Category: Politics

The Congress party said that putting President’s rule in Manipur shows that the BJP government at both the national and state levels has failed. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, saying that there is a serious problem in Manipur which led to this decision. He pointed out that the BJP has been in power for 11 years at the national level and for 8 years in Manipur. He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it is his party’s responsibility to keep the state safe, and now their actions show that they have failed the people of Manipur.

Kharge mentioned that the President’s rule was not something the government wanted; it happened because no members of the BJP wanted to take responsibility for the current mess. He stated that the government is not listening to the suffering of the people in Manipur and called for Modi to visit the state and apologize.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also spoke out, saying that the President’s rule is an admission that the BJP can’t govern well in Manipur. He challenged Modi to finally visit Manipur and share how he plans to bring peace back to the area.

The President’s rule was implemented in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh stepped down, which caused chaos in the politics of the region. The state assembly, which was supposed to last until 2027, has been paused for now, as announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Singh resigned after months of ethnic clashes that have resulted in over 250 deaths.

India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, announced that the government plans to spend a lot more money on building things next year. The budget for capital spending is set to be Rs 15.48 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2025-26. This is an increase from Rs 13.18 lakh crore, which was the revised budget for the current year.

If we also include money from public companies, the total amount for capital spending will hit Rs 19.80 lakh crore for 2025-26.

During her Budget speech on February 1, Sitharaman mentioned that the goal for capital spending was raised by 10.08% to reach Rs 11.21 lakh crore for next year. The government hopes this will help boost demand and consumption in the economy, aiming to become the third-largest economy in the world by 2030. However, the economy might hit a four-year low this year.

In the current financial year, Sitharaman proposed to lower the capital spending target to Rs 10.18 lakh crore from Rs 11.11 lakh crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Bihar on February 24, and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is busy preparing for his arrival. In a vital meeting with state ministers, Choudhary confirmed that members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will join together to warmly welcome the Prime Minister.

On Saturday, Choudhary also launched a new book titled “Nalanda: How it Changed the World” at the fifth edition of the Grand Trunk Road Initiatives held in Patna. The author, Abhay K, expressed his happiness about launching the book in his hometown of Bihar, which is named after “Vihar,” due to its rich history of Buddhist monasteries.

Abhay K shared his excitement about the research he conducted while writing about Nalanda, an ancient center of learning and culture. He believes that the book will benefit many readers, showcasing how Nalanda has helped shape today’s world. Noted historian William Dalrymple praised the book, mentioning that Abhay has created a simple and engaging introduction to Nalanda, highlighting its great libraries, wise scholars, and important teachings.

With its fascinating history and global influence, Abhay K’s Nalanda is a book worth reading!

Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, V K Saxena, recently told outgoing Chief Minister Atishi that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost the elections because of a curse from the Yamuna River. This happened on Sunday when Atishi went to the Raj Bhawan to resign. Saxena reminded her that he had previously warned AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal about this curse when he tried to stop a project to clean the Yamuna.

Two years ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) set up a committee, led by the Lieutenant Governor, to clean the Yamuna because it was getting more polluted. Kejriwal initially agreed to help, but then the Delhi government went to the Supreme Court to challenge this arrangement. They wanted someone with expertise to lead the project, but the court froze the NGT’s decision—this stay has lasted over two years.

Kejriwal’s supporters argue that he didn’t want a team under the LG’s leadership to take credit for the project, as he had promised to clean the river by 2020 but didn’t do much. This broken promise helped the BJP attack him during the elections. Many voters from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, who celebrate Chhath Puja on the riverbanks, were particularly affected by this issue and switched their vote to the BJP.

When people criticized Kejriwal, he blamed the Haryana government for polluting the Yamuna, but this did not go over well with officials from Haryana or BJP leaders. After the election results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also criticized AAP, saying they disrespected the beliefs of the people and promised to clean the river, ending his speech with “Yamuna Maiya Ki Jai.

BJP members cheered “Modi, Modi” in the Lok Sabha after their big win in the Delhi assembly elections. This happened on Monday when the meeting started. The Speaker, Om Birla, then moved on to the Question Hour. Congress member Gaurav Gogoi and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee also brought up some issues. The BJP won the elections after 26 years, taking home 48 out of 70 assembly seats. The AAP won 22 seats, while the Congress did not win any seats in the voting held on February 5.

Thane: Eknath Shinde, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and leader of Shiv Sena, shared some surprising news. He revealed that 15 candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asked him for his party’s symbol to run in the Delhi elections, but he said no. Shinde explained that if the AAP used his party’s symbol, it could confuse voters. This might help other parties gain votes, which he wanted to avoid. Shinde emphasized the importance of sticking to his coalition’s commitments, known as ‘yuti dharma.’ He also mentioned that he asked his Members of Parliament (MPs) to support BJP candidates during the elections. In the recent Delhi assembly elections, the BJP won big, taking 48 out of 70 seats, while AAP ended up with just 22 seats. Notably, key AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia lost their elections. On a personal note, Shinde celebrated his 61st birthday and received wishes from important figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He jokingly noted that they addressed him as Eknath Shinde, not just as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

On Sunday, Congress leader Abhishek Dutt shared his hopes after the BJP’s big win in the Delhi Assembly elections. He urged the BJP to make sure they follow through on the promises they made during their campaign. Dutt also mentioned that Arvind Kejriwal, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), lost the elections because of his mistakes and arrogance. He recalled a tweet from Kejriwal where he said he would run the elections on his own in Delhi.

