eateries, was spotted on Wednesday morning at a small restaurant opposite his official residence, the Manmohan Bungalow in the state capital. As he waited for his breakfast of idli sambhar, patrons informed the ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being stopped at the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad on his way to violence-hit Sambhal. The Congress MP stated that visiting Sambhal was his constitutional duty and described the restrictions placed on him as unconstitutional. Also Read | Naresh Balyan in Trouble: Delhi Police Seeks Arrest of AAP MLA in Fresh Case, Moves Court. https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1864229268210815066 In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote in Hindi: "The police stopped us from go ...Read More >
The Palakkad bypoll has turned into a fierce triangular contest with key defections adding to the excitement. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan campaigned for former Congress leader P Sarin, now contesting as an Independent for the LDF, while BJP’s C Krishnakumar faces a tough challenge. Sarin, a former Congress digital strategist, switched parties after being snubbed for the Congress ticket. Meanwhile, BJP leader Sandeep Varier defected to Congress, further intensifying the race. With the election crucial for UDF, NDA, and LDF's momentum heading into the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, all eyes are ...Read More >
The BJP employed a targeted campaign strategy in the Maharashtra elections, focusing on key opposition figures. This micro-planning, previously used in other states, led to victories against Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat. Detailed booth analysis and voter studies informed the campaign, contributing to the BJP's success in these traditionally Congress strongholds. ...Read More >