Category: Politics

Manish Sisodia, a leader from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former deputy chief minister of Delhi, shared exciting news! He has raised over Rs 40 lakh (4 million rupees) by collecting money from friends and supporters to help him run for the assembly elections from the Jangpura seat. He made his announcement on social media and mentioned that 331 people donated amounts between Rs 100 and Rs 500. He launched his crowdfunding campaign on December 30.

In his post, Sisodia expressed gratitude to all who helped him, saying, “I’m very happy that so many people across India supported me. I’ll use this money honestly during the election and will continue to fight for improving education in Delhi.” He also promised to work hard for the Jangpura area if he wins.

In another exciting development, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has also started her crowdfunding campaign. She quickly raised over Rs 17 lakh (1.7 million rupees) for her election campaign in the Kalkaji area, receiving help from 335 supporters in just one day! Atishi felt overwhelmed by the positive response, calling it a sign of the people’s trust in AAP’s honest politics.

Other AAP leaders like Satyendar Jain and Durgesh Pathak have also begun crowdfunding campaigns, asking the public for support as the election date of February 5 approaches.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai spoke about the ongoing fight against Maoism, saying it’s like a bad disease that needs to be treated from the root. At an event in Sukma, he shared that in the past year, security forces have removed over 230 Maoists during various encounters.

“Maoism is like cancer,” Sai said. “To get rid of it completely, we must eliminate the root causes. The Maoists have been scaring people and taking advantage of them in some areas of Bastar. These areas were like their safe homes. We decided to go directly into their strongholds.”

Maoists caused a lot of violence in Sukma and the Bastar region, making it difficult for the community to grow. Over the past year, the government made important choices to improve Sukma and is making fast progress.

According to the chief minister, they have expanded police camps in areas affected by Maoism, which has helped keep things safer. Now, Maoists are pushed back and are scared. “In their frustration, they are acting cowardly,” he added. He promised that in Sukma, they will work hard to get rid of Maoism completely and honor the bravery of fallen soldiers.

During the event, the chief minister inaugurated and laid the foundation for 137 development projects worth ₹205 crore in Sukma district.

The main group for contractors has asked seven ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, to pay off pending bills totaling around Rs 30,000 crore. They want this issue resolved within a week. Some leaders in the government have been accused by contractors of asking for a share of money when contracts are awarded. This demand comes as some contractors have reportedly taken drastic actions due to unpaid bills. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has criticized the ruling Congress party, claiming that bribes have increased to 60%.

The letter was sent to several ministers, including Priyank Kharge, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, Ns Boseraju, Dinesh Gundu Rao, HC Mahadevappa, Rahim Khan, and Shivakumar. The group is requesting a meeting to discuss the payment of bills and has previously complained about not receiving responses to their earlier letters. They warned that if the ministers do not act within a week, they will escalate the matter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Priyank Kharge acknowledged that ministers are talking to contractors and mentioned that these pending bills date back to the previous government. He stated that contractors have the right to protest if they choose. C Narayanaswamy, the opposition leader from the BJP, noted that the government owes Rs 32,000 crore to contractors and that payments only go to those with good connections. This situation puts pressure on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government, especially as the budget is set to be revealed in March.

When the Congress party campaigned for the elections in May 2023, they accused the BJP of taking a “40% cut” from contractors. This claim impacted the BJP negatively, and opposition parties are now using the same accusations against the Congress party.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the head of the BJP in Maharashtra, said that the INDIA alliance is falling apart because it lacks a clear plan for improving the country. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, he explained that the group is now divided, especially in Maharashtra, where the Shiv Sena (UBT) is now against Congress.

Bawankule argued that the INDIA bloc is only interested in holding power and, without that power, its leaders are losing touch. He mentioned that even Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are not getting along with Congress.

In contrast, Bawankule highlighted that the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, has a clear purpose and vision for progress and will stay united.

He also mentioned that decisions about appointing ministers would be made soon, by January 15-16. The Chief Minister and his deputies will hold several meetings about this.

Bawankule noted that the Mukyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will continue to support eligible women by giving them a monthly payment of Rs 1,500. However, they will stop payments for those who are found to be fake beneficiaries. The government will investigate complaints and check records from other departments to ensure fairness.

Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, HD Kumaraswamy, announced that his party, the Janata Dal Secular (JDS), will choose its next state president through elections by April this year. Kumaraswamy, who currently holds this position, was speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after a party meeting. He mentioned that they haven’t decided who will take over as president.

During the meeting, the party discussed how to strengthen its organization, plan for elections at the district and local levels, and recruit more members. Kumaraswamy emphasized the importance of dedication to the party’s growth and promised to be involved in more party activities.