Earlier on Sunday, Atishi, who was the Chief Minister of Delhi, resigned after AAP’s defeat in the Assembly elections. She handed her resignation to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas. Atishi, who is 43 years old, became Chief Minister in September 2024 after Kejriwal stepped down. She was only the third woman to hold this position in Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.

The BJP won 48 out of 70 seats, marking a historic return to power in Delhi after 27 years, while AAP secured 22 seats. Unfortunately, the Congress party did not win any seats again. However, Atishi managed to keep her seat in Kalkaji by defeating BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri with a margin of 3,521 votes. Despite her personal victory, Atishi accepted that AAP lost in the elections and promised to keep challenging the BJP.

Atishi’s win in her constituency stood out as many top AAP leaders, such as Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, lost in their areas.

The Speaker’s Tribunal of the Manipur Assembly is waiting to make a decision on whether five MLAs from the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) should be disqualified. These MLAs joined the BJP just days after winning their seats in the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections. The disqualification was requested by Hareshwar Goswami, the Vice-President of the Manipur Congress.

The five MLAs involved are Kh Joykishan, N Sanate, Thangjam Arunkumar, Md Achab Uddin, and L.M. Khaute. The hearing wrapped up on Friday, and Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh announced that he would reserve his judgment for now. In the 2022 elections, the JD-U participated in 38 constituencies and managed to win only six seats.

Additionally, the tribunal has sent out separate notices to four MLAs from the National People’s Party (NPP) for different anti-defection issues. These notices were a response to another petition by Congress leader Goswami, who wants these four NPP MLAs to be disqualified for supporting the BJP-led government. This happened even after the NPP officially cut ties with the government in November last year.

The four NPP MLAs facing disqualification are Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh, Thongam Shanti Singh, Irengbam Nalini Devi, and Janghemlung Panmei. Despite their party, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, withdrawing from the BJP government, these MLAs attended a BJP meeting last November.

Before this, the NPP had seven members in the 60-member Manipur Assembly. Currently, the BJP has 37 MLAs and is additionally supported by five members from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and three Independents. Recently, N. Kayisii, an NPP MLA and party president in Manipur, passed away, reducing the number of NPP legislators to six.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won power again after 30 years, defeating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that had been in charge for 10 years. Several reasons led to AAP’s loss. After a decade of ruling, voters felt tired of AAP, especially because they didn’t keep promises like making the air cleaner.

Many voters thought AAP’s complaints about the central government interfering were just excuses. AAP also faced a lot of dissatisfaction after ten years in charge. While there were some improvements in health and education, many voters still felt AAP didn’t deliver on key promises, especially about air quality. The BJP’s promise of better cooperation between the central and state governments resonated with voters, making them more attractive.

There were also problems within AAP. The government’s liquor policy caused a scandal, which led to accusations of corruption. Important leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia were arrested, causing a leadership crisis. Kejriwal’s personal controversies, like the high cost of fixing his house, hurt his reputation and the party’s image.

Unlike before, AAP decided to run alone against BJP and Congress. This decision backfired as Congress, even though weaker, campaigned aggressively against AAP, bringing attention to their corruption and failures.

Initially, AAP’s focus on offering free electricity and water attracted voters, but as time went on, people wanted better roads and waste management. AAP controlled the Municipal Corporation of Delhi but couldn’t deliver these improvements, resulting in dissatisfaction among voters.

The BJP ran a smart campaign that didn’t focus too much on religion but instead pointed out AAP’s corruption. They reached out to different groups of people and used social media effectively to spread their message.

Rahul Gandhi from Congress campaigned against Kejriwal, calling out broken promises, which added to AAP’s troubles. Even though AAP had won the local elections in 2022, they failed to improve city services, leading to frustrations about poor governance.

Additionally, many senior AAP leaders left the party, criticizing Kejriwal’s leadership style. As key figures resigned, it hurt the party’s strength and outreach.

Finally, AAP’s negative campaigning—accusing BJP of voter fraud and other issues—failed to impress voters and backfired, making the party lose even more trust.

A court in Varanasi has sent a notice to Rahul Gandhi, a Member of Parliament from the Congress party, about a complaint against him. The complaint claims he made wrong remarks while visiting the United States. The judge, Sanjeev Pandey, has set a hearing date for February 25.

The person making the complaint, Nageshwar Mishra, who used to be a village leader in Varanasi, says Gandhi mentioned that Sikhs in India feel unsafe and are not allowed to wear turbans or enter gurdwaras. Mishra also says that a Khalistani separatist named Gurpatwant Singh Pannun supported Gandhi’s comments, which he believes could cause unrest in India.

Earlier, a lower court had turned down a similar complaint on November 28 last year. Since he was unhappy with that decision, Mishra filed a new petition with Judge Sanjeev Pandey. The court has now asked both Rahul Gandhi and the Uttar Pradesh government to respond to the claims.