During a heated debate on the Constitution in parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party. He accused former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru of misusing the Constitution and said that the current Congress leadership continues to attack it. PM Modi also spoke about the Emergency and the Shah Bano case, criticizing Indira Gandhi's actions during that time. He accused her son, Rajiv Gandhi, of sacrificing justice for the sake of vote bank politics.
After suffering losses in recent state elections, Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the party's leaders and stressed the importance of taking responsibility, fixing shortcomings, and unity within the party. He also expressed concern over the use of electronic voting machines and called on the Election Commission to ensure fair elections in the country. Kharge emphasized the need for discipline and unity within the party to defeat political opponents. He also urged party leaders to work hard and strengthen the party's organization at all levels, from voter registration to vote counting.
In the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Congress faced a major defeat in direct contests with the BJP, winning only 10 out of 75 seats. This is a significant decline from their performance in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. The BJP's average vote share per seat contested rose by 6 percentage points, while the Congress saw a decline of 14 percentage points. In some key constituencies, the Congress finished in fourth place, highlighting the immediate need for the party to reassess its strategies and connect with the voting public.
In a strongly-worded statement, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accusing her of contesting the Wayanad bypoll with the support of Jamaat-e-Islami. He alleged that the Jamaat had issued directions to members to vote for the UDF candidate and that the terrorist outfit had openly supported the Congress party in the state. This accusation came after a report stated that the disengagement process between India and China in the Depsang and Demchok areas of the Eastern Ladakh sector had been almost completed, leading to a reduction in tension along the border. Vijayan also referenced Congress' alliance with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which he claimed had links to the Jamaat.
With the Haryana state legislative assembly elections around the corner, the Chief Electoral Officer urges voters to ensure their names are included in the voter list. While a voter ID card is the most commonly used identity document, the ECI has prescribed 12 alternative options, including Aadhaar card and Indian passport, for those without one. The voter list is available online and through a helpline number, with registration being mandatory in order to cast a vote. The upcoming elections will see a competition between the BJP, who secured 40 seats in the 2019 elections, and Congress, who won 30 seats.
The Narendra Modi government faced backlash from the opposition and its own allies regarding lateral appointments in the bureaucracy, which led to a swift change in direction. This move came after Union Minister Jitendra Singh directed the cancellation of an advertisement for 45 posts and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's statement on the government's commitment to social justice. The government's cautious approach is attributed to the successful opposition campaign during the Lok Sabha elections, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi consistently criticized the government's actions towards reservations. With Assembly elections coming up, the BJP is wary of any further damage to its SC/ST and OBC vote bank, and has yet to clarify its stance on sub-categorization and the Supreme Court's observation on creamy layer exclusion.
After facing multiple attempts to seek a vote of confidence, Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's coalition government has finally fallen as he lost the floor test in the House of Representatives. With only 63 lawmakers supporting him, far below the required 138 votes, Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire officially announced the rejection of Dahal's motion for trust. This comes after the withdrawal of support from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and an agreement between the CPN-UML and the main opposition Nepali Congress to form a new coalition government.
In a major political development, Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' lost a vote of confidence in Parliament after the main opposition party withdrew its support for his government. The motion received 194 votes against it, far surpassing the 138 votes needed for a majority. With the support of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, the largest parties in the House, former prime minister K P Sharma Oli is now set to become the next prime minister, ending Prachanda's short stint in office. Follow our newsletter to get the latest updates on this developing story.
Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has staked his claim to lead a new majority government under Article 76 (2) of the constitution, with the support of 165 lawmakers including members from his party and the Nepali Congress. Despite backing from fringe parties, Oli's claim is based solely on the support of the UML and Congress members. Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel has called upon members of the House of Representatives to stake their claim for the prime ministerial post, in accordance with Article 76 (2) of the constitution. This comes after Puspa Kamal Dahal failed to secure a vote of confidence during a floor test in the House of Representatives.
The Congress candidates for the Badrinath and Manglaur assembly bypolls in Uttarakhand are currently leading in the vote count, according to officials. Congress' Qazi Nizamuddin is ahead by a significant margin in Manglaur, while Lakhpat Singh Butola is leading in Badrinath. These seats were previously held by the BSP and Congress, respectively, but fell vacant due to the death and resignation of their sitting MLAs.