He addressed concerns that his role as a Union Minister might leave a gap in leadership in the state, saying he spends most of his time working in New Delhi but dedicates time each week for party tasks and visiting his constituency in Mandya.

Kumaraswamy also responded to state industries minister MB Patil, who claimed that the JDS would disappear after the Sankranti festival (January 14) and merge with the Congress party. He challenged Patil to focus on issues within the Congress and pointed out that several parties, like the Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena, are choosing to run independently, showing that Congress is in chaos.

Furthermore, he criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and questioned his efforts for minority and backward communities. He referred to a report meant to help these groups that has been ignored for years. He suggested that the state government should wait for the federal government’s report before acting on a caste census. Lastly, he reminded the Chief Minister that relying on central funds will not solve local issues

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made a big complaint to the Election Commission of India against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They say the BJP is lying and breaking rules during the election.

The complaint says that the BJP shared a false video online, showing badly damaged roads and claiming they were in Delhi. But AAP found out that those roads are actually in Faridabad, Haryana!

In their complaint letter, AAP included pictures of the BJP’s tweets that shared the misleading video and also links to videos that prove the real place of the road. AAP claims that this type of false information is against the Model Code of Conduct, which is a set of rules that stops parties from lying about each other during elections.

AAP is asking the Election Commission to take strong action against the BJP. They want the Commission to remove the video from the BJP’s social media accounts. AAP also wants legal action against the BJP for spreading false information. The letter points out that these actions hurt the election process and that all parties need to stick to the rules to keep elections fair.

As of now, the BJP has not responded to AAP’s accusations

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke at a big BJP meeting in Shirdi on Sunday. He accused Sharad Pawar, a well-known politician, of playing unfair politics in Maharashtra since 1978. Shah said people showed Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray that they didn’t want their “betrayal and family politics” in the recent elections. He claimed that in the 2024 polls, voters rejected the politics of dynasties and unfair actions.

Shah noted that the BJP’s big win will have lasting effects and has decreased the confidence of the INDI alliance, which includes Congress and other parties. He confidently stated that the BJP will win the upcoming Delhi assembly elections easily

In the wake of the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s poor performance in the recent state assembly elections, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to fight the local body elections on their own. This choice has raised concerns about the unity of the opposition alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut explained that their workers need more chances to grow and develop within their own party.

Just two days earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced support for Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP in the upcoming Delhi elections, ignoring the Congress party. Congress leaders said they would discuss whether to contest independently or join forces for the local body polls, which still do not have a set date. The NCP (SP), led by Sharad Pawar, warned that the decision by Shiv Sena (UBT) could hurt the chances of all three alliance partners.

Raut said that the alliances formed for Lok Sabha and assembly elections were not working, as their workers were missing out on opportunities. He mentioned that the party would run for the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, and other local councils all by themselves. He also pointed out that Uddhav Thackeray encouraged them to go solo.

In the recent assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP won 230 out of 288 seats, while the MVA coalition managed only 46, with Shiv Sena (UBT) taking 20, Congress 16, and NCP (SP) 10. Raut blamed Congress for the lack of teamwork in the MVA.

When Raut commented on Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar blaming others for their defeat, he asserted that those who cannot work together should not be in an alliance. Raut also criticized the INDIA bloc for not holding meetings since the Lok Sabha elections, stating that it was Congress’s duty to organize discussions.

NCP (SP) leaders responded by saying they couldn’t force Shiv Sena (UBT) to stay in the alliance if they wanted to go solo, even if it wasn’t the best decision. Supriya Sule from NCP (SP) said local elections are important for party members and should reflect their needs.

Congress MLA Vikas Thakre said if Shiv Sena (UBT) chooses to go alone, the Congress is ready to do the same. However, another Congress member, Manikrao Thakre, stated that the party will decide on its participation.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis played down the decision made by Shiv Sena (UBT). He said his administration is focused on the development of Maharashtra and believes they will have the people’s support in future elections. Fadnavis hinted that political alignments can change quickly and jokingly said, “In politics, anything can happen.”

On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP of trying to trick the Election Commission by handing in a lot of fake voter registration forms from the homes of their leaders. AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh, held a press conference and said that many voter registration forms were filed from tiny shops and basements. He also claimed that the BJP registered many new voters using the home addresses of their leaders. Singh said, “This is how Prime Minister Modi’s party plans to win the elections.” He named several BJP leaders, including union ministers, suggesting they are involved in this issue. According to Singh, the BJP’s actions are an attempt to fool the Election Commission. He called it an “election scam” led by the BJP’s Union ministers and MPs, saying they are damaging the Election Commission’s trust. Delhi will have its elections on February 5, and results will come out on February 8.