Explore Business Standard
BJP
Former Mizoram governor and senior advocate Swaraj Kaushal died on Thursday, Delhi BJP said in a statement. He was 73. Kaushal, husband of late BJP veteran Sushma Swaraj, was the father of New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj. "We are sorry to inform the sudden demise of former Governor of Mizoram, senior advocate Swaraj Kaushal," the party said in a message. After Kaushal complained of chest pain in the afternoon, he was rushed to AIIMS where doctors declared him dead, a BJP leader said. Kaushal will be cremated at Lodhi Road crematorium, it said. Bansuri Swaraj, in an emotional post on X, said that her father's affection, discipline, simplicity, patriotism and immense patience were light of her life which would never diminish. "Your departure has descended upon us as the deepest pain in the heart yet the mind holds on the belief that you are now reunited with mother, in the presence of the almighty and eternal peace. Being your daughter is the greatest pride of my life and your legacy
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a meeting to review the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed two-day visit to the state from December 20. Sarma said the PM, during his visit, will "herald a new wave of development" in the state. "Assam is all set to welcome Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji on 20th December as he will herald a new wave of development in the state," the chief minister posted on X on Wednesday. "Reviewed preparations for his welcome and the marquee events which will take place during the visit," he added. The prime minister, during his visit, will inaugurate the new terminal building of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and also unveil a statue of Bordoloi, Assam's first chief minister, at Borjhar. Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting at Guwahati. He will also lay the foundation stone for a new brownfield ammonia-urea complex of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes annual capacity at Namrup, and address a public
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked BJP MPs from West Bengal to effectively counter the Trinamool Congress-led government in the state and work towards winning the assembly elections next year. BJP MPs from West Bengal met the prime minister, along with Khagen Murmu -- the Lok Sabha member from Maldah Uttar -- who was attacked by a mob in October. Modi enquired about Murmu's well being and told BJP members from the state to counter the West Bengal government to save democracy in the state. "The prime minister told us to keep fighting the West Bengal government to save democracy. We will remove this government. The prime minister told us that we have to win these elections and we will win the elections," Sukanta Majumdar, president of the West Bengal unit of the BJP, told reporters after the meeting. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said the prime minister praised the dedication and tireless efforts of the BJP workers in West Bengal and highlighted their role in public outreach
The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over repeated claims by the US that President Donald Trump brokered peace between India and Pakistan, saying no wonder the Modi-Trump huglomacy is in deep freeze". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that President Trump has brokered several peace deals, including the very dangerous ones like India and Pakistan, and deserves tremendous credit for reshaping America's foreign policy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on May 10, 2025, at 5:37 PM, Rubio was the first person to announce the abrupt stoppage of Operation Sindoor. "Subsequently, President Trump himself has made the claim at least 61 times in 6 different countries that it was due to his intervention that Operation Sindoor was halted," he said on X. "Now Mr. Rubio has once again reminded the world of what Mr. Trump has been saying repeatedly. No wonder the Modi-Trump huglomacy is in deep freeze," Ramesh said. Durin
Maharashtra Minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday said "misinterpretation of laws" by the State Election Commission (SEC) has led to the Bombay High Court deferring the counting of votes for the local bodies polls to December 21. The SEC's actions alone had "prompted such a decision", the state revenue minister claimed, adding that he had repeatedly cautioned the poll body against delaying elections. Bawankule was speaking to reporters here hours after the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court directed that the counting of all civic bodies polls in the state will be held on December 21. The SEC had earlier scheduled the counting for Tuesday's elections on December 3. The HC's order has come on a day when polling was underway for elections to 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra, days after the SEC rescheduled the elections in 24 local bodies on December 20. "I have been saying that the SEC is misinterpreting laws and postponing electi
The Congress on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dubbing him the "biggest dramabaaz" after he accused the opposition of indulging in drama in Parliament. In a statement on X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that instead of addressing the real issue of people, Prime Minister Modi has once again made his 'dramebazi delivery". He said the reality is that the government has been continuously trampling parliamentary decorum and system for the past 11 years, and the long list of such instances is well-known. "The BJP should now end this drama of distraction and engage in debate in Parliament on the real issues facing the people," Kharge said in his post. In his remarks before the start of Winter session, Modi said Parliament is not a place for drama, it is a place for delivery instead. Kharge said the truth is that the common man is struggling with unemployment, inflation, economic inequality, and the looting of the country's precious resources, while "those in po
With tensions simmering between allies BJP and Shiv Sena in Sindhudurg ahead of the local bodies polls, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he supports everyone who "behaves well". Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the ongoing episode between brothers, Nilesh Rane of the Shiv Sena and BJP Minister Nitesh Rane, is "not good" and the parties will have to introspect about this after the elections. The Sindhudurg police on Saturday registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane, an MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, for "trespassing" into a BJP supporter's house. The Shiv Sena leader had 'raided' the BJP supporter's home and claimed to have found bags of cash meant for distribution to voters ahead of civic polls. His brother and BJP minister Nitesh Rane later rejected the allegations, arguing that many political workers had legitimate business income and keeping cash at home should not be construed otherwise. He also said that Shiv Sena workers campaigning for a rival Shiv
With the Delhi Police filing an FIR against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the "Modi-Shah duo" is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the party's top leadership. The opposition party also said the National Herald matter is a "completely bogus case" and justice will ultimately triumph. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC. Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid." "The National Herald matter is a completely bogus case. Justice will ultimately triumph. Satyameva Jayate," he said. His remarks came after the Delhi Police filed an FIR against the Congress leaders and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money ...
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday asked officials not to pay heed to "false complaints" against his party workers, and warned that if any injustice was done to them, they would have to deal with him. His remarks came on a day when the Sindhudurg Police registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane, an MLA of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, for 'trespassing' into a BJP supporter's house. Rane had 'raided' the BJP supporter's house and claimed to have found bags of cash meant for distribution to voters ahead of civic polls. Speaking at a rally at Phaltan in Satara district, Shinde said those who do injustice will not be spared. "I want to tell officers not to do any illegal work. Do not pay heed to false complaints, and if anyone is pressuring you then do not succumb to it. If you do injustice to our party workers then you have to deal with Eknath Shinde," the deputy CM said. "I know who does what. I am quiet and let me be quiet. I know the secrets of everyone. I do not
In a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party on the eve of MCD bypolls, its senior leader and former two-time MLA Rajesh Gupta joined the BJP here on Saturday. No reaction from the AAP was immediately available over the development. Gupta, who was also a national spokesperson and incharge of the Karnataka unit of AAP, joined the BJP in the presence of Delhi state president Virendra Sachdeva. Sachdeva welcomed Gupta into the BJP fold by offering him the party's stole, said a statement released by the Delhi BJP. The Delhi BJP president said that the AAP leaders were now listing shortcomings and problems in Delhi that were all created during the 12-year rule of their party, and yet they were questioning an eight-month-old government of the BJP. Gupta alleged that the "biggest reason" behind the "downfall" of the AAP and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, was treating workers in a "use and throw" manner. According to the statement, "While joining the BJP, Rajesh Gupta became emotional as he recalle
Police in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district have registered an FIR against Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane on the charge of trespassing on a BJP supporter's house, days after the legislator alleged that bags of cash meant for distribution to voters were found there during his "sting operation". The case was filed on Friday at the Malvan police station, based on a complaint filed by BJP worker Vijay Kenavadekar, a police official said on Saturday. The development further escalated tension between the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP, two of the allies who form the ruling Mahayuti alliance along with Ajit Pawar's NCP. While state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan said he had no idea who filed the complaint against Nilesh Rane, the latter said registration of a case shows "how desperate people are". He also said the FIR was filed against him even as the money was found at someone else's house. Speaking in Sindhudurg on Saturday, Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane came out in ...
SP president Akhilesh Yadav has made a fresh attack on the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying it was a "big conspiracy" against the people of the country that could push citizens into a state "worse than the colonial era." Posting a 20-second video on the SIR process on his official X handle on Thursday evening, Yadav appealed to all opposition parties, including allies of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), to "unite and expose this mega-conspiracy of the BJP." Attacking the roll revision exercise, he charged, "This is a fraud with democracy. People must stay alert. Today votes are being cut, tomorrow names will be removed from land records, ration cards, caste certificates, reservations, and later even from bank accounts and lockers of the middle-class." In a detailed post, the SP chief said, "This is a major conspiracy against the people of this country which will lead to a situation far worse than the colonial era. This i
The 10-day winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly began on Wednesday with a discussion on the deferment of elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) after the Opposition BJP moved an adjournment motion. Speaking on the motion, leader of the opposition (LOP) Jai Ram Thakur hit out at the government and accused it of delaying the PRI elections, fearing defeat. The elections to over 3,500 gram panchayats in the state are slated for December 2025-January 2026. The last date for conducting the elections is January 23, and the State Election Commission has set the ball rolling by initiating the preparation of electoral rolls. However, in a notification issued on October 9, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta announced that the polls will be held "only after restoration of proper connectivity", considering the damage to roads and private and public properties due to monsoon havoc this year. The state cabinet on Monday (November 24) approved the ...
Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Tahir Chowdhary on Saturday said the recent Delhi blast was a terror attack aimed at India, and urged people not to fall for narratives that divide people or demonise any community. He appreciated the coordinated efforts of the security agencies investigating the November 10 blast that killed 15 persons in the Red Fort area, and said invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other stringent provisions against the culprits was not only justified but essential. Terrorists want chaos. They want mistrust. They want to weaken our social fabric. Giving this attack a communal colour is exactly what they want. We cannot allow that, Chowdhary said in a statement here. He said the arrests, including individuals detained from Pulwama, indicate a wider conspiracy and show that the attack was neither random nor impulsive. He called the attack a "planned terror strike" aimed at a high-footfall area with immense national symbolism. Coming out
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday accused the BJP government and the Election Commission of conspiring to delete more than 50,000 voters from each Assembly segment where his party and the INDIA bloc fared strongly in the last general elections. The allegations came amid the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh and 11 other states. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on the birth anniversary of his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said, "We have received information that in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, is making major preparations." The Samajwadi Party chief opined that SIR should not be carried out during the wedding season and demanded that the poll panel extend the timeline for the voter roll cleanup exercise in Uttar Pradesh. Citing electoral data, he said that while the BJP, which won 255 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, led in only 162 Assembly
Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, on Saturday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may oust Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from power in the near future. The senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader also charged that by focusing all its attention on the Hindutva agenda, the BJP wants to transform India into a nation where there is no equality. Speaking to reporters at a programme organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of SP patriarch and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Pandey targeted the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. "The government's policies are not aimed at eliminating unemployment. Their only slogan is Hindutva. They want to run the government in the name of Hindutva and mislead the people by performing religious rituals," he said Responding to a question about BJP's Samrat Chaudhary (Deputy Chief Minister) getting the Home portfolio in Bihar, Pandey claimed that the BJP would dislodge its ally and JD(U) chi